What It Truly Means To Be A Hero

Disclaimer: All Sonic characters belong to Sega, and Sonic X is owned and made by TMS Entertainment, LTD. I do not own either of them. Also, this scene takes place before episode 25, and is completely self-contained in my own head-canon. In other words, it's not in any of the episodes of the show. Also, I was originally going to rate this one-shot K10+, but considering how disturbing Uncle Chuck's (Yes, the same one from the Satam/Archie Sonic universe) death scene is even with how delicately I had written it, I have to up the rating to T just in case. It'll make sense once you read further. Anyways, with that said, enjoy this somewhat long one-shot!

"Sonic? ...Why did you become a hero?" Chris asked calmly yet quietly in curiosity while wearing his pajamas as he stared at starry, night sky in the horizon. He and Sonic were either leaning on top of the balcony's railing or sitting on top of it. Obviously, Sonic was the one sitting on top of the railing while having his arms over his legs.

Sonic looked content as he stared at the starry, night sky with Chris, and he can tell that Chris was trying his best to stay awake by how he's resisting to yawn out loud and how he kept rubbing his eyes. It is close to bedtime after all.

"What? You want me to tell you a bedtime story?" Sonic asked calmly yet teasingly in amusement with a playful grin and with a lowered eyebrow as he glanced at Chris.

"Sonic...I'm serious. I want to know why you became a hero in the first place," Chris replied calmly yet quietly in somberness with a solemn look on his face as he looked at Sonic while having his arms overlapped on top of the balcony railing.

Sonic raised his eyebrows in surprise of that before looking a bit puzzled as he replied calmly yet awkwardly in confusion, "Umm...I just did? Like...all I did was just do it since the situation was dire...and...Uhh...I ended up saving the day as a result of it".

"(Sigh)...Sonic...That wasn't very specific," Chris replied calmly yet tiredly in annoyance with a sigh and with a headshake while looking slightly impatient as a sweat drop fell from his head.

"Well, what is it that you wanted me to say? I became a hero because I wanted to. What else is there to say?" Sonic replied calmly in confusion with a little frown and with a lowered eyebrow as he stared at Chris.

"Look, Sonic, what I mean is..." Chris replied calmly yet quietly in somberness with another headshake and with a solemn look on his face as he briefly stared at Sonic before looking down and placing his head on top of his arms while he continued calmly yet curiously in graveness, "...what had made you decide to be a hero? You're just...so kind, so generous, so thoughtful, and so brave that it clearly wasn't because you just felt like it. No one could risk their life so half-heartedly that they wouldn't care about their own safety. You may be all casual about the whole heroic stuff, but I have a feeling that deep down...you're very passionate about it. You rescue people...You save the day...You protect this world even though it's not your own...You did it all for a reason...A reason that I'm dying to know...".

"..." Sonic was speechless as he was so surprised by Chris' sudden seriousness that he could only gape at him in shock. What is going on in his mind I wonder? This is rather...sudden...Maybe...Maybe something had come up that made him think very seriously all of a sudden. Sonic pondered calmly in confusion and in curiosity with a shocked look on his face as he stared at Chris.

"...And I'm going to find out right here right now...Come on, Sonic...Please...Tell me...Tell me why you did it...Why did you become a hero anyway? What's your secret? I just...want to know why...being a hero means so much to you...Is that so hard to ask?" Chris finished calmly yet pleadingly in somberness with a solemn yet curious look on his face as he looked back at Sonic and stared intensely at him.

"..." Sonic was still speechless while looking stunned as he stared back at Chris with wide eyes. Chris stared back at Sonic in silence while looking solemn as he felt determined to know the truth.

If there was one thing that I was curious the most about Sonic while I was getting to know him was...how is he so selfless and so content with his life? And why I am...not...Chris brooded calmly in sadness with a solemn frown and with determined eyes as he stared at Sonic.

Sonic frowned a little at the plea but soon smiled sadly in understanding as he figured that he might as well open up to Chris about his past. After all, that's what good friends do when they care about one another. They share their pasts together.

"...Well...If you really want to know, then I'll tell you. But let me warn you that it's a bit of a long story, so bear with me as I tell it to you, okay?" Sonic replied calmly yet gently in understanding with a sad smile and with half-lidded eyes as he looked at the starry sky ahead of himself again and stared at it.

"Ah...Umm...Okay. Take all the time that you need, Sonic. I'll...(Yawn)...I'll stay here and listen to your story all the way through," Chris replied calmly yet a bit awkwardly in understanding with a little frown and with a nod while yawning a little and while rubbing his eyes again as stared at Sonic.

"Heh. That's good. Just don't fall asleep while you're at it," Sonic replied calmly yet teasingly in amusement with a playful grin and with a wink as he glanced at Chris.

Chris looked a bit surprised after hearing that teasing comment before smiling a little in sheepishness. He nodded to Sonic again in understanding as well as to indirectly tell him to start telling the story. Sonic nodded back in response before looking back at the beautiful, starry, night sky again and stared fondly at it.

"Hmm...Now then...Where should I begin? ...Ah. I think that I know where..." Sonic started calmly in curiosity with a relaxed look on his face as he recalled his past.

It all started back when I was living in South Island back in my home planet. Ever since I was young, I realized that I was different from the other kids. That being the fact that I was super-fast. So fast that I could make their little heads spin if they had caught one glimpse of me. However, despite the fact that I'm different from them, they had respected me and were amazed by my gifted, running ability.

ZOOM!

"Woah! Did you see that?!" a golden, kitten boy exclaimed in shock and in awe with an amazed look on his face after seeing Sonic sped past him and his friend.

"Yeah! I think that was Sonic!" a violet, puppy girl exclaimed happily in amusement with an excited look on her face as she looked at her friend before pointing at Sonic.

"I think so too! Man, he's so cool! I wish that I could run as fast as he could!" the golden, kitten boy exclaimed back in amusement with a huge grin and with his fists up as he kept staring at Sonic.

ZOOM!

"HEY!" the Mobian boys greeted happily yet a bit loudly in unison with cheerful looks on their faces as they waved Sonic "hello" as he ran past them.

"HI!" the Mobian girls greeted happily yet a bit loudly in unison too while having cheerful, adoring looks on their faces as they waved Sonic "hello" as well.

"Heya, guys and gals! Take care!" Sonic exclaimed back cheerfully in amusement and in cockiness with a huge grin and with a wink as he finger-gunned to the boys and the girls in a cool way while he ran past them all.

"AAAAAAAAAHH!" the Mobian girls squealed in excitement after seeing Sonic's response to that and looked giddy while shaking their fists together.

"WOOHOO! GO, SONIC! YEAH! HE'S SO COOL! WICKED COOL!" the Mobian boys shouted in excitement after seeing Sonic's response and looked amazed as they talked amongst themselves once he had left.

Yeah, it was no secret that I was the cool kid on the block so to speak. I couldn't have been born luckier than I already have.

"Wow, so even back then, you were loved and admired by your peers thanks to your incredible speed and charming personality. Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Chris commented calmly in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at Sonic. Not to mention that it's clearly the opposite to what I have experienced in my earlier childhood. I am definitely not the most charming kid or have much charisma as the other kids in my school. Nope, none at all. Chris pondered calmly in sheepishness with an awkward smile and with half-lidded eyes while a sweat drop fell from his head as he kept staring at Sonic.

"Heh. Yeah, I guess my natural charisma hadn't left me at all since I was a kid. I felt like it had gotten better over time," Sonic replied calmly in amusement with a little grin and with playful eyes as he scratched his left ear a bit.

"Heheheh...Yeah, I guess so. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a lot of friends too as a kid," Chris replied calmly in amusement with a chuckle and with a gentle smile as he stared at Sonic.

