Warning: Slightly dirty.
6 - Despair
He screamed his lungs out. He screamed so high, so loud, he was burning his voice box. He slammed his fists against the walls, he rolled off the bed. He punched his fists into the floors, begging for someone, anyone to make the pain stop. He hugged himself so tight, he couldn't breath. He needed help. He needed someone in here, he needed someone to wake him up from this torture. He couldn't wake up, he wouldn't wake up...
"Just put him on the chair." Scourge lazily ordered. One of his lackeys bowed respectfully and tossed the blue hedgehog onto a hard, metallic chair with thick metal clamps. The lackey marched over and seized Sonic's legs. He placed them in the appropriate places for the clamps, and did the same for his wrists. He made sure he sat comfortably, with his head laying against the metal softly. Scourge lifted up the palm of his hand in the direction of Sonic and the chair. With his chaos energy, it coursed through the room and into the metal clamps. They suddenly snapped shut on Sonic's limbs, restraining him once again. Satisfied with his work, without looking at the lackey he told him to buzz off. "Get out." He mumbled, but his servant heard him loud and clear, and scurried out of the room while shutting the doors.
Scourge walked over while dragging a simple wooden chair in front of Sonic. He sat down closely, and raised his hand to slap the very taste from his mouth.
"Time to wake up, Blue. Rise and shine."
With a wince, Sonic clenched his closed eye lids tightly, but then slowly opened them to the world once more. He was in some kind of room. It surprisingly looked homey. Like some kind of cottage. It had windows that, didn't show the outside world. It didn't show anything, just a black wall behind them. All they had were white curtains. The floors were hardwood, with a carpet over it. The walls were a bright, but gentle color. Almost white, with a coffee table and a lamp on top of it. A quilt-like frame was on the wall above the entrance to the room, reading 'HOME SWEET HOME.' There was a bed in the corner of the room, with a nightstand by it, and a small dresser with a full body mirror. There was a metallic medical looking table on the side with weird tools on them. By the double doors, the entrance of the room, there were two switches. Other than that, the room was kinda empty.
What the hell did he get himself into?
"Fiona's okay." Scourge suddenly said. He was holding up a lighter with a cigarette in his mouth. He held up the flame to burn off the crisp bud of the cancer stick, smoke beginning to drift around. He sucked in a puff, and exhaled lewdly. Sonic just scoffed at this. Just disgusting. Scourge chuckled at his stubborn nature. "My apologies, did you want one?" He asked politely while handing over his cigarette pack to Sonic. He just continued to make a death glare at him. "Pfft." He put the pack of cigs back in his jacket pocket and crossed his legs while holding the stick between his fingers. "You'd probably choke your first try."
"..." No retort.
"Anyway, we got your arm fixed up. Should be alright, despite being sore." The green hedgehog flicked some of the ashes off and placed it back between his lips. "I know what you're probably thinking. 'Why the hell are you smokin' like that? That's way past uncool', or something along those lines." He teased. "Well, we're both almost twenty, and I've been doing it since I was like thirteen, so why the fuck not? Oddly, weed don't do shit for me. 'Sides, I'm sure your little emo friend does it too. What was his name again? Stripes err..somethin'.." Scourge scratched his head with a confused frown.
"You're talking about...Shadow." Sonic murmured.
"Say that again?" His anti-self held up his hand to his own ear.
"His name's Shadow. He's the only guy that I know with stripes on him. You never met him."
"True, but I do know about him. I've seen him a few times thanks to a certain someone who I won't name." He blew smoke from his nose and mouth before exhaling greatly.
"What, do you want from me?" Sonic asked for the thousandth time today. Scourge shrugged and flicked the ashes off his stick again.
"You." He simply stated.
The hero blinked in surprise. "..M-Me?"
"Mmhm." Scourge stood up from his seat and threw his cigarette to the ground carelessly, stepping on the bud with his boot to put it out. He didn't even finish it. He waltzed over to the bound hedgehog and stepped behind him. He placed his hands over on his shoulders and smiled down at him. "I want those powers you got. And after I take 'em, I want you to myself."
