Sonic the Hedgehog: A Single Burst of Speed
A/N: Before I begin, I just want to say, as myself, that I am very sorry if this causes any confusion for you guys, but I have decided to redo 'Beginnings' once again, because I find myself unsatisfied with how it turned out. It was good, but I feel it should've felt more like a Sonic story. So, for this second, and hopefully, final, revamp, I am scaling back the Star Wars elements and placing a stronger emphasis on high-speed action, while still including plenty of character moments. I only ask that you bear with me, and please, give me your thoughts on my stories, rather than just favouring and following them.
Prologue
Welcome to the planet Mobius; a modest planet, simple in appearance, but with an extraordinarily variable society, and populated with remarkable inhabitants.
In the year 3396, the evil scientist, Doctor Ivo Robotnik took control of the majority of the planet, enslaving millions around the world, and imposing an iron-fisted rule. It seemed no one would dare challenge him; but, as with all tyrants, there would be resistance.
Multiple resistance groups, calling themselves 'Freedom Fighters', were established to impede Robotnik's attempts to complete his empire, and eventually depose him. Arguably the most effective group is the Knothole Freedom Fighters, situated in the Great Forest Zone on South Island; thanks mainly to the machinations and abilities of a young blue Hedgehog. He goes by a number of names; the Blue Blur; the Fastest Thing Alive; Speed Demon; but to his friends, he is Sonic the Hedgehog.
Sonic has been fighting against Robotnik's tyranny and performing heroic deeds since before the age of 10, but I think his journey to becoming a proper hero began at the age of 14, in the year 3046; when he learned his true heritage and began to discover his real potential. I should know; because I was there to see it. My name is Thomas Holmes II - but you can call me 'Tommy' - and this is how Sonic's journey began: with a single burst of speed.
Green Hill Zone, South Island
South Island was a rather unusual landmark on Mobius; somehow, it was able to move across the Great Meridian Ocean of Mobius, never staying in one place. Many had tried to determine why, but none have succeeded.
Because it was constantly moving, South Island had not been conquered by Robotnik during his initial takeover; he had tried doing so since, but all his attempts had failed, thanks to one speedy blue Hedgehog.
My story starts with that Hedgehog zooming through one of South Island's many 'Zones', as we called them; the largest and most beautiful of all, called Green Hill. Distinguished by its chequered brown soil, flowing waterfalls, and massive loop-the-loops, it was Sonic's favourite place to come when he wasn't fighting Robotnik, especially with his friends. He was carrying one of them now: an 11-year old Cat with azure fur, deep blue eyes behind thick glasses and messy blond hair. That cat was me - Thomas Holmes; and though I was having a blast, I was also nervous.
"Are you sure about this, Sonic?!"
"I've done it many times with the others, Tommy! This is no different! Anyway, have ya ever felt so alive?"
Sonic was carrying me above his head, holding tight to my sides. I was feeling like I was on a roller coaster that had an endless supply of nitrous oxide pumped into it; it was simultaneously exciting and frightening.
"Well, I won't deny that this is so exciting! No wonder you love this! But I can't shake the feeling I could die at any moment!"
"No one's dying on my watch, kid! You're doing great!"
Just then, Sonic let go of me and I flew backwards, spinning through the air, screaming in fright; my life flashing before me. Then, two hands grabbed me, and I found myself on Sonic's back.
"Whoops, sorry, kid!" he cried teasingly
"Blimey, Sonic! That wasn't funny!" I cried, somewhat angrily, clutching Sonic's slim torso tightly.
"Come on, that was a great save, Tommy!"
Please, don't do that again! I thought my heart had stopped for a moment!"
"Alright, kid; sorry about that. Forgot what you'd been through! Won't happen again!"
"Phew!"
"But you can't deny this is awesome!"
We raced through one of the giant loops; it was amazing! The world seemed to turn upside down for a moment; then, everything was right again.
Sonic continued for some way before finally returning to where he'd begun with me. A young fox cub, with orange-brown fur, sky blue eyes and two tails, was sitting a small, blue, propeller-driven bi-plane, checking its engine; but he looked up as we arrived.
"Hi, Sonic; hi, TC," he greeted.
"Howdy, Tails," Sonic replied, as I climbed down from his shoulders, and collapsed to the ground.
"Hello, Tails," I stammered, my voice shaking along my whole body.
"A bit shaken by it all?" Tails asked, smiling. "Don't worry; you get used to it."
"Some have thrown up after their first run with me," Sonic chuckled. "I'm impressed, Tommy."
"Thanks," I gasped.