"Well, be surprised then, Chris. Because I hadn't made any friends as a kid," Sonic replied calmly yet cheekily in amusement with a playful grin and with twinkling eyes as he looked at Chris and stared at him.

"Wait! What?! How?! Why?!" Chris exclaimed in shock and in confusion with a baffled look on his face as he stared back at Sonic.

"It's simple, Chris. I may not be as book smart as Tails, but I do have a lot of street smarts to know when somebody wants to be friends with me only because they like the fact that I'm fast and that I could do favors for them if they wanted to ask me for something," Sonic answered calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with a shrug as he stared back at Chris.

"Umm...But...That's not a bad reason to want to be friends with somebody...Right? I mean. There's got to be some level of admiration whenever you like somebody platonically or not. Right?" Chris replied calmly yet awkwardly in confusion with a puzzled look on his face as he stared back at Sonic.

"True. You have a point there. That's how most friendships start after all. Admiring somebody for their strengths, abilities, or just having good character traits. I mean. That's how Tails became friends with me in the first place. He had noticed the fact that I was fast and was curious about who I am. I don't have a problem with that," Sonic replied calmly in agreement with a gentle smile and with a nod as he stared back at Chris.

"O-Oh...Uhh...Then...Umm...What do you have a problem with then?" Chris asked calmly yet awkwardly in confusion with a sheepish frown and with upward eyebrows while rubbing his head as he stared back at Sonic.

Sonic then frowned solemnly at that question and looked back at the starry horizon again. He answered calmly yet gently in somberness with a solemn look on his face, "...Well, if you want to know, I have a problem with anyone just pretending to be friends with me so that they could use me. I hate dishonest and manipulative people with a passion. Don't get me wrong. I like helping others and giving them protection whenever they need it, but I can always tell whether they genuinely wanted to be friends with me or not. You can call this uncanny ability strange all you want, but trust me, Chris, it had helped me avoid being manipulated by others for a long time. Whenever I see some sad sap getting manipulated by a 'supposedly' nice kid, I can't help but feel bad for them after they fell for their act. I even tried convincing those gullible kids to end their friendship with those devious kids, but sadly, most of them didn't...".

"...! ...Oh, my..." Chris whispered softly in shock with a gasp and with a surprised look on his face as he kept staring at Sonic.

"...(Sigh)...You'd think that with me being admired by everyone that my voice on the matter would have any weight behind it. But alas, it didn't, and I could only hope that those misguided kids could figure out that they were being manipulated all this time and get out of those damaging friendships themselves," Sonic finished calmly yet tiredly in sadness with a sigh and with closed eyes while looking solemn as he shook his head.

"I...W-Wow...I had no idea that your situation was like that...Although...that is not surprising..." Chris replied calmly yet slowly in shock with a stunned look on his face before he looked depressed as he looked down and continued quietly in sadness, "...Whenever you get popular or famous, it's much difficult to find people who genuinely wanted to be friends with you regardless of your popularity status or your wealth. It certainly can be a lonely feeling whenever you're trying to make friends with others, but they ended up being selfish and manipulative in the end. So...it's really no wonder then that you hadn't made any friends as a child, Sonic. It seems that your popularity serves more as a curse than as a blessing".

...I hadn't made any friends as a child as well. It was only when I was in the sixth grade this year that I finally made some friends. Danny...Francis...Helen...They were the three human friends that I have made so far...However...a part of me fears that they had only become friends with me just because I'm friends with Sonic and the others. It wouldn't be a shock to me if they all became friends with me just for that...and if Sonic and his friends finally went back to their world...would my new friends stay with me...or just...abandon me? Just like...Mm...Chris brooded calmly in sadness with a depressed look on his face as he stared at the ground below.

"...Yeah...Popularity can have its perks, but it can also have its downsides. Sometimes, it's always downsides, but you just have to deal with it. Just like how I had," Sonic replied calmly yet gently in agreement with a sad smile and with half-lidded eyes as he leant back and put his arms behind his head while he kept staring at the starry horizon.

"Y-Yeah..." Chris muttered calmly yet hesitantly in agreement with a depressed look on his face as he kept staring at the ground in sadness.

There was a moment of silence between the two friends. Chris kept staring at the ground in sadness while Sonic kept staring at the starry horizon in wistfulness as he recalled his past again.

"...Well...As I was saying..." Sonic continued calmly in somberness with a wistful look on his face.

Despite me being popular amongst the kids in the neighborhood, my life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. If there was one thing or should I say two things that the other kids have that I don't, then that would be...parents.

"Ah...Wh-What?" Chris whispered softly in shock as he slowly looked at Sonic with a baffled look on his face. Sonic...Didn't have any parents? Is this for real? Chris pondered calmly in shock while still looking stunned at this revelation. Of course, Sonic continued telling the story as if he had heard Chris' reaction to that.

Yeah, that's right. Parents. Even just seeing one kid having one parent is enough for me to feel some sort of envy. Not only that I had made no friends as a kid, but I also didn't have any parents or knew who my parents were. It was all just a big blank for me.

"..." Chris was speechless as he stared at Sonic with a stunned look on his face. ...I...I may rarely have my parents around, but I could never imagine having none at all. Is my life really not that bad then? Should I not feel...any sort of resentment or insecurity at all then if I...still have my parents regardless? Chris brooded calmly in sadness with a stunned yet confused look on his face as he kept staring at Sonic in silence.

Sonic kept smiling sadly as he continued telling his story to Chris.

However, it wasn't all that bad. There was at least one bright spot in my life that I'm forever grateful for, and that would be...my coolest, favorite uncle in the world...Uncle Chuck.

"Huh? 'Chuck'?" Chris whispered softly in surprise and in confusion with a shocked look on his face as his eyes widened and as his mouth gaped. I didn't know that Sonic's uncle has the same name as my grandpa. That's...quite the coincidence then. Huh. How odd. Chris pondered calmly in surprise and in confusion with a shocked look on his face as he kept staring at Sonic and kept listening to his story.

"Hey, hey, hey! Guess who's back?!" Sonic announced brightly yet playfully in amusement with a cheerful look on his face as he skidded to a stop after entering his uncle's garage.

"Ah! Sonic, my boy! I'm so glad to see you back! Did you have fun exploring the wide world again?" Uncle Chuck greeted brightly in amusement with a warm smile and with playful eyes as he turned around from his workbench and looked at his beloved nephew.

"Oh, you bet that I did! It's like no matter how many times I run around this place I always find something new to enjoy out of it! I don't think that I'll ever get tired of it!" Sonic exclaimed brightly in excitement with a cheerful smile and with twinkling eyes as he walked towards his uncle and stood in front of him while having his hands on his hips.

"Aww, well, I'm very glad to hear that, Sonic. Even when some days are slow, and nothing new is going on; there will always be something that you can do to have fun. Remember that now, okay, nephew?" Uncle Chuck replied calmly yet gently in encouragement and in wisdom with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes while tenderly rubbing Sonic's head and while having a finger up for emphasis as he stared down at him.

"I will, Chuck! Thanks for teaching me that! Hopefully, I'll get less bored when things really are slow!" Sonic exclaimed brightly in amusement and in gratitude with a huge grin and with closed eyes as he leant towards his uncle and hugged him warmly.

"Yes...Well...Let's just hope that you will. You remember the last time you had gone stir-crazy just because you were bored," Uncle Chuck replied calmly yet gently in amusement with a sheepish smile and with upward eyebrows while having a sweat drop on his head as he hugged Sonic back just as warmly.

"Errr...Heheheheh...Yeah...I guess that I really went overboard with your experiments..." Sonic replied calmly yet awkwardly in amusement with a sheepish smile and with a nervous chuckle while also sweating a bit as he glanced from his uncle.