"Get the hell off of me." Sonic instantly warned.
"Chill the fuck out, dude. I'm not gonna probe you or whatever...yet.." He giggled at the last part. "Now Blue," Scourge began. "We can do this two ways. One, I torture it out of you, or two, you give it and yourself to me willingly. If you don't act like a good boy, something's gonna get broken." He nicely threatened. Sonic just shook his shoulders away from his hands.
"Screw you."
Scourge closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright..." He stepped away from the 'comfy' chair and went towards a wall where there was the two light switches he saw earlier. The green hedgehog shrugged and flipped the right one. Suddenly, electricity shot throughout the chair. All throughout his legs, Sonic felt the surging and burning pain of intense electrical power. He screamed and hollered in pain, the volts being on an extremely high level. Scourge just watched with a bored expression and he leaned against the wall. Sonic's body shook rapidly, tossing himself back and forth against the chair from the violent shocks. Spit began to fly from his mouth as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. He could tell he was about to black out. They way his eyes kept shrinking and dilating, the way his screams began to snuff out. Well, this kind of power was enough to turn on a couple of AC's, plus more than a few appliances at once. That's enough to cause a power surge. Guess he should turn it off, now.
Scourge flipped the switch off and returned to his seat in front of Sonic. The hero was almost completely gone, until he received another smack to the face to wake him up. What a scary look for him. His pretty lime green eyes bugged out with his mouth agape. He was trembling like a leaf, but he was still acting defiant. "T-That..." Sonic forced a smirk. "..All you got, asshole?" He spat right in Scourge's face.
Silently sighing, Scourge wiped off the saliva and folded his hands under his chin. "Still being difficult." He didn't care though. "No matter. I needed you vulnerable to do this anyway." He shoved the palm of his hand onto his head, making Sonic struggle. He wanted him off of him right now. "I can always just rip your forms from out of your head by force. You're not the only one who got a new power from the shrines." He gloated maliciously as Sonic began to scream again. He tried kicking, but it hurt too much to move his legs. He tried so hard, so hard to fight back all day. He fought and fought and fought, and no matter what, it just got him in deeper trouble. Why did it have to be like this? He just wanted to see his home island, a small vacation. That's all he asked for, and this was the payment he got back?
"No! STOP!" Sonic hollered to the top of his lungs. "Y-You can't..! If you release them onto the world...! STOP IT!"
"Ain't no stoppin' now, Blue!" Scourge exclaimed as he felt himself go deeper and deeper, tearing into Sonic's head. Blue, red and black aura blasted into the room, covering everything in sight. Chaos was now the ruler of this place. "No turning back now! This is for real!"
"NO!" Sonic cried.
It was all black.
Just...Darkness.
Just a black empty space, a void of nothing.
Yet, there was some kind of floor here, because his feet was perfectly still on something. Scourge curiously looked around. So this was the extent of his new powers. A chaos ability able to reach into someone's mind that led directly to the link of their powers. Interesting. He specifically went to the dark place of Sonic's mind. Did he just see something? Wait...
...What was that? A red spark in the darkness..?
It kept flashing, like it wanted him to come closer. Well, nothing would happen until he touched it, right? That's usually how these things worked. Like in video games. He casually went over to the strange red light, looking down at it with great fascination. That color, it was one of the four that was described in Eggman's studies. The color scarlet. Scourge's eyes widened with glee. If this was the color scarlet, that meant he found the most powerful form of them all! Oh shit, this day couldn't get any fucking better!
Just like the time he placed his hand on the master emerald, he was so elated. The despair and destruction he'd cause with this power. The absolute annihilation of worlds at his finger tips! The very universe would bow at his feet, begging for his mercy at every turn! He could invade No Zone, Mobius...Hell, why stop there!? All he had to do, just like his seventeenth birthday, was to place his hand on the beautiful evil light. Let it consume him, and take him. He didn't even realize his eyes were swirling, and he was so greedy for power it almost made him drool. Once his fingers grazed the light, it sparked. When it did that, he felt intense energy from that little action alone. Chaos, it felt so heavy, so pressuring! It felt so much like madness! Like the very essence of disorder and mayhem! It felt so good!
