Unlucky 13

Josh shivered in his sleeping bag. He had forgotten his tent, and the fire he tried to keep alive had long since gone out. He hadn't been asleep for long before the cold woke him up.

"Sonic and Knuckles are lucky." He said to himself, quietly. "They have fur coat to keep them warm." He curled up a bit more in his sleeping bag to try to conserve body heat. When all it did was make him uncomfortable, he sighed and got out of his sleeping bag to walk around. He quietly stepped past Knuckles who was sleeping next to a tree, and took a look up. Sonic was sound asleep on a tree limb he had found. "How can they just fall asleep wherever?" Josh thought to himself. "Maybe it's more comfortable than sleeping on the ground..." Josh slowly walked over to a tree and climbed up it.

…...

"Okay, remind me to never try to sleep in a tree again." Josh said, rubbing his head. After falling out of a tree for the 3rd time, he gave up trying to find a new place to sleep and headed back to camp. He looked around himself at the now dark forest. "It's kinda creepy out here..." Josh whispered. He started to whistle to try to take away some of the fear.

Josh suddenly saw movement from out of the corner of his eye. He whipped around to see a dark figure approaching him from the shadows.

"W-who's there?!" Josh shouted out. As the figure got closer, his features became a bit clearer.

"...Sonic. It's just you." Josh sighed. "You can't sneak up on me like that!" The figure didn't respond, but instead kept getting closer. "Sonic? Hello?" Josh called out, trying to get a response. A small beam of moonlight briefly lit up the figure.

"...Y-you're not Sonic." Josh stuttered, backing away slightly. The figure came close enough that Josh could make out his green fur, red glasses, and black jacket.

"No, I'm not." Scourge sneered. "Josh."

"S-Scourge?!" Josh yelped.

"The one and only." Scourge replied.

"What are you doing here?" Josh asked, continuing to back away from the Anti-Sonic. Scourge rushed behind Josh and grabbed both of his arms.

"I'm here to get you." Scourge said quietly before slamming Josh onto the ground. Josh grunted as he hit the ground. Scourge kicked the boy. "Get up!" He yelled. Josh tried to get up before being kicked to the ground again. "I said get up!" Scourge commanded again. Josh shakily got to his feet.

"Wha... why are you... doing this?" Josh wheezed, clutching his side.

"Let's just say it's in my benefit if you're out of the question." Scourge said before socking Josh in the stomach, sending the boy flying into a tree.

"S-Sonic!" Josh called out weakly.

"Don't even try it. He's too far away to hear you." Scourge said, walking over to his victim.

…...

Sonic awoke with a start as he heard a soft cry.

"S-Sonic!"

It sounded like Josh. Sonic looked down to see that Josh's sleeping bag was empty. He quickly jumped out of his tree and ran off in the direction of the cry.

"Josh! Can you hear me?! What's wrong?!" Sonic called off into the forest.

…...

"Josh! Can you hear me?! What's wrong?!" Sonic's voice carried off into the forest and reached Josh's ears. Josh smiled weakly.

"D-did you hear that? Sonic's coming. Y-you're going to be in big trouble." Josh said softly as he struggled to his feet. Scourge cocked his head to the side and listened, but heard nothing.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Scourge sneered. "Now, prepare to die. Alone."

"Sonic! Over here!" Josh made one last ditch call out to the forest, this one weaker than the other. Scourge laughed.

"Is that the best you can do?" Scourge mocked.

"Please hurry!" Josh called out.

…...

"Please hurry!"

Sonic picked up the sound and headed towards it.

"I'm coming Josh." Sonic said. "Just sit tight." Sonic finally saw the young man, leaning against a tree, with an all too familiar green hedgehog approaching him. "Josh!" Sonic yelled, rushing to his friend's aid.

…...

"Josh!" Scourge turned to see Sonic rushing towards him, pure anger in his eyes. The blue hedgehog landed a solid hit on his green counterpart, causing him to fly back, doubled over. "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave! Now!" Sonic yelled. Scourge shakily got up and glared at Sonic before dashing off. Sonic watched his evil twin leave before turning to Josh.

"Sonic..." Josh smiled before collapsing. Sonic barely had enough time to catch him before he fell to the ground.

"Oh Josh." Sonic said quietly, examining the young man's various wounds, scratches, and bruises. "He got you good." Sonic took one last look around the forest to make sure Scourge was gone, then dashed off to camp with Josh in his arms.

…...

"What happened?" Knuckles asked, searching Josh's body for any more injuries that needed to be treated.

"Scourge was beating him up." Sonic said, staring at Josh's face. His eyes were black, and his lips were a bit swollen. Knuckles and Sonic had been working for the past while to try to treat some of the more major injuries. Both agreed that none of the injuries were grievous enough that a doctor would need to get involved, but all the same, they would need to take it easy on Josh for a good while.

"You're lucky you found him in time. He would have been a goner." Knuckles said. "How'd you know he was in danger?"

"Didn't his screams wake you up?" Sonic asked.

"What screams?" Knuckles asked back.

"What do you mean 'what screams?' His loud screams of pain!" Sonic replied. "You really didn't hear that?" Knuckles slowly shook his head no, giving a concerned look to his rival. "Look, I know what I heard, okay?" Sonic finished, turning his attention back to Josh. Knuckles stared at Sonic a while more before returning to his resting spot. Sonic lingered for a while before heading back to his tree. He stopped short about halfway and turned to look at Josh once more. Sonic took one last look around the forest, then walked back to the unconscious boy. He started up a small fire and sat down to keep watch.

"He's trying to take care of his little brother," Sonic thought to himself, "So I'll try to take care of mine." Josh let out a soft moan, as his eyes fluttered open. "Hey." Sonic said. "How do you feel?"

"Peachy." Josh laughed softly. "Did you get him?"

"Yeah, he ran off."

"He ran off?"

"Of course! He knows he can't beat me!" Sonic said proudly.

"Hmhm. No one can beat you." Josh smiled, then winced a bit as he tried to sit up. Sonic stopped him.

"You need to rest." Sonic said as he gently laid him back down. Josh nodded and relaxed. "So why was Scourge beating you up?" Sonic asked.

"I don't know." Josh replied. "All he said was that it would be to his advantage if I was gone." Josh thought for a moment. "Do you think he's working with Eggman?"

"I doubt it." Sonic said. "If Scourge does something, it's for his gain and his gain only. He avoids helping anyone, whether they're good or bad."

"Could he just be beating me up because he hates you?" Josh asked.

"It's a possibility." Sonic said. "But let's talk later. You need to get some rest now." Sonic said, smiling at his adopted brother. Josh smiled back before closing his eyes and letting sleep wash over him. Sonic added one more log to the fire before laying down next to Josh, and falling asleep.