Sonic in Between.
Author's Note: Here's part three! And to CVGWJames, sorry that the chapters were long. Sometimes I can't help that they're long. I'll try to make them shorter once the Camelot Arc is done.
Until thing, I hope you do enjoy the rest of the story.
Summary of Story 5-Part 3: Sonic's quest to find a way to save King Arthur and Camelot continues despite the risk of failing the tests Lady Nimue has given him. Along the way, he meets another familiar face.
I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog. All rights belong to Sega. I only own the OCs.
Sonic's Camelot Adventure-Part 3.
"You cannot simply abandon lady Nimue's tests!" Caliburn exclaimed angrily as he was forced to follow Sonic up the path towards the mountain, where the little girl's parents and villagers were held captive by the dragon.
"Well, I can't simply abandon people who are caught by a dragon either!" Sonic stubbornly pointed out as he ran out of the woods, and up the path where piles of stone were piled up to made look like artwork.
"You could have returned to the Lady of the Lake first." The sword pointed out.
That made Sonic skid to a stop and glare at his companion in frustration. "Yeah, and then what? Let these people die when I arrive too late!? For your information, buddy, when people are in trouble, I don't just simply walk by and ignore them! Like I said, I play by my own rules. Someone needs rescued, I help without hesitation."
"And yet you are abandoning your duty to help restore the King." Caliburn stared sternly.
The blue hedgehog froze on the spot, the words stung hard. He lowered his gaze, scratching the top of his head. "I'm not abandoning it. I really wanna help to return him to normal...Even if it means finding another way, and even if...even if I have to end up like the Black Knight did and never see anybody again..."
He then continued with a hint of a plea in his voice, "But that doesn't mean I can't just let a little girl down! If nothing's done now, those people will die! She'll be all alone and be left as an orphan! No one should go through that! No kid should lose their parents or any members of their family! Especially at a young age!"
"What should you know, Knave?" Caliburn questioned, frowning in disapproval when he saw just how upset the teenager was, and even saw lingering tears in his eyes. "You are a fool of a knight. You cannot shed tears."
"What do you know!?" Sonic snapped angrily, glaring up at him. "You have no idea what I've been through! What would a talking sword like you know, Caliburn? All you've been doing in sitting in that rock for who knows how long! I'm sick of you criticizing me and criticizing the king! He did his best, and I'm doing my best too!"
"I'm afraid it is because you are too overconfident, and reckless for your own good." Caliburn sighed, despite that Sonic's words stung terribly. He could feel a linger of guilt rise within his very being. "Overconfidence will destroy you, unless you stick to the lesson you learned. You will never be a knight if you continue to-"
"SHUT UP!" Sonic screamed anguishly, slamming his left fist against the stone behind him, tears and guilt rising up again, feeling all of the efforts he put in forgiving himself being blown away. "SHUT! UP!"
Unable to look at Caliburn any longer, the renewed guilt-ridden teenager turned away, facing the stone despite his eyes being squeezed, his tears fell freely as he sobbed. At that point on he didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he wasn't fit to be a knight. All of his efforts of recovery, amounted to nothing, because of a stupid talking sword who had reopened his mental wounds. At that moment, Sonic just wanted to go home, he wanted to see his friends, he wanted to see Chip, knowing that he would have to live the rest of his life like this.
'Oh, Chip. I'm so sorry. Guys...I'm so very sorry. Caliburn's right. I am still overconfident. I thought I learned from my mistakes...But I was wrong!' Sonic thought miserably to himself.
What was he going to do now? All of his efforts and Sonic was now reduced back to where he started before his latest adventure; swallowed by his guilt, sorrow and self-disgust. Tails would be so worried and devastated to see him him like this all over again, all because of one, stupid, obnoxious, crititizing and irritating sword. It was going to take his best friend and everybody else to help him recover all over again, and this time the blue hedgehog was scared that it won't work.
"Sonic? Please, don't feel that way." Arthur's voice spoke, and upon hearing it, the teenager slowly stopped crying. His heart burned and ached when he could hear that the king sounded just as guilty as he felt.
"No, your majesty. He's right. What good am I, if I can't even be a knight without acting like a baby?" Sonic shook his head, miserably. "Merlina summoned the wrong hero. I don't belong here. I made too many mistakes. Caliburn's right. I'm no knight, and I never will be."
