Work Text:
"Don't come back here, Tails."
He whispered into his poor brother’s ear as Tails started to slowly vanish from his hug. The kit in turn, clenched his hands harder, trying to not let go before opening his mouth to say something important.
"I love yo-!"
However, before the young fox kit could finish his sentence, he vanished out of Sonic’s arms into a golden dust which floated up and away from the black and violet abyss the hedgehog found himself in.
He looked up with a solemn, yet warm expression. “Love you too, little bro.” I just hope you’ll keep yourself and others safe out there…
And… now back to being alone in the silence of this place he ended up in after he got himself erased by Eggman. The black abyss of nothingness which was interrupted by flashes of purple in the distance. It looked like the Void between Shatterspaces, yet deeper and darker than he’d remembered it.
And without his speed, well, the only thing to do was to sit down on this purple glassy rock and wait.
How long had it been after Eggman shoved him here? Without the sun rising and falling he wasn’t able to count the days… or weeks… or maybe even months that went by without him even noticing. But one thing was for sure… he was glad that Tails was alright in the end.
When his little brother ended up here, he almost freaked out! Seriously! He thought his brother also got the eraser treatment… or worse, actually died! But thankfully, it was nothing more than a temporary coma… at least he hoped so. The fact that Tails vanished like that meant that he might have returned back to the real world.
Which was good! But he also wasn’t sure how everyone was fairing now that Eggman and the Chaos Council pretty much won. Not good he’d assume… He already went through the scenario that ended with him here multiple times over. There wasn’t anything left to deconstruct. So with a sigh, he pulled his legs to his chest and rested his head on his palms as he stared out into the black void.
…
…
Yeah, this was so, freaking, BORING!!!
But that said boredom didn’t last as a small, faint chuckle echoed through the blackness. One that caused Sonic to jump up onto his feet and whip his head in the direction from where it came from!
“W̸͚͑̕ȅ̷̞̩l̷̛̦̘͍̍̐l̴̲̱̺̓,̴̦̘͂̚͠ ̸̝̳̒̈̎w̸̠͋̏ě̶͔l̵̢̯̘̍l̸̫̞̬̅̈́͝.̸̠̬̑͆.̴͍͈̻͑͆.̴̝̤̥̈́̄̊ ̷͖̹́̊̅D̶̡̳̙̾̍̏i̵̗̮͆̈́d̴̘̎͛n̵̢͎̻͌'̵̭̼̓́̾t̴͕͍͎͛ ̵͎̻̋̑e̸͙͖͌x̶̢̝̿͂͝p̷̨͔͊͝é̸̙̟̤̄̚c̷̪̭͎̀́̋t̸̜̙͐͝ ̶̫̦̎ͅt̸͔͍̍͗̆o̶̼͘ͅ ̸̲̳̊f̶̦̩̆͑̃ỉ̵̦n̵̤̂d̶̬̆̑̈́ ̷̛̪̰̤̄̓y̶̼̖̎͂ó̷͇̜̉ͅủ̵̧͈̗ ̴̠̺̕ͅh̵̥̽ẽ̴͕͜ȓ̴̟͓̜̂͝e̷̫̭̗̓͒͘ ̵̦̀ö̴͚̳́ͅf̵̢̣͗͋ ̷̯̫͋͋ä̷̰͖̦́l̷͚̼̦̊͝l̵̙͆̚ ̸͈̖͎͑̃̃ṕ̴̪̜̋l̴̦̫̠̕a̶̺̹͖̅c̸̣̫̋̀̿e̸̜̞̊̒͝ş̵̩͊.̶͍̓̂” The voice was… distorted, wrong even. It grated his ears and it reverberated in his bones, but the meaning was there. Ominous, Threatening, and not good news! So what else to do but put on his usual smirk and grin at the problem.
“I could say the same to you, if I knew who or what you were. So why don’t you come out of hiding and let us talk hedgehog to… whatever you might be.” Sonic quipped back. Deep down he was nervous, but thus far it was only the voice and nothing else. Maybe a flash of purple lightning in the distance.
