Unknown

In a white field, the grass is green from below, gasping as he jolts up, Nicky finds himself in a white void, seeing as nobody is around.

"Meg? Where are you?" Nicky calls, nervously picks himself up and looks around while walking forward.

What stops Nicky is a fire that's lit until it spreads, causing him to trip as he yells.

He can see it, the moment that led him to Station Square out of nowhere, making his eyes wider as a silhouette of a hedgehog standing in front of a little yellow hedgehog girl, who looks calm.

"No! Tania!"

As Nicky screams out, a gust of wind stops him as the flames are being blown and a robot stops until a blue light dives onto it, throwing the robot hedgehog to the trees.

"Curse you! I'll be back for revenge, Sonic!" A man's voice yells, catching Nicky off guard after hearing the name.

"Sonic?"

Everything vanishes, even his sister, leaving him to be in a school building where the atmosphere is blue with the sky being white faded to blue, like the world is an early morning.

"Heh. That guy sure didn't know when to quit." Sonic sighs as he stands in front of Nicky.

Gasping, Nicky can see a hedgehog that has similar blue fur as his and the quills matched as well. While looking different, both blue hedgehogs looked similar in appearance.

"You're that cool fairytale character Meg told me about! Is that really you!?"

"Heh. The one and only. I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog." Sonic spins while raising his finger with a grin.

"That's amazing. That means you saved Hedgehog Town!"

Sonic shakes his head horizontally, leading to Nicky frowning and lowering his head.

"You know. I'll give you credit where it's due. You're the one that saved many people in Hedgehog Town from being burnt."

"What!? What do you mean!? I'm just a coward!" Nicky still self loathes himself as he clenches his fists.

In Sonic's case, he's the opposite as he taps his foot on the floor and points at the school whiteboard.

Both Sonic and Nicky are watching the same town that was set on fire by the same robot hedgehog, but this time Nicky is pulling the rubble to save his friends, his family, even those who bullied him.

As for the robot, he was able to blow up more and capture the remaining townspeople in the capsule and Nicky was thrown into the sea after doing the best he could to save everyone.

"I… Did all that? I don't understand." Nicky rubs his head, confused about why he did all that.

"Because that moustached clown, Eggman, had caused a lot of damage to your home. If you're still around and everyone's saved, you would've been praised as the hero, but what do you view yourself as?" Sonic asked.

"Not a hero."

"Exactly. Although I don't see myself as a hero as well." Sonic admitted.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because no matter who I am, I'm okay with playing the villain because I play by my own rules."

"Cool." Nicky has finally met his hero that isn't a hero, but a spirit that is free like the wind.

"Also, thanks for taking care of Meg." Sonic then looks away as Nicky exclaims.

"But I didn't take care of her. I don't know how to." Nicky points out as Sonic pat his hand onto Nicky's shoulder.

"It's not about raising her, but it's how you made her smile. Nicky, someday, you'll be Sonic the Hedgehog. See ya." Sonic then rushes off, making Nicky float as the school building is shattering and the white void is flashing all over as Nicky blocks himself.

With everything becoming blank again, Nicky is wondering why he will become the very fairy tale that's been told to him.

Is he really worthy to be Sonic?

20XX July 2nd

United States

Opening his eyes on a comfortable sofa, Nicky stops and contemplates on whether or not he really did save his friends and family, making him conflicted on what he's supposed to be or what he should do.

Is he really Sonic?

"Morning, Nicky." Meg calls while placing toast on the table in the living room.

"Oh! Uh… Morning, Meg." Nicky turns around, picks up a toast and eats it while checking what's on TV.

"Hehe. Today is the day we watch the jets perform." Meg reveals the schedule for what they'll be doing today.

"Really? When?"

"At 12 o'clock. Wanna visit Chuck again?"

"Ah, sure." Nicky accepts calmly while nodding.

As Nicky stands up, he and Meg enter the doorway while Nicky puts on an oversized red sweater and sneakers.

Before the door closes, Nicky caught a glimpse of a photo of a little girl with a man and a woman, especially a man in a similar jacket as Meg's.

Nicky shakes his head and closes the door.

Station Square

Nicky is watching the G.U.N. members preparing themselves for a future battle, confused that these guys are still equipping themselves after the war is over long ago.

As Chuck and Meg are chatting together, Nicky halts as he sees Molly from yesterday.

"Oh. You're Molly Robotnik." Nicky said.

"That's right. I didn't know a hedgehog was here to see my uncle's work facility." Molly giggles while bending down in front of Nicky.

"Well, Meg is having a talk with Mr. Yeager, so I was waiting for the airfield show later."

"Really? I'm jealous. I wanna go there too." Molly pouts while sitting in front of Nicky.

