"Sonic? You awake?"
Fiona's voice was the first thing he heard as Sonic woke up. The cool towel on his forehead felt heavenly as he remembered why he'd passed out.
"For a moment...I thought I might wake up in the shrink's office. How long was I out?" he asked groggily, trying to sit up only to have Fiona push him down.
"Close to twenty-four hours," she explained, picking the cloth up and soaking it in a bowl of water. She wringed most of the water out before setting it back on his forehead. "The old man said you were pushing it pretty hard back there. He also said that when you had rested, bathed and eaten to give it another shot." Sonic groaned, his aching muscles creaking in agreement. A loud growl from his stomach filled the room, going on for nearly fifteen seconds. When it finally quit Sonic started to laugh.
"A day's worth of sleep and now that. Pretty sure I just set two personal bests," he said. "Man I'm starving. Please tell me there's more than a sandwich to eat." Fiona pointed off to his right where the cooks had prepared a veritable feast for him, needing two tables to fit everything. In the blink of an eye Sonic was at the table facing Fiona, a fork and knife in his hands. Drool dribbled out of the corner of his mouth but he quickly lapped it up. He then dove into the food, eating faster than Fiona thought was physically possible. Halfway through a bowl of ramen he looked up, noodles still hanging out of his mouth. "Di' you wan' any of fis?" he asked, the noodles twitching with each word.
"Not anymore," she replied, stifling her laughter. Sonic shrugged and continued eating.
With each of the plates and bowls empty Sonic laid back and pat his stomach. "Now that was a meal," he said with a small burp.
"There were two tables of food here five minutes ago," Fiona said dumbstruck. "Where did you put it all? And how do you not look like a blimp?"
"Don't know, don't care," he replied with a satisfied sigh. "Man they know how to cook here. I gotta get them to teach me their secret."
"If you start cooking like this I'm going to get sooo fat," Fiona warned him. "And I will NOT have that." Sonic couldn't help but laugh and Fiona eventually joined in.
A half hour later Sonic stepped out of the bath house completely refreshed. He stretched his muscles and walked out to the courtyard to continue his training. At least, that's what he had intended to do until he saw his sensei arguing with a tall human wrapped in red cloth and a massive wolf at his side.
"Any idea what's going on?" he asked one of the other students.
"That man got here a few minutes ago," she explained. "He immediately sought sensei out and demanded that he 'hand it over'."
"Any idea what 'it' is?" Sonic asked.
"Don't you know who that is?" one of the male students asked. "That's Gilgamesh, one of Arias' lieutenants. They say he's looking for the Holy Sword Excalibur."
"Excali-what now?" Sonic asked and several of the students stared at him. "What? Is there still food on my face?"
"How do you not know about Excalibur?" one of them asked. "It's, like, one of the oldest legends on Mobius."
"How 'bout a rain check on the history lesson?" Sonic replied, watching his sensei start to walk away from Gilgamesh. The wolf's fur bristled as his muscles coiled for a pounce. He leapt and was swatted aside with a single movement. Gilgamesh pulled a large sword out of his cloak as he and the old man locked blades. The wolf pounced again only to meet with Sonic's fist.
"Enkidu! Take care of this brat!" Gilgamesh commanded as Sonic drew Kaiyō Mujō. The wolf charged Sonic and slammed into his chest, throwing them both away from the old man and Gilgamesh who began to trade blows. Gilgamesh drew another large sword from his cloak and began putting pressure on the old man.
"First the wolf, then the idiot who challenged my sensei," Sonic said, spinning his kodachi in his hand. "Let's do this. Fuzen, Kaiyō Mujō!" As the sword transformed Enkidu carefully watched Sonic, moving sideways to better observe the hedgehog's form. Satisfied it had all it needed it charged, leaping over Sonic's initial swing and slamming its rear paws into his face and pushing back. Sonic caught himself after the second bounce, unable to believe he'd been outsmarted by a wolf.
[Not a normal wolf!] Arca warned Sonic as he tended to his wounded pride. [More intelligent than a mere beast. Almost...human. Take care.]
