Thanks for the reviews and this is the chapter you all appear to be waiting for. I own nothing.
X: Future Sonic
Sonic watched as his future self stepped into view. He was taller and his fur was slightly darker much like what he had seen on Tails' wedding photo. His green eyes were guarded as he took in everyone before him but they soon betrayed their anger when they rested on the past version of himself.
Sonic waved awkwardly and everyone stood there in a stunned silence waiting for someone to make the first move. The whole area was quiet, not even the birds were singing and there was no breeze. It was if you could reach out and touch the tension in the air.
Sky shifted awkwardly and that seemed to wake future Sonic out of his daze. His eyes blazed furiously when he caught sight of her.
"I can explain everything." Sky grinned as she tried to charm her way out of the situation and this seemed to only make future Sonic angrier.
"Uh oh." She gulped and future Sonic began storming towards her. She smiled awkwardly before turning around and running away, leaving a small sonic boom behind her.
"SKY YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" Future Sonic yelled before running after her.
Knuckles began laughing and even Rouge and Shadow smirked.
"Why are you laughing?" Sonic demanded. "We should do something." He added staring into the spot in the trees where they had disappeared.
"Relax." Knuckles chuckled. "You're going to need all your energy for what's about to go down."
"What?" Sonic asked feeling incredibly out of the loop.
Rouge shrugged. "Don't worry about them. Sky's forever doing things like this. She knows he'll catch her eventually so I don't even know why she bothers."
"Why is he…I mean why am I so angry with her?" Sonic asked as he tapped his foot impatiently.
"See for yourself." Knuckles mumbled as everyone looked around nonchalantly and stepped away.
Sonic turned around to see his future self dragging a thrashing Sky out of the forest, though for all her effort to break free, it didn't seem to bother him.
"You know it's a funny story." Sky giggled nervously. "But I don't think it'll suit your sense of humour"
Future Sonic didn't say anything as he continued to drag her into the field.
Sky groaned. "Oh come on dad! Don't tell me you wouldn't have done something similar?"
Sonic froze. Did she just say what he thought she said? Knuckles who was watching Sonic carefully the entire time burst out laughing again, clutching his stomach.
Future Sonic ignored him as he finally let go of Sky who shrunk back from future Sonic who practically had smoke coming out of his ears.
"Would you mind telling me this funny little story of yours then?" Future Sonic said in a calm voice which made it sound all the more threatening. Even Sonic felt slightly scared of his future self.
Dad? He was A FATHER?!
This couldn't be possible! IT JUST COULN'T! It was a sick joke they were all playing on him.
"DAD?!" Sonic wailed and everyone turned to look at him. Rouge, Knuckles and Shadow looked amused, Sky looked uncomfortable and his future self still looked ready to burst with anger.
"Looks like I've upset a lot of people." Sky said nervously. "Maybe I should just head home, I know mum's looking for me."
"She's what?" Future Sonic demanded looking slightly panicky.
"Another funny story." Sky replied.
"Well you better enlighten me then young lady!" He yelled and Sky flinched back.
"Why? You'll just get angrier than you are now." Sky whimpered.
Future Sonic took a deep breath to calm himself. "I don't think I could be any angrier than I am right now. I was working on something with Eggman and all of a sudden you just show up with another version of me and nearly get killed. Thank you very much for that heart attack by the way."
"But you saved us in the end." Sky smiled trying to weasel her way out of it.
"Yeah at the last minute!" Sonic shrieked. "You really scare me sometimes you know that Sky? You get yourself into all kinds of situations, but what happens the next time I'm not around huh? Do you know how much that thought tortures me? You're so reckless. You're –"
"Just like you." Knuckles interrupted smirking.
"Stay out of it Knuckles, you shouldn't have been encouraging her." Future Sonic snapped.
Knuckles snapped. "Yeah because it was totally my idea for her to do all this. You know what Sky's like, she's your responsibility, not mine. You should take care of your kids better."
"Have I lost my mind here?" Sonic yelled interrupting his future self before turning to Sky. "This is the big secret? That you're my dau…" He choked on the word. He choked on the very thought of it.
Sky sighed. "You can say the word you know. Daughter. Yes, I'm your daughter from the future. Pleasure to meet you. Happy now?"
Sonic felt sick. How couldn't he have possibly noticed it? The resemblance between them was unmistakable. Not just in the way she looked but her attitude as well. Not to mention all the things she appeared to have let slip when they were travelling together. Sonic felt like the stupidest person on the planet right now.
