THE SEVEN
Act II: THE FALL
Track 16: Silver Springs
︎Amy Rose was the last to leave the stage, watching the band members leaving before her. She wiped a black tear from her cheek, shaking her head.
Vector and Mighty watched them leave, complete shock in their eyes. When they saw Amy approaching, they turned to look at her.
"What the fuck happened? Why'd Sonic leave?" Vector asked, watching as Amy smiled softly. She wrapped the two of them in a hug, leaning up on her toes to whisper into their ears.
"I'm gone. Thank you for everything."
With that, Amy Rose walked away, leaving the two managers crestfallen.
They were lost for words, and when Amy saw Tangle standing there, a look of complete sadness on her face, Amy finally let the façade slip.
And she broke down right there.
Sonic leaned against the railing of the balcony in their room, staring at the floor. Sally took a sip of water, setting it down gently on the table. She turned to Sonic, giving him a soft smile.
"So…what is it? What did you two have?"
"It's – it's complicated, Sal."
"I mean, did she love you more?"
"No, it's not that."
Sally shrugged, a smile on her muzzle. "Then…what?"
Sonic shook his head, the rain pelting softly on his fur. He sighed, his eyelids drooping.
"We just…we have a connection. We have the same struggles. We have the same pain. We hurt just the same."
Sally smiled, walking up to him, and taking his arm in her hand, rubbing it softly as a tear went down her face.
"But I see those sides of you, Sonic. I've loved you for so long – I've seen what makes you hurt."
"I know, but I-" Sonic started, biting his lip, "I feel like I have to hide from you."
"Why?" Sally said with a slight chuckle, sniffling.
"Because if I do – I'm afraid you'll walk away, and I'll set my life into a storm. I'm always scared that I'll do that. I'm always terrified that I – that I'll destroy our entire life."
"Sonic," Sally began, giving him a slightly cold look, "As long as I'm here, you're not going to upend our lives. I told you that if I loved you, I would see you all the way through. I would see you to the end, Sonic. No matter what."
Sonic stared at the ground, crossing his arms tight across his chest. He sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"Sally, I'm so – I'm so sorry. I can't express it enough, and I know it'll never make it okay. I tried so hard to be strong for you. I tried so, so hard."
"Look at me," Sally spat, raising his head with her finger. She shook her head, smiling with tears lining her cheeks.
"Neither of us have been perfect. I know what it's like to have a connection like that. A connection where you feel like the other person feels everything you do. I understand it."
"You – you do? Sally, did you…"
Sally sighed, her eyes averting to the ground with a small nod. She quickly broke into a minor sob, clutching the bridge of her nose.
"Why?"
"I thought – I thought you and Amy, you know – and I just – I just lost my way. I lost my path. I'm sorry."
Sonic nodded, his lips quivering. "I guess I deserve it-".
"Don't."
Sonic stopped, his eyes meeting the chipmunk, slightly riveted by the harshness of her tone.
"You don't. You don't deserve it, and I don't deserve it – we don't deserve any of this – this pain. But you know what we do deserve? We deserve our life. We deserve our family. We deserve our home. Our love. Our hope, Sonic. I was never going to leave you, Sonic. Are you serious? I could never. But I know a lot of marriages who don't have issues like this – and they're not even happy. God, I have always been happy here. I've always been happy with what we've built together. I could never, ever let that go."
"I can't either, Sal," Sonic said, the two leaning against the balcony with the large Central City skyscrapers billowing behind them. "You've always been my home. My safe space. Someone reminded me of that tonight. They reminded me how much I need you, Sally. How much I've always needed you in my life. It's not just because of that – I've loved you since the minute I saw you that day in Knothole. You've built my life with me. You've made me a better man, even when I didn't deserve it. I would always choose you over anything – over anyone."
Sally nodded, taking a look at the city. She sighed, wiping a tear from her cheek.
"It's gonna take time for both of us to…process this, Sonic. We've both hurt each other. We can take some space, some distance, whatever we need. I just want us, in the end, to be what we've always been. I want us to have our life in the end, and – and you need to get clean again. I know you relapsed tonight, and – and that's a song and dance we can't win, Sonic. You know that."
Sonic nodded, clenching his jaw. "Do you trust me anymore?"
Sally shrugged, "Well, do you trust me?"
Sonic paused, leaning over the balcony. Sally leaned over it with him, the two admiring the brilliant city before them.
"I don't know."
"I don't know either then," Sally replied, wiping a tear from Sonic's cheek. He grabbed her hand, placing a soft kiss on the back of it.
"But you know what I do know, Sonic? I know that no matter where we go, no matter what path we take, we'll hurt. We'll make mistakes. We'll fail. That's what it is to be married – to be in love. It's seeing the imperfections in your world and coming to peace with it. It's seeing the way the world might shatter and hurt, and still choosing it. It's always choosing love. It's always that. Always."
Sonic nodded, wiping his tears. Sally grabbed his hand as it rested on the balcony railing, stroking it softly.
"I couldn't answer it before…but I did love her. I did love Amy, I think."
Sally laughed, shaking her head. "I know you did. I loved Nicole just the same."
"Nicole? It was a-"
"Yeah, a woman, Sonic. Surprised?"
"Honestly…no."
Sally laughed, rolling her eyes, sniffling another tear away. "But it doesn't matter how much we loved them. It matters how much I love you, and how much you love me."
Sonic nodded, squeezing her hand as he sniffled. "I love you, Sally. I told you I'd never leave. I always said that I would never leave."
Sally smiled, sighing as she took one last look at the city.
SONIC: And then you walked out with Mr. Dinosaur in your hands.
"Mommy?"
Her face dropped, the pair turning around as they saw Sonia rubbing her sleepy eyes. Sally sighed, walking forward, and lifting her up and holding her tight to her chest. Sonic smiled, walking over, and placing a kiss to his daughter's head, stroking her hair softly.
