Chapter Five – Deceptions

The Blue Blur was stood in his most favouritespot on the whole of Mobius, completely alone. Absolutely no one was in sight. On the very edge of Speed Alley. The largest, longest, flattest terrain anywhere, and absolutely perfect for breaking the sound barrier in. It was where the Speedsters hung out, and where he, as the King of Speed, would permanently be found. But how he was facing the ultimate test of pure nerve. The break the sound barrier again.

Blind.

He could still do it. The Chaos Power never left him. But it had been five years and a lot had changed. He could hear Shadow sigh in his ear, the Ultimate Lifeform was sat at his computer console, the Ark's camera's trained on him. He heaved.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked, genuinely concerned. Sonic heaved himself. He rubbed his face, and ran his eyes through his quills. He sighed, blowing raspberries.

"Truthfully, no." He admitted. "But if I want any chance of fighting and defeating Eggman, and walk away alive, I have to." He growled. Shadow put his head on his hand. Sonic did have a point, but Shadow was still a little concerned.

"Do you want me to come down there?" He wondered, of which he got intense giggling in response. Sonic smiled.

"Wow, Shads. I didn't know you cared." He grinned. Of which Shadow just rolled his eyes. He smirked. Nice to have the old nickname back. It was definitely better then 'Faker'. Seeing the Blue Blur so heavily broken over the last few years, had been extremely painful to watch. Now he was very much on the road to recovery. But he never fully recover, the anxiety would always be there, but now he had the means, with Shadow's help, and a little genetic engineering, to better deal with it. The Ultimate Lifeform's smirk broadened.

"That's not what I meant." He spat, but Sonic just giggled again.

"I know." He sniggered. "You can see me from the Ark, can't you?" He frowned. Shadow nodded.

"Yes, why?" He replied. But Sonic heaved, as he looked out to the vast expanse of Speed Alley, an area he knew so well, and saw nothing. That pained him horrendously, heavily missing all the visuals. But he had to do the best he could with what he had, and saw the deep vast open plain, gave him nothing in return but blackness. There wasn't anything out there, triggering his Sonar. No smell, taste, touch or sound out in the wide, open plain. But as he looked down, he desperately hoped his feet would. He banged his foot on the ground, and saw the shockwave vibrations of both sound and touch radiate out ahead of him, in the air and through the ground, lighting up the darkness, in pale blue. They showed the ground in exquisite detail, but only within the shockwaves, and only while they were there, a few seconds. Once they were gone, Sonic was back in darkness again.

He banged his other foot on the ground, and saw further shockwaves and more of the ground. He smirked. He might actually be able to do this. With more speed, the more times his feet with hit the floor and then, in theory, the more his Sonar would light up. But he had to make sure of two things. One, that he didn't get too overwhelmed, and two, to brace himself for the Sonic Boom. That was going to be very loud, indeed. He never really heard it before, but his hearing was nowhere near as sensitive back then. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. He heaved.

"Shadow, could you please make sure that I keep a straight line. Let me know if I veer off course." He asked. The Ultimate Lifeform smirked, nodding.

"Will, do." He replied. He'd been watching Sonic test the water, deeply fascinated by it. He'd seen the Sonar for himself only once, and he had overwhelmed him. To see Sonic now navigate by it, was truly incredible, and really showed the potential it really had. Both Hedgehogs knew the consequences of the Blue Blur breaking the sound barrier here. It would get the Mobian Press, his friends, and Eggman immediately on Sonic's tail. But that was Shadow's whole plan. To make everyone believe nothing had happened to the mighty Sonic The Hedgehog.

Absolutely nothing.

Sonic was now wearing a pair contact lenses. But not just any contact lenses. They were the most sophisticated in the entire world. Created by Shadow, they were placed over his pale grey discs, they showed his eyes exactly as they used to be. Deep emerald-green iris's with deep black pupils. But they were entirely mechanical. Extremely delicate electronics within the contact lenses themselves responded to the light, opening and closing the pupil's accordingly, and Shadow had somehow replicated some of Sonic's sparkles. His pale grey discs nowadays, were stuffed full of them, having finally got them back, which took years, clearing showing the Hero was still behind them, even if he was blind.