"You truly did. Let that be a lesson to you that touching random buttons and pouring in random liquids does not make for a great scientist," Uncle Chuck replied calmly in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes while hugging Sonic as he stared down at him.

"Yeah, but...it looked kinda fun..." Sonic replied calmly yet coyly in amusement with a sheepish grin and with upward eyebrows while he kept looking away from his uncle as he kept hugging him.

"Sonic, trust me. The fastest way to make enemies is to mess with their stuff and anything that's valuable to them. That is why I keep teaching you to be responsible because...well...I'm trying to help you to make friends instead," Uncle Chuck replied calmly yet gently in amusement and in wisdom with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes while having a finger up for emphasis again as he kept hugging Sonic and staring down at him.

"Ah! R-Really?! That's why?!" Sonic exclaimed in surprise with a shocked look on his face as he looked back up at his uncle and stared at him.

"Of course, that's why, my boy. I do want you to find and make good friends. I know that it's hard for you to find real friends thanks to you being popular with the kids and all, but I do sincerely believe that you will make some good friends in the future. After all, those kinds of friends depend on you to be responsible to them and to take care of them just as they take care of you and be responsible to you too. Those are the types of friendships that will last forever," Uncle Chuck replied calmly yet gently in fondness and in wisdom with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared back at Sonic.

"..." Sonic was speechless as he looked stunned before smiling hugely at that. He gave his uncle one final squeeze as he exclaimed brightly in gratitude while having a cheerful look on his face, "Thank you so much for encouraging me to keep searching for friends, Uncle Chuck! I always knew that you have my back!".

"And I always do, my boy. Say until the day you make some friends, why don't we go spend the rest of the day watching some fun movies together? I'll make a fine batch of chilidogs and popcorn for you if you like," Uncle Chuck replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a warm smile and with raised eyebrows as he stared at Sonic.

"Oh, heck, yes! You should totally make me some! Get some for yourself too, Chuck! They're very tasty!" Sonic exclaimed back in excitement with a huge grin and with playful eyes as he immediately released his uncle and stared at him in anticipation while having his fists up.

"Heh. Which one? The chilidogs or the popcorn?" Uncle Chuck asked calmly yet playfully in amusement with a teasing smile and with twinkling eyes while having an eyebrow raised as he stared back at Sonic with his hands on his hips.

"Do you even have to ask?! The chilidogs, of course!" Sonic exclaimed back brightly in amusement with a huge smile and with twinkling eyes while having his fists up as he stared back at his uncle.

"Hahahaha! I know. I know. I was just playing. Now, come along, Sonic. Let's go get our snacks ready and watch those movies together," Uncle Chuck replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a chuckle and with a playful smile while having his hands up in mock surrender before he turned around and walked towards the door that leads into the kitchen. Sonic watched his uncle leave while having a fond look on his face.

Ahh...Good ol' Uncle Chuck. He had always been there to teach me a lot of wise things about life that I wouldn't have known before if it weren't for him. It's because of his wise teachings that I had kept an easy-going attitude and a level-headed mind. If it weren't for his influence and his wisdom, then I wouldn't be the coolest hero around.

"Wow. Really? That's...rather incredible. Your entire life had been shaped by him?" Chris commented calmly yet softly in awe and in curiosity with an intrigued look on his face as he stared at Sonic.

"...(Sigh)...Yeah. It sure was...More or less..." Sonic answered calmly yet gently in fondness with a deep sigh and with a warm smile while having his eyelids lowered halfway as he kept staring at the starry horizon ahead of himself.

But of course, like the cool uncle that he was, it wasn't just lesson after lesson like that strict, mean teacher you get in school. My uncle and I loved to spend time together doing fun activities like watching movies and TV shows, playing all kinds of sports, playing some board games or cards, going bicycling, and best of all, flying in the skies with the original Tornado.

"Wait. What? You flew the original Tornado?" Chris commented calmly in surprise and in confusion with a baffled look on his face as he stared at Sonic.

"Yep. My uncle taught me how to pilot it when I was younger. That was how I was able to teach Tails how to fly the Tornado," Sonic answered calmly yet gently in amusement with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he looked at Chris and stared at him.

"I...Man, that's unbelievable. Is there nothing that you can't do? ...O-Oh, wait. Yes, there is. You...can't swim, can you?" Chris replied calmly in awe with a stunned look on his face before muttering quietly in awkwardness with a sheepish look instead as he stared at Sonic with a sweat drop on his head.

Sonic cringed a bit after hearing that last sentence before frowning sadly as he looked back at the starry horizon ahead of himself and replied calmly yet quietly in agreement, "...Yeah...I may be a hedgehog of many talents, but swimming is more like my arch-enemy more than anything. More notorious than anything Dr. Eggman ever creates or schemes...unless it involves water...In fact...".

...this is where my hatred for water begins...as well as my hatred for Dr. Eggman...

"...!" Chris gasped in surprise with a shocked look on his face as he immediately looked back at Sonic and stared at him after briefly staring at the starry horizon with him. Oh, I got to hear about this! Chris thought in curiosity with an intrigued look on his face as he stared intensely at Sonic while he continued to listen to his story.

It all started one day while I was on my daily run as usual. At first, it was a pretty normal day as I did my lap around the world, but while I was running back home, I've noticed something very strange. The neighborhood of South Island was like completely deserted. I haven't seen nor heard any kids playing outside. I felt very confused as well as concerned since nothing like that had ever happened before. I wondered if something had happened to make the kids vanish.

No way. That couldn't be. Maybe...Maybe they all suddenly got sick and stayed home.

However, despite me thinking that, my doubts and my anxiety rose. If I'm ever going to get to the bottom of this quandary, then I'm going to have to investigate it myself I figured. So, the first place I had run to find my answers was back home where my uncle was since I assumed that he's aware of this peculiar situation. It was the only place to find any clues I had figured. But when I had reached my home, I was left even more confused and concerned.

Because my uncle wasn't even in the garage where he used to be.

"Chuck?! Oh, Chuck?! Where are you, Chuck?! I need your help! Something terrible has happened!" Sonic yelled in confusion and in concern with a worried look on his face as he walked throughout the garage while having a hand next to his mouth and while looking around for his uncle. He even searched throughout the rest of the house while he kept calling out his uncle's name.

"Chuck?! Hey, Chuck?! Are you here, Chuck?! Please call out to me! This is serious!" Sonic yelled out some more in confusion and in concern with a worried look on his face as he kept looking around for his uncle while quickly checking each area of the house.

However, no matter how hard I had looked, my uncle wasn't seen anywhere. The worry that was festering inside of me had grown into panic since now my uncle is gone!

"Ah...Uhh...Aw, shoot! Chuck!" Sonic muttered slowly yet awkwardly in nervousness with a panicked look on his face before slightly cursing in worry and in frustration with a grave look instead as he stood in the middle of the living room and stared at the floor before looking at the front door.

I immediately bolted to the front door, opened it, and ran outside again as fast as I could. The only thing that I could do now is search for my uncle on the island. I know that he was on the island since the Tornado was still parked inside the garage. Not only that, but he also couldn't run as fast as me. So, I had assumed that he hadn't gotten far on his own. My first destination of my search was at Green Hill Zone, and surprisingly, when I had gotten close to the place, I saw some scared-looking kids running towards me in panic.

"Aaaaaaaaah! Help! Help!" a few kids screamed in fear as they ran towards Sonic.

"Ah!" Sonic exclaimed in surprise with a shocked look on his face as he spotted the kids before skidding to a stop.

"Sonic! Sonic! Oh, thank goodness, Sonic! You're here! Please! You got to help us! Something awful had happened!" the gray squirrel boy exclaimed in concern with a panicked look on his face while quickly gesturing with his arms as he stopped in front of Sonic with his friends right behind him.

