Sonic: The Blue Blur Returns
Chapter 1: Twenty years
Sonic could feel the adrenaline as he raced along Stardust Speedway. It was the the annual Little Planet Grand Prix racing finals, and Sonic felt close to winning as he was three weeks ago when the championship began. The crowd cheering him on as he rode his Extreme Gear closer and closer to the finish line. Among his seven opponents was his lifetime rival Jet the Hawk, former leader of the now defunct Babylon Rogues. If Sonic had his way, his other rival Shadow the Hedgehog would be racing as well. But unfortunately he and his teammates were occupied with the going on war between the United Federation and the Battle Bird Armada. As he was enjoying the speed, Sonic's radio went on.
"Sonic you're going way too fast for the Gear to handle", said Sonic's team leader and lifelong friend Miles Prower. Or Tails as he was known.
"We'll see about that", said Sonic as he went faster.
"You lunatic! Do you want to die" Tails spitefully rebuked.
Sonic understood his friend's concern, but he outgrow living life long ago. Before Sonic knew it, his gear burst into flames, much to the crowd's shock. Sonic spin dashed out of the wreckage that was once his vehicle. The other racers moved alongside it as Sonic collected his thoughts. And he knew he lost.
"To twenty years! And our reunion", toasted Vector the Crocodile, now police commissioner of the Little Planet.
On his left was his wife Vanilla the Rabbit, and on his right was his step-daughter Cream. Around the table was Charmy the Bee, Tails, Espio the chameleon, Mighty the Armadillo, Ray the Flying Squirrel, Big the Cat and Sonic himself. Everyone toasted, including a reluctant Sonic. In the past twenty years since Doctor Eggman's final defeat and incarceration, the Little Planet has become home to a vast portion of Earth's population. Now chained to the planet after the UF passed the Super Intolerable Act, it now stands over Never Lake. A law passed to safeguard against supernatural threats, the SIA states all "dangerous" items such as the Time Stones to be contained in a pressurized vault in Central City. And people like Sonic either enlisted, imprisoned, dead, or in his case retired from vigilante acts.
"That was some stunt you pulled at the race" said Espio amused.
"Worried about me" said Sonic. "We just want to make sure you keep surviving that's all" said Vector.
"Likewise. Not that I'm not worried about the rest of the planet. People have giving up guys. There hiding from the crime wave. Turning a blind eye to what scum like the Witchcarts are doing" Sonic replied in a grim tone.
"These are scary times and the Witchcarts aren't like the usual crooks. There's little to no humanity in them at all" said Vector.
"Sounds like an old enemy of ours" said Cream.
"Thank god he's been quiet now" said her mother.
"Hey remember the good old days" asked Charmy. "You know when we played by our rules".
"Making one bad person look silly one at a time" said Big.
"It makes staying retired easier" said Sonic.
"Things are different now old friend", said Vector, "The government. The public. They wouldn't stand for us anymore". Taking a sip of his champagne he then asked "Talked to Team Dark lately? Anyone?".
"You know we haven't" said Tails looking out the 9 Lives restaurant tower windows.
"Shame we couldn't keep up with them and Knuckles, said Charmy, "Could've been more shoulders to lean on. After what happened to Amy..."
Without a warning Sonic got out of his chair. "I'm going to check on Wacky Workbench guys" he said before leaving. Charmy then did a facepalm for his mistake. As he left Sonic repeated, in his mind, the promise he made on his retirement. "Never again".
To be continued