But despite the sophistication of the contact lenses, there were surprisingly comfortable to wear, and before long, Sonic had initially forgotten all about them. They didn't hinder his Sonar whatsoever. They were purely cosmetic. He was still blind, and with the Blue fur having regrown all around his scaring left over from the Healing Tank, he now truly looked as though his horrendous incident had never even happened.

That was Shadow's idea. To get back everyone making it look as though the incident had never even happened. To riddle everyone with horrendous self-doubt, guilt and regret. Did what happen to Sonic, really happen, or was it all a trick? It was a sly, evil, extremely slight manipulation at it's absolute best and Sonic expected nothing less of Shadow. But Sonic had to agree with him. This would screw everyone over and get him the apology he deserved. But first he had to create the Sonic Boom to set the plan into motion.

Easier said then done.

Time to move. He slowing placed one foot in front of the other, concentrating on the ground ahead of him. The vibrations lit up the land ahead of him, in bright pale blue, slowly giving him the confidence to place down another foot. Soon, he was picking up speed, as the more times his feet hit the floor, the more vibrations he could see, and therefore the more of the world ahead of him. He's Super-Speed sped around the Ark, but that was different. The enclosed space was easier to navigate, the vibrations more controlled. Here, out in the wild, everything was different.

Suddenly, he felt it. His free-spirit. It was back, for the first time in five years. The wind in quills, the road beneath his feet. It felt incredible, and caused Sonic's confidence to explode. Finally, he to put his foot down on the accelerator.

One hundred miles and hour.

Suddenly, the world ahead of him exploded in a pale blue colour, as his Sonar exploded. The vibrations from his own feet were enough to light up the road ahead of him. It was beautiful. But despite everything being just one singular colourand somewhat fuzzy, he knew it. Speed Alley, he began recognisingit. Yes, he could do this. He gritted his teeth. More speed.

Two hundred miles and hour, three hundred.

Sonic looked around as he ran, desperately trying to get his bearings, but he was struggling. His E.S.P. (Extra Sensory Perception) and his super-fast instincts were yet to show themselves. He'd never went fast enough on the Ark, for them to naturally return to him. Sonic knew they were still in there, he just needed the push hard to find them. Now was his chance.

Four hundred miles and hour. Five hundred.

Suddenly, he screamed, throwing his hands over his ears, as yet another almighty explosions of senses came straight at him. But he very quickly worked out what it was, as yet more of the world showed itself to him. He heard Shadow's voice in his ear.

"Sonic, you alright?" He asked, sounding concerned. But Sonic just panted hard, desperately trying to get back in charge. He succeeded. He heaved.

"Yeah, Shads. I'm fine. The E.S.P. just kicked back in." He gasped. The Ultimate Lifeform raised an eyebrow. He had been wondering himself where that was in the Blue Blur. Hidden, deep, apparently, and if that was deep, then so were his instincts, and sure enough, they were indeed still there.

Six hundred miles and hour. Seven Hundred.

Further screaming, as his super-fast instincts also kicked back in with a bang, taking the poor Blue Blur by storm. He was getting completely bombarded by far to much information, as Shadow saw him dangerously swaying from side to side. He gulped and gritted his teeth. Time to take charge. He growled.

"Sonic. Listen to me. Your dangerously swaying so you need to calm down. Concentrate on the road ahead of you. Just that and nothing else. I know you can now see it. Try and straighten yourself up." He ordered. Sonic heaved, still holding his ears, his eyes closed. But finally he opened them. The world rushed passed beneath him, extremely fast, but as he newly-found super-fast instincts took hold, he knew this. Shadow's words were ringing in his ears. He noticed he was indeed swaying and rightened himself up. Shadow approved, but it wasn't over yet. "Good." He praised. "Now brace yourself. Your reading at over seven hundred miles an hour on the clock, you've now got a sound barrier to get through." He added.