"That is not true. Caliburn may not see it, but I do. If I were with a body, I would do the very same as you, and my knights would do so as well. I never wanted to be a knight just to serve a king. I wanted to be a knight, because I wanted to help people. To do the right thing." The trapped King pointed out, his voice soft, soothing, guilt-ridden but understanding.
"Sire, you are to be protected and saved." The Sacred Sword stated, hovering a bit closer, even though he felt utterly guilty for shattering Sonic's confidence to the point of making him cry, all because he just wanted to help.
"I don't care!" Arthur snapped, which made Sonic jump a bit in fright at the harsh tone, and even Caliburn bounced a bit, startled. "If I have to spend the rest of eternity like this, then fine! But I refuse to let people suffer all because of me! Sonic did not do anything wrong! He is allowed to have feelings, allowed to follow his heart! I care more about my people than myself! You may not see it, Caliburn, but Sonic the Hedgehog is a true hero, a true knight, and even though he would have to return to his world, I plan on knighting him as such."
Sonic's eyes widened in shock with a soft gasp. "You want to...Knight me?"
"Yes...Sir Sonic. It doesn't matter if we have to find another way to free me and protect you. Just follow your heart. What does it tell you?" The King replied, softening his tone and sounded like he was crying himself.
While Caliburn now felt even more guilty for lashing out despite his own doubts, Sonic let the words absorb into his mind before trying to calm down and closed his eyes. In his mind's eye, he saw the world within his heart. It was raining, filled with his sorrow and was aching. There was also a crossroad where he saw a light shining; it showed one with his friends and the people needing his help, reaching out for him. Another showed a slightly darker path, the path of obedience with dark figures telling him that duty was more important.
In his subconsciousness, and his heart protesting to not abandon the people who needed him the most, the cobalt hero clutched his hand before making his decision. He didn't hesitate in going for the path towards the light, where his friends and the people needed him were reaching out. In that instant he imagined in hugging Tails, and the light from the right path shined, erasing the darkness, the rain stopped and the sky turned into a magnificent blue, the sun shining down upon them before everything went white, then opened his eyes back in the real world.
"It's telling me to help the people. I can't let that girl down." Sonic finally replied, the massive waves of guilt that came so close in rendering him back where he started now eased, and just like in his last adventure before arriving in Isalenna with Tails, he felt healed, whole, and back into being who he was.
Wiping away his tears, the fifteen year old nodded to himself with determination. "I'm going to rescue those people, and I'll do my best to protect you too, King Arthur."
"Nothing is going to change your mind." Caliburn sighed, before finally relenting. "Very well. You will need my help...and you have my support. I deeply apologize for my harsh words."
When Sonic gazed at the sword, the latter continued. "You are right. I am just a sword. I do not understand the meanings of family or following the right path, aside from following the king. You and he are very much alike, and he has trusted you, and has deep trust in others as well."
"Aw, Caliburn..." Sonic muttered, a soft warm smile forming, before pulling the sword into a careful hug, surprising Caliburn who's eyes widened. "Apology accepted, buddy. I'm sorry, too."
"Y-you're hugging a sword." Caliburn stuttered.
"So?" The blue hedgehog grinned. "Just because you're a sword, even you have a soul. Or how else can you talk, think and have feelings?"
"That is true." Arthur chuckled, which, given that despite the argument, Caliburn couldn't help but smile softly as well.
"Indeed." Caliburn replied, as Sonic let him go.
"Well then, it's settled. Let's get going!" Sonic declared.
Once this was agreed, the sacred sword followed the young hero up the path to continue their quest, only to stop short when they spotted someone approaching them from around the corner. As Sonic stopped himself from crashing into the mysterious arrival, he stood his ground as it was another knight. It was Gawain who stood blocking their path with a frown on his muzzle.
"I don't suppose you are going to let me by?" The blue hedgehog asked, before examining the new arrival more carefully, and while surprised, knew that it wasn't Knuckles since Gawain was another counterpart, this time of the red echidna. He smirked. "Ha! You look just like this knucklehead I know."
"Ho! You dare mock Sir Gawain, Knight of the Round Table?" Gawain grunted, feeling insulted by the young apparentice knight. "An act most unwise, my friend."
The red echidna pulled out his double swords, Galatine, and stood a stance which made Sonic softly gasp.
"Wait! I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I was heading to a cave to save some people from a dragon." Sonic quickly said, holding out his left hand to stop the Knuckles-look-alike from getting the wrong idea.