Shit...was he getting hard? Ha, geez.
..What was that?
Was that chanting in the back ground? Who was that whispering-No wait. Why was it getting louder? It was getting more immense by the second. But whatever tune these bastards were singing, sounded very distorted. And yet, it sounded like music to his ears. Then, something began to push him. Like a strong wind. He tried holding himself planted on the floor while trying to figure out just what was going on. Red aura flowed towards the sparkling scarlet light, making it bigger and brighter. Scourge stared, waiting patiently for what would come next.
And then, he saw something even greater.
The scarlet light imploded on itself, making the aura explode all throughout the empty space. In the midst of the light, a large silhouette of pure chaos formed. It was a normal hedgehog figure, like they were in a super form. But then, behind it, was something that was growing much larger. It was some kind of creature he couldn't even begin to describe. It was something straight out of a mental patient's nightmare. It had lanky like limbs, sharp long fingers that stretched. Weird swirling red eyes that were hypnotic. It loomed over Scourge like a titanic hawk, hunched over him. The hedgehog silhouette was no better. It was morphing and changing into odd things he couldn't even comprehend. This creature, this form, was something truly straight out of hell.
Scourge could only look in shock with his mouth agape.
It was gorgeous.
The large monster suddenly pointed towards Scourge with his devil eyes. Was he worthy? He didn't know, but he only cracked a smile. He spread out his arms willingly, offering his body.
"Your malice, your ill-nature..." A wicked sounding voice said. It sounded warped, and even backwards, yet not. He even sounded like Sonic.
"I'm whatever you want me to be baby. I'm all yours!" Scourge happily accepted.
"A mortal who wishes for the destruction of the world." The voice's foul tone whispered in a hiss.
"Yes! That's all I want. To kill and destroy everything and everyone that opposes me, make everything mine!"
"How intriguing. A mortal who's more interesting than my own host. Humorous."
"I'm everything you want and more. I'm a much more worthy host than Blue." The green one fearlessly proposed to the scarlet creature.
"Why should I believe the simple-minded words of a common, perishable existence?"
"Because even if my plans do fail," The anti-hedgehog smiled murderously. "I guarantee you, the world'll be scarred forever."
"..." The voice became silent. The red creatures faded away in a flash, disappearing instantly. Confused, Scourge blinked several times and looked around. Even the weird, distorted, whispering choir stopped. When he blinked one more time, he saw a hedgehog in front of him. This startled Scourge a little, so he backed away. It was a golden hedgehog, like Super Sonic. But, this one was like an evil version of him. His quills were more jagged and sharp. His gloves were ripped and had sharp nails growing from them. His fur even seem roughed up. The sides of his cheeks and muzzle were almost like, ripped. Like some parts were nothing but exposed muscle tissue. And his eyes, were the same eyes as that creature's.
That red hypnotic swirl...
The hedgehog was floating with his legs crossed and his elbow leaning on his knee, with his muzzle leaning on the palm of his hand.
"So you wish to devastate the world."
The green hedgehog hesitated, feeling a little intimidated by the entity. "You're a God?" He asked. He didn't know why the question suddenly popped up, but with all this intense power coming from the guy who's only breathing, he had to put two and two together. Who wouldn't assume that?
"I am chaos, and I am mayhem. I am the epitome of destruction."
"Didn't really answer my question, but alright." The mortal Moebian grinned. "So then? Do I got the job?"
"If you promise to cause nothing but misery and disarray, I will grant you one of my powers. If you succeed in your plans, I will lend you everything, and you will become my new host. But only then."
"Sweet." Scourge sneered. "This, is way too good. I don't think I should be this happy. I simply don't deserve it!" He laughed.