Sonic heaved, but then smirked. Nobody other then himself and Shadow truly understood that. They were the only people in the whole of Mobius who could break the sound barrier on foot. The only ones who knew exactly how it felt on the ground. There were other methods of breaking it. Several trains and planes could do it, but only he and Shadow had ever felt it's pure roar power, with no protection. He nodded, and bend forwards slightly, pushing further. He blocked out all of the world around him.

Seven hundred and fifty miles a hour.

Sonic suddenly felt the intense resistance of the sound barrier, and for the first time in his life, he feared it. Shadow must have spotted his hesitation on the Ark's cameras, because he immediately sent encouragement down the communicator. Sonic held his nerves. He had back up, incredible back up. He knew he had to do this. Once he'd done it, subsequent barrier breakages will be significantly easier. It just had to get through this first one. He bent forwards even further, hands over both ears and screwed up his eyes, his high-speed instincts keeping him straight. He gritted his teeth and gave one enormous final push.

KA-BOOM!

Now Sonic really screamed. The Sonic Boom was much louder then he was expecting, and his hands on his ears were nowhere near enough protection to the incredible sound. Thankfully, it didn't make them bleed, but they where left ringing slightly, which did interfere with his Sonar. But weirdly, as soon as the sound barrier exploded, the wall of sound dulled almost instantly, immediately becoming bearable, causing Sonic to open his eyes and look up, in utter confusion. But his jaw suddenly dropped.

"Whoa!" He squealed, dropping his hands, looking around, absolutely stunned. Shadow frowned, on the other end of the communicator.

"What?" He asked. "What can you see?" He wondered. But Sonic just gulped. For the very first time ever, he physically saw the sound barrier itself. The shockwave exploded his Sonar, as it radiated out away from him, in every direction, and expanded out for miles. Sonic looked all around, desperately to take in everything, as the shockwave showed him every detail everywhere. He panted.

"Everything." He panted. "I can physically see the shockwave of the sound barrier itself. It's beautiful. It's lighting up my Sonar like nothing I've ever seen before. I can see around and through things all at the same time. It's so weird." He heaved. Shadow just blinked, utterly amazed.

Now traveling in excess of Mach One, Sonic finally relaxed, having found his rhythm. This was where he belonged and it felt so good to be back. He had missed it, but knew that now with the Sonar, and the extra care it needed, he just couldn't take it for granted again, and had no intension of doing so. Along with his hearing, he also had enhanced touch, taste and smell, he could navigate the world better then most, fooling everyone. His unique take on life, giving him reflexes unrivaled. He could feel them expanding. Even against Shadow, whom he suspected would still be unable to beat him. To hide this, Sonic wore contact lenses, purely cosmetic, showing an emerald-green iris and black pupils. They covered his pale grey discs, successfully giving the impression he had eyes when he didn't.

That was the plan. Part one complete and all they had to do now was wait. As predicted, it didn't take long as Shadow noticed something on the Ark's radar. He smirked.

"You've got company." He hissed, but Sonic just sniggered.

"I know, I've already heard them. It's Tails and Knuckles in the Tornado, wondering what the hell is going on." He giggled. Shadow's smirk broadened, not surprised that the Blue Blur already knew.

"Well, have fun." He sniggered. "I will be dropping in on you later, to add to the scheme, so please play along." He added, with an extremely cold hiss. Sonic just laughed. He seen Shadow's role plays and sly deceptions before and they were always beautifully done. He was ruthless intelligent in that way. Sonic wasn't but he had learned, over the last five years, to take his cues from Shadow, and to read the guy, even though he was blind. His tone of voice very often spoke volumes, especially to Sonic, who'd learned to read between the lines. He, nodded, and with that, Shadow signed off. Yes, he'd see him later.

Sonic, however, while still traveling at speed, concentrated his ears on the oncoming plane. He easily heard every word, as the Fox and Echidna talked, even past the roar of the wind rushing passed him. To be honest, he could just tuned it out, as it was greatly helping him to see. But Knuckles sounded extremely huffed.