"I'm sure there's another time. Also, it's the first time, so I can't say anything." Said Nicky.

"It's okay." Molly quickly smiles.

Humans are strange in Nicky's point of view, knowing that his own species are no different to them.

"Nicky. When I grow up, I wanna be a pilot and be free with the birds, be the one to be faster than the sound." Molly raises her arm while watching the birds fly past while making a plane with both her pointer and small finger spreading and both her middle fingers put together.

In Nicky's case, Molly wanted to fly which reminded him of himself, wanting to fly with free will and be as cool as his father.

"Cool. Hey, Molly."

"Yeah?" Molly is listening.

"I know I'm just a hedgehog that can't be as cool as you are, but…"

"Come on! You're a hedgehog, that makes you cooler than you already are." Molly grabs Nicky's face while reminding him who he was.

It's always the same; everyone keeps on encouraging him and insisting that he's cooler, but in reality, he's nothing more than a weak ordinary hedgehog.

"You'll find your dream someday. I already got mine. Everybody has a dream." Said Molly.

For a child like Molly, she's someone who helps other people, even a fellow child like Nicky couldn't compete with Molly's encouragement.

"Oh. Uncle's waiting for me. We'll see each other again. Bye, Nicky!"

"Ah. See ya, Molly." Nicky looks at his own hand, wondering if Molly was right.

Before Nicky looks up, Meg arrives by patting Nicky's head.

"Come on, Nicky, the show's about to begin." Meg says while holding Nicky's hand.

"Sure." Nicky nods and walks alongside Meg while leaving G.U.N.'s port.

The sea is bright, which goes well with the sunrise as Nicky is watching the birds fly like the wind, making him feel more determined to do something out of free will.

The crowd is all over the suburban airfield as they're excited to see the show where jets dance and show how fast they can be.

Even Nicky and Meg are seeing the pilots marching towards their jets, even a woman is calling for the audience to sit back and enjoy the show.

While Meg is preparing a camera to take a photo, Nicky is seeing the things he saw at G.U.N. but with different models, making him intrigued.

As the show begins, the crowd cheers, Meg pressing the shot on the camera and Nicky gasping in awe as if they're actually free in the sky.

The patterns, the movements, it feels like the jets are dancing in the sky, the freedom goes unbound as if they're free with the birds.

Meg hugs Nicky from behind while watching with him as it surprises Nicky himself.

"That's right, Nicky, like I said, you'll see the free spirits. It's what my father has desired before I was your age." Meg can tell what her father has been doing ever since he left her and her mother.

"Meg. Your father is as cool as Sonic. Someday I wanna be cool like these guys when I grow up!" Nicky finally made up his mind after remembering Molly's words.

"Nicky?"

"That's right. I won't make the same mistake as before. Meg, I also wanna be as cool as you, your father and Sonic are!"

Meg remains speechless, seeing Nicky, a shy hedgehog who's struggling to fit in, finally puts on a brave face and smiles as Meg lowers her head with a grin.

"Then I hope you grow up stronger, my little hedgehog." Meg accepts Nicky's wish while she and Nicky continue on watching the jets.

Until an unusual light heads towards the show.

Gasping in shock, Nicky witnesses the thing charging towards the jets that appears to be a missile, causing an explosion to one of the jets' wings as it crashes onto another one, making the crowd scream in panic.

"Argh! Mayday! Mayda-"

Another explosion occurs as more hits a surrounding area which makes the crowd run as they panic, and more pushes them Off the seats including Nicky and Meg as they roll, grunting as they're in front of a blazing hellfire caused by the missiles and crashing jets.

"Ungh…" Opening his eyes and sorting his glasses, Nicky has witnessed a familiar scene as the fire flashes back to Hedgehog Town, making Nicky scream out of fright.

"Nicky!? Nicky!" Meg shouts while pushing the debris and quickly catches him as she hugs the frightened hedgehog. "Nicky! Thank goodness you're okay!"

"A- Aah…" Nicky couldn't tell what's going on as if someone's been causing chaos.

The screams and cries of the people in this show is causing panic and the pilots inside didn't make it as the flames had been eating them.

"Burn! Burn them all! That's right! Capture them all, we're making good servants for the foreseeable future!" A familiar man's voice laughs which causes Meg to keep Nicky protected albeit caressed.

The worst part about it is a young human boy is covering himself while being surrounded by a jet that's about to drop its wing on him.

"Nicky, run."

"What!? But, Meg!" Nicky reaches his arm as Meg lets him go by turning around.

"Go! Now!" Meg shouts while charging towards the boy in peril.

As Meg rushes, she slides and lifts the boy up before the creaking noise starts, making her push the boy to escape from the jet until another explosion hits with Meg yelling.

