Silence. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger. Sadness. Denial.

The expression was universal. No one could accept it. It simply wasn't possible. Chris would

never...

But he did, I scoffed bitterly. I was the one who had taken it the hardest. Not Chuck, not his

parents—it was me. We had worked together more than anyone else. I was the one he relied

on, the one who had always stood by his side. He had been the one to pull me back from the

edge of death in that pool... And in return, I had been the first of my kind to offer him my

friendship. We had been through everything together.

And now... he's gone. He turned his back on us.

A traitor.

The ache inside me pushed me to run the following morning—across plains, through valleys,

and over forests—seeking a place to clear my mind. I could no longer bear the weight of this

revelation, and yet it was eating me alive, slowly but relentlessly. Running was one of the few

things that provided any solace. And so, I ran further than I probably should have.

I stopped only when I reached a riverside, a vast pasture unfolding beside the water. There, I

collapsed onto the soft grass, the cool earth beneath me grounding my restless thoughts.

For several minutes, I remained there in silence, letting the ambient sounds of nature wash over

me. I needed to avoid thinking—especially about that. Nor did I wish to feel. I simply wanted it

all to be a bad dream. Perhaps, in some inexplicable way, it could all be reversed. Maybe none

of this had ever really happened.

But of course, given the nature of my life, fate would never allow such a reprieve. No matter how

much I might wish for it.

Birdsong filled the air, and the stream babbled gently as it flowed over the rocks. The world was

at peace. There was nothing to disrupt the tranquility.

"Sonic!" The shrill, high-pitched voice cut through the air, pulling me from my reverie with such

force that I nearly leapt from my skin.

Spoke too soon. I tried to ignore the annoying drone of the small alien buzzing around my head,

but it was impossible. After a few moments of resistance, I gave in.

"Hey, Sonic! I've got a message from Dr. Eggman! It's real important, so you'd better listen up!"

the little creature shouted as it produced a small television screen, displaying Dr. Eggman's

image in the center.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Quite the interesting development we have here, isn't it?" Eggman's laugh rang out

with its usual sinister tone.

I groaned, not in the mood for this, but reluctantly opened my eyes to glance at the screen.

"What do you want this time?"

Eggman feigned offense, clutching his chest in mock hurt. "What? Is it wrong for me to converse

with my most vexing adversary? I'm deeply wounded by your tone."

"Cut the theatrics, Eggman. What do you want?"

Eggman pouted in an exaggerated manner before throwing his hands up in defeat. "Alright,

alright. Take it easy. Geez, you're no fun. I just wanted to thank you for the new recruit. Quite

talented, isn't he? Not only does he have acting skills, but he's also incredibly knowledgeable

and deadly in battle. I'm surprised you didn't see that potential sooner."

I stood frozen, unsure of how to react. Is he talking about Chris?

"Huh, can you repeat that? I'm not sure I heard you right."

"I said, why didn't you notice Chris's abilities?" Eggman responded, his tone edging on mockery.

I pretended to clear something from my ear, feigning ignorance. "Sorry, I think I've got

something stuck in my ear." I couldn't help but offer a sly grin, which seemed to agitate Eggman

further. Good to know some things haven't changed.

"Oh, never mind. I just came to deliver a message from Chris." My heart skipped a beat. Chris

had sent Eggman? How could he not deliver it in person?

"Really? How do I know this isn't a trap?"

Eggman smiled in that unsettling way of his, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You don't. But if you're

feeling lucky, he said to meet in Station Square at midnight. Come alone."

Suspicion gripped me as I stared at the screen, but Eggman simply laughed and cut the

transmission. The television fell from my hands as Bakune tossed it at me, and in the blur of

reflex, I nearly dropped it. In an instant, before I had a chance to discard it, the device detonated

with a cloud of smoke.

When the chaos subsided, I was left alone once more in the pasture, but it no longer felt like the

serene space it had been. My thoughts were now consumed by the message I had just

received.

So, he wants to meet tonight. I wonder what this is about... I stood there, frozen, mentally

replaying Eggman's words. Then, a sudden realization hit me. Has Chris lost his mind?! I broke

into a sprint, uncertainty and denial twisting inside me. But then, just as quickly, another thought

gripped me. Actually, that makes sense. Why else would he join forces with Eggman?

And then, one final thought hit me. Could he be under duress?

That theory offered a sliver of hope. The genuine sorrow Chris had shown when he left us

seemed to support it. I need to get back, I decided, bolting off in the direction I had come.