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The Castle of Camelot lay dormant, cradled by the night which surrounded it. Its king, Arthur, found himself pacing through its halls.
Conflict ate away at the hedgehog from within, having been granted ample time to think—too much, he’d argue. He reflected back to his time with his friends, who are now an unfathomable distance away from him.
For he was not truly King Arthur—at least, he never saw himself as such. Instead, he was merely an adventurer as brisk and fleeting as the wind, yet now only found himself trapped in a land and time not of his own—chained to the unwanted duties that came with it: He was Sonic the Hedgehog.
Sonic never imagined himself dwelling on the past like this, but what other choice was there? His memories may very well be all he’ll ever have left. He wanted to see how his brother, Tails, was doing; to challenge Shadow or Jet to a good old-fashioned race; to pay a visit to Knuckles on his island, just to keep the echidna on his toes. He wanted to see Blaze again.
Blaze… For some reason, he found that his thoughts often drifted to the feline princess in particular. He’d like to believe that it was simply due to how rarely he got to see her to begin with, thus the desire to spend time with her was naturally amplified alongside the similar desire to see his other friends again. However, he could not deny that there was another, underlying cause—something truly alien to the hedgehog.
Sonic’s footsteps echoed throughout those empty corridors as his mind tried to decipher this esoteric feeling. Slowly, the explanations narrowed until there was only one feasible option. He desperately tried to find some refutation, but came up empty handed.
In his struggle, the hedgehog went to gaze out a nearby window. Through the darkness, he could discern the moonlit landscape and even the distant forest. He could see both Blaze and himself speeding across the terrain in a brilliant dance of fire and wind. He saw how they tumbled onto the grass, laughing as they held each other in their arms.
He gingerly reached out his hand, but his fingertips met only glass. He drew his focus from the pane and back to the vista before him, finding nothing but tranquility. Finally, Sonic was forced to acknowledge the truth:
He loved her…
It was this knowledge that nearly sent his body cascading to the floor, saved only by his firm grip on the windowsill. His bewilderment even prevented him from chastising himself for having such thoughts. This feeling… it was something he hadn’t thought was even possible; at least, for him.
He thought back to how Amy had described love. While there certainly was an aching feeling present within his heart, he wouldn’t call it ‘wonderful’—in fact, it hurt.
It hurt knowing that he may never see Blaze again. It hurt knowing that, even if they were to meet again, such emotions may only bring disappointment and pain. It hurt exposing the paradox of his very nature.
A distant gasp snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning, he saw Sir Percival rushing to his aid.
“My liege!” she exclaimed, and Sonic shuddered at the honorific; it felt disgusting. “Are you alright?”
“I… I’m fine.” After struggling back onto his feet, he noticed how the knight’s armor obscured her face; a face identical to that of the woman he loved.
Without even thinking, his hand slowly reached out to lift up the cat’s visor, revealing her confused expression and pink-tinted muzzle. He was reminded of the aftermath of their first meeting, and the subtle crush Percival had for him. Did that mean that Blaze felt the same—?
No, Sonic interrupted his own thoughts. They’re two different people; I shouldn’t assume such things. And yet, that assertion faltered as his focus returned to Blaze Percival’s face.
“I-is there… is something wrong?” she stammered, looking off to the side; although, she did occasionally steal a few glances towards the hedgehog.
A wistful smile grew on his face as his hand slid down to the cat’s cheek. “You’re beautiful…” he murmured absentmindedly.
Percival was staring directly at him, now—her eyes wide and her blush intense. “Milord! I… D-do you… W-what…” She was too flustered to speak. Her gaze kept darting to and from his lips while her mind raced.
Sonic was moving on pure instinct, now. For a brief moment, he felt that he was back home with his friends; with Blaze…
The two drifted closer together…
Their eyes slowly began to close…
Their faces inched towards each other…
Their lips parted…
…But, at the last moment, Sonic’s eyes shot open and he quickly turned himself away from Percival. Between rapid, quivering breaths, he managed to speak:
“I can’t… You’re not… You’re not her… I shouldn’t have… I’m… I’m sorry, Percival…”
The knight’s voice, meanwhile, was filled with both concern and curiosity. “I… Your Highness, is there—”
“Don’t—!” He nearly snapped at the regal title, though he quickly tried to compose himself. “I’m sorry, I just… P-please, no monikers.”
“…Very well,” she said, following a brief pause. “Is… was there once a woman already in your life, A-Arthur?”
She technically used the wrong name, but it at least didn’t bother him as much. “I… You could say that…”
“I see. My sincerest apologies; seduction was never my intent.”
“No, no… You’re fine. It’s just… You look so much like her…”
Sir Percival cocked her head to the side in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Sonic finally managed to look at her again, his smile trying desperately to hide his longing. “It’s… It’s complicated. I don’t want to bother you with the details.” He wanted desperately to cry—to find a way to ventilate these agonizing emotions—but he couldn’t. There were no tears able to be shed.
The cat nodded, glancing away for a moment to think. “I believe Lady Merlina will be returning from her trip soon. Perhaps she may be able to help?”
“Maybe…” Sonic’s gaze briefly lingered on her. He wanted her to stay—at least, for a short while. He yearned for just a modicum of comfort. “It’s pretty late; I’m sorry for keeping you up for so long, Percival.”
“I’m quite well, my l— Arthur, my apologies.” The knight shifted in place. “Is there… Is there any other way I can be of service to you?”
Yes! By Gaia, please stay. I don’t know if I can— “No, thank you. You should get some rest.”
“Very well. Sleep well, Arthur.” Percival bowed. As she took her leave, however, she spared one last glance at the lonesome hedgehog.
With Blaze’s lookalike vanishing into the castle’s labyrinthine halls, Sonic’s gaze returned to the window and the landscape that lay beyond it.
His prison…
His quivering form threatened to crash to the floor once again.