"Now he tells me," Sonic muttered as Enkidu circled him. "Alright, wolfie, let's try this again." The wolf charged once more, wolf gathering wind around him to amplify his next attack. "Bad idea, furball," Sonic said with a smirk. "Lesson number one: Don't use wind against a Wind Guardian." Just before the wolf struck Sonic raised his hand and gestured a throw. Enkidu was then lifted off the ground by the very wind he had gathered and tossed like a rag doll across the courtyard. He shook off the attack and glared at Sonic. As it charged again a light began to emanate from him, eventually becoming so much that Sonic had to shield his eyes. When he could see again a very large man was bearing down on him with his fist drawn back. "The hell...?" Sonic uttered before being thrown back by the punch. As he shook the cobwebs in his head loose he stared at the man that had, moments ago, been a wolf. He was as tall as Gilgamesh with twice the muscle and hair covered most of his body except for a pair of tattered pants.
"You were right about him, Gilgamesh," Enkidu said in a booming voice. "He is quite the fighter. Brother Arias underestimated him."
"That guy seriously needs to pick a side. Either help me or kill me, not both," Sonic muttered. "Hey, Wolf Boy! Pay attention to your own fight!" Enkidu turned to see Sonic fire off a ryūkai tsume at him. The blast hit him square in the chest but dissipated harmlessly. "Seriously? You've gotta be kidding me." Enkidu laughed before charging Sonic again. He fired wave after wave but they just bounced off Enkidu's chest. The wild man grabbed Sonic's head and threw him towards the wall. Sonic flipped and landed feet first on the wall and vaulted off, slamming his head into Enkidu's. Sonic dropped to the ground, his head throbbing while Enkidu just laughed.
"It will take more than a headbutt to bring me down," he said as Sonic staggered to his feet. "Did you honestly think that would work on me?"
"I'm a freaking idiot," Sonic muttered. "I have a metal leg and I'm hitting him with my head." Enkidu took a swipe at Sonic and the hedgehog slipped right past him, slamming his right knee into Enkidu's gut. The human, not expecting Sonic's artificial limb, doubled over as Sonic flipped over him and jumped into the air. He twisted midair and brought his right leg down, driving it into Enkidu's head and slamming him into the ground. When the dust settled Enkidu was back in his wolf form unconscious. "Never thought I'd say this but I'm glad to have this leg." He turned to see his sensei take a slash down the right side of his body. Sonic dashed over before Gilgamesh could deal another blow.
"This fight is between me and Masamune!" Gilgamesh said as he pressed against Sonic. "Stay out of this, boy!"
"It'll take more than that to get me to back down," Sonic said as he released his reiatsu, throwing the human's guard off.
"And what makes you so confident that you can win?" he asked when he regained his composure, his red eyes boring into Sonic's.
"Nothing," Sonic admitted and with a grunt he threw Gilgamesh back.
"Then you are a fool," the human said, swinging his sword. Sonic parried the blow only to be impaled by the second. The taste of blood filled his mouth as Gilgamesh lifted him up and tossed him off to the side.
"SONIC!" Fiona cried. The students held her back before she could break through but she still fought tooth and nail to reach him.
"Your students are pathetic, Masamune," Gilgamesh said. "He barely held his own against Enkidu and yet thought he could defeat me." Before he could continue the air pulsed as a wave of reiatsu slammed down, forcing Gilgamesh down to a single knee. "What is this? Don't tell me that boy is still alive," he asked. He looked back and his eyes widened.
Sonic was standing tall, one hand on the wound in his stomach as blood leaked through his fingers. He was glowing with an almost flame-like aura and his eyes shone with a vibrant aqua light. "You'll have to try harder than that, Gilgamesh," Sonic said as the air pulsed again. "I've died once already and I have no intention of doing so a second time. Not to some half-assed swordsman." He moved his hand as the wound finally stitched shut and held a sealed Kaiyō Mujō in a reverse grip, the back of the blade against his forearm. "Neither one of us is giving up that easy." The light intensified before Sonic said, "Fuzen, Kaiyō Mujō!" The tamashīken glowed and began to change. This time it wrapped around Sonic's forearm and knuckles. When the light faded he was wearing a single gauntlet with a blade across the outside of his forearm. The gauntlet itself was rather plain but had bright blue runes carved into it.