"Are you sure it's him, Tails. He was a good as dead." He spat. But the Fox whimpered, his voice now sounding significantly deeper then Sonic remembered. He nodded.

"Yes, but the sound barrier breaking. I know it." He desperately stammered, but Knuckles just rounded on him.

"Potentially, or this could be a wild goose chase, with some kids with recording equipment trying to wind everyone up. Or a new Hedgehog with enhanced Super-Speed." He grilled. "Or Shadow even. Trust me Tails. The Blue Blur is dead." He added. But Sonic just giggled to himself, as Knuckles's utter stubbornness.

"No, I'm not." He smiled quietly to himself. But Tails just wasn't believing.

"No, it's not Shadow. His barrier breakages sound very different to Sonic's. I know I'm right, Knuckles." He spat. Suddenly, he put the Tornado into hyper-drive, which completely changed the shape of the plane, and immediately he pushed it past Mach One. The resulting shockwave lit up the world for Sonic, yet again, as he looked behind him. Again it was loud, but now it could handle it much better. He was learning and coping now.

He, on purposely, wasn't running much beyond Mach One. He could go much faster, and now with his head very firmly around the Sonar, he could, he just didn't want to. He wanted to be caught, as finally the plane came side by side with him. He pretended not to have heard them, which couldn't have been further from the truth, concentrating solely on the road ahead of him. There was silence as he was immediately stared at. Sonic just ignored them. He wanted them to make the first move, before activating his cover. A zero-truth story, completely and utterly pretending that absolutely nothing had happened. Finally, it was Tails who spoke, as Knuckles was still utterly stunned.

"Sonic." He squealed, in pure delight. But no answer. But Tails waves his arms at him. "Sonic!" He screamed. Again nothing. The Blue Blur still pretending not to have heard him. Suddenly, Tails just downright shouted. "Sonic!" He screamed. "Please 'stop!'" He wailed.

Finally, the word the Blue Blur was waiting for, as he finally looked, as though being snapped out of a trance. He gasped, upon 'seeing' the plane.

"What the...?" He stammered, and promptly hits the brakes. With this singular run, Sonic had noticed that now he could accelerate faster and brake harder then he ever could before. Five years of rest had really worked wonders for him, and as he slammed his foot down ahead of him to slow down, he ground to a halt from Mach One, in a record breaking, less then a hundred yards. The plane, however, didn't, as Sonic caught a rush of sound whizz past him with his Sonar, and then an enormous bang and explosion, as the tornado crashed. It was very funny, as he just about saw in the distance, though somewhat fuzzy two figures safely bale and land, their voices providing the sound for Sonic to see them. Immediately they came running straight towards him.

Pretending to have a completely bewildered look on his face, he stood very still, and watched as his so-called old friends run up to him, and threw their arms around him. Sonic squirmed, not liking it at all. His enhanced-touch heavily objecting. But Sonic didn't let that show. As to his feelings towards them. They were somewhat numb, and Sonic had to desperately try not to sound very cold to them. Time to let the con begin.

"Hi, guys." He squealed. "What you doing all the way out here?" He wondered, sounding genuine. But Knuckles heaved.

"Sonic? What's going on? The incident. You were injured? Your eyes? The treason?" He stammered, but Sonic just frowned.

"Er. Traveling the world." He spat, matter-of-factly, then his frowned deepened, allowing the pretend look of bewilderment to become further ingrained, which was hard work as Sonic was heavily faking it. Bewilderment was an emotion he could no longer feel. He heaved. "What incident? What injuries?" He puzzled, feeling himself all over. "Er, I'm fine, and there's nothing wrong with my eyes." he added. They did indeed look as though nothing had happened to them.