"What?! What's going on?! What happened to you guys?! Not only that but have you guys seen my uncle?! I can't find him anywhere!" Sonic exclaimed back in confusion and in concern with an alarmed look on his face while having a fist up as he stared at the gray squirrel boy before looking at the other kids.

"That's what we came here to tell you! Your uncle is busy destroying some strange robots that had captured the flickies of this island!" the gray squirrel boy exclaimed back in concern with a panicked look on his face while waving his arms quickly as he stared back at Sonic.

"What the-?! My uncle is doing what?! Where did these robots come from?!" Sonic exclaimed back in shock and in even more confusion with a baffled look on his face as he jerked back while staring at the gray squirrel boy.

"We don't know for sure, but we had heard rumors that some big, round, egg-shaped man named, Dr. Robotnik, had captured the flickies and is forcing them to power his robots! He's using the flickies as his slaves, and we're worried that we're next if he ever captures us! Please, Sonic! You got to go help your uncle out! It was thanks to his efforts that we had managed to escape from those weird robots!" the light-blue swan girl spoken up in alarm instead of the squirrel boy while having her hands out as she stared at Sonic with a concerned look on her face.

Once I had heard that, my panic and concern had skyrocketed. I had no clue who this Robotnik-I'm sorry-Eggman person was, but I know that without a doubt that my uncle was in trouble. Of course, I didn't let my fear show on my face for very long as I had gritted my teeth and looked bold instead.

"Okay. Don't worry, guys. I'll handle this. In the meantime, go find somewhere else to hide. I'll go find my uncle first and rescue him from whatever trouble that he's in. After that, I'm going to go search for this...'Eggman'...and stop him from whatever scheme that he has hatched up. Understand?" Sonic replied calmly yet solemnly in determination with a bold look on his face while straightening up and clenching his fists as he looked at the kids.

"Uhh...Umm...O-Okay! We'll go hide! Good luck, Sonic! Please be careful!" the light-blue swan girl exclaimed back awkwardly yet quickly in concern and in encouragement with a nervous look on her face as she looked at the others for a moment before looking back at Sonic and nodded to him.

"Yeah! It's dangerous out there!" the gray squirrel boy added in concern with a nervous look on his face as he quickly looked at the others before looking back at Sonic.

"Relax, guys. I already told you. I got this under control. I'll handle this," Sonic replied calmly yet solemnly in determination with a grave look on his face while having his hand up for emphasis as he stared at the nervous kids. The scared kids looked at each other again in worry before they nodded slowly in understanding and tried to look calm.

"O-Oh, alright. If you say that you got this under control, then I guess that we'll trust you. Just please be alright when you come back for us. Please," the light-blue swan girl replied calmly in understanding and in concern with a slightly worried look on her face while having her hands clasped together as she stared at Sonic.

Naturally, I smiled gently at that response since I could tell that these kids did at least worry a bit about me. The least that I can do for them at that moment was reassure them that I'll be okay. Any good person would want to do that, and so, like the good person that I was, I said that I'll come back before I sped off again as I continued my search for my uncle. As I looked behind myself, I could see the kids smiling a little as they waved "goodbye" to me. I waved back at them and gave them my usual thumbs-up before I focused onto my search again.

I didn't know how many minutes I had searched or how far that I had run for, but eventually, I had found my uncle who was at Bridge Zone. When I had spotted my uncle, I could only gasp in shock since he was up on one of the bridges, battling some weird, flying robots.

"Get back! Get back I say! Don't you dare hurt these poor, innocent children!" Uncle Chuck yelled back in determination and in anger with a grave look on his face while glaring hard at the Buzz Bombers as he held a wrench in his right hand. He was in a somewhat karate style pose while standing in the middle of the bridge. The scared kids were huddled together at the end of the bridge as they all watched Uncle Chuck confronting the robots.

Some of the Buzz Bombers started attacking by firing their lasers at Uncle Chuck. He dodged the lasers by somersaulting left and right while grunting a bit before he stopped and threw his wrench at the Buzz Bombers like a boomerang. The lasers missed him and shot the bridge instead which made some holes into it. Now, although it is impossible to do in real life, the wrench struck a Buzz Bomber and destroyed it before flying back to its owner.

POOF!

Uncle Chuck caught it, and after dodging another laser blast, he threw his wrench towards several more Buzz Bombers. As strange and as illogical as it was, the wrench bounced off each of them like a ball and destroyed them before returning back to its owner.

POOF! POOF! POOF!

"Woah...How does he do that?" the green ferret boy asked calmly in awe with a stunned look on his face as he watched Uncle Chuck dodging some more lasers.

"I...I have no clue..." the black sheep boy muttered nervously in worry with a concerned look on his face as he also watched Uncle Chuck jump away from the lasers.

"Man, no wonder Sonic is so cool. His uncle really knows his stuff," the peacock girl muttered calmly in amazement with a stunned look on her face as she watched Uncle Chuck throw his wrench at the Buzz Bombers again and destroyed one of them.

POOF!

"..." Sonic was speechless as he unconsciously slowed down and stood at the middle of a hill while staring at his uncle with a stunned look on his face.

I had no idea what had stopped me from helping my uncle. Perhaps it was my sudden admiration of him as I watched him bravely fighting those strange robots while he protected the children at the same time. I hadn't seen my uncle do anything like that before in my life. He had always said to me that he's not as young as he used to be and had always complained about having back problems. So, seeing him being this agile and heroic had really changed my view of him. Despite his old age and body problems, he still has enough energy and adrenaline to protect others from danger no matter the cost. In a strange way...I was in a trance.

POOF!

After destroying another Buzz Bomber with the wrench and catching it again, Uncle Chuck stood defiantly in the middle of the bridge while looking around himself as he saw several more Buzz Bombers flying in and surrounding him.

"Alright, you hunks of junk! You want a piece of me?! You want a piece of me?!" Uncle Chuck challenged boldly in determination with a solemn look on his face while swinging his wrench around as he glared hard at the Buzz Bombers while they surrounded him. The Buzz Bombers reacted to this challenge by charging up their lasers.

Sonic, who was in a trance at the time, suddenly looked alarmed after seeing multiple Buzz Bombers charging their lasers and aiming them at his uncle.

"Chuck! Look out!" Sonic exclaimed in alarm with a panicked look on his face as he quickly ran towards the bridge again.

"H-Huh?! S-Sonic?!" Uncle Chuck exclaimed in surprise and in confusion with a startled look on his face as he spotted his nephew running towards the bridge that he's on. The Buzz Bombers either quickly turned around or looked up in surprise and instead fired their lasers towards the other end of the bridge and towards Sonic as well.

"Ack!" Sonic exclaimed in surprise with a startled look on his face as he immediately jumped up on instinct to avoid the lasers.

"Sonic! Be careful!" Uncle Chuck warned in alarm with a worried look on his face as he reached for Sonic with his free hand while he watched him flying briefly in the air. With a nervous look on Sonic's face, he looked at the Buzz Bombers in fear and in concern while he flew briefly in the air thanks to his high jump.

I may not have known why I had literally jumped in to save my uncle or why I have tried to begin with, but I just knew that I had to do something. I haven't fought anyone or anything before in my life, so, I had felt really nervous doing this. But...when I had made eye contact with those strange, flying robots, somehow...my mind had just clicked. It could've been destiny or fate or even just pure instinct, but...as I kept gazing on those robots, I eventually realized what my true purpose was for being here in this world and why I am so special.

My true purpose...was to protect others no matter the cost.

POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF!

One by one Sonic instinctively spun towards the Buzz Bombers and stomped onto them with his feet, destroying them in the process. After they were destroyed, bird flickies flew away in relief as they were happy to be free. Uncle Chuck was taken aback by his nephew's sudden courage and shockingly quick, fighting moves.