S: Wait a minute – I remember that night.
︎Sonic stared at Sonia behind the camera, squinting in a slight surprise.
"You do?"
"Yeah," Sonia started, all grown up at age twenty, taking a slight detour from the interview process, "Mom was wearing that beautiful blue dress you bought her. She had that bracelet and that necklace on that you bought her with the money from the first album. And – and both of you were crying. I'd – I'd never seen either of you cry before. I didn't think you could cry, honestly."
Sonic stared at her, shaking his head. He saw the red dot on the camera, knowing they were still filming. He scoffed with an endearing smile, turning to look at the trees in their backyard, before turning back to her.
"You were so…young. How do you…?"
Sonia smiled, her long auburn hair tucked behind her ears. "I remember a lot, Dad. I remember so much of those days. How couldn't I?"
Sonia remembers the two tucking her into bed that night, smiling at her parents as they tucked her in, with Sally placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight, my angel."
Sonic leaned over to give her a kiss on the forehead, rubbing her hair softly.
After Sonia had drifted off to sleep, the two stood in the living area of the hotel room, their eyes locked on one another.
"I'll work for it, Sally. I promise."
Sally nodded, rubbing his cheek. "And I'll work for it too. We both have a lot to work on. Let's do it together, okay?"
Sonic smiled, averting his eyes to the ground. She kept rubbing his cheek, and the two of them stood like that for a long time, letting the screams of their minds fade into oblivion, leaving just them, right where they were.
︎Amy was leaning against the wall, her ethereal cape wrapped around herself. She ignored the sounds of the groupie's partying, not even understanding how they got there in the first place.
Not when the night had ended in total destruction.
She didn't turn to see Tangle approaching her, but she was. Tangle crossed her arms, watching the utterly forlorn and detached Amy staring at the wall. Tangle sighed, stroking Amy's quills softly.
"There's a rehab center in Sunset City. Espio's already calling them and making it all happen for you, Amy. No one has to know. We won't tell anyone."
Amy turned to her, lightly dropping her head on Tangle's shoulder.
"Thank you, Tangle."
"Of course."
Amy turned to lean against the wall, letting the lemur stroke Amy's arms gently, leaning her own head against the wall. Tangle's purple eyes inspected Amy, seeing how damaged and ravaged she had become.
Tangle sniffled, smiling softly at her friend, a solemn gaze in her eye.
"It's gonna be okay, Amy. I know you're leaving your family, but you know what that's like. You can persevere, love."
Amy sighed, her lips starting to quiver with tears threatening to pour. "I know."
Then, Tangle's heart broke when Amy's shoulders started to shake, the sobs coming right away. Amy sniffled, her lip quivering.
Her voice dropped to an utterly broken whisper.
"I just don't want to leave this one."
"I know," Tangle said, wrapping her friend in a hug, and letting the hedgehog sob into her shoulder, stroking her back endearingly.
VECTOR: Morning comes, and we're waiting on the bus.
BLAZE: I remember that I thought it was going to work out. One way or another. It was hell, but…I thought maybe we had made it out. Of course, now I understand that was what I was wishing for. I knew it wasn't the case.
MIGHTY: We didn't know how to tell anybody that Amy had left. I know she didn't want anyone to know, but shit, we still didn't have an excuse for her at all. Then…I saw Knuckles.
Blaze, Rouge and Shadow were on the bus with Vector, Mighty, Cosmo, and Tails, all waiting for the band.
Knuckles walked from the hotel doors, his face hung low, and his eyes glazed over. He pushed the revolving doors around, stepping out and letting the sunlight hit his eyes.
Shadow locked eyes with the echidna, smiling softly. He knew that this was it.
Knuckles could only muster a thumbs-up, grabbing his suitcase and getting in the back of a cab.
Shadow's face fell, turning to Vector who watched the cab leave in total confusion. Rouge sighed, leaning her head against the window, a tear rolling down her cheek as she watched him leave.
Goodbye Knuckles, and I'm sorry I couldn't help you anymore. Thank you for loving me.
Then they saw Silver approach the steps to the bus, his eyes forlorn and his gaze locked at the ground. Silver stared at the bus steps, deciding whether to get on, or to turn around and leave it behind.
Everything in his body told him to do it.
Everything in his heart told him not too.
His eyes moved up, taking notice of Blaze, who stared at him somberly. She bit her lip, attempting to muster a smile.
Silver's eyes fell once more, his mouth hanging open slightly as he felt tears pricking his eyes. Blaze wanted so desperately to run off the bus and grab him, but she couldn't.
She knew what the life he wanted looked like.
She had to let him go.
With that, Silver sighed, setting his guitar case on the ground, and walked away.
Blaze's eyes fell, rubbing her hair in heartbreak, staring at the guitar on the sidewalk.
Goodbye, Silver, and I'm sorry I couldn't give you the life you wanted. Thank you for loving me.
And Mighty sighed, giving the bus driver the go-ahead. The bus took off down the roads, earning a sigh from Shadow.
"I think – I think it's over."
Blaze nodded, turning back to look at Rouge, whose eyes stayed locked on the world passing by her.
Tails held a sleeping Cosmo, rubbing her arm as he swallowed, staring at his feet.
"Yeah. I think it's over too," Vector said, before taking his seat, and staring at the ceiling.
The Seven was now nothing but a burning, fading, distant memory.
Goodbye to the world's greatest rock band.
︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎The year is 1996. Sonia has begun conducting the final round of interviews with each band member, examining what their lives have been like after the demise of legendary rock band The Seven.
ROUGE: I wanted to be in a rock band. I always said that I didn't ever want to do anything else. [She shrugs]. It was a lie.