There was a small element of truth. There were, for their current condition. Blind, and the Sonar working beautifully, though Sonic had to stop himself from staring gobsmacked at his old friends. Both of them had grown, especially Tails. With Sonic being twenty-five, Tails was now seventeen and it really showed. An, almost adult, slender Fox, with long arms and legs, two long tails and big ears. Knuckles was still taller in height but had bulked out sideways, heavily ribbed with muscle. Unfortunately, Sonic could no longer see the details. Every Mobian carried a distinctive scent. For the Blue Blur and his highly sensitive sense of smell, that scent seemed to surrounded the person, creating a pale blue somewhat fuzzy, wisp-like outline of them, a halo which moved as they did. That along side the thump, thump of their heartbeats, Sonic could easily tell who was who, and their changes in outlines told the Blue Blur, where they were in any given moment. He did wish he could see more but that wasn't possible anymore. But the suddenly he growled.

"What treason?" He spat. "I'm no traitor." He hissed. Shadow had told him about that, and yes, unfortunately, that was true. He was a traitor. He hadn't destroyed Eggman when he had the chance but never told Shadow why, despite repeated asking. He just wasn't ready to reveal the truth yet, but he did promise the Ultimate Lifeform he would when he was. Shadow had successfully worked out it was anxiety related but didn't know to what extent.

Silence responded to Sonic's statement as he watched his so-called friends outlines look at each other. Suddenly, Knuckles grabbed his head, to examine him closely. Sonic let him, for about a minute, before battering him away. He growled.

"Hey, Knucklehead, get off me." He spat, falling backwards slightly. "Hey, what wrong with you and where were you, anyway? I thought you were joining me for my around the world tour. We'd heavily beaten Eggman back with that battle, just outside of Westopolis, and I told you I was planning on taking a break." He grilled. "Some friends you are." He huffed.

That was indeed true. All of that had been mentioned just before the incident. Sonic could just about remember around the intense mush that was the incident itself, which truthfully, he didn't want to remember. He got stuttered silence in response. He smirked, time to push a little further. "I take it then that Eggman's permanently down, because you didn't come and find me. That was why I haven't return home, until now. I was just on my way back. Awesome tour, mind." He added.

Now that wasn't true, and Sonic knew it. Shadow had told him about Project Scorpion, and the both of them had been coordinating attacks on storage facilities full of old mothballed Badniks. Shadow would destroy the Badniks and Sonic would tell him exactly how, remembering from his youth. But both of them suspected, that there were significantly more storage facilities that the two of them could take out alone, especially if Eggman had been acquiring them since he and Sonic first met. Potentially twenty years worth. In other words, thousands of them. Sonic did genuinely wonder how Knuckles and Tails had been fairing. Those old Badniks were very strong, but they all had a serious weak points which, when hit, would immediately disintegrate them. It was simply a matter of knowing where to beat them, and the Blue Blur knew them all.

That was where Project Scorpion was going to fall. Sonic. It was heavily reliant on the Blue Blur not being there. In other words, dead, because no one knew Eggman's old fleet of Badniks better then the Blue Blur himself. With him having defeated them all, at least once. None of the others did, and the Human was heavily relying on that fact.

The very subdued silence from Sonic's so-called friends said it all. Yes, they had really been struggling. Tails did indeed know a lot of them, but not all. Not the really old ones, which were really tough to break. Without the precious knowledge of how to beat those old Badniks, they had indeed been beaten and badly, with Eggman now gaining significant ground. Knuckles heavily shifted, feeling very stupid.

"We didn't find you because we thought you were dead." He admitted. Sonic's eyes widened, pretending to be gobsmacked. He felt himself all over again. He smirked.

"Er, no. Why would you think that?" He asked, but then he panicked. "Guys? What's happened?" He stammered, again pretending to have no idea. It worked, as he was believed, because Tails suddenly spilled on everything. He panicked.

"You got into a fight with Eggman, in one of his warehouse base's..." He stammered, but Sonic just raised his hand, deeply frowning, rudely cutting across him.

"Er. What fight? I don't remember any fight. I've never been in one of Eggman's warehouses. Did anyone see it?" He declared, and then he suddenly giggled. "Ooo. Did I win?" He smiled, but then the colourimmediately left Tails face.

"No. Sonic, the fight was just between you and Eggman, no one saw it, and no, you didn't win." He said flatly, and Sonic instantly stopped bouncing. He frowned again.

"What?" He gasped, utterly confused. But Tails suddenly panicked, realisingthe scale of what had happened here. He gulped.