"Should you fail,"The mighty being interrupted his small celebration."My power will corrupt you. And you will be ultimately destroyed, while I live on."
"..." Scourge didn't really like the sound of that. But he needed whatever he was willing to give him. If it was gonna help him rule over everything, he should go for it. He had nothing left to lose, and he never held any regrets. So the hell with it. "Fair enough. I accept your conditions."
"Very well." His hands were suddenly on top of Scourge's head to keep him still. The green hedgehog squinted his eyes suspiciously. The hell was happening now? And he really didn't like the look this guy was giving- "It shall be done."
With his swirling eyes looking straight at him, he felt his own blue ones get vaporized by something strong. It burned like hot coals. He screamed from the sudden intense pain coursing through his irises. The hypnotic gaze was taking over him. It was making him look deeper, deeper into the abyss of hell. The color of scarlet filled his vision, and that's all he could see.
All he saw was red.
"A-Ah!" Scourge yelped as he tripped over his own feet and fell backwards onto his chair. He panted heavily, his eyes closed tightly. It burned so bad, he was scared to open them. He pushed himself off of the floor and stood up while lightly wobbling back and forth. He carefully opened his eyes back up, revealing his normal ice blue. Man, it felt like he got pepper sprayed by acid. The burning sensation was starting to go away, but he was badly sore. It hurt to look around. He stumbled back over to his kidnapped victim and pulled up the fallen chair. He then slumped in the wooden furniture.
Sonic was laid against the metallic chair, just as slumped as he was, if not worse. His eyes were open, half lidded, but his pupils tiny. He looked like he was in dire pain. He was breathing irregularly, and his knees were trembling. His eyes were red and bloodshot. He looked miserable. Scourge almost felt bad.
"Aww." He pouted. "Shit, didn't mean to make you look like that." He said almost genuinely sympathized. Aw, maybe a little peck on the cheek would make him feel better-
"N-No..Stop. Stop doing that." Sonic barely muttered.
His anti-self blinked. "Stop doing what?"
"With your mouth, stop!" Sonic sharply looked away. "Stop damn it!" He yelled.
"But I'm not-" Scourge's eyes slowly widened. He then ran to the mirror that was by the small dresser and looked closely at his eyes. They were icy blue, until they suddenly flashed into that odd red swirl again. That was the power he gave him. It suddenly went away when he blinked. Was he doing something to Sonic just by thinking of what he could do to him? He thought of kissing his cheek, so did Sonic really think it was happening when it wasn't? The green Moebian smiled evilly.
Oh this was so awesome, it was almost unfair.
Then, he looked back at his prime-self. No, he had to test this out first, to make sure he wasn't just crazy. See how this new power worked.
At first, he was using it for small things. Like, making Sonic think he had a cut or two. But then...Honestly, he began abusing it. He realized, he was making him hallucinate. He was making him believe things that weren't actually happening, or wouldn't ever happen! He made him start to believe information that wasn't even true. He was brainwashing him! After five hours of straight mental torture, he had Sonic right where he wanted him. Maybe this was both brainwashing and hypnotism? Ehh, who knew? He fucking loved it either way. He didn't even need to put his hands on Sonic. All those torture tools were for nothing!
It was great. First, he made him see himself killing innocent little stupid animals. Then he made him thought he killed Rouge and all the other people of Mobius. Then, made him see visions of him killing Tails, then Amy, then Knuckles...That one really sent him over the age. Then he made him vision himself drowning in water. Pfft, why was he afraid of water anyway? Most hedgehogs could swim after all. The mind fucks were so realistic to him, Sonic soon screamed and begged him to stop. He even made him cry a bit. Not much though, which made Scourge a little disappointed. Sonic demanded what he wanted from him, that he'd happily give it if he'd just stop. Scourge said he wanted to see another form come out, and that he wanted Sonic to give up his freedom to him.
Of course he refused, and that was his mistake.
Scourge sighed with a small simple smile. "Then I'll persuade you."