In 1995, one year prior to Sonia's documentary interviews, Rouge conducted the Little Planet Philharmonic, who played her score for the hit film "Stardust City".
She won the Oscar for that score later that year.
That's what I did. Yeah, I mean, I still played concerts, still recorded new music – did all of that. I'm an EGOT now! Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Oscar, baby! [She laughs]. I've lived such a beautiful life of music. It's…truly been great.
Knuckles leans back on the couch, clasping his hands over his stomach. He sighs, staring at the wall with a smile.
KNUCKLES: After that day, I put the bottle down. I thought I didn't wanna do, you know, the music life anymore, but the minute I got out of my head, I knew I wanted to get right back on the drums. The problem was – my family had split up. So, I became a session drummer, and I've been doing that for years now. I've played on some fucking records.
Knuckles is in the studio, smiling with glee behind his drum kit. He looks around the room, basking in the glory of every amazing musician around him.
It's been…really great. It's everything I've dreamed of.
SONIA: And…what inspired you to get sober?
Knuckles sighs, biting his lip. He laughs quietly, rubbing his head.
KNUCKLES: You know, sometimes it takes losing the thing you love most…to get you to realize you need help."
ROUGE: [She sighs, shaking her head]. I know he and I have both moved on, but it hurts. It still hurts, and I know it always will. I told him that night I'd never forget how he made me feel. He was the first man I truly loved.
She pauses, scratching under her eye.
I didn't lie. He still is just that.
KNUCKLES: I always wonder what she's up to. I mean, I know she's a super successful composer and artist and stuff…but I guess I mean – I guess I mean that I always think about what it would be like to look her in the face again, and just…talk.
ROUGE: I miss him all the time. I know I always will.
KNUCKLES: [He nods, wiping his eyes]. I have so much to thank her for. Loving me, seeing me…she changed my life forever. I'll always have that, right?
Blaze leans back on the couch, the city shimmering behind her. crossing her dress pants over her legs. She smiles, shrugging.
BLAZE: I wanted to be a rock star. I wanted to play music for people all around the world. [She pauses, smiling]. And I did.
An excerpt of the music video for the 1983 song by Blaze the Cat plays. She stands at a microphone, singing into it lovingly as she plays on a keytar, a female band playing all around her.
It's what I do to this day.
Silver smiles, reclining on the couch with the backdrop of the city shining behind him.
SILVER: Well, first I moved back home to Knothole. I fell in love a lot of times, and then I started missing the road. [He chuckles]. I guess Blaze was right. I got back into the studio with musicians I had met in my time, writing songs, and playing for the world.
Silver is on stage with a new wave band, nodding in glee as he played his Rickenbacker bass, singing to the crowd.
But…then I started remembering what I really wanted. You know, a family, kids, a wife. I didn't find it right away, but – but I think I owe it to Blaze for reminding me of that. I owe that to her. If she hadn't been honest with me that night, I think I would've never tried to want it.
BLAZE: Well, I told him what I thought he needed to hear. But…it doesn't mean I was honest. I wasn't going to let him compromise on what he wanted.
SONIA: What changed your mind all the years later?
Blaze smiles, laughing quietly. There is an endearing and loving look in her eyes.
BLAZE: Eventually, I realized I wanted that too. I owe it to Silver for making me think about it at all.
SONIA: And when did he come back into your life?
Blaze smiles, tearing up slightly.
BLAZE: At the perfect time.
The door to the room she's in opens, with Blaze turning with a smile. She grins brightly, watching the intruder walk to Sonia, who rolled her eyes with a grin behind the camera. Blaze held a total, relentless look of pure love in her eyes, watching the two interact.
"Aw, Uncle Silver! We're not done in here yet!" Sonia whined, earning an eyeroll from Silver.
"Well, I can help fill in the blanks!"
He takes a seat next to Blaze, throwing his arm around her. He turns to the cat, who lovingly nuzzles into his neck.
"I got lonely without the wife out there!"
Blaze rolled her eyes, chuckling. "You can't spend a minute alone, huh?"
"Not even a second."
Sonia laughs, readjusting the camera to fit them both into frame.
"So," Sonia started, "How did you both pick up where you left off?"
Blaze turns to Silver, cocking an eyebrow. "You want me to take this one?"
"It's your interview, lover."
Blaze turned to the camera, letting her body soak into his, nuzzling her hair into Silver's arm around her back.
"I used to think soulmates were…the same. They had to be the same person. Now, I think I don't believe in it, and if I did – I would say they were two people who needed the same thing, but both had different things. Silver and I, deep down, wanted the exact same life. But…in 1978, we didn't. We wanted different things then. Then, 1989 rolls along, and he calls me one day. He just wants to catch up, and I think, well – what's the harm, right? It's been more than ten years since I had seen him, we've both moved on, what could go wrong? Well, I'll tell you – what can go wrong is the two of you realizing that maybe, just maybe, you were wrong back then, and you hadn't moved on."
Silver smiled at her speech, turning to the camera.
"We fell in love at the wrong time, but that didn't mean we weren't in love. All it took was for some soul searching to discover that…we did want the same life. We wanted a family, we wanted a home, and we wanted to make music. So, that's exactly what we did."
"And what's your life like now?" Sonia asked. Silver and Blaze gave each other a goofy, endearing look.
Silver and Blaze are playing in a sold-out stadium, leading the live band for their duo The Dreamcatchers.
"We started our music duo," Blaze said. "We played everywhere, and we played for everyone. We sold out stadiums, made platinum records, won Grammys. It was incredible. Then, this dope over here gets me pregnant. If that had happened back then, different story, but I'll tell you – that was the happiest day of my life."
Silver throws the football across the lawn, watching as his son and daughter chase after it. He smiles, turning to Blaze, who's cradling a baby in a lawn chair.
"Two sons and a daughter," Silver says with a loving smile, "How can you beat that?"