"MEG!" Nicky screamed as the flames prevented him from getting through.

"Why? I wanted to be cool… Meg, please don't go…" Nicky lowers his head while on his knees.

"Are you going to give up?"

"Huh? That voice…" Nicky can tell whose voice this is.

"Hm. Are you going to sit around and cry? She's in danger." Sonic appears while looking serious.

"I know! I can't do anything right! I'm just a coward!" Nicky snaps as it surprises Sonic.

Sonic sighs and then flick Nicky's forehead which had Nicky open his eyes and look at Sonic in the eyes.

"Remember you don't have to be a hero to save everyone, but you must play by your own principles, be the free will you want to be."

"Huh? What are you trying to say?"

"Be Sonic the Hedgehog." Sonic concludes as Nicky halts with surprise.

"Sonic? Me?"

Sonic nods, leading to Nicky contemplating on what he should be doing.

"Show everyone who you really are. You've been nice and look what's been leading you to. I say it's time to move on and fight. Show that Eggman what needs to be done." Sonic grins while vanishing.

Nicky closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, calming himself and revealing his true desire.

"A hedgehog is the fastest thing in the world." Nicky calmly said to himself while walking through the flames and approaching Meg, who was shown to be burnt as she gasped.

"Nicky! What are you doing! I said run!"

"Have no say to authority." Nicky continues his way of thinking.

Appearing near Meg is the robot hedgehog that is responsible for the destruction of his hometown.

"I hate to stand around and do nothing. I'm not as patient as people think I am." Nicky continues.

As a robot hedgehog fires his missile, Meg is in no condition to stop the robot as she screams "NICKY!"

In a split second, Nicky moves as the missile misses, changing the direction by targeting Nicky himself.

"I love my friends, but I needed some alone time." Nicky's smile has suffice as he leaps onto the missile and rides it like a surfboard. "If there's anything I love, it's beauty, nature, cool music and most importantly, adventure!"

With another missile fired, Nicky rides the missile with ease as more missiles are chasing down, giving Nicky a sense of speed and danger, furthering his enjoyment.

"Heh!" Nicky grins while doing some stylish moves as the missiles spread, blowing up what's in the sky, leading him to use the last missile as a robot hedgehog spins into a ball that is a buzz saw and charges towards the hedgehog on a missile.

After that, Nicky leaps off the missile tapping the side of the buzz saw until an explosion has ended the very thing that took Nicky's life away.

"Nicky… You…" Meg gasps as Nicky pulls his bangs and removes his glasses by changing his appearance.

"Nicky? Surely you must be mistaken. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog." 'Sonic' raises his finger, and then grabs Meg's hand with a serious look on his face. "Follow me."

In Meg's vision, Sonic has turned into the man she lost In her childhood and the leather jacket is matching the one she wears, making her gasp.

Afterwards, both Meg and Sonic are running towards the light through the hall of hellfire, making Meg flinch by the blinding light.

Finally, they're free as they find the people that escaped as Sonic zooms past them and stops further as they're at the cliff.

Coughing, Meg fell onto her knees as Sonic kept her up.

"Well played, hedgehog, I'm impressed you're able to destroy one of my creations." Appearing on a strange flying machine is none other than Dr. Ivo Robotnik, a now traitor of G.U.N.

"Dr… Robotnik. Why?" Meg asks as her voice starts to get croaky.

"Please, people call me Dr. Eggman, the most cunning scientific genius of them all." Eggman, also known as Ivo Robotnik, revealed his identity after being foiled by Sonic's birth.

In Sonic's case, Eggman is looking for a worthy opponent as he steps forward with a little bit of anger and then smirks.

"You know, Eggman, as much as I hate you for destroying my village, but I can't wait to have fun with you." Sonic calls as he folds his arms.

"Ooh, sassy. What's your name, you little rodent?" Eggman asks out of curiosity.

"Heh. I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog. I'm not here for revenge nor here for justice. I'm fighting you because I need someone to fight up to my speed." Sonic introduces himself while pointing at Eggman.

"Hmph. Well, Sonic the Hedgehog, since you're my opponent, the next time we meet, I'll create something you'll never forget, not even your parents. Farewell, you two!" Eggman flies away with a menacing grin while heading towards the vast open sea.

Sonic is seeing Meg coughing while panting, seeing Sonic's face once more.

"So… Nicky…"

As Meg speaks out her last words, Sonic is watching both humans charging towards him as he lets them take Meg to the ambulance while watching them go.

Sonic looks at himself with a calm expression and then clench his fist, determined to form his own path of freedom and adventure.

On the outside, he's still Nicky, but deep down, he's Sonic the Hedgehog.