Epic fail, Sonic. How long will our hero be stuck in this time? Where's Silver? I hope he's okay… (Sorry, Silver fangirl here) R&R plz

Chapter 8

The Future Isn't So Bright

Just to recap: I'm in a messed up future where Mobotropolis was become a Werewolf zone, and have already managed to make enemies. But before I was ripped to shreds, day dawned and I fell back into my Hedgehog form.

Sitting up, I investigated my surroundings. It was Mobotropolis all right, but it just seemed… wrong. Like there was a dark air to the place.

"Psst. Over here." I heard someone whisper. I turned. It was Mom, in normal Hedgehog form, motioning for me to follow her into an apartment building. She was wearing what looked like her regal dress, but it was torn up, stained, and faded. I rushed over to her as fast as I could go, basically blink-and-you'll-miss-me speed. She stared at me for a minute, then shook her head.

"You shouldn't have come to this time." she whispered.

"But how did you…" I stuttered.

"I'm your Mother. Now go back to your own time and fix this." she said, eyes darting around, as if looking for an eavesdropper.

"I can't. I… lost my guide." I said, shuffling my feet.

"Sonic, please. You'll get discovered, and then what will happen? All the hostile ones will blame you for all of this, and you'll get killed. I can't watch that happen, I've seen to many people die… Some have died at my claws." she whispered. A few tears escaped her eye, but I wiped them away.

"I'm sorry." I apologized quietly. She took my hand in hers.

"As soon as you can, find your guide, whoever that is, and go back to your own time. Don't let this happen." she whispered.

"Ma! What's keepin' ya?" I heard Manic's voice come from the building.

"I'm coming! Just a…" Mom replied, looking down at me. "… New recruit."

She took my hand and led me into the building. "We need to disguise you." she whispered in my ear. "Come to the closet over here."

It was amazing what she had in that closet. In a few minutes, I could barely recognize myself. I had real-looking fake scars in a few places, my spines were tipped with white, just like they were when I was a Werehog, I had different shoes on (orange rain boots), and my bangs covered the right side of my face. "Way past cool." I smirked, looking at myself. Mom smiled.

"I'm glad it's to your liking. Now, we've kept the others waiting long enough."

She led me up the stairs to apartment number 213. "Here's our meeting room." Mom said, opening the door. It didn't have very much furniture, and it looked like the last residents had cleared out in a hurry. There was just a couch and a kitchen table. The bedroom door hung open at an odd angle, and it had one bed.

Sonia was sitting on the couch, wearing what she would probably call 'totally clashing' or 'out of style' clothes, but I guess they didn't have much options. "Who's that?" she asked, looking at me.

"Our newest recruit." Mom explained.

"Looks young. And scrawny. He won't last long." Sonia muttered. I glared at her.

"I can put up a fight." I explained.

Sonia looked over at me again. "What's your name?" she asked, changing the subject.

I gulped. I hadn't thought of a name. Luckily, Mom backed me up.

"This is Theo." Mom explained.

Just then, Manic walked through the door with a basket of carrots. "New kid?" he asked. Mom nodded.

Manic sighed. "They don't last long."

"That's just what Sonia said. But I have faith in him." Mom said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

Manic set the basket down on the table and sighed again. "Look kid, this is how it works. By day, we've all got small businesses, and little groups we manage survive in. By night, we're all mindless killers. Got it memorized?" he said. I nodded.

"Good. Ya might last an evenin'." he muttered, pulling a carrot out of the basket.

"Is that food? I'm starving!"

I'd know that voice anywhere. I turned around and saw my future self speed up the stairs.

"Carrots again." Manic explained, handing me/him one.

"There's not a decent chilidog place in this town." my future self complained.

"There are NO chilidog places in this town." Sonia grumbled. "Good thing, too."

Future Sonic sighed. "I haven't had a chilidog in ten years." he said gloomily. "Just stuff from the roof garden."

"Plus innocent victims." Manic added. Sonic looked ready to slap him, but he/I obviously thought better of it.

"Just be glad you have something to eat. Remember that one family that starved to death?" Sonia said.

"Yeah, no meat on their bones. They tasted pretty bland." Manic said.

"Enough with the morbid comments, Manic." Sonia growled. Manic shrugged.

"Just sayin'."

Sonia rolled her eyes. "Where's Amy? I need some company."

"Hey, we're company!" Manic declared.

"She's on the roof." Sonic said, ignoring Manic.

"Not anymore." Amy said, coming down the stairs. She was wearing a blue strapless dress the ended just above her knees and had a stretching, elastic top, but the colors were all faded and the dress was torn in a few places. She needed better clothes. They all did.

"Now that everyone's here, I'd like to introduce Theo. He just arrived." Mom explained, putting a hand on my shoulder. Amy looked me up and down.

"You're the pup from last night." she said quietly. I nodded.

"Sorry for… attacking you." she apologized. I shrugged.

"I'm alive, right?" I smiled. Amy smiled back, though I was positive she still felt terrible.

"You all attacked him, too." she said, looking at everyone else. "You all should apologize."

"I'm tired of apologizing to everyone who lives through my attacks." Manic muttered. I was surprised. Manic was usually the compassionate one, so apparently this messed-up future had really changed everybody. Right then I resolved to fix this, no matter what happened.

"Well, I'll apologize. I'm sorry. Sorry for everything." Future Sonic sighed. Amy leaned against him.

"Sonic, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is! It's all my fault!" my future self yelled.

"Sonic, please…" Mom soothed, but he was already running up the stairs to the roof.

"Sonic, wait!" Amy ran after him. Mom sighed.

"Ten years…" She sat down on the couch. "It's been ten years since Mobotropolis was evacuated. And it seems no one's smiled since…"