Just then, Sonic's head snapped around. "Excuse me!" he said, and shot off like a bullet.
"Err… what?" I inquired. Tails chuckled, returning to the plane.
"It's a sort of feeling he gets when there's trouble afoot," he explained amusingly. "Sonic always knows when someone is in trouble; calls it his 'Hero Sense'. No doubt it's more of Robotnik's Badniks." "Aren't you going to help him, Tails?"
"I would, but I think Sonic can handle it. Besides, Aunt Sally might not approve." He stood up suddenly. "Which is why I'm going to do it, anyway. Watch over the plane for us, will you, TC?" And twirling his twin tails, he lifted off the ground and took off after Sonic.
I chuckled to myself. Tails was always following Sonic around. No wonder they're brothers, I thought.
But a moment later, I was grabbed from behind, and I was suddenly speeding along with Sonic again.
"No way are you missing this!" Sonic crowed.
Mobinis were basically the main fauna of Mobius; the animals who weren't evolved and fully sentient. That said, some Mobians were able to understand and effectively communicate with them; and Mobinis were fairly intelligent in their own right.
Robotnik's way of enslaving them was somewhat different from him Roboticizing the Mobians; he used Mobinis as organic batteries for the robots that served as his primary attack drones. These androids were called 'Badniks'; the logic being that they were bad news for the enemy - not that Robotnik cared much for the concept of good and evil. Badniks generally had bipedal bodies with animal-like appearances, mostly based on insects, crustaceans and fish.
Sonic, Tails and I arrived at a capsule where Mobinis were imprisoned, where SWAT-bots were currently forcing them into Badnik shells.
"Oi!" Sonic yelled. "Don't you SWAT-heads have anything better to do than prey on innocent animals? Like maybe taking a little trip to the scrapheap?"
'Hedgehog-priority-one!' the lead SWAT-bot, signified by its white and grey livery, droned.
"Sit back and watch, Tommy," Sonic advised. "This is going to be way past cool!"
I didn't object; I took cover behind a set of bushes, waiting for the fun to begin.
Sonic did a few remarkably quick stretches; he always liked to be ready for a fight. Smashing up Buttnik's bots was a passion of his; it was fun, and in the case of Badniks, it freed the innocent creatures trapped in them.
He charged forward, curling into a ball and slicing through the lead SWAT-bot in a flash. A Moto-Bug sped at Sonic, using the wheels on its feet, but Sonic dodged around its swiping claws and stomped down hard on it, cracking it open. The same fate met a Crabmeat, a big, red, burly robot with crushing claws for hands; a Caterkiller, a segmented robot that could separate itself to eschew as many enemies as possible with its spikes; and a Slicer, who threw its claws at Sonic like boomerangs.
A Buzzbomber and a Batbrain went for Tails. The former shot a rail detonator at Tails, while the latter shot upwards and then swooped towards the cub, its fangs bared. But Tails was ready for this; twirling his body in mid-air, he kicked the detonator up towards the Batbrain, before flying straight at the Buzzbomber, landing on its back, and ripping out a few wires, causing the Badnik to go haywire.
The Batbrain exploded, while a few other Badniks were struck by random detonators. Meanwhile, Sonic streaked around the remaining robots, seemingly doing nothing to them. Sonic raced back to us, and clicked his fingers; the robots all fell apart at once; and the capsule burst open.
"And that, Tommy," Sonic proclaimed smugly, turning to an amazed me, "is how we do things here on the island."
Several little animals climbed out of the broken shells they'd been imprisoned in; pigs, birds, squirrels, rabbits, hens and seals. They all made excited calls, and scampered over to Sonic, making noises of thanks.
"Thank you, thank you," Sonic grinned proudly. "I aim only to please. Although, what are you guys doing, letting yourselves get captured by Buttnik's bots? You seem all eager for excitement, like me. Who's up for a little run?"
"This could take a while," Tails whispered to me, grinning.
Sonic is not the only hero of this story; there are two other Hedgehogs who discovered their potential with him. The next two sections of this chapter will introduce you to them.
Robotropolis, South Northamer
The centre of Robotnik's empire, Robotropolis was a dark and dreary place. Once proclaimed a city of the future by Robotnik himself, the whole city now seemed more dystopian than utopian. It was mostly drained of colour, whether by day or night; hordes of Special Weapons and Tactics robots - SWAT-bots for short - patrolled the streets; several buildings had been converted into factories, warehouses and mining facilities.