"You've got some cool cousins, Sonia," Blaze said with a smirk.
"And the best aunt and uncle in the world," Sonia finished, earning a pair of giggles from Silver and Blaze.
How love can find itself again once the cards fall into place.
Shadow leans on his boat, taking his sunglasses off and meeting Sonia's eyes behind the camera.
SHADOW: I was in a bunch of different bands for a little while, and then I had a conversation with Espio one day that blew the roof off my world. I decided to become a music producer.
Shadow sits behind the console, nodding his head with a grin at the band in front of him. He turns to Tails and Cosmo, both fiddling with levels, letting the music pound through the speakers.
He looks inside, giving Knuckles a smile as the echidna drums away inside the booth. Knuckles smiles back, winking at Shadow through the glass.
I married Maria in 1982. [He snickers]. I still can't believe she said yes.
Shadow leans in to kiss the golden hedgehog with the sea behind them, wrapping her in a tight hug as the crowd cheers for them.
We had two daughters, and they're…just the fucking best.
Shadow positions the camera, running back to his wife's side as they lift their daughters in the air, letting the camera flash and snap their picture.
No one asks me to sign their tits anymore, but that's okay. [He looks away, smiling with a chuckle]. Except Maria. She asks sometimes – you know, just for fun.
Tails and Cosmo recline in their home studio, holding hands.
TAILS: We both entered the world of sound engineering like no one has ever seen. We've mixed and mastered so many classic albums and toured with some of the biggest bands in the world.
COSMO: We got everything we wanted in life. We're so happy. It's…it's perfect.
The pair have found themselves behind the mixing consoles for huge bands. They've found themselves working with Shadow, working with Knuckles, working with Rouge, working with Silver and Blaze…
They got everything they wanted.
TAILS: This doesn't happen to anyone. We savor it every day.
COSMO: And no one else I'd wanna savor it with.
She leans over, placing a kiss on Tails' soft muzzle. He smiled, rubbing the back of his head.
TAILS: Yeah, we're happy. We're very, very happy.
Tangle rests her elbow on the bar top, smiling at the camera.
TANGLE: Sonar Records fell through, but I found another home that made it all worthwhile. Espio got me signed to Chaotix Records, and my career took off. I played stadiums, I had top-charting songs, and some people say I helped truly start the mainstream takeover of the disco genre.
Tangle waves to a sold-out crowd of 20,000 people, smiling as the spotlight hits her just right. She turns around, gesturing to her backup dancers, earning yet another loud applause.
When she leaves the stage, she immediately runs and wraps Whisper in her arms.
TANGLE: Espio helped me become comfortable with Whisper and I's relationship in the limelight. It was…amazing. It wasn't always accepted, and we surely got our fair share of tabloid trouble – but for the people who loved what we did? Completely, utterly worth it. As the years went on, Whisper and I opened our own club in Westopolis, called Floral Haven. We play it all! We get the crowd moving! It's become one of the most successful clubs in the city.
Tangle and Whisper pop open a bottle of champagne, earning a cheer of delight. The lemur wraps the wolf into a hug, kissing her softly as the pair smile into each other's grip.
TANGLE: We still bring the damn house down.
Vector puts his cigarette in the ashtray, sighing.
VECTOR: I did some other tours, but I retired in 1983. I was destroyed when The Seven fell apart. They just…killed me, man. I didn't think I could take another one, and honestly, after they went down – I stopped having fun in the business.
Mighty reclines by his fireplace, sighing.
MIGHTY: I'm still managing bands, and it's great, you know? Honey is still the best damn fashion designer in the industry. We're happy. But…it'll never be the same as that band was. They were…my favorite band I ever worked with.
VECTOR: I do miss it. I mean, I used to tell myself that since that band broke up, I wasn't ready to fall in love with another one. Except…well – you can't help it if you fall in love again, right? [He smiles, yet his eyes portray regret].
Sonic is staring at the trees, clearing his throat. His eyes are red with tears.
SONIC: A year ago, Espio had a stroke. They found him hunching over a console after a 24-hour recording session. He went down doing what he loved, just like he said he would. He's been in a coma since then. Yeah, I go and visit him all the time. I know the other members of the band too, we just – never happen to do it at the same time. I keep hoping he'll wake up, but – everyday I think it won't happen.
[THIS FOOTAGE IS TAKEN FROM A 1983 INTERVIEW WITH BIG THE CAT ON HIS TALK SHOW, WHERE HE SAT DOWN WITH ESPIO THE CHAMELEON].
BIG: How do you want the world to remember you, Espio?
ESPIO: [He sighs, shaking his head with a smile]. The world? Well… [He chuckles, sighing]. The world might not remember me. Or, you know, they might. It doesn't really matter to me either way. But…they'll remember the music, and, well – I am good with that. If that's what they remember – then I have done my job, and heaven can take me when it's ready.
Amy reclines in her seat, the studio empty behind her. She smiles at Sonia, shaking her head.
AMY: Everything I have, and everything I have ever done, is all because I chose to leave. I have your mother to thank for that, honey.
Sonia smiles behind the camera, starstruck, and amazed.
AMY: My music career…
Amy stands in front of the microphone in the studio, singing passionately with her eyes closed. Knuckles drums steadily behind her, stealing a look at Silver, whose hands are skipping down his bass.
She sits with Shadow, Tails, and Cosmo behind the mixing console, nodding her head in pure delight as the song plays back. She steals a look at Shadow, who winks at her with a smile.
AMY: My sobriety…
She plays a sold-out arena of 20,000 people, all screaming in delight. It's everything she has wanted since she was fifteen.
She smiles, waving goodbye to the crowd, turning to wink at Knuckles, who twirls his drumsticks on stage with glee.