“H̷͔͖͙͛͋į̶̝̥͝d̴̠̖̖͒̉̐í̸̘̬̜̓̾n̶͓̯̟͑̈̆g̷̣̜͚̀?̶̫̌̅͆ ̴̺̑O̴̡͖̫̾̿̚ẖ̵͗̎͌,̴̰̝̀̍̊ͅ ̴̻̈̓̕I̸̢̘̱̓̎'̶̫̜͗m̷͎̻̲̀͛͘ ̸̢̲̘̋͐͝n̸̖̯̾ȏ̷̯͙ẗ̷͈̼̥ ̵̡͈̓͜h̸͎͈͋͂͘i̵̡̼̇͑ḏ̵̡́̈́i̷̜͔̒̈́ņ̴̈́͋̚ǧ̴͔̜̮̄ ̷̣͈͎̒͛͗h̶̟͐͜ͅĕ̷̺̃́r̷̺̦̤͊͑́e̷͓͔͊.̶̱̼͑ ̷̧̹̬̿̋I̷̪̣̅̈ṉ̶͎̙̃̀ ̷̳̳̹̈́̿̏f̷͙̾̓̊a̸͍̾͠c̶͕̹̺͑t̸̡̽́͘.̷̼̘̾.̶̬̂̽̓.̵̦̠̈́”
The quills Sonic’s back rose up as they tensed up, sensing danger. He quickly whipped his head around as his eyes darted to find the source of the danger. His mind was working on overdrive. Above? Below? Left? Right? The voice seemingly came from everywhere at once. And the distant crackling of thunder didn't help at all!
His answer came when a firm hand grasped his left shoulder!
“Ì̸̙̮'̷̤͛͘ͅm̴̟͓͔̏̈́͝ ̶̺̙̈́͂̀r̵̜̉̔̓i̵̮̤̒g̷̜̚h̷͇̦̖̄́t̵͙͛͜ ̸̩͇̅ḅ̵̨̇͗͊e̷̪͘h̸̠͠i̷̠̺̘͊̽̋n̷̝̼͕̂̚͘d̷̡̅͆ ̵͕̬͛̅̾y̶͍̐͜o̷̻̎͒̿ȕ̶͎̝̤͛͝.”
Sonic quickly whipped around! And even used the back of his left leg to sweep at the creature! Only for his leg to go through a black, thick mist! The hand seemingly still on his shoulder before it let go and another chuckle came… from the mist he tried to kick.
“Ya know, you really shouldn’t sneak up on people and scare them half to death. Although in my case, it might potentially be scaring me from un-death or something.” Sonic kept up his cocky grin, even though there was a stubborn bead of sweat rolling down his muzzle. Yes, he was worried and nervous. He didn't know why, his body just reacted to this... mist thing like it was threat number one! A feat only matched by Eggman on several occasions.