Few people walked the streets, preferring the security of public transport; due to the rather aggressive street scavengers that often went after stragglers. However, sometimes, public transport wasn't an option; as such transports were often available, sometimes transporting prisoners.
A young Human woman had had such misfortune. She was hurrying home, her eyes darting round, though trying to maintain a level persona. She didn't want to look weak.
She didn't know she was actually being followed by a street scavenger; though thankfully, this one wasn't aggressive. He was just a young Mobian Hedgehog trying to survive in a difficult world. Besides, he didn't care much for Humans, anyway.
Just then, the woman was ambushed by a street scavenger that was aggressive; and she screamed in terror. The Mobian, whose name was Manic, suddenly felt this urge to help her, despite his apathy towards her. He felt he couldn't sit by and let her get mugged.
Manic, who was wearing a hooded cloak to conceal his head and body, charged forward, just as the ragged man made a grab for the woman. Manic tackled the man over, catching him unawares. He grabbed the man's shirt and slammed the crown of his head into his opponent's face, breaking his nose and knocking him out.
Manic turned to look at the frightened woman. "Are you alright?"
The woman held out her bag. "P-please, just take the bag and leave!" she begged.
Manic shook his head, and pushed the bag back towards the woman. "I've saved your life, miss," he noted. "I don't need anything from you."
Suddenly, hurrying footsteps reached their ears.
"See ya," Manic hastened to say, and scurried away, leaving the woman, gazing confused after him, to be assisted by SWAT-bots.
Manic continued to sprint through the alleyways of Robotropolis, until he reached a trap door. He tapped on it in a short sequence. There was a click, and the trap door swung upwards, allowing Manic to climb in.
The moment he had entered the hideout where he lived, Manic removed his cloak. His quills were very shaggy, with several of them gelled in a punk style atop his brow. He wore a red-orange vest with a matching colour bum-bag on his front; white gloves on his hands, like Sonic, accompanied by black spiked wristbands; and white and red shoes. These clothes were slightly unkempt and a bit patched, owing to the difficult life of being an underground thief.
"So, Manic, how did you do?"
Manic looked up. A Mobian Spider hung from a web on the ceiling; like a Mobini Spider, he had eight limbs - four for his legs and four for his arms. Although his black hairy body, eight eyes, and large chelicerae gave him a somewhat creepy appearance, he was a gentle, if somewhat mysterious, soul.
"Good haul this time around, Ferrell," Manic announced, opening his bum-bag.
Ferrell was Manic's guardian; Manic had known him for as long as he could remember. Ferrell had found Manic as a baby, and taken him into his web. Ferrell was a thief; partly the result of kleptomania, but also because he had to scrape a living. Despite this, he considered himself an 'honourable thief'; never stealing from those worse off than himself, and sometimes giving to poor people, Human or Mobian, to help them cope.
Manic had begun helping him with this since the age of nine, although he wasn't as keen to help Humans as Ferrell was. In fact, more often, he was generally considered with just surviving; understandable, given, as a minor, he was more vulnerable.
From his bum-bag, Manic produced a few sets of jewellery and some wades of cash, which he'd carefully taken from certain people across the city.
"Excellent work, Manic," Ferrell praised, taking the valuables from his protégé. "This should help the Wilkinson's pay off their tax; I swear Robotnik's trying to get them thrown out of their home. Anything else you did, Manic?"
"Yeah," Manic replied, somewhat hesitantly. "There was this woman who was about to be mugged by a scavenger; so…"
"You helped her, didn't you?" Ferrell asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Manic admitted. "I just got this sense to help her, so I did. Though…"
"Manic, we talked about this," Ferrell rebuked gently. "Human or Mobian, we help those in need."
Manic frowned. "Even those who fear us, or have enslaved our kind?"
Ferrell shook his head. "Humans aren't exactly thriving, right now."
"That's not my problem," Manic shrugged. "I'm gonna go play my drums, okay?" And he strode off into his room.
Ferrell sighed. He loved Manic, and valued his help, but he hoped very much that his foster son would find a better life sometime soon.
Aristocratic villa, outskirts of Robotropolis
Not all Mobians were Roboticized when Robotnik took over; the aristocrats of Mobotropolis, which was what the city had been named prior to Robotnik's takeover, had been spared enslavement. This hadn't been out of any compassion, however; the aristocrats had simply pledged to serve Robotnik's will to avoid the fate of their fellow Mobians, and Robotnik had decided to exploit their wealth.
One of these aristocrats was Lady Felicity Windermere, a beige fox held in high esteem by her peers. But she was not a supporter of Robotnik, though she kept this hidden, as it would get her in trouble. And the last thing she wanted was trouble for her foster daughter, Sonia.