AMY: My daughter…
Amy kneels, allowing her adoptive daughter, Selene, to run into her arms. She was picking her up from dance class, rocking the little girl back and forth with a bright smile, peppering the sides of her face in butterfly kisses.
She told herself she could never be a mother, and here she was, holding her shining sun in a little pink tutu.
AMY: It's all because I left that night. All of it.
SONIA: Have you been in love since then?
AMY: [She nods, smiling]. Of course, honey. I've been in love with people my whole life. I'm sure you know about some of them.
She sighs, nodding with tears in her eyes.
But it was different with Sonic.
The first time they met, singing together in the studio.
"Everything that made Amy ignite…it made me ignite."
The first concert they played together. Seaside Hill Festival.
"Every single thing Sonic loved about life…I loved those things too."
The time when Sonic rushed to the pool, watching an intoxicated Amy destroying herself.
The time when Sonic held Amy's fading body in the shower, pleading for her to stay.
"All of the things I struggled with…Amy struggled with just the same."
"Sonic and I were two halves of the same soul – a connection you know you'll never, ever have with anybody else."
The time when Sonic watched Amy singing in the studio, where his eyes were full of awe, wonder, and love.
"But…Amy and I were also a disaster."
The time when Sonic sang into the microphone with Amy in Central City, where their faces were touching in front of the world.
The time when Amy watched Sonic relapse backstage.
The time when Amy stormed away from him in the hotel after the press conference.
"We were two disasters who needed to heal. I needed to stay sober, and Amy needed to get sober."
The time where Amy broke down to Sonic in the back of his tour bus.
"And I don't think Sonic and I would have healed if we were together. I know we wouldn't have. He was my inspiration for sobriety. He showed me how powerful it was to care about yourself the same way others cared about you."
Every time Sonic and Amy sang to each other on stage, passion exuding from their stares.
The time where Sonic and Sally talked on the balcony, beginning the steps to fix their marriage.
Sonic rubs his eyes, sighing. The newest memory of his begins to form into his mind, choking back tears. His sigh is shaking, and his hands are clenched at his sides.
SONIC: Sonia, you know this part, so we…we don't have too…
Sonia's own eyes began filling with tears slightly, giving him a nod.
"Please, dad? It's okay."
Sonic stared at her, sighing. His eyes were red, filling with tears as he stared at his daughter in agony.
"Okay. So…I got out of rehab, and I started going to therapy."
Sonic sits down on a bench, decked out in his winter workout clothes.
"Started to do some actual self-reflection. I started really looking inside myself, figuring out where I had fallen, and – yeah…it wasn't easy. It still isn't."
Sonia's lips are pursed, attempting to keep her own tears from spilling down her cheeks. It destroyed her to watch her dad relive this pain, and it destroyed her knowing he was in pain in the first place.
"It took years," Sonic added, "But I did it…and your mother and I won our love back."
Sonic's voice chokes, one tear starting to make its way from his eyes.
The time when Sally got in the van, heading to Los Angeles.
The time where they laid together in their first house, wishing for the world to become theirs.
The time when Sonic showed Sally the first house that he had bought them.
And when Sonic stood up from the bench in his workout clothes, smiling as Sally walked over to him, holding Sonia in her arms. He leaned forward, placing a kiss on her mouth.
A home video that Sonia took plays, where Sally hops onto Sonic's lap, placing her arm around his shoulder. He holds her tight, the couple laughing in glee as Sonic places a kiss on her temple. He rocks her back and forth, and in this moment, Sonia doesn't think they've ever looked happier.
"And I, uh…" Sonic starts, averting his eyes to the trees, "I made up for some lost time."
Sonic looked at Sonia, who smiled at him softly. She picked at the threads of her white cardigan, smiling softly at her father.
"I never missed anything. School plays, softball games, award ceremonies at school – I watched you grow up into-".
Sonic's voice starts to crack quietly, overwhelmed with emotion as he looks at his daughter, standing before him at eighteen, tears filling her own eyes.
"I watched you grow up into an amazing woman. The best daughter I could ever have had."
Sonia smiles, laughing quietly as tears prick her eyes.
Then her face falls, when she sees her father avert his eyes to the ground, swallowing hard.
Sonic wipes his nose, staring off at the ground. He sighs, attempting to let the words come from his mouth.
"And then your mother got sick."
Sonia stared at him, her eyes becoming red with her own tears now, letting her lips quiver. She watched her dad attempt to process, watching at how devastated he was remembering Sally Acorn.
"And, when that happened, I…"
Sonic pauses, covering his mouth and scratching his beard. Two tears fall down his cheek, attempting to contain his sobs that are surely coming.
"I'm sorry," he whispers, his voice breaking softly.
He stares at the dirt beneath his feet, letting the tears hit the ground.
BLAZE: I mean…she was my sister. She got me into the band. She was the reason I stayed.
Blaze's voice cracks, feeling tears welling up. Silver rubbed her back, squeezing her free hand tightly as his own tears began to form.
She turns to Silver, whose eyes are locked to the ground. She leans her head on his shoulder, watching as his lips begin to quiver. Silver lifted his gaze towards Sonia behind the camera, shaking his head quietly.
"I – I can't," he whispers, nodding into Blaze's cheek as a tear rolls off his cheek.
SHADOW: I remember the funeral like it was yesterday. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about her.
He pauses, wiping a forming tear.
"I miss her. I miss her every single day."
ROUGE: We were sisters. Sally was one of the family. No matter what you had done, or what you had been through – she was never, ever going to leave you abandoned. She made everyone's lives better.
She sighs, staring at her feet.
KNUCKLES: I remember visiting her in the hospital, and just…playing board games and cards. I remember going whenever I could.
He smiles at the memory.
"The world's a lot less colorful without her in it."
TAILS: We didn't spend a whole lot of time together, but in the moments that we had with her, she made everyone feel whole. The most patient, forgiving, and caring woman that any of us had ever met.