The mist replied with a small, distorted chuckle. Almost like it was three voices speaking as one.
“E̷̫̚r̶̠̭̂̈a̸̹͈̿̉s̷̭͕̃͋͐e̵̢̡͍͌ḍ̷̖̀ ̸̣̾͊f̵͈̈̒̀ř̶̡̥͉͒ō̶̜͕m̷̯̑̓ ̶̳́ē̸̫̻̕x̴̥̖̘̓͘i̵̛͓͈̒̀s̸̳̭̼̄͒̄t̷͉̺̊̑͘e̴̫̔n̵̛͍̦̐́c̸̥̘͒̓̎e̶̩͙͂͆̌ͅ ̸͙̜̚͝͝a̴̭̝͍̓͋̑ņ̴̮̉̽͗d̵̜̱͙̐̒̋ ̸̧̣͌̑y̶̙̌e̷̢̒t̵̥̓ ̶̖̪̕ͅh̶̳͠e̴͉̝̼͊̚r̸͎̲̖͂̕ē̶͖̯̳̄͋ ̷̩̾̄̓y̶̼̓̓o̴̭̩̅̈̔ù̷̗ ̷̨̝̂̄á̸̧͝r̶̺̼̈e̵̯̰͑,̴̡͔̻̌̊ ̶̪͛̾l̴̗̂͒̿ȯ̵͖̟b̶̙̍͒b̶̦̐̈́ì̵̹̼͕͝n̸̛̰̹̟̍̓g̸͚̥̘̾͋̄ ̶̡͇͆j̶̢̱͙͒̀̚o̷̙͇͑̆k̵̪̉͋ȩ̸͖͒̽s̸͈̙͍͑̇̆ ̶̧͈̫̊̒l̷̡̉i̶̙̦͖͊̿̀k̸̞̈́̈́̏e̶͕̰̐̒̍ ̵̼͇͆̋̓n̷̗̈ȯ̶̗ ̶̞̙̄t̵̞̫̙̆̊õ̷͕̒̈m̵̨̲̹̓ỏ̸̻̠̐͂͜r̵̳͎̺͗͛r̴̡̝̖̎o̶̢̼̰͊̐̋w̴̏̃̑͜.̷̭͓͓͛ ̶͓̯̿̎͒Ý̶̨̬̦ẻ̵̡͂̓a̵̬̩̚̕h̶̡̫͉͒,̴̧̯̺̽̐ ̶͈̿y̵̮̖̰̑ô̷͒̇ͅu̶͍͛̄̇ ̴̟̓̈â̷̟̝̒̈́r̴̠̺̪͗ę̴̮͉͋̃͂ ̷̣͎͌̇i̶͓̽n̷̄͜d̶̆̽́͜e̶͍̳͌̎̎ę̸͎̦̈́̕d̶͍̼̎̒̌ ̷̘͝S̶̘̰̫̽o̶̜͑n̴͘͜i̵̝͋̃͋c̵͙̹̱͝ ̸̮͝ḁ̵́̈͑ņ̵̀d̶̜̰̏͝ ̴͖̗̓̽̈ņ̶̞̒͊o̵͇͙̠̎ẗ̷̰́̌ ̸͉̝̓̂s̸̪̺͐͂̚͜o̶̦̘̎̄̾m̷̨̭̥̎͝ȅ̴͔̒͠ ̵̘̯͊̋͝ͅę̵̭̽c̶̣͇̏͜h̵̭͐̑̆o̵̩̿ ̷̲̫̱͋ǒ̸̻̥͍͘r̴̨̛͂ ̴̱̙̓͊̏ä̴͇̤̮͐ ̵͔̜͍͐͛͘l̶̺̱̓̅o̸͕̼̪̐͌o̸̧̺͐́̽s̵̠̈́e̶̩̍ ̴̱͐f̴̜̹̒͌ṛ̴͖́̃ä̶̢̤̗́͑̀g̴͙̽̾͝m̸̠͙̼͂e̷̡̟̚n̴̙͔̾̎͘͜t̴͇͐̀̕.̴͇͇̬̑̍” The mist replied in an almost casual tone. It still grated his ears, but the intonation was casual. Like two strangers meeting on a street. And now that it spoke way more casually… He could distinguish those voices. A manic one, a cold one and a quiet sad one. Odd combination...
“Well, gotta keep up the spirits somehow. Otherwise I wouldn’t be me.” Sonic replied, easing up a bit. Yet… his heart and stomach wouldn’t settle. It was like every time he glanced at it, his stomach would knot and his heart would enter a fight or flight response. He averted his eyes a bit and sure enough, his body eased up more than before.