Sonia was a Hedgehog; notably, her spines and hair were a different colour to her body fur. Said fur was fuchsia, while her scalp was a light pink. She wore a dark red dress with a dark purple skirt, separated by a gold belt; elbow-length purple gloves adorned her arms; and her feet were clad in red stockings under purple and red boots. Her eyes were a gleaming lilac.
Sonia mostly enjoyed her luxurious upbringing; her home was comfortable, the food sumptuous, and the local people relatively friendly. Despite this, like Lady Windermere, she didn't approve of Robotnik; unlike her foster mother, she wasn't as good at hiding it.
On this day, Sonia was playing polo alongside her close friend Sir Bartelby Monclair. The opposing team was Sonia's friend, Mindy LaTour and her father.
They were nearing the end of one of the game's seven-minute chukkas; Sonia was hoping to get the ball past Mindy, who was guarding the goal.
"Come on, Sonia!" Bartelby encouraged. "Give it a good swing!"
Sonia did just so; galloping after Mr LaTour, she drew back her mallet and swung it as hard as she could. The ball flew into the air, over Mindy's head and her goal.
BONK! "OW!"
The ball had hit a passing soldier on the head. Robotnik's troops frequently patrolled
"Who sent that ball at me?!" he cried angrily. He looked around wildly, and spotted the Mindy, who was nearest. "Was it you, furball?!" he snarled, marching up to her.
"N-no, sir!"
"Liar! You hit it at me! You forgot your place! Lord Robotnik will hear about this! It'll be the Roboticizer for you!"
"Oh, no," Sonia groaned. Some of the soldiers who watched over their settlement, like this one, were very insecure and very prejudiced against Mobians. It didn't take much to make them angry.
Sonia had been told to stay out of conflicts with the soldiers by Lady Windermere, but given it was her who hit the ball, she felt it was only that she take responsibility and defend her friend. That and she didn't feel right doing nothing in any case.
She dismounted from her pony, and ran over to the arguing pair; or rather, she cartwheeled and somersaulted over to them.
"Pardon me, sir," she interrupted politely, "but it was I who hit the ball in your direction. I'm so sorry; I hit it a bit too hard. But I promise that I meant no harm to you, sir."
The soldier gazed at Sonia for a few moments, and then grabbed her wrist.
"Well, then, I guess you're the one who gets the Roboticizer!"
This was a mistake; Sonia hated it when anyone dared to touch her in such a manner. Instinctively, she grabbed the soldier by the throat and belt, and flipped him over her head and slammed him to the ground.
"Sonia!" Lady Windermere cried, running forwards. "What have you done?!"
"Teaching this bozo what happens when he doesn't respect a lady!"
"Sonia, you know we don't attack Human soldiers!" Windermere cried.
"Dang right, you don't!" the soldier snarled, getting up. "Lord Robotnik will hear about this!"
Sonia didn't flinch; she just folded her arms. "Fine. I'll tell him you were making a fuss over a small incident again, Corporal Lifton; without knowing all the evidence involved, you accused an innocent. And then, well, you know Robotnik doesn't take kindly to misconduct among his troops, does he?"
Lifton went red with both anger and embarrassment. That was true; Robotnik did not approve of misconduct.
"Fine!" he snapped. "But I'm watching you, spiny!"
Lifton turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Sonia to stick her tongue out after him.
After officially concluding the game, Lady Windermere insisted her foster daughter return home with her for a talk. Windermere Manor was one of the finer homes in the aristocratic villa; white walls, large windows with great views, and an opulent aesthetic.
Windermere took Sonia up to her room. Like all other rooms in the manor, it was luxurious and fancy; colourful paintings, stuffed throw pillows on the bed, a chic armchair and a neat vanity table.
"Sonia, you know you wanted to help your friend," Windermere began gently, "and you did the right thing by owning up, but you took it a bit too far by assaulting him. You know we're constantly on shaky ground under Robotnik's rule."
"It's not my fault Lifton has no disrespect for personal space," Sonia shrugged. "Anyway, Robotnik has to learn he can't push us around all the time; we're people too!"
Lady Windermere sighed deeply. She loved Sonia, but why did she have to be headstrong at times?
"I agree with you, dear, but there are better ways of doing this. Don't forget; Robotnik has masses of troops at his disposal. Just one word from him, and he could get all of us enslaved before we could say 'unfair'. You wouldn't want to lose your comfortable life now, would you?"
Sonia sighed. "I guess not."
