Chapter Text
“Curious,” Nine rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “they’re still your gloves and shoes, only now they seem to have attuned with the energy in your body.. instead of resisting it. I wonder why that is.” His hand curled in front of his mouth. Glancing to the side as Sonic skidded to a stop next to him.
“Oho! These are killer!” Sonic stretched side to side, “no more slipping or sliding, no more smoke! Thanks Tails-“ Sonic shook his head, “I mean Nine! Time for a test drive!”
“No wait you dope! It’s not safe!” Nine reached for him, though it was too late as the blue hedgehog was already gone. Quick on his mechanical tails to follow.
Sonic barely ran ten feet from Nine’s lair, only hearing a ‘wait there’s a-‘ before he was falling. It felt familiar to before, instead this time he was prepared. Rolling into a ball, and with precise movements, catching himself so he mixed the water below. Rolling a bit until he sat flat on his bottom, hand on his head.
“Woah, guess fashion doesn’t really enhance your sight.” He mumbled, rubbing his forehead. “Where did I land this time?”
A cheering rung through the sewer. Flashing of lights that caught his attention like a bat driven to a giant emerald.
“Sonic?” Nine skittered along the walls. Watching the hedgehog walk forward in almost what seemed like a trance. Moth drawn to a flame. Brows furrowed as he moved forward. “What are you doing? I thought..”
The cheering shut Nine up. The fox’s ears perking up. “Sonic?”
Sonic stood just at the turning point. Head twisted to look down to where the cheering was. His eyes widening in what could only be a mixture of thousand emotions running across his face.
Nine joined by his side. Shock filtering through him just as quickly.
There, in a cheering crowd, stood- Sonic, except it wasn’t him. No it- it was but, he looked so different. His quills were put into a ponytail, and he was wearing a jacket! A jacket- a belt and.
Sonic’s heart stopped.
“No-“ There was no way, was there? That couldn’t be him. That couldn’t be Sonic- it wasn’t him. His- legs, they were..
The other him caught his eye. Locking eyes in what could only be described as a tense, rigid, moment. Excusing himself from the crowd, the him walked closer. Turning the corner and walking even as he passed Sonic.
“There’s two of you now?” Nine deadpanned. Following the him as Sonic dragged his feet forward.
“Lest his name is Race, I’d say he got a bad case of copycat syndrome.” The him- Race- finally stopped. Rolling his head backwards to look at Sonic. “You know it’s dangerous to steal the look of an infamous criminal, right?”
“No- you’re me!” Sonic raced around him, each hand on Race’s shoulders. Wide eyed as he stared down this version of himself. “I’m you! This is like- like Nine- but I don’t understand, why is there- what. What happened?!”
Race blinked comically slowly. Grabbing Sonic’s wrists and prying him off him. “You’re not me, faker.”
“Blade prosthesis..” Nine poked the springy legs of Race, who immediately spun around to pick the fox up by the scruff.
“Don’t touch those. You’re like what, five?”
“I’m eleven.”
“A toddler.”
Sonic laughed nervously, lowering Race’s hand and separating the two. “Okay, so, uh, funny story on why you’re literally me. So if anyone’s a faker it’s technically you-“
Sonic got kicked across the face. Landing head first into a wall.
“I said, you’re not me.” Race jumped across the water to where Sonic had landed, pressing a leg down on his chest. “But I don’t mind funny stories. Spill.”
And so, Sonic did.