3 years had passed since anyone had seen the hero. A year into his disappearance, his picture was taken off the newspapers and changed into an obituary. The citizens were mourning the loss of their beloved hero but his friends were mourning their best friend.

No one wanted to give up hope that one day, out of the shadows, he would return. But as the days pass, they turned into weeks and then months and then the year where there was absolutely no trace of him or the one who took him. Everyone was left wondering what was done to him, what he had to go through before he inevitably gave in. Some wanted answers but others were scared of knowing the truth.

What if what their hero went through before passing away was worse than they could ever imagine?

It was now 3 years later and his body was still never found, his friends had to bury an empty casket as they said goodbye and try to move on. For they knew that the hero died for them and there was nothing else they could do.

There was no one left who was still looking for him. At least that's what everyone thought but hiding in his lab, the heros best friend and amazing sidekick, would still not give up hope. He was determined to find him and would do anything to find out what happened to him all these years later.

He sat in his lab most of his day, tracing back what had happened that unfortunate night. The night where the hero was taken in order to save the others.

----
(3 years ago)
Eggman had been very persistent that entire month, he had been attacking without stop, day and night. The heros were exhausted, they were now taking turns so some of them could get some sleep but Eggman had another idea.

While he attacked the ones who were awake, he sent robots to the houses of those who weren't. He wanted to keep them tired, he was tired of them always getting in the middle of his plans.

With the help of his robots he had managed to upgrade, he realized it was harder for the heros to destroy and fight against. He watched from above as he ordered more to the scene, noticing the heros were exhausted and weak.

"N-No!" The pink hedgehog shouted in pain as she swung her hammer around but to no gain as the robots pushed her down and attacked with all they could. She tried to fight but they weren't the ones who needed rest, in the end they made her leg snap and she called for help.

On the other side of the battle, the red echidna saw his friend in need and tried to get to her but failed as he got shot in the leg and grabbed by his quills then dragged off. They tied his hands and kicked him making his ribs crack.

"Sonic!" The heros best friend flew above them all, warning them about the dangers and where the robots were located while he was being chased by a flying copy of his best friend. Metal managed to land on the plane and stab the foxes arm making him let go of the wheel as Metal made it crash down.

"There's too many of them!" Rouge shouted as she kicked some robots away from who she considered was her best friend. As he glared at her telling her he didn't need help, they were then attacked and pinned to the ground by Metal who had now left the poor fox barely able to move.

Metal distracted Shadow as the others attacked Rouge and once they had her, nearly unconscious, they went to help and finish with Shadow too. They were too many for the Ultimate Life Form, as he too started to mentally panic, he couldn't find a way out once they took his emerald away and gave it to the doctor. Soon enough they had him on the ground with a gun to his head.

"Stop! Stop it!" The hero shouted, standing above a tree looking up at the doctor.

The hero could see from this height all his friends were about to die. He knew they were no match for this battle and knew there was only one way out. The doctor knew and smirked at the azure hedgehog.

"Leave them alone..." The hero panted and pleaded with the doctor. "Take me instead!" Tears were rolling down his muzzle as he dare not look at his friends no more.

Eggman didn't hesitate to take that offer. He ordered his rivals metal copy to grab him and take him away.

"No! Sonic!" His friends shouted as the hero was then kicked off in the stomach off the tree then kicked in the head making him go unconscious before he was taken. Never to be seen again.

----
(Present)
The fox typed again and again in his computer, remembering that day to detail and not letting himself forget. The day after the fight they had gone looking for him, following the traces the metal copy had left but at some point it had disappeared.

How could the hero and the doctor disappear like that?

The fox was determined to bring his best friend back to his friends and to his family. He went over cameras, over signals, over satellites trying to find a single trace of his best friend but he knew too, that it was too late.