Festive Highway: News Stand

"Whoa, what?" Sonic exclaimed after being shaken from a short slumber. Tails handed him a chili dog inside a Chaos Café wrapper. Tails sat atop the base of the turret as he reached inside an electric cooler behind his cockpit chair.

Sally accepted the frozen mocha Tails handed her, "You think of everything, don't you?"

"Pays to be at college freshman at age nine," Tails said pointing to his temple, "It makes you take everything into consideration. And my Mech's sure do make that easy."

"How close are we to the Asian Cpommunity?" Sonic asked with his mouth full of chili and cheese.

"I can see a few lights from below. We should be down there in a matter of minutes." Tails answered as he pressed a knob that adjusted his seat back into its normal position. He began sipping on a bottle of cherry soda, "We'll just have to be patient."

"Considering the fact that I'm no good with that kind of stuff, I'll stick with plan B." Sonic said, unhooking his harness.

"Which is?" said Sally, rolling her eyes.

Sonic jumped right off of the seat and skydived down below.

…

Sonic saw the large lights flicker against the moonlit sky as he soon touched down in the middle of a calm street. Many Knotholeans were surprised when they saw the hedgehog stooping there. He looked up at all the staring faces. Even a child in a double stroller started crying.

Sonic looked up and stood, watching the surprised Knotholeans. He wanted to ask why he was being frozen to death by all the cold stares. But his split-sense had another idea, "BOO!"

Knotholeans started running off terrified and almost caused a traffic jam. Sonic didn't even sense the gleam in his eye that time. I think that may have been a bit UN called for, he thought.

Sonic saw a nearby news stand with a purple chameleon sleeping under a baseball cap, in the chair behind the counter. He walked up to it and snapped his fingers, "Hey buddy. Could I see today's paper?"

The chameleon woke up and lifted his baseball cap, "Uh, sure. 4 Ups and 10 rings please."

As Sonic searched himself for cash, he eyed the mysterious character, "Hey…Espio? Is that you?"

Espio tipped his hat off to Sonic with a warm smile, "It is indeed, my furry friend. How goes it in the life of an officer?"

Sonic found his wallet and pulled out a 5 UP bill (It had Sally Acorn the first's face on it), "Shouldn't you know? You're the guy with the papers,"

"I have to pay to read one just like everyone else, so I search the news on my laptop instead…Besides. Some of the stuff I HAVE read, I don't want to believe." After taking the change, Espio handed Sonic the day's paper.

The headline clarified what Espio meant:

KAC Daily

AWOL Extravaganza

Three G.U.N. recruits Sonic, Shadow and Silver were seen carrying out several fiendish acts. "Sonic has shown high levels of aggression toward Knotholean and West G.U.N. troops; and could be under the influence at the time," according to jailed guards Sage and Scorch Powerhouse. "I have seen Shadow working with scum like Dr. Eggman himself during my last visit to the Knotholean Forest," claims E-123 Omega (who used to work along side the rogue deputy). "Silver has gone completely AWOL during an attack in the Downtown Knotholean area," claims Amy Rose; now an Agent of G.U.N. West Territory.

Sonic only read that paragraph as he picked other papers up. One headline read "Fall of Heroes". Another one proclaimed "The Torn Generation". Another even said "Role Reversal", which Sonic didn't understand. But he didn't concentrate on what he didn't know. He wanted to confirm what he did. But as he looked up, he didn't think he'd get the chance.

Espio stood, one foot on the chair and one on the counter with a short blade up to Sonic's head, "Sorry Sonic…But all evil must die…no matter what its origon…"

Something wasn't right, obviously. Everywhere he turned, he had to go against whom he thought to himself to be close friends…But he was so sure of his innocence and abuse during this time period that he only thought about his own well being…And he was also sure that he didn't like blades in his face…