"He defeated you, and took you to hospital." He mumbled, But Sonic just laughed in his face.

"Eggman took me to hospital." He repeated, heavily indicating the utter absurdity of it. "I've never been in a hospital in my life." He hissed, flat out lying. "Did anyone actually see him, because Eggman has made replicas of me before." He added. Finally, the penny dropped with Sonic's lies, as Knuckles exploded, swearing hard.

"We've been conned." He roared. "And I suspected all of that crud he spouted to the Mobian Authorities about you been a traitor were all lies as well." He hissed. Sonic nodded, and silent smirked. No, they weren't, but he was heavily twisting the story so they were. He raised an eyebrow.

"Er, sounds like it." He agreed, but then he frowned. "I know Eggman's tricked you in the past, Knucklehead, but I am surprised at you, Tails." He accused, making the Fox almost cry. That was a little harsh, but he'd still not forgiven him for his abandonment. Then finally, the Fox cried. The tears streamed.

"I'm sorry." He wailed. "But Eggman didn't just trick us, but everyone. With you being gone, we all believed him." He added. But Sonic just looked stunned. That was genuine. He wasn't expecting his fabricated story to be believed quite so readily. He heaved.

"Whoa." He gasped. But then Knuckles outright panicked.

"Look, we're got to get you to the Mobian Authorities. To tell them the truth. Make Eggman pay for his trickery and lies. Once they see you, they should believe you." He growled, but Sonic silently smirked again. Oh, he was relying in that. But then he heaved.

"Ok, so what's the plan?" He asked, desperately wondering what they were going to do next. But Tails rounded on him.

"My house." He declared. "Get everyone there. It's just about still standing, with the recent attacks from Eggman, but it will do. I have a contact at the Mobian Authorities who can meet us there." He added. Sonic gulped. Just how much of a battering had they taken in the last fives years? Regardless, he tried not to let that show. Suddenly, he bounced.

"Ok, see you there. Bye." He squealed, and before either Tails or Knuckles could say anything else, Sonic immediately sped off, leaving his his so-called old friends in the dust, literally and in the middle of nowhere, with no means to get home. Except on foot or via Tails's butt-helicopter, but Sonic doubted he'd be able to carry Knuckles nowadays, and Tails' House was several thousand miles away.

Leaving them in the cold like that, did feel good, though Sonic did feel a little guilty. But the deep numbness towards them still remained, his lack of complex feeling causing problems again. He'd never lied like that, though his teeth before, certain not to that extent. He knew it was wrong, and there was yet more guilt, but he also knew of a certain someone he did know who would be pleased.

Shadow.

Sonic knew exactly where he'd gone. G.U.N., to retrieve the footage that Eggman gave to the Mobian Authorities five years ago, and on purposely, alter it, so when it was analyzed again, as it would be with Sonic's return, it would should signs of subtle fabrication. To back up the Blue Blur's story. His story maybe, but Shadow's entire brainwave. To throw Eggman's honesty back at him as lies, when the Human had been the one speaking the truth the whole time. To get the Mobian Authorities off his back, and the Blue Blur his vengeance for his abandonment.

Sonic sighed. Vengeance sounded harsh. Payback was more of what he was after. Make them look and feel like the fools. So far, it was working, as he sped though the landscape towards Tails House. He knew the area so well, and yet it looked so different through the Sonar. That wasn't helped by the fact that many areas along the route had been destroyed by Eggman. He growled. Enough. He was taking out the Human, permanently this time, that was given, but later. He had other issues to deal with as he landed, skidding to a halt, outside of the Fox's battered and beaten up house. He couldn't see much of it with his Sonar, but what he could see, wasn't good. It was indeed still standing but barely. His Sonar caught the heat of fire burning all around him. He heaved, his guilt increasing. He should have helped but he couldn't. He physically and mentally wasn't fit or well enough, not until very recently.

Sonic put his hand on the front door handle. He missed at first, but quickly felt for it, and deeply sighed. Time for the biggest test of his life.

He opened the door.