This didn't convince Gawain even the slightest declaring stubbornly as he glared at the teenager behind his helmet. "You cannot fool me with your lies! No doubt you are after the dragon's treasure, and to slay the king."
'Even though I still have doubts, but still...' He thought to himself, but mentally shook those thoughts away.
"Oh man." The blue hedgehog groaned in exasperation, realizing that this was like when he first met Knuckles all over again, shrugging while staring at the sky in disbelief. "You sound just like that knucklehead too."
'Ugh...Gawain will never learn, will he? This will not bode well.' Arthur thought to himself as he heard what was going on, and he knew, much to his dismay, what was going to happen.
"You have defied King Arthur. This place shall be your grave!" Gawain declared, and before anyone knew it, he charged, his swords out and ready to kill Sonic who, quickly grabbing Caliburn, easily dodged out of the way and seemingly vanished in a blue blur, causing the red echidna to skid to a stop, shocked. "What!?"
Sonic reappeared to the knight's right and glared hard, stunning the Knuckles-look-alike and said. "I don't wanna fight you, but if it's the only way get into your thick skull, then fine. You're gonna regret in following the Black Knight's evil ways! Not that I can blame you for being brainwashed."
"How did you-!?" Gawain stuttered, before glaring harder and demanded. "Reveal your name, apprentice!"
"Sonic the Hedgehog." The blue hedgehog responded, holding a tight grip on his sword, who decided to remain silent for the time being.
"Very well, Sonic. Prepare to die!" The Knight of the Sun growled, charging again and this time Sonic leaped over him, before landing behind the knight and then the two clashed hard, with the blue hedgehog dodging and ducking to avoid in getting his head sliced off.
"Whoa! You sure know how to tire your opponents!" The hero of Mobius admitted, even though he was used to Knuckles' strength, it was still tricky considering Gawain could wield a sword that split into two!
"I stand by the light, as the Knight of the Sun!" Gawain hissed.
Sonic smirked, before leaping back and dashed around, and clashed hard before shoving the stunned red echidna back with the latter crying out in alarm before flipping and landed on his feet, then, as with Knuckles, Gawain swished around his arms and swords, but to his frustration, the blue hedgehog dodged while blocking each attack with Caliburn and then leaped high before dash around and ran up one of the rocks, standing on top of it while Knight of the Round Table looked around for him.
"You coward! You can run but you can't hide!" Gawain growled impatiently.
Sonic considered in calling out to him, but thought against it and with Caliburn both in his hands, he once again performed his Sword Spin(a new attack he decided to call it, being it a combination of his Spin Dash with a sword), coming straight down towards the red echidna who spun around upon hearing the teenager's battle cry, and hit him hard, shoving him back while Gawain yelled out in pain. The knight hit the stone hard with a grunt, hissing in pain while Sonic landed.
"There's more than where that came from." Sonic said.
Gawain grunted, glaring even more furiously at the blue hedgehog, before he forced himself up and charged once more, leaping up before coming down to thrust his swords at him. Sonic dashed out of the way, but felt the ground tremor a little but still strong enough to make him almost lose his balance, dust flying everywhere. The hero of Mobius took several steps back to avoid another ambush before he saw the red echidna knight leap out and high above him as Gawain made to slice the fifteen year old outward. Sonic somersaulted back before leaping up himself and descended.
The two clashed heavily in mid-air before Sonic surprisingly and successfully knocked one of Gawain's blades out of his grip, and kicked at the other ,both swords landing on the ground hard. The blue hedgehog used the bewildered Knight's stunned distraction to Spin Dash right into his chest, causing the Knuckles-look-alike to cry out in pain and crash into the ground hard, near his weapons. Sonic in the meantime flipped before landing safely, as he and Caliburn were quite surprised that the battle was somewhat easier than the one with Lancelot.
'Maybe it's because I'm so used to being faster than Knuckles and I've gotten the hang of using a sword.' Sonic thought to himself, before he and Caliburn gasped in shock as Gawain, too stunned and looking quite crushed and humiliated by this defeat, got to his knees and looked unable to take it.
"To lose to a mere apprentice. I have been disgraced." Gawain muttered, his eyes squeezed shut in disbelief. He failed the King. He failed his duties. There was no way he could live with this. Picking up his sword, he brought to his neck as he declared, not willing to live in the punishment he was in for and decided to do it himself. "Only death can remove this stain upon my honor."
'NO! Gawain!' Arthur thought in horror, having heard what was happening.