"You expect to defeat me with that?" Gilgamesh asked with a laugh. "So be it. This will be even easier that before." He charged with both swords and swung, expecting to cut Sonic down without a fight. His expression changed from cockiness to panic as Sonic sliced apart both blades with a single wave of his arm. Gilgamesh jumped back and drew another blade, this one a zweihänder that more closely resembled a large cleaver. He swung at Sonic's left only for the hedgehog to catch the blade with his bare hand.
"Is that the best you've got?" he asked as Gilgamesh tried to free the blade from Sonic's grip. Sonic let go and Gilgamesh took another swing only to hit empty air. Sonic reappeared past the human and a spray of blood erupted from Gilgamesh's shoulder. Unfazed, he swung again and missed once more. Drawing another blade, this one with the texture of water and a barbed tip, he swung behind him only for Sonic to dodge again. He held his right arm up and the blade grew outward until it was the length of a katana, retaining the missing sections of its previous form.
"Just what kind of sword is that?!" Gilgamesh roared before swinging with both blades. Sonic parried the blows, cutting through each blade as though they were nothing. In the same movement Gilgamesh drew yet another weapon from his cloak, this one a spear, and attempted to impale Sonic again. He batted it away before slashing downward, only managing to score a hit across Gilgamesh's left eye. The human staggered back, trying to understand why he was losing. "I was wrong about you," he said after a moment, mirth in his voice. "I think even Arias underestimated just how strong you really are. This is not over, Sonic Hedgehog. This is far from over." Enkidu, now conscious, leapt to his master's side as they vanished in a flash of yellow light.
Sonic took several breaths, slowly releasing the energy he and Kaiyō Mujō were putting out. When the glow finally faded she returned to her sealed state and he sheathed her. He turned to his sensei, Masamune, just as several students began to attend to his wounds. Sonic barely had time to step over to help before they had carted the old man off towards the medic. Sonic walked towards Fiona who knocked him flat on his back as she tackled him.
"I thought you were dead when he stabbed you," she said, squeezing him tightly. "But how did you-"
"Guardian," Sonic reminded her. "That and there was something else slowing the blood flow. I thought maybe it was Kaiyō Mujō but she said she had nothing to do with it."
"And that new form of hers? What's up with that?" Sonic smiled as he and Fiona stood up.
"Not new," he said, placing his hand on the tsuka. "That and the katana are part of the same form, like sides of a coin. I don't know what triggered it but it seems that I've got her full confidence finally. I'll admit it's a little strange at first but I think I like it."
"Speaking of confidence," Fiona said as she looked him over. "You're practically glowing, and I don't mean from earlier." Sonic chuckled at the fact that she had seen the comment coming. "It's like, I don't know but there's something different about you. In a good way. Like you finally shook off your bad juju."
"Juju? Seriously?" Sonic asked but Fiona answered with a kiss to the lips. "Okay, good answer. You know, oddly enough I could go for a burger right now. Ooo, or maybe a plate of chili dogs. With extra onions. And jalapeños." Fiona rolled her eyes and jabbed him in his side as they headed for the mess hall before turning in for the day.
Sonic looked around the at the crystalline landscape before realizing that he was having the same dream as last time though he couldn't see the echidna from before. Now that he thought about it he didn't see anyone or anything aside from the spires.
"Well this can't be good," he muttered as he started to walk around. "Hey! Anyone here?"
"You are trespassing, hedgehog." He turned around to see a female echidna in black armor. Her fur was a few shades lighter than Knuckles' and a black band kept her dreadlocks pulled towards the back of her head. Sonic didn't recognize the glowing rune on the head band but the look in her eyes was something he could identify easily.