Sonic looked down below himself to see some kind of weird padding on the chair. Then he heard a beep. His legs began shaking rapidly back and forth, as did his entire body. It didn't hurt, it wasn't the electricity again. It was a buzzing sound. His anti-self just smirked and watched the magic begin. Sonic gasped as he felt a shock of pleasure shoot through his back. This was a damn vibrator! His face turned red as his thighs unconsciously spread apart. The pain from the electricity before was suddenly all gone. He tried fighting off the pleasurable feeling, but Scourge was forcing him to like it. It was starting to feel so good, he began moaning.
After a while, Sonic's mouth was hung open, having silent or surprised moans and gasps. His thighs were sweating a little, and he felt himself getting hard. He didn't want to feel this way, he hated it and he didn't want it. He wanted it to stop already!
"Like that, baby?" His anti-self flirted.
"T-Turn this t-thing off!" Sonic stuttered. "A-Ah, aahh!" He tossed his head back while a white substance splattered on his peach abdomen. He dipped his head low disgracefully embarrassed.
"Mmn~ Sexy." Scourge mocked with a chuckle. "You came a bit too fast. That's not your fault, though. After all, you're probably a virgin. And if not, you sure as hell ain't do it in a long time." He put his hands on his hips, and his voice was understanding. As if he just wanted to negotiate. "I can make this all stop if you just give up, Blue."
"N-Never..." Sonic spat. "Fuck you!" He insulted as his voice shook.
"Woah there! You're not supposed to use such language like that! I am!" Scourge gasped. "Geez, now I really gotta punish you!" He pouted. But then, he smiled again. Since he hated the pleasurable punishments, he'd just give him more painful ones.
The next several hours, he tortured him further. Making him think he beat him almost to death. Making him think he ripped out his knee caps. Making him think he was getting stabbed over and over. He truly made him feel the worst pain imaginable, without harming a hair on him. After a while, Sonic did cry. It was a very special sight to see. It was right as Scourge ended one of his torturous visions. Sonic just scrunched his face up in pain, but then softened his expression as if he gave up. He laid limp against the seat and just sat there, looking down at the floor. He was exhausted. He was salivating involuntarily, and snot was even dripping from his nose. He almost pissed himself. He was surprised he didn't. Tears just dripped from his eyes. He kept thinking he was bleeding out, that he was dying, but he wasn't. Scourge didn't do anything to him. He kept forgetting that.
Sonic's bright pretty eyes, were dead and dark. That's what he felt like. He felt like he wanted to die. He actually wanted to die.
How much time passed? The windows were blocked. Maybe it was days. Weeks, maybe months. Maybe he's been here for years and has yet to escape. He felt like he hadn't eaten in decades. He felt like his stomach was caving in on itself. He wanted to die so badly. But if he admitted that, he'd be giving up. And he refused to let Scourge get what he wanted. He'd never give up his freedom for anyone.
He'd be giving up who he was, the whole concept of liberty and peace itself. That was him. And he'd die first before anyone stole it away from him.
Scourge actually looked a little guilty. And, he was. He wished Sonic didn't make him go to such great lengths to make him give in. It was almost like No Zone prison, just not as brutal. Well, only by a little bit. He was actually willing to just force Sonic into doing what he wanted so he could stop. After all, he did want him, he didn't want to kill him. But, he didn't want to force it this time. He wanted to hear Sonic give up. Hearing it, would make his day even more unbelievably better. He just sat in the wooden chair, looking unsatisfied with a frown. He tapped his finger against the arm of his chair and sighed. "What's it gonna take Blue? You're bringing this down on yourself."
"..." Sonic couldn't even produce words, much less comprehend them at this point.
"I'll give you one more chance. No more games, no more visions. This time, it's gonna be real if you don't answer the way I want you to." Scourge stood up from the chair and walked over in front of Sonic. He knelt down so they were at eye level and put his hands on the binds on his legs, allowing his energy to enter. The metal clamps on his legs and hands both snapped open. Even if Sonic was free, he couldn't even try to escape if he wanted to. He was way too tired. "If you don't turn into your dark form, Dark Sonic, I'm gonna go back to Mobius. I'll make myself look like you, and I'll kill everyone there." His tone was unusually serious and calm. His threat was very sincere, and he was impatient. Sonic's eyes shook a little from that, he understood his words perfectly.