Just as Gawain was about to cut his throat with his own blade, Sonic immediately went over and snatched the Galatine out of the echidna's hands, causing the knight to glance up at him in shock, to see that this young knight, who has easily defeated him, stopped him from ending his own life.
"Give me a break. What're you, crazy? You can't just go and kill yourself just because you lost a match!" Sonic scolded, glaring at the duplicant of his friend. "Seriously, what's up with all this drama?"
"Silence! SILENCE, I say!" Gawain ranted, shutting his eyes once more as he slumped to the ground, his head low. "A knight that fails their king is unfit to live!"
"Isn't there more to being a knight than serving a king?" The blue hedgehog asked, softening his tone and expression.
"Huh?" The knight of the round table muttered, staring up at the teenager in surprise and confusion.
Sonic then turned his gaze to the necklace around his neck, asking the trapped king inside. "Isn't there?"
"There is. I always believed in that." Arthur replied, relieved that Sonic has stopped Gawain from taking his own life.
As the red echidna was shocked to hear the necklace actually talk, like with what happened with Lancelot, Gawain found himself glowing slightly as well, mists of darkness seeping out of his body before fading. Dazed and a bit disoriented, the Knight of the Sun shook his head before staring at the necklace in shock and disbelief.
"What? What is the meaning of this?" Gawain asked, blinking, before glaring up at Sonic accusingly.
"Before you go and get the wrong idea, yes the King is inside this necklace, no, I didn't do it, and the guy you've been following since Merlina brought me here was the one responsible for King Arthur's soul being trapped inside the Excalibur. Merlina shrunk it and put it inside the necklace so that I could protect him until the Black Knight is defeated and when he is, then the real King will return to normal." Sonic quickly explained.
Gawain stared at the blue hedgehog in disbelief, before gazing at the necklace, asking hesitantly. "Is this...true?"
"Yes, Sir Gawain. As I have told Sir Lancelot, the Black Knight stole my body when he sealed my soul into my sword. The evil knight has twisted you and him and Percival into doing his bidding. But please, my friend, do not take your own life. I beg you." Arthur informed him.
"Y-Your Majesty..." Gawain muttered, before bowing his head before the trapped king. "Forgive me. I knew Lady Merlina's intentions were noble, even with my mind being twisted."
"Gawain, my friend." The trapped King spoke softly and kindly. "You are not to blame. I was not strong enough to defeat the Black Knight. But there is still hope. Yet, other people are in a need of Sonic's help for now. If we must find another way to defeat our true enemy and set me free, then so be it."
"So what you say was the truth?" Gawain turned his attention to Sonic who nodded.
"Every word." The blue hedgehog nodded. "I was taking Lady Nimue's tests to prove myself as a real knight so that she could tell us how to beat the Black Knight and free King Arthur. But then we noticed a little girl crying and she's the one who told me about the dragon that taken her people, including her parents and I couldn't just leave them. That's why I came up here, even if I fail the test, but people's lives are much more important then tests."
Gawain was surprised that Nimue has chosen Sonic, but after everything he's heard, plus seeing the truth on what was going on, felt that he should at least follow the true King who was under protection, nodded to himself before standing up.
"I believe you." He declared, before turning to the King's trapped form. "Your Majesty, what shall I do?"
"Should things go wrong as Sir Sonic is rescuing the people from the dragon, you will guide them to safety. Meet with Lady Nimue and Sir Lancelot at the Misty Lake. Do not worry, my brave knight. Believe in Sonic the Hedgehog." The King ordered.
"Yes, sire." Gawain bowed, before gazing up at Sonic and told him firmly. "Guard him with your life."
"I will." Sonic nodded, before handing back the knight's sword back to him. "I better get going. People to save, you know?"
"It's strange. My memory is hazy of what my king looks like, but it seems you and he are very much alike in personality." The red echidna admitted with a small smile.
Sonic chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I kinda noticed that too. Well, see ya later, Gawain!"
With that, Sonic sped off towards his next task to rescue the little girl's people with Caliburn close behind, and Gawain, now feeling fit as while he was worried about King Arthur, felt a bit of trust within the teenage young apprentice who was becoming a fine knight already, regardless of failing Nimue's test.
But like the King, the hedgehog's heart was in the right place.
A/N: This was originally going to be at least only four or five parts, but the chapters have become too long lately, and I'm really sorry about that. I'll do my best to finish this arc before we return to the one-shot stories of Sonic In Between. It's just going to be longer than I hoped for.
See you later!