He wasn't even paying attention as Sky went on to explain her story to his future self…her father. The thought made Sonic shudder. How could he, Sonic the Hedgehog, ever have kids? Even though Sonic did love kids he could never have any of his own. Too much responsibility and they would take away his freedom. But who was the mother? Sonic felt like he already knew the answer and he wasn't interested in confirming it. Now that he knew this was possible, he would never question any insane notion again.
Sonic was brought out of his thoughts as Knuckles punched him on the shoulder.
"Looking a little pale there Sonic." He sniggered.
"Shut up!" He snapped back and Knuckles pretended to look scared.
"Are you hurt?" Future Sonic asked Sky who shook her head. He sighed with relief and quickly pulled her into a tight hug, all his anger seeming to be forgotten about as she nuzzled into his chest. He held her tightly and protectively as if he wanted to shield her from the world and Sonic felt like he was intruding just watching them interact with each other like this.
"Don't ever do anything like that again." Future Sonic insisted firmly and Sky nodded. "And you're grounded until further notice."
Sky groaned and future Sonic grinned at her.
"But are we cool?" She asked.
Future Sonic nodded. "We're cool."
They both fist bumped each other and Shadow sighed.
"Well now that we've all kissed and made up, can we now focus on the issue that is the king of the underworld threatening to break out?" Shadow said impatiently.
"What?" Future Sonic asked.
"Rouge found a book that helped us figure out the plan." Sonic said. "Cool new powers by the way. How did you do that?"
Future Sonic smirked. "Thanks and you'll just have to find out."
Sonic groaned. "Not even a little spoiler?"
Future Sonic laughed and shook his head.
"If we could get back to business." Shadow said clearing his throat. "You can show off later."
Sky laughed and Rouge pulled out the book and explained everything to Future Sonic that she had explained to everyone else earlier. Sonic noticed how she was dancing around a specific part of the plot and Sonic wondered why. If he knew himself as well as he thought he did, then he'd want to know, but Knuckles looked at him in warning as if he knew what he was thinking. What would be so bad about telling him? She was his…daughter…and he had the right to know.
"Right, this is exactly the information I need." Future Sonic announced as Rouge closed the book. "Come on Sky."
"Where are we going?" Sky asked looking confused.
"I'm taking you home. Vanilla can contact your mom and let her know you're safe." He explained and raised an eyebrow, daring her to challenge him.
Sky did so anyway and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Yes you are." Future Sonic said getting angry again.
"Dad, I've come this far, I'm not backing out now." She insisted and the others sighed as they knew another argument was going to begin.
Future Sonic frowned at her. "Sky please. This is going to be incredibly dangerous. Not a place for children."
Sky glared back. "Never stopped you did it?"
Knuckles laughed. "She's got you there Sonic."
Future Sonic glared at him. Shadow sighed and scattered the emeralds around a rock that was sticking out of the ground. Future Sonic had placed his in and at last they had all seven. They were ready to attack and future Sonic and Sky were just wasting time.
"She seems like she can hold her own." Sonic said and Sky looked back and beamed at him.
"See dad, even yourself thinks I can stay." She smirked at him and future Sonic glared at his past self.
"See what you've started." Future Sonic said glaring at past Sonic.
"Well technically you just said yes." Sky giggled before poking future Sonic's arm. "You might want to keep an eye on me anyway since the shadow demons have bestowed me with the honour of being their sacrifice."
The others froze as they waited for future Sonic's reaction and everyone seemed to be holding their breath.
"What?" Future Sonic demanded in a quiet voice. It sounded like he didn't believe what he was hearing.
"Oops" Sky mumbled before biting her lip and backing away from future Sonic who's face twisted and he looked like he was in pain.
"Sonic whatever you do, don't transform!" Knuckles begged as he jumped on top of future Sonic to pin him down. "That's what they want and that's why they're after Sky especially. If we keep her with us then we could keep an eye on her better, but if she went home we would have no way of knowing."
Future Sonic's trembling seemed to stop before he collapsed and gasped for air.
"I thought you had your curse under control." Shadow scolded the blue hedgehog who was still lying on the ground face down.
Future Sonic's head snapped up to glare at Shadow. "Yeah well that's the funny thing about dark magic. You can't control it."
"Hang on." Sonic said feeling out of the loop again. "What damn curse? There's no such thing."
"No there isn't." Future Sonic said standing up, pulling Sky closer to him as his eyes scanned the area.
"We'll head to Angel Island where the rift is." Shadow said and everyone nodded and set out to stop the underworld from ripping their world apart.
Feel free to leave your opinion. Yes a lot of you guessed correctly. Well done. It seemed almost cruel to drag it out any longer.