Cosmo wipes a tear from her cheek.
COSMO: She took in everyone around her. She was an amazing person. I don't know if we'll ever have one better than her.
AMY: She saw a future for me – even when I didn't see it. She was right. I'll never forget the talk we had in that hotel ballroom. Your mother might have saved my life. I am so sorry she passed away. I loved your mother endlessly. I will always love her.
Sonia smiles, sitting down in the chair across from the lynx, smiling.
"Do you wanna talk about what happened when you heard she was sick?"
Nicole smiles, sighing. She's already been crying. She's been crying the entire interview.
"Your father called me. He told me that Sally was sick, and I didn't really understand what he meant. But when he told me with that cracking voice that – that he thought I should come see her…I knew right then and there that – that it might be one of the last chances."
Nicole recalls the first time walking into her room, the chipmunk reclining in bed, holding her daughter's hand as she sat by her. Sonia turned to the door, her mouth hanging open with a small grin, seeing who it was.
Sally turned, her eyes lighting up in the stars as Nicole stood in front of her.
NICOLE: I was…god, I was crying right when I walked inside. She still looked…so beautiful, even in her weakest moments.
"I'm so happy to see you," Sally whispered, smiling at the lynx that sat beside her.
"I – I can't believe I'm looking at you right now, Sally-girl."
The chipmunk laughed, coughing into her fist quietly. Nicole panicked, reaching for a tissue and handing it to her, with the chipmunk laughing.
"Hey, no pity parties, alright? Seriously. I just want to smile because you're sitting right there."
Nicole smiled, nodding as she took her seat. Sally smiled, reaching over to grab Nicole's hand, who gave it a small squeeze. The lynx cleared her throat, leaning forward.
"Tell me anything you want," she said, "Whatever it is, I wanna hear about it. I haven't seen you in more than a decade, and I want to hear everything."
NICOLE: [She smiles]. She launched into this whole monologue about how she had started nonprofits, and how she had been writing books, and – and how she loved raising you. She gushed about you forever, just giving me every single accomplishment you had ever had, every single award you had won – I mean, she just…gosh. She loved you so much, kiddo.
Sonia smiles, a tear rolling down her cheek.
NICOLE: She talked about love. She talked about her marriage. She talked about her family. She knew it might have been painful for me to hear, so she told me that she didn't have to talk about it if I wanted. I remember reaching forward and saying…
"Sally. I told you to tell me anything. I want to hear it all."
Sally smiled, nodding softly at the lynx.
NICOLE: I remember one day she was able to get out of bed, and we just…had an amazing night. You remember that night, right kiddo?
Sonia nods, her smile is wide and beaming.
They both recall sitting at the dinner table with the family, enjoying a meal that Sally had made.
Sonic remembers watching Nicole help Sally cook. It was a beautifully made Italian dish, and Sonic remembers sitting at the table, smiling as his wife and Nicole cooked together. He recalls Nicole holding Sally's hand, helping her stir the pot slowly.
"Not too fast, Nicole!"
The lynx chuckled, "If we go any slower, the noodles are gonna be all soggy, Sal!"
Sally laughed, shaking her head. She reached up, fixing her wig.
"I – I can't believe how much fun I'm having right now. This is – I don't even know what to say."
Nicole turned to her, giving her a soft smile. "It's peaceful, right? I mean – it's everything. Look at how good you're doing!"
Sally laughed, shaking her head. "You're doing all the work!"
"No!" Nicole said, leaning her head into Sally's, "I'm just giving you an extra dose of love!"
When they're at the table, Nicole watches Sally talking with Sonic and Sonia, both holding onto her hands. The thought slips into Nicole's mind before she can stop it. Moments like this were becoming fewer and fewer. She always thought pictures of Sally never did her justice.
It panged her heart to realize that soon, pictures were all that the world would have of Sally Acorn.
Sally sees this, reaching over to squeeze Nicole's hand. The lynx's watering eyes move up to the chipmunk, losing herself once more in her smile.
"It's okay, Nicole. Be here with me. That's all I want tonight."
NICOLE: I remember when your mother wanted to go walk on the beach with all of us. You know, it's funny, Sally had an amazing skill at making people feel comfortable. If you had told me in the seventies I'd be walking on the beach with the love of my life's family, I would've told you that you were seeing stars. But…I never felt awkward. You all made me feel so comfortable.
Nicole watched as Sally held onto Sonia's arm, leaning against her for support as their bare paws made imprints in the sand. The lynx trailed behind, and in this moment, she kept telling herself that maybe there was still hope. Sally could walk on her own for a while before having to grab onto Sonia. Maybe this was just a bad period. Maybe she would be okay.
She knows it's not true, but she lets her mind pretend it is anyways.
Sonic approached Nicole's side, the two walking in the sand. Sonic sighed, looking at the setting sun over the horizon.
Nicole followed his gaze, seeing the orange beams reflected onto the brilliant blue ocean.
"She's the best person I know," Sonic said. Nicole turned to him, smiling softly.
"I agree."
"It was a mess back then, you know?" Sonic began, "I mean, we were…hurting. We were in so much pain, and it felt like every day her, and I, were gonna slip into something we could never come back from."
Nicole nodded, watching Sonic clench his jaw.
"Does she know…that you loved her?"
Nicole sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "She does."
"You know she loved you, right?"
Nicole shrugged, staring at the sand. Sonic sighed, rubbing his head.
"Sal told me she always understood what Amy and I had. She always told me she understood all of it. When she told me about you and her, I – I don't even think I was upset. Honestly…thinking back to that night, part of me might have been somewhat happy."
"Happy?" Nicole asked in a whisper, "How come?"
