Chapter Text
Sonic awoke with a groan, his vision slowly coming into focus, revealing the decimated industrial environment surrounding him. Based on the scattered sheet metal and mechanical parts, as well as the smattering of the villain's grinning logo, he was inside one of Eggman's hideouts.
He sat up with a jolt, leather restraints snapping as he freed himself from what appeared to be some kind of steel operating table.
Shards of glass crunched under his shoes, scorch marks and large dents dappled the walls. Orange sunlight peaked in from above him, illuminating an enormous, teetering pile of twisted chromium, frayed tangles of wires, and chunks of cement, alarming close to where he had being laying mere seconds ago. The roof must have caved in.
Aside from the new window, the only other source of light was the random sparks the would occasionally fire off from pieces of destroyed tech, stretching far into the facility. These zapping spurts of electricity, echoing off of the walls were the only sound that could be heard in the building, aside from the ominous drone of the cold wind that had been let in by the ceiling hole. It was evident the place had been abandoned, Egghead and his sycophantic partner had likely fled the destruction a while ago.
Did he cause this? In fact- how did he get there in the first place?
The last thing Sonic remembered was fighting the mad doctor and his robot servant, Metal Sonic, alongside a few of his friends. It had gotten to the point where he had to go Super to stop him, but after that... nothing.
Surely he couldn't have been captured? With Shadow, Tails, Knuckles and Amy by his side, AND the power of the Master Emerald, there's no WAY Eggman could have bested him. And yet, here he was.
Maybe he just followed his enemy back to his base and busted it up? And decided to take a nap after he won? And his friends went home without him?
He sighed, smacking his forehead with the heel of his palm a few times. That didn't make any sense. THINK SONIC, THINK.
He rubbed his nose with his thumb, glancing around the space.
Whatever. He just needed to get out of this dump and get home. The details between now and then would probably fill themselves in eventually.
He carefully clambered up the rubble and out through the ceiling hole, into the open.
He was on a grassy hill, clearly a disguise for Eggman's base. He realised he'd never this one before, the scenery around it unfamiliar.
The sun, a blazing red-orange, was slowly sinking below the landscape to the left of him. Shoot. He needed to get back to Green Hills. He was supposed to crash at Tails' tonight, and he didn't want the little guy getting worried about him.
Sonic could just make out the coastline from where he was standing, the small cluster of lights to the North-West indicating the location of his current hometown. Just a short run across the plains and through the jungle, and he'd be home.
Without hesitation, he sped off, balling up and tumbling down the hill, breaking into a sprint.
Gotta get home fast. He was pretty sure Amy was gonna cook dinner, and he didn't wanna miss that.
His feet thumped against the soil, eventually giving way to the squish of damp leaf litter as he got closer, the sky darkening gradually.
He navigated his way through the thick foliage, accidentally scaring a flock of Flickies. The small, winged creatures trilled indignantly, a few landing a swooping peck on his head.
"Ow! Okay! I'm sorry!" Sonic apologised hurriedly.
Why were they so strangely aggressive with him? Animals usually loved him.
The lights of the town shone through the leaves as he reached his destination.
He started making his way to Tails' place, taking a shortcut through the village.
Noticing something strange, he slowed to a walk.
Were people staring at him?
Eyes of other Mobians glinted from behind doorways and from under bushes, whispers filling the air. As he strolled down the street, he watched people shrink away and disappear behind shelters, frightened voices in hushed tones.
What was going on?
A trembling child stood a few metres away, wide, wet eyes locked on to him, chin quivering.
Sonic carefully approached them, kneeling down to their eye level.
"Hey little guy, what wro-" Before he could finish his question, the little one threw up their arms and squealed in terror, dashing away to a nearby house, the door slamming shut behind them.
What the hell is going on?!
He brushed off the confusing scene, breaking into a run again.
Whatever happened back there, he could figure it out later. He'd get answers when he got to his friends.
Tails' airplane hangar pulled into view, the lights in the house next to it were beaming through the windows. Music and the chatter of his loved ones voices could be heard inside, the savoury smell of delicious food wafting through the air.
He ran around to the back of the home, peaking through the hind window.
Tails, Knuckles, Rouge and Shadow were standing in the kitchen, conversating casually, various drinks in hand. Amy walked in to join them, beaming while holding a plate of tasty looking shish kebabs, smiling faces turning to her as she entered.
Sonic was about to walk through the door to join his friends, tell them he was okay, he'd made it back safely, and please give me one of those kebabs, when he stopped short, noticing another person enter the domestic scene.
He was also holding a plate of kebabs, one half eaten, sauce already coating around his mouth. His green eyes looked around at the others, grinning. He cackled loudly at a comment from Knucks, wiping a tear laughter from his furry face. He placed the food down on the kitchen bench, sauntering cockily over to Shadow, interlocking his fingers with the other. He adjusted his curved, blue, quills, looking out the window right at him, expression falling slightly, an eyebrow cocking upwards.
There was no mistaking it.
There was a faker afoot.