"N..No.." He meekly whispered. "You can't-"
"I will if you don't do what I say." He strictly promised. "I'm done waiting, Blue. I'll make everyone think their hero massacred the people they thought he loved. I will ruin your name, and end your friends' lives. Every. Single. One." He stood up and hovered his hand over Sonic's head, ready to bring another form back to light. "Clear?"
"..Crystal." Sonic looked back down. There was literally nothing he could do. These binds decreased his chaos levels and physical power. He was drained. He was mentally exhausted, he couldn't even see straight. What the hell could he do now? If it wasn't for that threat, he still wouldn't comply. But it was his friends' lives on the line. His little brother, Shadow, everyone, he couldn't let them get killed. Not like this. He had to do something, even if it was the cost of his identity. If he had to give up his freedom in order to let everyone else live on and be happy, he had no problem with that.
There were great people out there who deserved to keep living. Who deserved to live life and be happy with their family and friends. Tails would be fine. Knuckles would take care of him. Amy will move on. Shadow and Rouge could handle themselves.
"If...If you promise not to kill them," Sonic suddenly said. "I'll give myself up to you. I'll let you force out Dark."
"Good choice." Scourge placed his hand on top of Sonic's head, preparing himself to perform another rip through his skull. To his surprise, his prime-self started to smile. He felt his hand gently grab his own. With a flinch, Scourge eyed Sonic dubiously. What, he still had some fight left in him? After all that bullshit!?
"It's a shame. A damn shame." He whispered.
"The fuck?" The other deadpanned.
Sonic chuckled a little. "I tried. I really did. Guess you can't win 'em all." He exhaled slowly and began pulling Scourge closer down towards him. With his weak pull, Scourge just went along with it. He couldn't have been planning to attack or anything. He was as frail as glass now. Suddenly, his anti-self was right in front of his face as he heard his words. "I didn't want to do this. I really didn't." He squeezed the green hedgehog's arm tighter. "I didn't want to die before, but now knowing what you're going to make me do after you turn me...It makes me want to, so much." He bit his lip and his body shook. Sounded like he was trying to hold something in. More tears, perhaps? "I'm a horrible person with these demons inside of me. And now I'm going to be the one who..." His hand trembled against him. "I wanted to see the others, tell them how much I love them. How much they mean to me. To keep protecting them and acting like their hero." He turned his head to Scourge and with watery eyes, glanced up at him with a sad smile. "You're so screwed up, but I could have saved you too."
"...What?"
"I could have saved you from yourself before it was too late." Sonic sniffed. "Something horrible happened in your life for it to turn you this way. And I'm sorry for whatever happened in your past. I'm sorry I couldn't be a friend to you instead of a bitter enemy at the time. Would have been a whole lot better than this, after all." He joked with sorrow in his voice. Mobius Prime's hero looked back down in shame. "If things were different, I'm sure we could have been.." He couldn't finish his sentence. Because all the light and emotion in his eyes faded away as he fell unconscious for the final time that day.
With his words still replaying in his mind, Scourge just stared at nothing as he allowed Sonic to faint against him.
He didn't get it. After everything he did to him, after all the shit and pain he put him through, all the despair he shoved in his heart, he still wanted to be selfless. He still wanted to protect and save others. He still wanted to be a sacrifice for the greater good.
He still wanted to be someone's friend.
He still, in a way, forgave him for everything he's done.
And he apologized to him. Why? Why was he so kind?
It was so revolting! Who the fuck did shit like that? Who says shit like that!? No one in their right mind would forgive anyone for what he's done! He stole his girl, took her virginity, hurt his friends numerous times, ruined his reputation more than once, kidnapped him, and tortured him for eight hours straight!
And yet, he said he could have been his...