"Because it made me happy to know that for a little bit, even for a little bit, that when I couldn't be there, someone else picked up the pieces. It made me happy to know that Sally could still fall in love. It – it made me happy to know that there was someone out there who made my wife feel whole. I was happy she could have a second half, kind of like I did."
Nicole nodded, feeling the waterworks forming. She wiped a tear, sniffling quietly. She watched Sally walking with Sonia ahead, feeling her heart crumble.
"Before it's over, Nicole, I want you to do something for me."
Nicole turned to Sonic, raising an eyebrow sadly.
"I want you to tell her you love her. I want you to tell her about all the lives you two could have had together. I want you to tell her about every single moment you shared with her. It might be selfish of me to ask, but – I don't know how long she has, and in her last moments with you, I want you and her to know how much you two loved – how much you two burned for each other. I want her to know that you had loved her from the very first moment, and I want her to know you'll love her with your last."
Nicole nodded, feeling her heart rate quicken as her soul crumbled. She sighed, her breath shaking. She stopped for a moment, turning to Sonic. The hedgehog stopped in his tracks, turning to face the lynx with a somber smile, the remnants of a beard on his face.
"I have loved her every second of my life. I'll never have what I had with her…with anyone else."
Sonic smiled, nodding. "I know, and I want her to love the fact that she has that with someone. Her and I have been in love forever, and yet…I understand what it's like when someone sees every part of me. I understand what it's like when you have a love like that, as I'm sure you know."
Nicole chuckled softly, "I know. I've heard all about it."
Sonic rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the dancing pink hedgehog in his mind.
"Point is – I think if you don't…you'll regret it. I don't want you two to have regrets together."
He paused, sighing.
"I want you two to love until the very end, Nicole."
NICOLE: [She's staring at the wall, wiping a tear]. So, the next night, we went back to the beach – just the two of us.
Sally leaned against Nicole for support, clutching onto the lynx's arm as their hair blew in the wind.
Words between them won't fix the past.
They won't right wrongs.
But, for a moment, they'll complete something broken.
Nicole knows it's coming to an end, and she knows Sonic is right.
She doesn't want it to end without Sally knowing just how much Nicole loved her – how much she still loves her today.
"Sally."
The chipmunk turns, staring Nicole in the eyes as the lynx stops, the pair looking out at the setting sun. She strokes the lynx's arm, watching her emerald eyes fall into hers.
"I love you."
Sally smiles, leaning her head on her shoulder.
"I know."
"I missed you this entire time, Sally. I never stopped."
"And neither did I," Sally whispered, "I never stopped loving you either. I never will."
NICOLE: We found a lonesome beach chair, and I let her lay her body on mine. I wrapped my arms around her as we watched the sunset. I whispered into her ear everything Sonic wanted me to say – everything I wanted to say. We did it until the sun disappeared, and the moon came up. I was her moon, after all.
Sally laid her head on Nicole's shoulder, feeling the lynx's arms stroking her sides gently.
"I see us in a house, with Chao, and kids running around. I see us writing, laughing, playing, and enjoying the world. I see us living a thousand different lives if it had been different."
Sally smiles, letting Nicole place a kiss on her forehead.
"I see a life where no one leaves. I see a life where-"
Nicole chokes on tears for a moment, sniffling.
"Where no one dies. Where no one goes away. I see us, in another universe, in millions of other universes, living the life that was written in the stars for us. I see us…happy. I see us in love. I see us together until the very end of time."
Sally lifts her head, the bags under her eyes growing with every fading day. Her blue eyes meet hers, leaning up to press a kiss to Nicole's cheek.
"I can't wait to live in another lifetime with you, in a universe far away from this one."
Nicole smiled, resting her head on Sally's.
"I love you forever, my sun."
"And I love you forever, my moon."
They lay like that for hours, with the lynx letting Sally fall asleep on her as the moon rose.
Nicole smiles, allowing a tear to roll from her cheek, into Sally's forehead. She strokes her cheek once more, closing her eyes, and savoring every single moment that she had Sally in her arms again.
Nicole dabs the tears away with her tissue, shaking her head. She sighs, choking back a forming sob. Sonia smiles, her own tears racing down her cheeks.
NICOLE: I got the call two days after I left. I got the call from your father. I remember it was…quiet. I remember it was really early in the morning. I didn't move from this couch for two days.
She smiles softly, shaking her head.
I will always love your mother. She was my other half. I hope she isn't in anymore pain. I can't wait…
She stops, her voice breaking. She lowers her head and lets one more sob out.
I can't wait to see her again.
︎Sonic sat with Sonia on the bench outside. Sonia held the camera in her grasp, leaning onto her father's side as they talked under the blowing trees.
The interview had ended, but they couldn't stop talking.
"She was the love of my life."
Sonia turned to her father, studying his mournful eyes. He smiled softly, scratching the light beard on his muzzle. He holds her tighter with his arm, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"And I can say that now and know it's true."
Sonia averted her eyes to the ground, nodding as her hair blew in the wind. Sonic sighed, rubbing his knee absentmindedly.
"And I – I would trade it all. I'd trade the platinum albums, the Grammys, the sold-out concerts, the music, the fame, and success – I would trade it all away for one more second with her."
Sonia's lips quivered as she watched her dad's eyes boil in tears, hearing his voice crack as he began to cry quietly. She rubbed his arm, her own lips quivering as she studied his expression, watching his head hang low to the ground. He sat up, sighing deeply.
He put his head down, letting Sonia wrap her dad in a hug, stroking his back with the utmost love and care that she could.
KNUCKLES: What's crazy is that…people remember The Seven.
SHADOW: When Selene got remastered by Tails, Cosmo, and I – we sold another, like, ten million copies.
SILVER: It comes on in the car all the time. [He laughs, looking at Blaze]. It's…just crazy.
BLAZE: [She smiles at Silver]. It's really everything.