“T̶̥̰̝̓ṟ̶͔̋̆u̶͉͈͋ẻ̴͔.̸̝̯̒” The mist agreed and then… started to solidify itself into the shape of a person. A shape which gently landed on the rock he’d been standing on. “T̶͓̚ḧ̸͚̝́̌̒a̸̱͂̐̉t̷͓̾͝ ̷̺̎w̵̖̗͚͆͋a̸͈͍͒ͅṡ̸̩̱͙̉ ̶̳̐s̵̙̦̿̑͂o̵̧̥͉͑̽͐m̸̞̳̲͂͊͊e̴̥̦̅͘ͅ ̴̺̫̤̌͒̋t̸̖̀e̵̙̦̊͗͠a̵͕͕̋͜r̴͇̓͜ͅf̷̣͍̮͛͝u̴̧͙̥̿̔l̸͉̬̊͊ ̵̖͍̬̄̀r̵̤̘͕̈͘è̵̳̈́̇ǘ̷̡̧̮n̷͇͋i̷̛̝̓̿ȏ̶̢̞͚͂ṅ̸̩͈̖͌ ̸̠̹̼͛̄̕t̸̜͎̰̽̃h̸̘̿e̶̦̎r̸̻̜̐̊̅͜ē̷̥̓,̴̰̹̬̇ ̵̦̠͌̚a̸̘̽ĺ̸̨̟̲̾͌b̴̯͓̩̾̈é̶̦̔͝ǐ̷̲͗t̴̳̠̊̊̎ ̸͙̂̄ͅb̵̟̽̃r̸̰͕̄ĭ̸̚͜e̶͈̿f̵̮̾.̷̡̪͔͌̽”
So… he, maybe it? watched him having a tearful exchange with his little brother. Sonic cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head in slight embarrassment while still avoiding to look at the figure properly. “You… saw all of that?” He asked.
“I̵͕̦̓͘t̷̛̹ ̴̮͙̦͗̔͗w̸͎̩̓ͅa̴̯̼̗̎̐s̶͖̩̀̔̎ ̷̫̭͊h̷̻̬̕a̸̮͒̌͝r̴̬͖̼̊d̶̮̋͑ ̶̫̈͋ͅt̴̘͕͛̓o̶̲̞̺̎͐̓ ̴̬̼̤́͂͠î̵̧̗̰g̸͓̭̟̓͝͠n̷̗̄o̶̺̎̓͠r̸͖͆̀͝e̵̝͆̓̓ ̶̧͓̯͐̔̃i̸̦̤̮͌̃͝t̷͕̠͊́͘.̷̗̣̲͛̂̉.̷̦̲̅̂.̷̡̠͆̃” The mist… seemingly deadpanned and then it slowly took even a more solid shade of black before turning into… what looked to be a Wolf. That caused Sonic to look better at the figure. A wolf with glowing red eyes that bore into his emerald green… His stomach flipped again, and it wasn't good! Unless your name is Shadow, creepy red glowing eyes in the darkness aren’t a good sign. He'd seen too many horror movies to know that.
“Y̶͍͂͐̏o̶̗͓͂û̴͜ ̷̤̠̜͒̔̿k̵͙̊͑͐ń̶̛̜ͅo̶̮̙̼͑w̶̖̙͉̋́ ̷̬̪̑h̵e̴'̴l̵l̶ ̸b̶e̷ back, right?” With the solid black wolf fully formed, the distorted, grating speech shifted into a more normal tone. The three dissonant voices merged into one, smooth tone. Almost like butter on a freshly baked toast. The wolf had their… no, his hands behind his back as those eyes looked… not just at Sonic, but maybe even through him, if that was even possible.
“He won’t let go of the only family he’d had in his entire life.” The wolf continued, “So he will be back here, one way… or another.” There was a small flash of a smirk on the wolf. One that Sonic didn’t like one bit! Especially when it concerned Tails and whatever this wolf had for him!
“And what's it to you, Mr Creepy darkness?” Sonic fired back, but his hands were already clenched into fists, ready to fight this creature… somehow. If he had his speed or his Chaos Energy, maybe he could hurt it, but right now in his limbo-like state? Not a chance.
The wolf’s muzzle slowly crept into a grin at this and he could feel his quills standing fully on end along with his fur! A grin that looked almost like Eggman’s if somehow even more sinister before he spread his hands sideways in a flashy motion! “Why, that’s everything to me! After all, his success in getting you back is quite beneficial to me! To all of us!”
At those words, Sonic frowned. “Well, he’ll find a way to make sure you stay here. You sound like really bad news if you were to be unleashed upon Green Hill or the Shatterverse.” And if not, then he’ll make sure both of them stay in this black void forever! Even if he might get bored sooner rather than later.