Then, for a split second before Scourge scooped Sonic into his arms, he saw himself laying in his position. Beaten and weary like when he as a child after the person he thought he loved hurt him. He always forgave him no matter how hard he hit him. Maybe, this was a similar thing?
His madness didn't effect him at all. If anything, it seemed like it made his good nature even stronger. The crueler he was, the kinder he was. It was so different. Even while he was out cold, he still defied him. That strong naive sense of compassion, it was alluring. No wonder he was always so jealous of him. Why he had this fur color, green. He no longer wanted to hurt him. He no longer physically lusted for him.
He needed him. To be his.
His eye lids twitched, and then he shut them quickly before opening them back up. He put his hand up to his face, before looking down at his palm, to see his vision watery.
Why was there a tear in his hand?
...Why was he crying?
"Sonic! Damn it, you idiot wake the hell up!" Knuckles' voice woke him up. He was shaking the blue blur's body back and forth violently, desperately trying to wake him up. He slammed him against the bed over and over to stir up his nerves. Sonic's eyes snapped open, seeing all of his friends in his room staring at him with concern.
He didn't know what to say, he just glanced between them while panting like a dog.
"Finally." Knuckles let go of his shoulders and stood up from the bed. "Now why were you screaming bloody murder?" He asked roughly. Amy punched his arm, making the red echidna yelp and glower at her. The pink hedgehog stepped around the bed and knelt down beside Sonic's laying form.
"Pay no mind to him. But," She frowned. "Why were you screaming like that?"
Tails managed to squeeze himself through the crowd and sit at the foot of Sonic's white bed. "You screamed for almost thirty minutes straight." He said worriedly. "You fell out of your bed, slammed on the walls, ripped the sheets off and just kept yelling for help."
Shadow stood beside the door way of the bedroom, staring at Sonic. He didn't make a peep, but his expression told a different story. He looked like he wanted to ask so many questions that were similar to everyone else's. Was he okay, and why he screamed like that. Rouge looked the same. She didn't say anything, but her face said it all. She was standing by the bed as well, crossing her arms below her breasts.
"I-I just-" Sonic tried to say. But, nothing else came out. He just placed both ungloved hands over his face and sucked in a deep breath.
"Um, guys?" Tails glanced at the others in the room. "Can I, you know, talk to Sonic alone? Just for a sec?" He asked nicely, yet timidly. Something in his voice sounded like he was more than just worried about Sonic. It almost sounded like he wanted to cry. Amy was about to protest abruptly, until she saw the look in his baby blue eyes. They were big and wide, glossy and shaky. She knew that look all too well. She closed her mouth and looked away. She nodded, accepting his request and made her way to leave first. Rouge gestured to Shadow and Knuckles for them to leave, and the three of them all stepped out of his room.
The fox scooted himself up closer to Sonic's side and puts his hands in his lap. He looked up at his older brother, who seemed very stressed and scared. He frowned. He hated to see him look like this. This wasn't normal for him to be like this. Eggman rarely ever made him truly upset, but Scourge...Whatever he did to him, it was mentally scarring him. "Uh, hey Sonic." He quietly greeted. The blue hedgehog raised his face from his hands and looked over down at his little brother. Seeing him look up at him with those big eyes, it reminded him of the old days. Man, how many years was that? He felt so old all of a sudden.
He felt nostalgia warming up in his heart, and his charming smile grew back on his muzzle quickly.
That smile..
That was the smile he recognized. That familiar tender-feeling smile that always made him happy. Seeing Sonic happy made him happy. Seeing him so confident and fearless against everything, made him feel like his courage was unlimited. If he was okay, Tails was okay. That smile, was always a sign that everything was alright. He was so glad that he was his big brother, and that he had such a great person to look after him in his life.
With that, he had no doubt in his mind that this was the real Sonic. For sure.
"You screaming like that had me really worried. You okay now?" The vulpine asked. Sonic exhaled heavily and closed his eyes before looking at the closed door across the room.