"My word..." Uncle Chuck muttered calmly in awe with a shocked look on his face while he watched Sonic fight in amazement.

Sonic landed onto the bridge and grimaced deeply in determination as he glared up at the remaining Buzz Bombers. The flying robots aimed at Sonic and quickly fired their lasers at him. Naturally, he dodged this by jumping back up into the air, however, that left a huge hole in the bridge after the lasers had hit it. Sonic didn't pay attention to that as he was busy attacking the rest of the Buzz Bombers. Once again, he spun towards them very quickly and destroyed them by stomping his feet into them.

POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF!

Just like last time, the bird flickies escaped from their metallic prisons and flew away in freedom. Sonic then stopped spinning and smiled proudly in confidence as he had saved the flickies as well as his uncle.

There. That should do it. Are ya proud of me, uncle? Not bad for a first timer, am I right?

Unfortunately, while I had thought that, it occurred to me now that I wasn't completely aware of my surroundings at that moment. As I stared at my uncle while I fell back down, I could see his face quickly changing from amazement to absolute horror, and I had no idea why...that is...until I had fallen through the hole in the bridge.

"SONIC!" Uncle Chuck shouted in panic with a horrified look on his face as he reached for Sonic again with his free hand while watching him fall through the bridge.

"Woooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Sonic screamed in panic with a fearful expression on his face while he frantically waved his arms around as he fell towards the roaring rapids below. His body soon fell upside down and headed straight first into the river.

SPLASH!

I'll admit that what I had felt in those few moments was pure fear, but when I had splashed into the raging river below, my huge fear had blown up into absolute terror since...well...as you had already known...I couldn't swim. Immediately after I got my head up above the water, I was screaming and splashing the water frantically as I tried to swim, but no matter how hard I had tried, I just couldn't do it since I kept getting towed under the water. What didn't help was that the water was pushing me hard towards a nearby waterfall, so, I was in deep trouble regardless of my swimming ability or not. My uncle must've realized that too since...

"...Huh? 'Since' what, Sonic?" Chris asked calmly yet curiously in confusion with a concerned look on his face while he stared at Sonic after noticing that he had trailed off.

"...since...he jumped into the river too as he tried to save me," Sonic finished calmly yet solemnly with a sad look on his face as he looked down at his lap and stared at it.

"...! O-Oh...Oh my..." Chris muttered calmly yet softly in shock with a gasp and with a startled look on his face as he stared at Sonic in sympathy. This...This story isn't going to end well, is it? Chris thought calmly in sadness with a sympathetic look on his face as he kept staring at Sonic while he continued his story.

"Don't worry, Sonic! Your uncle is coming!" Uncle Chuck yelled in determination with a concerned yet solemn look on his face as he threw his wrench away before he ran towards the edge of the bridge. The frightened kids gasped in shock after seeing those surprising events so fast, and they looked very worried when they saw that Uncle Chuck about to jump into the river. But just as he jumped up into the air...

ZAP!

"Aaaaarrrrrrgggh!" Uncle Chuck screamed in pain when he felt his back being zapped by a laser shot.

"CHUCK! (Glub! Glub!)" Sonic shouted in alarm with a panicked look on his face after seeing his uncle being shot before drowning in the river again.

"...!" the scared kids gasped again in shock after seeing Uncle Chuck getting hurt very badly. The wound looked rather critical, almost deadly. The only thing that could make that kind of shot would be...the hidden, seventeenth Buzz Bomber. The robot looked angry after firing that near-deadly shot at Uncle Chuck. After seeing that its comrades had been destroyed by those two, blue hedgehogs, it can only get its revenge by trying to kill the older blue hedgehog since the younger one had fallen into the river. Naturally, the robot got its target as it watched him ungracefully fall into the unrelenting river below.

SPLASH!

The Buzz Bomber soon turned its attention to the scared kids and glared hard at them. The frightened kids stood in fear for a few moments before screaming in panic as they ran away from the bridge as well as from the Buzz Bomber. The robot then chased after the kids and tried to zap them with its somewhat deadly laser.

Meanwhile, Uncle Chuck soon got his head up from the water and gasped for air as he weakly swam through the river while being in great pain. Sonic looked both alarmed and relieved that his uncle is here to save him even in the critical condition that he's in now thanks to that near-deadly shot.

"Chuck! Chuck! Help me! Help me! (Glub! Glub! Glub!) I can't swim! I can't swim!" Sonic yelled in panic with a fearful look on his face while he stared at his uncle as he tried to swim but kept drowning instead.

"Grrrnngh...I...I got you, Sonic! Ugggngh...I'll...Grrck...I'll be there for you! Just...Urrrgh...Just hang on!" Uncle Chuck yelled back in determination with a pained yet tenacious look on his face while groaning a lot in agony as he swam a bit more strongly than before. He could feel the burning pain from his back as he struggled to swim towards his nephew. He felt like his back was going to collapse or fall apart completely due to how painful that laser shot was. That attack made him feel...weaker somehow.

Regardless, he eventually reached his nephew and carried his shoulders with his left arm. He muttered calmly yet gently in reassurance with a levelheaded yet solemn expression on his face as he stared at Sonic, "There. I finally got you, Sonic. Just take a few deep breaths now and relax. Your uncle has you now, alright?".

"(Pant Pant Pant Pant)...Al-Alright...(Pant Pant Pant)...But...(Pant Pant)...But what about the waterfall, Uncle Chuck? Even though we're not going to drown anymore, we're still going to fall down and hit whatever it is at the bottom! What are we going to do?! We're trapped!" Sonic muttered calmly yet gently in understanding while panting a lot with a relieved look on his face before yelling a bit in panic again with a nervous look instead as he glanced back and forth at the waterfall and at his uncle.

"Calm yourself, my boy. You won't be able to think straight with that kind of defeating attitude," Uncle Chuck reassured calmly yet gently with a relaxed yet playful look on his face as he stared at Sonic while swimming for the both of them.

"Huh?! 'Think straight'?! How could anyone think straight at a time like this?!" Sonic yelled back in shock and in confusion with a baffled look on his face as he stared back at his uncle while holding onto his shoulders.

"Easy, Sonic. Easy. I know how stressful the situation is now and how understandable it is to panic at this time, but you must always calm yourself and remain levelheaded in any dire situation like this one for example. Staying cool in a pinch like this will help you think clearly and see the situation in a different perspective than the one from before. In other words..." Uncle Chuck consoled calmly yet wisely in reassurance with a gentle look on his face while nodding his head a little as he stared back at Sonic.

"..." Sonic was speechless as he looked stunned after hearing his uncle's wise words.

"...you can find a solution in any dire situation that you face," Uncle Chuck finished calmly yet wisely in reassurance with a gentle smile and with another nod as he stared at Sonic.

"...!" Sonic gasped in shock while looking surprised after hearing that last part of his uncle's short yet wise speech.

"Find a solution"? In this sort of predicament? You gotta be crazy!

I thought to myself after hearing that. I wasn't used to being in perilous situations such as these when I was a kid. Sure, I may have gone to many places and had some sorts of adventures with my uncle, but they were never dangerous. My uncle made sure of that. So, trying to think in a calm manner during an adrenaline-inducing circumstance is like putting out a raging fire with a gardening hose. I didn't think that it was possible to do that...that is...until I had spotted a tree branch being wedged deeply into the left side of the river's ravine.

"Ah! Uncle Chuck! Look! There's a branch over there! Let's get over there and use that to get out from the river!" Sonic exclaimed in shock with a surprised look on his face while he pointed at the branch and stared at it as he glanced at his uncle.

