"RRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!"

Bokun, with a drop of sweat sliding down his face, nervously flew up behind the fat doctor, "Uuuuhhh... Dr. Eggman... Uuuuuhhhh..." Bokun felt a chill up his spine when he glanced at the beast to his left. It sat still as stone.

Bokun gulped and quickly averted his eyes and looked back to the doctor. He was beginning to frighten Bokun, "D-D-Doctor E-E-E-?"

"SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!"

Bokun began to tremble with fear, "D-Doctor Eggman... I g-got a updated on the visitors!" With that, Bokun pulled out a small, green TV and turned it on.

Eggman wasn't surprised to see Knuckles and Shadow standing on a large pile of robot rubble having a friendly conversation about... whatever.

As Eggman watched the TV screen (after he had taken it from Bokun), Bokun flew over to the still-as-stone monster.

He was so petrified that he could barely find the strength to speak, or even dare to whisper.

"Psst..."

Nothing.

"PSST..."

Not even a blink of the eye.

"S-Sonic... Buddy... Ya gotta listen to me."

Again, no acknowledgement.

"E-Eggman... He... He's CRAZY!"

Bokun took a quick glance over his shoulder to be sure that the mad doctor was still distracted.

"Y-Ya gotta STOP HIM! PLEASE! Before he does something he can't fix!"

The monster's emerald green eyes glanced up and met Bokun's. In a way they seemed dim and even the slightest bit hallow.

"Come on... You're stronger than this. You're smarter than this. I-."

Bokun let out a motivational sigh.

"I BELIEVE in you...Sonic."


"Hng!"

The hedgehog struggled to open his eyes and to break the ebony and violet chains that bound his arms to his back.

"HNNNG! GAH!"

The chains snapped and the hedgehog's eyes flew open to once again find himself facing endless darkness.

"What am I still doing here?" Sonic asked himself with a sigh.

"Good question... Heheheee... If only WE knew the answer to that."

Sonic felt his face go hot and clenched his jaw. He spoke in a low, shaky voice.

"We... Are..." His voice choked a little and tears sprung up in his eyes, "NOT THE SAME!"

Another malicious, grueling laugh filled the air.

A purple fog, thicker and heavier than anything Sonic had ever before witnessed, filled the empty space around him. It only lasted for a few moments, but in those moments Sonic had felt a strange sense of hurt and anguish. It felt as if he would never see the light of good again. But stranger still, it felt as if all the anguish and hurt was coming from the darkness itself. As if the dark being that had possessed his body was truly emotionally hurt and had lost all hope.

When the fog had cleared, a strange being was sitting on thin air before him. It was Sonic, but as the beast. Except... the beast's fur was not matted, nor did he have as sharp of teeth. His nails were more filed and he wore a pair of shoes that resembled Sonic's, but had cleets added to them. The only TRUE difference was the eyes... Which were a glowing, synical shade of yellow with a purple haze that lightly covered the surface

The beast gave a cocky smirk directly to Sonic and sat with his right leg crossed over the other. His right elbow was rested on his right knee and his chin was rested on his hand. His fingers on his left hand tapped his left leg in a wave-like manor.

Alltogether, this beast... this... Werehog... had a more civil and calm demeanor. It was NOTHING like the beast that had attacked the rabbit, or the beast that had attacked Shadow and Knuckles, or the beast that had attacked Tails.

This unexpected presence was what terrified Sonic most of all.

"Oh, Sonic... But we ARE!"

Sonic began to shake.

"And once you realize that..."

Now his breath quickened.

The Werehog's expression grew serious, "We can finally join together in unison and harmony, and together... do WONDROUS things! We will be UNSTOPPABLE!"

Sonic's heart rate quickened. His expression was horror-stricken, but then he shook his head and then his face grew serious, "I will NEVER join you!"

A slight frown crossed the Werehog's now-bored, slightly irritated expression, "Such a shame... All that WASTED potential. And to think that you could have saved them."

"WHAT!?"

The Werehog smiled a most devilish smile, "Why those pathetic "friends" of yours. All of them are worthless and annoying."

Sonic's fists closed tight.

"Especially that little 'brother' of yours."

He began to shake with an uncontrollable fury.

"Why, as a matter of fact, I think that once I destroy you I might go and pay him a little visit."

"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Sonic leapt at the beast with a rage unlike any he had ever experienced before. He went in for the punch, but the Werehog merely gave a slight flick of the wrist and Sonic was blown back with a force so strong it left him dizzy and blackened his vision in certain spots.

The Werehog sneered, "Is that REALLY the best that you can do?"

Sonic staggered to a stance. He wasn't about to give up so easily.

He charged again...

And was thrown back... Again.

Except that this time, the force of the throw had left Sonic beaten and bruised.

He couldn't come to a stand.

He couldn't even move from the face-down position that he lay in.

He was barely even awake.

The Werehog walked over casually, yet triumphantly.

"Pitiful. It makes me sick... Your positivity and strong will. Why? Why is it that you, of all people, refuse to surrender!? WHY DO YOU CHOOSE TO SUFFER!? DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I CAN END YOUR PAIN AND MISERY!?"

The rage and hurt in the beast's voice was what woke Sonic. He came to a staggery half-stance, holding his left side with his right arm and leaning on his left knee with his left hand, and nearly collapsed again.

He replied in a calmer tone, "Yes. Y-You're right. I CAN end my... pain and... misery... by giving up. It would be so... easy..." Sonic looked up and stared the Werehog straight in the face, "But that doesn't mean that it's the RIGHT thing to do!"

At that exact moment, Sonic felt a surge of confidence that he hadn't felt in a LONG time. It gave him great strength even though he felt weak. It gave him hope that there was a chance he would win this war. He felt renewed. He felt like his old self: optimistic and free as the wind. He felt as if nothing could hold him down.

Sonic had finally realized what it was he needed to do and a white aura surrounded him. To him, it glowed brighter than a thousand stars and the darkness seemed to fade away as he spoke, "You can... try to beat me down... with all of your... negativity, but it won't work! I remember who I am and what it is I do..." Sonic then, with all his might, put on the most confident and cocky demeanor that he could muster, "B-Because I'm Sonic... Sonic... the Hedgehog! And I am a hero to the people! And I will NOT... let them down... again!" Sonic then fell to a kneeling position.

The Werehog grew angry and irritated, "Oh really..." He extended his claws and prepared to strike, "Well let's see just how heroic you are once I KILL what's left of you!"

Sonic was beaten and he knew it. However, he didn't fear what was coming. He flashed a weak, yet cocky smile at the Werehog before gently closing his eyes. If this was how he was going to die, then at least he would die with honor... Doing what's right.

At least he would die as himself (In his mind of course).

The Werehog brought down his clawed hand hard...

But there was no contact.

There was a slight sting and Sonic opened his eyes. The Werehog had been thrown back and was being thrown left and right in a fit of electrical shocks. Sonic felt quite familiar with this stinging feeling, although it didn't seem nearly as bad as before. The beast charged at Sonic again.

"Why Can't I Finish You?!"

Something had been keeping Sonic alive this whole time... Protecting him from the negativity that had nearly taken over his entire being.

With this thought in mind (inside his mind, mind-ception), Sonic immediately took action against the negative being. He was weaker than ever, but had a hidden strength that drove him on.

And so the fight had begun to save his own mind.


HUGE thank you to NikkiE-K for helping me!

Gallery: gallery/34997333

Please as always send in any ideas you may have. They really do help me out. And if anyone drew art for this, let me know. I'd love to see it.