“Sonic, Sonic, Sonic…” The wolf shook his head, still grinning. “You sound like someone who still has the power in this place. You are gone, hedgehog. Your speed, scattered to the wind. Your mind barely clinging to sanity… and your spirit, while enduring… will erode here until, truly, nothing remains of you.” He explained while circling Sonic like he was prey. Not a very good feeling…
“Oh? That’s good! That means I won’t endure your dreadful company for long.” Sonic quipped back through some gritted teeth. Was it a bit of dark humor for him to be truly gone with no way back? Maybe, but he was already erased from existence. Why not lean into his new situation a bit more? Plus it keeps his nerves under control, somewhat.
“And Tails would be so heartbroken.” The wolf cooed gleefully as Sonic imagined his little brother inconsolably crying… He… he shook his head! “I didn’t peg you for being so ruthless to your family. Just imagine… him and Nine realizing fully that you’ll never come back… Oh poor little kits.” The wolf continued. That tone wasn't just gleeful. It was full on predatory! And Sonic absolutely didn’t like that tone! He also didn’t like how it flashed the image of two fox kits bawling their eyes out at what might be considered his empty grave… Maybe not Nine… but… ugh! Focus! He shook his head harder to banish the image as he narrowed his eyes on the wolf.
His body acted faster than his mind and he swung his right fist at the wolf's muzzle! Only for his fist to go right through the wolf and him having to stumble a bit before righting back onto his feet! It felt like his fist went through smoke rather than anything solid as the wolf turned around to face him again. The grin turned unnatural as the wolf’s shape turned around to face him again before visibly morphing into a slender human with black, disheveled and long hair. Red glowing eyes gazed down upon him as the figure kept that creepy, disturbing grin of someone not really there upstairs... And Sonic froze.
That was... fear? No way! He was Sonic! He wasn't afraid of anything! Maybe water and drowning... but not some... creepy human made of pure shadows. But... The eyes and the grin just told his stupid brain that he was prey, and that he needed to curl up into a ball right now!
“Their anguish would be so tantalizing, mmm… nothing lets my heart race more than a grieving family! Their hearts, broken and in pieces! Their bond with their older brother, forever severed! Oh how delicious!” The human sounded almost psychonic as he let out that manic, vile laugh! Sonic stepped forward as he wrestled with the fear to try and land another punch or kick! But the human turned into smoke and zoomed to the hedgehog’s left side faster than he could react! Sonic whipped his head to face-
The Wolf again, this time his eyes upon him were of cold, factual logic hidden behind glowing purple eyes. Hands behind his back as posture radiates authority… Gone was the creepy, nasty grin and instead it was that cold, calculating expression that he’d seen Shadow wear 24/7. “But that won’t happen. They’ll both come back and pull you out, as planned. Their emotional attachments and bonds won’t let go of a family member and a dear friend. They will find a way to this Void of Nonexistence, they will breach into it, and using the Paradox Prism, they bring you back, along with all of us.” The cold tone sent shivers down Sonic’s spine. It wasn’t a promise, or a tease… It was a cold, brutal fact.
And he knew he was right. Tails will do something like that at even a chance to bring him back to Green Hill. Then the wolf turned into smoke, went through him and emerged behind him! Sonic quickly whipped around to face… A raccoon, looking as young as him, wearing a somber expression on his face with the glowing blue eyes that reminded him of Tails when he was extra down in the dumps. The slumped shoulders and the dragging tail were proof of that.
“If there is any solace to your predicament, it won’t be painful. You’ll reunite with your younger brothers. You’ll be able to be with your friends again, your young brothers will have their older brother back… even if the cost would be so great...” The raccoon said in a tone that… reminded him of when he just met Tails... except maybe even worse since tone and posture just said this raccoon gave up on everything.
“And… what will that cost be?” Sonic asked, he needed to know what was in store for him and his friends if… no… when Tails and Nine get him back.
The raccoon in turn looked at him silently with those broken eyes, “That… would be up to you to decide.” And then he melted into the blackness of the void.
Well… that was cryptic as heck! But, he knew one thing - when he is brought back, this… thing, will be brought back with him. So he will need to prepare for that confrontation as soon as he is back. He looked up at the purple flashes in the distance. “Tails, Nine… I hope you have a backup plan. Cause things will turn bad really quick once I’m back.” He said into the void, and hoped to Gaia and Chaos that his words would be carried to his little brothers.