Chapter Text
The chill of the air is enough to rattle a man’s bones.
But Commander Walters was not a simple man. He devoted his life to the preservation of the country, and therefore took it upon himself to helm the infiltration of an unknown government facility. Agents flock around him, ensuring protection against this ancient building.
It was unnecessary, truly, as only the backup generators were online these days. Fifty years out of commission, and yet the country ensured it got power.
“Sir,” a soldier salutes before him, standing before level seven. “We’ve gained access to the lab. The file was correct; there’s a cryogenic storage unit still in use.”
“Is the perimeter secure?“
“Yes, sir.”
They enter the observation section, seeing an old computer resting and awaiting a password upon the desk. The room, in of itself, was nothing too spectacular. In fact, it looked like it was the bare minimum of an office. There was truly no sign of life aside from a locker with only a single hanger inside it.
Walters demands the agent stand point, making him quickly back off the desk and have to look over his shoulder as he types swiftly upon the old keyboard. Though the keys were stuck slightly, it was still able to register the lengthy password.
The computer gives a soft jingle, swiftly flashing a loading screen before flashing an old logo.
‘Welcome, PROFESSOR GERALD!
> Subject Status:
> 115: ACTIVE
> Journal Entries (8)
> Electronic Mail Inbox (0)
> Release Subject’
“Our lucky day, men,” the Commander smirks at the screen, swiftly selecting the last option. “The target is still in commission. Get down there and secure it; do not let it out of your sight!”
They rush to complete the order, never noticing that one of their own, the soldier within the observation room, stares intently at the keyboard, committing the password to memory. Dark eyes narrow at the Commander just before he, too, takes his leave.
Green Hills, Montana!
The proud home of not one, but two extraterrestrial battles against the forces of evil! And home to a certain group of people known to the land as heroes.
The Wachowski Family.
Why, even now, you can see them thrive in their elements…
A blue hedgehog races through the town, dropping off and picking up a series of small packages and letters for the townsfolk.
“Sonic!” the people greet, and he calls back just as happily.
“Pastries are looking good, Mrs. Overa,” he chirps as he stops by the bakery.
The friendly woman didn’t seem too startled to find him in the shop, accustomed to his early arrivals ever since the first battle with Eggman. “Nothing but the best for you, pollito. You mind giving this to Tom for me? I snuck in a few extras, just for you and your friends.”
Sonic the Hedgehog, (and proud Wachowski!), takes the boxes with a grin. “Sweet! You’re the best; thanks, Mrs. Overa!”
“Don’t mention it!” she calls out as the little blue darling speeds off, presumably doing what she’s requested of him.
A twin-tailed golden fox soars high in the sky, guiding the crane as it holds a metal beam. “Just a little more to the left– there we go!” he snaps his fingers in accomplishment.
He then takes out a small device and fires a few commands. The crane, without a physical operator and commandeered by the little creature’s mechanics, begins to lower the beam and soon sets it down with ease.
“Yoo hoo! One super special treat for a ‘Mr. Tails?’”
Miles Prower, or as he’s better known as Tails the Fox, looks below to see his best friend waving the pastry box like one would a letter. He races down to hug the hedgehog, exclaiming excitedly that he was starting to get hungry. “Ooh, and it’s glazed!”
Sonic shakes his head fondly, “I still say you’re missing out on chocolate. It’s obviously the superior donut.”
“You can say that all you’d like, but when the donuts take over, they’ll always remember that I was the one who loved them all equally!” Tails jokes through giddy laughs.
The laughter is infectious nevertheless, and soon Sonic ruffles his little buddy’s fur. “Hey, by the way, where’s Knuckles? Mrs. O’ gave me a seperate box for his thing. She totally plays favourites.”
“Maybe it’s like a forgiveness treat? I mean, he did shatter her store window trying to catch that wasp.”
“You mean trying to punch that wasp.”
Tails rolls his eyes at the correction, but there’s no true heat or annoyance behind it. “Last I saw, he was helping out with the digging.”
“Thanks, li’l bro!” Sonic begins to speed off, waving farewell with a distant, “See you in a bit!!”
The roads are clear, aside from a few cars parked as people do their daily tasks. Though these days, that meant helping everyone rebuild the main street.
It was truly a shame that the battle with Robotnik caused so much damage; damage that couldn’t be undone with the power of the Master Emerald. But it once again gave the community a chance to unite, to look at their fellow man and out-of-this-world citizens with acceptance and equality!
Sonic found that with every passing day, he’s truly begun to flourish in Green Hills’ new environment.
It wasn’t that hard to find the red echidna, not even when he was currently in the process of digging a foundation for a small gazebo in the park. “Are you certain the small shelter will hold?” he demands of the nearest human.