"Aha! Well done, my boy! Come now! Let's hurry over there and get out of this predicament!" Uncle Chuck exclaimed back brightly in encouragement with a hopeful look on his face as he looked at where Sonic was pointing and pointed with him before he swam again while carrying him.

"Right!" Sonic exclaimed back brightly in agreement with a hopeful yet anxious look on his face as he nodded to his uncle before trying to swim with him. He felt some sort of relief in his heart that he's not drowning while he attempted to swim, however, he did feel bad for his uncle doing all the swimming work due to how much he's grunting and groaning a lot. Of course, he figured that it was due to that major injury on his uncle's back that's causing his grunting and groaning. Sonic looked rather guilty as well as solemn as he stared at his uncle while he swam with him.

I could only imagine the unbearable pain my uncle must have gone through in that moment. The sharp, burning pain of being shot in the back, and the cold water stinging the injury, reminding him that he was in pain, was simply pitiful to watch as he swam determinedly with me. That pure dedication and resilience that my uncle was demonstrating towards me as he rescued me was really awe-inspiring. I just knew in that moment that I was very lucky to have him as my uncle. The amount of love and care he has for me is at the same level as a parent would for their own child. I guess I had realized that...I had a parent all along, and it was the one who was rescuing me right now.

"Okay! We're getting closer towards the branch! Sonic! I'll lift you up and throw you up towards the branch! You grab it while I grab onto your legs! Got it?!" Uncle Chuck exclaimed in determination with a hopeful look on his face as he and Sonic swam closer towards the branch while looking at it before looking at Sonic.

"...Got it! Don't worry, Uncle Chuck! I won't let you down!" Sonic exclaimed back confidently in determination after pausing for a bit with a hopeful grin on his face as he stared at his uncle and nodded to him.

"That's it, my boy! Don't give up! Okay, now, here we go! Ready?!" Uncle Chuck exclaimed back brightly in encouragement with a hopeful smile and with a nod as he swam underneath the branch and stopped before holding Sonic up as if was a baby.

"Ready!" Sonic exclaimed back brightly in amusement with a huge, confident grin and with another nod as he stared at his uncle for a bit before looking up at the branch.

"Alrighty then! ...One...Two...Three...Go!" Uncle Chuck exclaimed back brightly in amusement with a hopeful smile and with another nod as he looked up at the branch with Sonic before lifting him up and down a few times until he threw him up as hard as he could. Unfortunately, when he did that, the sharp pain from his back has literally come back to bite him since that hard throw had strained his shoulder muscles. Almost as if a guitar string had suddenly snapped off.

"Ugh! My back! Arrrgh!" Uncle Chuck yelled in pain with a deep grimace and with closed eyes as he held his back and rubbed it while he swam in place.

"Ah! Chuck! Hang in there! Look! I got the branch! Now, just grab on to my legs, and we'll get out of here in no time!" Sonic exclaimed back in concern and in determination with an alarmed look on his face as he looked down at his uncle after grabbing the branch and holding onto it.

"Grrrrugh...Urrrrgh...Errr...Y-Yes...L-Let's..." Uncle Chuck muttered tiredly yet weakly in agony with a deep grimace and with a closed eyelid while grunting a lot in pain as he looked back up at Sonic and stared at him. Although he had started floating away in the river, he slowly yet weakly swam back at Sonic. However, Sonic noticed that his uncle wasn't as determined to escape than he was before. In a way...his uncle looked...very tired...and weak.

It's...It's probably just my imagination. My uncle...My uncle will get out of here with me. I'm sure of it.

Either it was just pure desperation or just simply denial, I hadn't really cared back then. My mind was completely focused on saving my uncle no matter the cost, and the thought of him not making it now after all the struggle and teamwork that we had shared together in that dreadful moment...well...

"Come on, Uncle Chuck! Grab on! Don't give up now!" Sonic exclaimed back again in worry and in determination with a concerned look on his face as he watched his uncle slowly grabbing his legs.

"Grrrugh...Ugggh...I...I...Uggggh...I'm...I'm too exhausted..." Uncle Chuck muttered tiredly yet weakly in agony with a deep grimace and with closed eyes while groaning a lot in pain as he slowly grabbed onto Sonic's legs.

"I...I know! But it's okay! It's going to be okay, Chuck! Once we get out of here, I'll...I'll take you to the hospital! But if not, I'll take you back home so that you can rest! Just don't...Just don't give up on me, Chuck! Okay?!" Sonic exclaimed back a bit frantically in reassurance and in nervousness with a hopeful yet concerned look on his face as he stared down at his uncle.

"..." Uncle Chuck was silent on that while having a tired yet grim expression on his face. Sonic smiled sheepishly in desperation while sweating a bit after seeing that his uncle was silent. He felt his fear blowing up again as he kept staring at his tired uncle.

D-Don't...Don't panic, Sonic. Just...Just remember what your uncle had said. Just stay cool and look for a solution. It's...It's not over yet.

Just as I thought that, my hope and my fear rose at the same time. My hopeful side wanted my uncle to live and be safe, but my fearful side was telling me that it won't be the case here. I didn't want to believe my fearful side because of all the times my uncle wants to give up, why should it be now? Where I feel so close to him that I want to call him...

"Ah! I got it! Chuck! I'll swing you up to the top of this ravine while you grab onto it and pull yourself up! Then I'll get on top of this branch and jump up to the top! If my jump is somewhat short, you grab my hands and pull me up! Do you think that you can do that, Chuck?!" Sonic exclaimed brightly in determination with a hopeful look on his face as looked at the top of the ravine before looking back down at his uncle.

"..." Uncle Chuck was still silent while he kept looking tired and weak. He could feel his eyelids drooping and saw that his vision is going black as the burning pain from his back was somehow...receding.

"Umm...Uhh...O-Okay! I'll take that as a 'yes'! Now...Uhh...On the count of three, you let go of my legs and grab on to the top of the ravine! Alright?!" Sonic exclaimed brightly yet awkwardly in hope and in nervousness with a sheepish look on his face while sweating a bit as he stared at his uncle.

"..." Uncle Chuck still didn't give Sonic a response. However, he slowly nodded to him in understanding.

"Uhh...Alright! I'll also take that as a 'yes'! Okay then! ...One...Two...Three! Go!" Sonic exclaimed brightly yet awkwardly again in hope and in nervousness with a sheepish look on his face while he nodded in understanding as he stared at his uncle for a bit before he looked up and swung his body a bit to get ready to throw his uncle up. After swinging his body as well as his legs for a bit, he then swung as far as he could so that his uncle could have a chance to reach the top of the ravine. Uncle Chuck did let go of Sonic's legs at the highest point of the swing and flew a bit up in the air, and Sonic thought that his uncle would grab on to the ledge of the ravine since he was so close to it.

But...to his complete and utter surprise...his uncle didn't make any attempt to grab it.

"...!" Sonic gasped in shock with a terrified look on his face as he watched his uncle fall upside down to the cold, ruthless river below.

I...I simply couldn't believe it when it had happened before my very eyes. My uncle...had given up. With all the strength, resolve, and determination he had to save me from danger, he didn't have any of that when saving himself. Although...it makes sense now why he did that even though at the time I didn't want to believe it...His back injury literally put the nail into his coffin when he had sustained it. I only made it worse by making him throw me up to the branch. I should've known that he hadn't had the strength to do that sort of thing at that moment, and what hurts me the most is that none of this would've happened if I wasn't so reckless and cocky!

...It had hurt...

...It had hurt so bad...

...when I saw him fall upside down...

...to the river...

...and as if time had slowed down at that moment...

...I saw my uncle...

...mouth the words...

"I'm sorry"...

...while he was...

...smiling fondly at me...

...as if he was telling me that he loves me...

...and I know that he did...

...because...

...he saved me...