Windermere then smiled. "Still, good job turning the situation around on Lifton back there; looks like you helped avoid a public disturbance. Just try to keep it civil next time; please."
"Okay, okay," Sonia giggled. The two shared a quick hug.
"Now, why don't you go and play your piano for a little bit?"
"Don't mind if I do." And Sonia cartwheeled and somersaulted out of the world. Lady Windermere groaned, albeit in a slightly amused way.
"She's going to be the end of me."
Knothole, Great Forest Zone
"That… was… amazing…" I gasped, as Sonic carried me into the hut he lived in, in Knothole Village, alongside a Ricky squirrel, which looked very shaky. Sonic had carried us both back to Knothole at high speed.
"You did great, little guy," Sonic praised the Ricky, petting it gently. The Ricky chirped weakly, before collapsing on the floor from exhaustion.
"I share that feeling," I panted.
"It's okay, Tom," Sonic smiled, carrying me to the sofa, which I slept every night. "You did great out there too."
"But I didn't do anything."
"Oh, but you did; you were moral support. And that's tip-top."
I went red; being complimented by my hero was such an honour. Sonic was determined to make me feel as great as possible.
"You get some sleep, Tom. I'm just… gonna head out for a moment. I won't be long." And he dashed off without another word.
I chuckled. Sonic always made me feel happy; he was many things to me: my hero; a role model; my current guardian following my escape from Robotnik. But recently, he also seemed like a big brother. But that wasn't too surprising; Sonic was a friend to all here in Knothole Village.
Still, I wondered where Sonic's family were…
Sonic raced through Knothole; waving to everyone he passed on the way. Soon, he arrived at the infirmary and went into a special ward, where someone important to him resided.
Longclaw was a Mobian Horned Owl with a mostly purple-brown plumage; except for the white on her face and the mottled brown on her wings. Her eyes were sky blue; two orange and red feathers adorned her head behind her ear tufts; and golden armour adorned her torso.
Once a proud warrior and a loving guardian to Sonic; Longclaw now lay slumped in her bed, her eyes gazing blankly up at the ceiling. They flickered towards the blue hedgehog as he entered, but there was no recognition; not that Sonic expected there to be.
"I did it again, Longclaw," Sonic whispered gently. "I saved Mobinis from becoming Robotnik's slaves; while providing a good show for Tommy as well. Hopefully, I'll be able to fix my mistake, and keep Buttnik off this island. And I will find a way to heal you, I promise."
Sonic was a hedgehog of his word; you could always count on him when he made a promise, even if it seemed impossible. In the case of protecting South Island from Robotnik, it seemed simple, with his friends at his side; but healing Longclaw was a different matter.
But those weren't the only concerns Sonic had; why was it he sometimes felt emotions that didn't come from him? And why did he sometimes feel like something was missing?
Sonic returned to his hut a little later. I'd already turned in, and was fast asleep in Sonic's race car bed; Sonic had insisted I take it, while he 'crashed on the couch', as he put it.
Grinning, Sonic went over to me, and tickled me behind the ears, which made me 'mmmmmm' and purr in my sleep. Then, he went over to the couch, and was just about to lie down, when there was a sudden green flash in the middle of the room. Sonic staggered, briefly blinded by the light.
"Okay, Ant, if it is some kind of trick," he whispered, so as not to wake me, if the flash of light hadn't done it already, "then you better expect something in your boots tomorrow morning."
"Amusing threat," said a rather gravelly, but still serene, voice. Then, Sonic realised that a hooded Pangolin (scaly anteater) stood before him.
"Oh, hello; how nice of you to come in without so much as knocking," Sonic quipped sarcastically. The Pangolin frowned, but then relented.
"I apologise for my rude entry," he acknowledged. "But manners aren't a strong suit of mine, given I rarely get visitors myself."
"Alright, well, remember that next time," Sonic requested. "Now, to the more important question; who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"I am Tiresias, the Oracle of Delphius, and I wish to speak with you about what you've been missing, Sonic."
"Yeah, well, can't it wait until tomorrow?" Sonic yawned. He valued his sleep very much; if he didn't get eight hours at least, he became more restless than usual, if possible.
Then, Sonic registered what Tiresias had called him. "Wait, how do you know I've been missing stuff?"
"Because I've known you since you were a baby."
"Bet I was a cut little baby," Sonic smirked proudly.
"You were," Tiresias said patiently. "But you weren't the only cute one; you had, and have, a brother and a sister."
Sonic, who had just taking an overhead stretch, overbalanced and fell over. "WHAT?!"