"Not by choice, lady," he said defensively but the echidna wasn't interested. The black armor extended up over her head as large bracelets formed around her wrists. The pink of her eyes and symbol flashed briefly before two medium-sized energy blades grew out from the bracelets. Sonic dodged to the best of his ability but the girl was insanely fast. She flipped, kicking Sonic in the gut and then the chin before sending him sprawling onto the ground. She placed one foot on his chest and drew back her right arm for the killing blow.
"That isn't necessary, Procurator," a deep voice said from behind the echidna and she looked towards it. Another echidna walked towards them but unlike before this one wore a full set of armor of interspersed gold and blue. An ornate mask hid his face but from the glow of his eyes and the force of his presence Sonic felt safer with the echidna standing on his chest. "We owe this boy a debt of gratitude. He has given us a way out of this accursed prison."
"Um, you're welcome?" Sonic said nervously. "So that means you'll let me go, right?" The armored echidna nodded and the Procurator moved, allowing Sonic to stand. "So what do you mean I've given you a way out?"
"Worrying about it will do you no good, Guardian," he replied. "When we return there will be nothing you can do to stand against us." Sonic's eyes widened as he realized what the echidna meant but before he could do anything more he felt himself being dragged once more into the waking world.
"So what happened after you defeated Gilgamesh?"
A few days later found Sonic back at the therapist's office and for the first time he was in a good mood during his session. "Well, my sensei is going to take some time to recover but he should be good to go in a week or so."
"And you haven't heard from Gilgamesh or Arias since then?" the doctor asked and Sonic shook his head. "Any ideas as to why?"
"Gilgamesh got his ass handed to him by an amateur," Sonic explained. "I can't think of anyone that would want to openly admit that. And I'm pretty sure that Arias doesn't care one way or the other."
"And you accomplished what you went there for?" Sonic thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"Honestly, I was just taking your advice and settling my past accounts," Sonic admitted. "I had no idea any of that was going to happen, especially getting my speed back. I definitely didn't expect that to happen."
"Was it worth it?" his therapist asked.
"Absolutely."
"What about you and Fiona?" Sonic winced at that.
"That's...still a bit complicated," he answered. "She knows that I'm not ready for any real relationship but she keeps insisting we're 'friends with benefits', whatever that is." The doctor nodded before scratching notes on his pad.
"I'm not even going to touch that one," he said. "I'll let her tell you what it means. By the way have you heard from Mina?"
"Yeah. I went to visit her not long after we got back," Sonic answered. "She's doing pretty well, even thinking about getting out in a few weeks."
"Well considering the trauma you two have been through I think it's nothing short of amazing that you've recovered as much as you have so quickly," the therapist admitted. "Just be careful. Anything could send the two of you spiraling back down that tunnel. PTSD isn't something you can just shake off." Sonic nodded with understanding and the doctor checked his watch. "Well, that wraps up our time for today," he as he stood up. Sonic followed suit and stretched his arms. "Same time next week?"
"Sounds good, doc," Sonic replied and shook the doctor's hand. "Thanks for everything. Not sure I'd have been dumb enough to go see my sensei again if it hadn't been for you."
"Always happy to help you make stupid decisions, Sonic. Take care."
Sonic walked out into the street happy as could be. Fiona was off on another recovery job (the legal version of stealing) so he didn't see much point in heading back to the house.
"Hey, blue boy!" Sonic turned at sound of the voice to see Mina, Violet, and his parents walking towards him. "Imagine our luck running into you here of all places," Mina said, hugging him. "Your parents insisted on getting me out for the day to hang out. Though your father keeps saying that they should just 'bust me out'."
"There's only so much crazy a crazy person can take," Eric said with a shrug as Alura elbowed him in the side.
"Really, dear? You had to go there?" she said, rolling her eyes. "How about it, son? Feel like joining your family for a day in the city?"
"Eh, why not?" Sonic said with a shrug and a smile. "It wouldn't be the craziest thing to happen to me in the last few days." As they walked off into the busy city streets Mina locked eyes with Sonic for a brief moment before holding his hand and interlacing their fingers.