...while he...he...

SPLASH!

...sacrificed his life for me...

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" Sonic screamed at the top of his lungs in pure terror with a frightened look on his face while reaching out to his father figure as he horrifyingly watched him float towards the waterfall and watched him fall from it.

"..." Sonic was speechless as he paused in his story while looking calm yet solemn as he quietly stared at his lap.

"..." Chris was speechless too after hearing Sonic's traumatic experience of his uncle's death. He didn't know what to say or react to that. He could only feel...pity for his friend. Great pity. Now...Now I see why he hates water so much...It only brings up bad memories. Not good ones. Chris brooded calmly in sadness with a sympathetic look on his face as he waited for Sonic to continue his story.

Sonic was silent for about a minute or two, but when he had finally recollected his thoughts, he continued telling Chris the story while still having the same calm yet solemn look on his face.

...I may not have known how long I had hung on that branch while staring at the waterfall in utter shock, but when I had finally regained my composure...or what's left of it to be more precise...I slowly yet carefully climbed myself up on top of the branch. As I carefully stood up from it, I stared sadly at the waterfall with the most despairing look on my face before I looked up at the top of the ravine and jumped up to it. Once I had touched down at the top of the ravine, I immediately ran towards the bottom of the waterfall and to the riverbank to check to see if my uncle was miraculously okay despite what just happened. I know that it was a lost hope, but I was willing to believe in anything except for my uncle's death.

I know my uncle. He's strong. He's tough. He can't go down without a fight. So, I refused to believe that he had died right then and there unless I see it for myself. If he somehow survived, then I know for sure that I have the strongest uncle in the world. But if he did indeed die...then...

"Chuck! Chuck! Chuck, where are you?!" Sonic yelled out in concern with a worried look on his face while having a hand over his eyes as ran around the riverbank and looked around for his uncle. He assumed that he would find his uncle at the bottom of the waterfall, but the more he stared at the lake, the more he felt concerned and fearful that he won't be able to find his uncle.

Will he ever turn up?

I thought to myself as I finally stopped running and stood at the left side of the lake. I anxiously waited for my uncle to show up so that I could know for sure whether he's still alive or not. I've always hated to wait, but this kind of wait made it almost excruciating to do. I just didn't know what I'll find when my uncle shows up, but...I just hoped that it won't be his body.

Unfortunately, though, fate wasn't too kind to me.

Plop!

"...!" Sonic gasped in shock as he saw his uncle's body floating on top the lake after waiting for about twenty minutes. He watched in horror as his uncle's listless body floated from the middle of the lake to the right side of the riverbank. Sonic stared at his uncle's body for a few minutes with a sad yet concerned look on his face before he quickly ran towards the right side of the riverbank.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Sonic yelled out in concern with a worried look on his face as he ran towards the right side before skidding to a stop. After seeing that his uncle's body had arrived at the riverbank's shore, Sonic quickly yet carefully pulled his uncle out from the lake and yanked him towards dry land.

"Chuck! Are you there with me, Chuck?! Hey! Hey! Are you okay?! Chuck! Answer me!" Sonic yelled out in concern and in panic with a worried look on his face as he turned his uncle's body over to his front and knelt beside his right side while shaking his body in a frantic way.

However, no matter how much Sonic shook him, his uncle couldn't wake up.

No...

"Uncle Chuck! Please! Wake up! Wake up! This is no time for jokes! Please! I beg of you! Wake up!" Sonic yelled even louder in concern and in slight frustration with a worried yet nervous expression on his face while shaking his uncle even harder as he also slapped his face a bit to try to wake him up.

Yet again, no matter how hard Sonic shook or slapped him, his uncle just couldn't wake up.

No!

"Uh! Uh! Okay! Okay! I get it now! I'll...I'll help you breathe! Come on, Uncle Chuck! Live! Please live!" Sonic yelled again in concern and in panic with a frantic look on his face as he immediately started CPR on his uncle. He pressed hard onto his uncle's chest thirty times and blown five, deep breaths into his uncle's mouth. He kept doing this for a while as he hoped that his uncle would cough up some water and then wake up.

But alas...his uncle did no such thing and instead just laid there lifelessly.

NO!

Sonic slowly stopped pushing his uncle's chest and sat back up while staring at him with a flabbergasted look on his face. He saw that his uncle wasn't breathing at all or felt his heart pumping. So...the last thing that he did was...grab his uncle's pulse and checked to see if it was what he had feared the most.

...It was indeed as he had feared.

His uncle is officially dead.

"...D-Dad..." Sonic whispered softly in a broken tone of voice with a mournful look on his face as tears formed in his eyes while stared at his uncle's lifeless corpse.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

...And just like that...he was gone...forever. Dead. I...I cried so much on that day. Never had I realized how painful deep sorrow felt like. How your entire world, your hope, had been smashed into pieces. The utter despair of being completely alone felt bone-crushing to me. Literally. I was weeping on top of my uncle's body when it happened. I couldn't move or get up. All I could do was cry and feel hurt, and that's what I did for many, many hours. I might have either cried all night or all morning. I didn't know. But I was sure that it was the next day because...well...there were hundreds of Eggman's robots around, minding their own business while I was busy crying over my uncle's dead body.

I didn't know when I had stopped crying, but when I did, I slowly got up from my uncle's body and stared sadly yet solemnly at it for a while. I know that in some way this was all my fault, but...I also know that this was Eggman's fault as well. If that guy hadn't built his crazy robots, then my uncle would still be alive right now. However, I know that if I keep dwelling on this horrific incident, then I'll never move forward. I'll only feel bitter and hateful towards Dr. Eggman and towards myself if I do that. So... there was only one thing that I could do now to resolve this and put my negative feelings to rest.

...And that is...stopping Eggman's plans from coming into fruition.

With that thought in mind, I steeled my resolve and looked grave as I slowly stood up. As I gave my uncle a solemn nod, I turned around and ran towards the first place that I saw an abundance of Eggman's robots: Green Hill Zone. Once I had reached there, I then skidded to a stop and stood firmly on the warm grass while putting my hands onto my hips as I stared at my surroundings with a grave look on my face. There was no question that this was the path that I should follow if I was ever going to avenge my uncle's death.

That path...was simply...justice.

"..." Sonic was silent again as he kept staring at his lap with a calm yet solemn look on his face.

"..." Chris was speechless while having a stunned look on his face as he stared at Sonic after hearing that sad, horrific story. Once again, he didn't know what to say or react to this. But all he could do is feel sympathy for Sonic. Wow...So that's what happened...That's just terrible...Simply awful...Poor Sonic...He's much stronger than I thought...Chris brooded calmly in sadness with a sympathetic look on his face as he stared at Sonic.

Sonic was still silent as he stared at his lap before he looked at the starry horizon again while he kept having that same solemn expression on his face. He muttered calmly yet quietly in somberness with a solemn look on his face, "...Well...That's my story. No 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts' about it. That was how I became a hero. I did it all in memory of my uncle. It all started out as me avenging his death, but soon afterward, it became something more like a promise to him. Like if I'm ever going to make the world a better place to live in, then I better do all that I can to honor my uncle's memory. I'm sure that he wanted me to do that after he had mouthed 'I'm sorry' to me. It's a way for me to say 'Apology accepted' to him beyond the grave. It just...feels right for me to do that for him. I owe him...at least that much".

"I...I see...You became a hero for your uncle...You became one...because he saved you..." Chris commented calmly yet quietly in understanding with a solemn look on his face as he looked away from Sonic and looked down at the ground below instead.