"I..." He started, but didn't finish again. "Wait," Sonic briefly looked over at the fox. "You do know it's me, right?" He clarified.
Tails made a rather, sheepish laugh. "Eheheh, yeah, don't worry. I know it's you." He lightly punched Sonic in the arm. "That guy couldn't fool me. I caught on way too quickly. I know you better than anyone else, after all." The preteen scratched behind his head. "I was pretty lucky Shadow and Rouge listened in on our confrontation, but I already planned to call them. I knew something was up, that's why I got back up." He proudly smiled at his older brother, taking pride on taking his advice. "I did exactly what you said! I followed my gut, and it was right the whole time! I knew I wasn't crazy."
"That's my lil' bro." Sonic praised with a light noogie. Tails giggled and playfully pushed his brother away, lightly blushing at the compliment. Sonic was proud of him as well, and was more than happy to know that he caught onto what Scourge's plan was. If he didn't realize it until later, he would have gotten hurt. That meant he raised him right. He pulled the preteen a little closer and ruffled the top of his head. "Thank Chaos.." Sonic murmured. Tails heard him clearly, however.
"You were worried too?" Tails wondered aloud.
"Of course I was, ya dummy!" The hero playfully bonked the fox on the head. "I'm your big brother, of course I was worried about ya!" His smile then melted into a frown, instantly. An angry one, rather. "Geez, you almost got yourself killed!" He said roughly as he raised his voice. "Your damn plane exploded again, with you in it! Again. If it wasn't for Knuckles, I would have-! Ugh!" Sonic scoffed and face palmed. Tails' ears flattened at his tone. "You already saw how I was. I was in that...I was that thing. I could have killed you myself." He solemnly admitted. "If I would have known that I hurt you again, because of him," He grit his teeth in anger. "I already broke our promise. And, I'm sorry." Sonic's voice lowered eventually. He pat the little one on the head, who looked down in his lap. "Don't think I'm not proud of you, cause I am. I really am. If it wasn't for you, well, everything would be pretty crappy." He tried to joke around to cheer him up. "But, please, try not to do anything that stupid again. I'm not gonna patronize you, I'm not gonna act like a worry-wort. I know you're more than capable of handling yourself, but when it comes to him," Sonic made a very serious expression, the kind a parent would give when talking about a bad stranger. "You stay away from him." Then he smiled a little. "Sorry for snappin' on you there. No hard feelings. Okay?"
"Yeah." Tails nodded in an understanding manner. "I did act kinda stupid, huh?"
"Yeaahhh ya kinda did, squirt." The hedgehog leaned his head on top of the little one's. "But honestly, I think I would have too if I were in your shoes."
"I'm still glad you're okay. B..Because-" The fox suddenly whimpered at the very end of his sentence. He tried to keep smiling, but it was shaking. It wasn't sturdy at all. Sonic looked at his face puzzled, watching as his blue sapphire eyes were turning glossy pretty fast. His little body started to shiver, and he started sniffing. Oh boy, he thought. Here it comes. The waterworks were about to break, and the dam was nearly collapsing. "All this time, I-I wondered," Tails squeezed his eyes shut and threw himself at his older brother. Sonic made a surprised yelp. The fox tightly wrapped his arms around him, and cried against his peach chest. "Where did you go!?" He sobbed quietly. With a small sigh, the elder lowered his eyes at him with a smile. He wrapped one arm around Tails' torso, and let him cry against him as he looked somewhere else. He caressed and rubbed his head, trying to soothe and console him.
He was humming as he cried, like he used to when they were kids. He'd always do that when Tails cried. It usually put him to sleep. Probably wouldn't work this time though.
For the love of Chaos, Tails knew that was his weakness. He hated when he cried like this. What could he say? 'Sorry' with a vague explanation of where he went and why? That was his initial plan at first but, hearing him get so upset...An apology and a weak elaboration wouldn't be enough for the little guy. He'd find a better way to make it up to him.
For now, he'd do his job as his brother and guardian.
Being there for him.
END - 6
Please Review, thank you.