ROUGE: People still come up and ask me about it. They ask me every question anyone has ever had about it. I never know what to say, but…it reminds me that for a moment, we really did something amazing.
SONIC: It's fun to think that you…did something amazing. [He smiles, nodding]. That we all left our mark on the world.
Sonia stands behind the camera, smiling at Amy.
"Would you ever do it again?"
Amy tilts her head, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Do what, love?"
Sonia laughs, averting her eyes to the ground nervously. After all these years, she is still starstruck by Amy Rose.
"You know…"
Amy smiles softly, shrugging. "I don't know how your mother would've taken that."
Sonia shrugs, tilting her head with a knowing smile. She looks at the camera, smirking softly.
"I do."
Amy watched as Sonia took a deep breath, studying her closely. She tilted her head, a confused, yet sad expression entering her eyes.
Sonia began playing the footage for Amy, the pair sitting together as they watched the camera. Amy had her arm around Sonia, rubbing her back softly.
In another location, Sonia plays the same video for Sonic.
SALLY: You want me right here, Sonia?
SONIA: Yeah, that's good.
Sally sits, her fur noticeably aged. There are dark bags around her eyes, and yet – she still looks gorgeous.
She checks her makeup in a small mirror, exhaling softly.
SALLY: [She laughs]. I look awful.
SONIA: [She smiles behind the camera]. You look gorgeous, mom. Like always.
Amy watches the footage, her heart clenching as she watches Sally fixing her wig, seeing the balding on her natural head for a moment. Amy sighs a shaken breath, her lips pursing with tears as she watches Sally.
Amy turns to Sonia, her eyes glazing over in tears. She is an emotional wreck watching Sally, reminding her once again that the chipmunk is gone.
SALLY: So, who else are you talking too?
SONIA: Whoever wants. All the boys. Uncle Silver and Aunt Blaze. Vector, Mighty, Tails, Cosmo…
SALLY: Are you gonna talk to Amy?
Amy chokes back a sob when she hears Sally say her name, feeling every memory return to her like a tidal wave. She smiles softly, seeing just how bright Sally's grin was.
SONIA: I – I think so…
SALLY: I want you too.
Amy's lip begins to quiver softly, staring at Sally with her wide, tear-filled eyes.
SALLY: I want you to tell her that…I'm so, so happy for her.
Amy sighs, allowing the tears to flow now. She holds Sonia closer, wiping a tear from her cheek.
SALLY: She's made a beautiful life for herself. I always knew she would. I remember the talk we had in the hotel like it was yesterday. I remembered how…broken she was. I remembered how much she was hurting. I just…I knew that I loved her, and I knew that she needed to save herself. I am forever happy that she did. And, well… [She sighs with a smile], I have always been her biggest fan.
Amy's lips are quivering uncontrollably now, pursing tightly as the quiet sobs begin. Sonia rubs Amy's back, letting Amy's tears hit the screen that's playing back the footage.
Sally Acorn thought she was worth saving.
Amy tries her hardest to contain her cries, shaking her head uncontrollably. She lifts her head, wiping a tear from her cheek with a sigh.
SONIA: I'll tell her, mom.
Elsewhere, in Sonic's backyard on the day of his interviews, Sonia is playing the same video for Sonic. His eyes are trenched with tears, and his arm is around his daughter, watching with a somber smile.
SALLY: You know what else you should do, baby?"
SONIA: What's that?
Amy stares in anticipation.
So does Sonic.
SALLY: Tell your father to reach out to her.
Sonic scoffs quietly, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. He is stunned. He doesn't even know what to say. Sonia smiles, looking at him through her own tear-filled eyes. Sonic shakes his head, feeling his lips quiver.
Amy does the exact same, pursing her lips tightly as she stares at the screen.
SALLY: You look surprised.
SONIA: I – I am, I guess.
SALLY: [She shakes her head, a somber smile on her face]. Don't be. Sonic and I have had…an amazing marriage, Sonia. We chose each other. We always went back to each other. We loved each other the entire way through. But…I know that life isn't easy. I know that somewhere, deep inside, he will need to be happy. I want your father to be happy. I need him to be happy.
Sonic walks up the driveway to the large, beautiful Spanish-style mansion. There are roses along the pathway, and he marvels at just how beautiful it is.
He's wearing a dress shirt, he's got his haircut, and he's shaved his beard.
"So, when the day comes that he's ready…"
Sonic approaches the large black door, staring at it for a minute.
"Tell your dad to reach out to Amy Rose."
He takes a deep breath, before reaching towards the door, placing three steady, solid knocks on the surface.
"And you tell Amy Rose that she better answer."
Sonic puts his hands in his pockets, turning to look at the garden in her front yard. He sighs, feeling his heart pound through his chest.
"If anything, I know those two still owe me a song."
When the door opens, she freezes for a second, fully taking in the man standing in front of her. Her hair is now long and straight, and her makeup is done brilliantly.
She knew he was coming.
Her mouth drops for a second, a scoff of surprise, and one of longing escaping her mouth.
She sighs like she had been saying a prayer for this day for so long.
Sonic smiles at her, nodding his head at the woman in front of her. He sighs, raising an eyebrow.
Amy's mouth finally closes, before it turns into a beaming, brilliant smile – as if she had been waiting for this moment her entire life.
And she had.
Sonic's eyes fall for a second, before he chokes back a quiet tear. He tilts his head, staring at the beautiful woman in front of him – the one he had been waiting to see for so long.
"How do I look, Amy Rose?"
"Like shit, Sonic the Hedgehog."
THE SEVEN: A SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ROCK AND ROLL AU.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
hello! thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed this story
my question is: as you can see the end of this story is VERY open-ended. i am considering writing a sequel, but will do so only if it's wanted.
so please let me know what you think :]
thank you for reading along. plz check out my two other stories here if you enjoyed this one !