"...Hmm...Yeah...He did...And that's...the real reason why I became a hero...His willingness to sacrifice himself to save me just because he loved me meant so much to me. I realized on that sad day that being a hero doesn't mean that you're strong, skilled, or even brave...but rather...it's one's willingness to sacrifice what they have for other people's sake. Whether it be their own lives or giving up something valuable to them for the greater good...they all account for true heroism, and that's why not a lot of people are willing to become heroes themselves because...well...they have so much to lose for if they do sacrifice themselves for others. Yeah, it may sound selfish, but...that's why we're people to begin with. Our selfish nature...is what makes us human or somewhat human in my case..." Sonic replied calmly yet gently in somberness and in wisdom with a solemn look on his face before it turned warm while nodding a bit as he stared at the starry horizon for a bit before looking at Chris and staring at him.

"...!" Chris gasped in shock while looking surprised after hearing that as he kept staring at the ground. "S-Sacrifice"? Chris thought calmly in shock and in confusion with a stunned look on his face.

Sonic smiled warmly at Chris for a bit before looked back at the starry horizon and sat back up straight again. With a fond look on his face, he continued calmly yet gently in wisdom while having his arms over his legs, "...If you ask me, I think that is what it truly means to be a hero. It all comes down to sacrifice. I saw it first-hand when my uncle had protected the kids and me from danger. He was what I had aspired to be when I had first stepped onto Green Hill Zone that day. To be as sacrificial as I could be no matter the cost. I don't want to falter no matter how scared I was or how discouraged I could be for saving others, and yes, that includes rescuing others from water. I may hate water with a passion, but I hate letting down others even more because...in a way...that would be me letting down my uncle. I will never see the light of day if I ever do that...".

"..." Chris was silent while having a depressed look on his face as he kept staring at the ground below.

"...I will say though that after I had saved South Island that day...I've felt like my negative feelings had been dispelled...to a degree at least...My bitterness towards Dr. Eggman may have completely vanished, but my hatred towards him still lingers on despite having it being diminished greatly thanks to me ruining his schemes. I still hate him but not as much as I used to. Heh. I guess Egghead must be grateful that I'll never plan to kill him thanks to me controlling my hatred. I suppose that...it's the same thing with me as well. My bitterness and hatred towards myself as a person had definitely disappeared or almost eradicated within my heart. As of now...I feel at peace...knowing that I've become as sacrificial as my uncle and...as a person in general. I've become...a true hero," Sonic finished calmly yet gently in wisdom with a warm, relaxed expression on his face as he stared at the starry horizon ahead of himself.

"..." Chris was still silent as he looked even more depressed after hearing those last two sentences. "Sacrifice", huh? "A true hero", was it? Hmm...I don't know...if I could ever...truly be a hero based on that...Perhaps...Never...Chris brooded calmly in sadness with a depressed look on his face as he stared at the ground below while resting his head on top of his arms.

"...Sonic?" Chris asked calmly yet quietly in sadness with a depressed look on his face after being silent for a while.

"Hmm? Yeah, Chris?" Sonic asked calmly yet quietly in curiosity with a gentle look on his face as he glanced at Chris.

"I'm...Mm...I'm...I'm going to bed. Thanks for...telling me your story. I'm glad to have known why...you became a hero in the first place," Chris replied calmly yet slowly in sadness as he pulled himself away from the balcony's railing and turned himself around before walking towards the sliding, glass doors and grabbing one of them while not making any eye contact with Sonic.

Sonic then looked a bit concerned after hearing the sad tone in Chris' voice. He asked calmly yet curiously in concern with a sympathetic look on his face while he stared at Chris, "Huh? Is something wrong, Chris? You sound...rather depressed".

Chris cringed a bit after Sonic mentioned the word "depressed". Of course, he looked even more depressed afterward as he answered calmly yet quietly in deflection, "It's...It's nothing, Sonic. I'm just...feeling rather tired now. I want some sleep. Goodnight, Sonic. I just hope that you sleep well tonight".

"Oh? Well...Uhh...Goodnight then, Chris. Pleasant dreams I suppose," Sonic muttered calmly yet quietly in surprise and in confusion with a bewildered look on his face after hearing that as he watched Chris open the sliding door and enter his bedroom before closing it shut. He kept watching him go to his bed and get inside it to go to sleep.

Sonic frowned a bit sadly in concern for Chris before looking back at the starry horizon. It certainly was a gorgeous sight. Even though it was calm and peaceful outside, it certainly wasn't on the inside of Sonic's heart. He can't help but feel rather troubled by Chris' sudden, dreary attitude. Only a few times during their talk together was Chris being playful and joking, but most of it was him being somber and depressed. Unfortunately for Sonic, he still hasn't gotten an answer for Chris' strange behavior even after all that talk about his deceased uncle.

Sigh...Some consoling friend I turned out to be...I just hope that Chris will open up to me eventually, and maybe...all the negative feelings that he has bottled up inside of him will finally pour out. But if not...well...I just hope that he would at least be in good spirits to help us find the last Chaos Emerald tomorrow. I guess that all we could do now is get some sleep. So, sleep I shall. Sonic pondered calmly in sadness and in concern with a solemn look on his face as he looked down at his lap and stared at it before yawning and stretching for a bit. After thinking that, he laid on his back and put his arms behind his head again before closing his eyes as he started going to sleep.

Meanwhile, Chris was resting on his right side while still having a depressed look on his face. He brought his sheets closer to himself as he stared sadly at the floor with downcast eyes. Sacrifice...True sacrifice...What it truly means to be a hero is sacrifice...Sigh...I wish...I so, so wish that I could do that...but...I can't...I really don't think that I can...I'm just...selfish...and because of that...I'll never be a hero...No matter how much I aspire to be one...I...I hate myself...I really do...I'm...so sorry, Sonic...I'm so, so sorry...Chris brooded calmly in sadness and in shame with a dismal look on his face as he stared at the floor with guilt in his eyes. He soon felt tears stinging his eyes and immediately closed them as he mouthed two, sad words before trying to go to sleep while covering his entire body with the sheets.

"I'm sorry".

THE END

Boy, sad end, wasn't it? But hey, as we saw at the end of episode 26, it all ends up being happy anyway. So, I think that it's a fair balance. Although I didn't think that it would be this long. However, it is still shorter than "Appreciating Time and Change", so, I guess there's that! But regardless, I hope that you guys had enjoyed this somewhat long one-shot! It is definitely on the more sadder side, but I'm sure that it was an interesting read!

So, if you're wondering why I've set this story rating to T, well, it was certainly due to how Uncle Chuck had died. As you may or may not have pieced together the true cause of death, it was because he had drowned in the lake after going down the waterfall. Yes, he had been shot and got a very severe back injury because of it, but it had only weakened him as he was still able to help Sonic. But after straining his injured back some more, he ended up losing all of his remaining strength to swim or even move, so, he died through the means of drowning while his body was in a weak, helpless state. With that disturbing realization in mind, you could probably see why I upped the rating to T since I know that some readers could be uncomfortable about the thought of drowning even in the situation that Uncle Chuck was in. To someone, that could be one of their worst nightmares. So, I guess that you can thank me for being a bit courteous for the warning that I had given at the beginning of the story.

But on a hilariously dark note, imagine if the "Bridge Zone" theme from Sonic 1 Game Gear/Master System started playing quietly in the background while Sonic sobbed over his uncle's corpse. That made that cheerful, innocent song better and worse at the same time! Yeah, I have a sick and twisted sense of humor. Can't help it. I blame the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy for developing that dark sense of humor. I was almost tempted to add that little song in the story, but I knew that deep down that it would ruin the scene a bit. So, instead, I wanted to mention it in the author notes below just so that you guys can know about it! Anyways, if you guys had liked this one-shot, please R&R and favorite/alert it to show me your support! Thank you so much to everyone else to have read this and enjoyed it somewhat! With that said, I'll see you guys later in my next one-shot! See you all next time!