She fixes her cap, looking at the hole with amusement. “It’ll do just great. Thanks again, Mr. Knuckles; I don't think we could’ve done it this fast without you!”
“It is an honor to be helping you humans. A task like this would probably break your puny bodies.”
“O’ great Knucklehead,” Sonic announces with a faux-flourish from behind him. “The humans truly envy your strength!”
“Mock me all you’d like, hedgehog,” Knuckles smirks, “but we’ve accomplished this task far faster than you ever could.”
The blue blur fakes offense. “How dare you! And here I am, trying to drop off Mrs. Overa’s treat for you.”
Knuckles walks closer and takes the tiny box presented to him, delicately opening it and gasping as though he’s found a true treasure. “It is a circle treat! And it has grapes!”
“Woah-ho,” Sonic teases with a smile, “she really pulled out all the stops for you.”
True to word, within the box was a simple grape pie with a plastic fork beside it. Knuckles closes the box, not hungry enough to eat it, but now holds it like a priceless artifact. “I must Lady Overa of the Desserts.”
“She said it’s all good. Just as long as you stop breaking her windows.”
“A truly merciful human,” the echidna nods with respect. “Thank you for this, Sonic.”
“S’no problem. I gotta go find Dad, see if he’ll let me join him on patrol. I’ll see you back at the house!”
With all deliveries finished, it’s time to head over to the city lines, where a cop car sits idly.
Leaning beside it was the patriarch of the Wachowski tribe, Sheriff Thomas. (“But you can just call me Tom.”) Without much to do, his day was idly drifting by as he stared out his side window and into the fields.
The radar suddenly begins to beep, registering a well-known speedy object was racing to and fro on the roads.
Tom points out his fingers in the shape of a gun. Sonic stops before him, holding up his hands with a smile.
With his own smile and eyes hidden behind sunglasses, the sheriff begins, “You’re under arrest for murder!”
“Please, don’t!” Sonic despairs dramatically, “I was framed! I’ve never seen that donut before in my life!”
“A likely story!” Tom shouts out, ‘bang,’ and Sonic begins to stumble around, exaggerating his death before falling to the ground. The sheriff walks over and steals the pastry box, setting it on the hood of the car and tapping his foot against the kid’s leg. “Busy day, kiddo?”
“Nah, not really. I got lucky; Knuckles is at the park digging holes, and Tails is stuck rebuilding the café.”
“I don’t think it’s technically counted as being stuck if he offered to do it.”
“I’m just so bored! ” Sonic shoots up, rushing to lay on top of the car. Tom walks back to take a few treats as his son begins to complain. “Rebuilding didn’t take this long when we had to do it last time!”
“Mm, that’s because last time, we only demolished a street.”
Sonic pouts, stealing a donut and taking a bite. “I just wish we’d get it done faster. I want more baseball games! Races, video game tournaments!”
Tom pets behind Sonic’s ear, making him smile. “I know it’s a little boring, bud, but the sooner we get it done, the more chances we have to do family activities.”
The human thinks for a moment, taking off his sunglasses. “Tell you what, what if we do something over the weekend? Maybe invite Jojo over to meet everyone properly? I don’t think we’ve seen them since that fake-wedding.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“It’s for all of us,” Tom insists. “A whole reunion, just for the kick of it! What do you say?”
Sonic cheers, racing around the car, soon climbing into the driver's seat through the open window. “We gotta go shopping for the party!! Get in the car; we’re going to the store!”
“That sounds great, but you do remember I’m working, right?”
Almost immediately, the excitement dies and Sonic thuds his head against the steering wheel, the horn blaring loudly as his dad begins to laugh.
“Subject 115’s tests came back clear. No signs of muscle decay or damper on intelligence. Sir, I think we’ve truly found something remarkable!”
“Project Shadow was a mistake, doctor,” Commander Walters stares down at the black hedgehog with faint disgust. How a creature so small caused so much destruction fifty years ago, he’ll never understand. “It isn’t something to idolize. Finish the physical and let’s get started with training it.”
“Sir, don’t you think we can halt that? It still needs to be informed of the events over these years–”
Walters glares at the scientist, who shrinks under the intensity. “It needs nothing. You have your order, doctor, now let’s get it over with.”
“…Yes, Commander.”
Yet again, he doesn’t see the assistant within the room stirring the coffee in his hands idly. With a smirk, the other gathers all necessary files to help with the physical examination.
“Don’t worry, little thing,” former-agent Stone says under his breath as the black and red hedgehog begins to convulse under cruel and uncaring hands. “We’ll save you soon enough.”