Only Way Out By Madeon and Vancouver Sleep Clinic.
Alive by Warbly Jets.
~~~

"Morning guys! Who's ready for their hot, fresh cup of bodily harm?"

He had been out on an exhilarating run throughout the rich city of Spagonia. Shopping list in hand, he'd been seeking tools and supplies for his younger brother (alas, he didn't need to venture so far- but where was the fun in that). Winding through narrow streets and twisting around tight corners, when he'd come across the cities shopping market he took to the Mission Tiled roofs. He'd come to learn through his observation and questions that Spagonia hosted a yearly shopping convention throughout the summer, inviting those from all around the world to buy and sell (which led to him visiting in the first place).

Of course, such a popular and renowned event brought in all sorts of attention- wanted or not. He had watched cameras and reporters informing their audiences of the convention from one of the higher buildings roofs, taking note of a familiar teal hedgehog at the forefront. Not fancying another one of her interviews, he'd bounced across rusted tiles to head home- but trouble had arrived and prevented such a goal.

So, once again, he stood smug in the centre of his dust cloud (one created upon his landing) with a foot resting atop a sparking Motobug. Finger rubbing the underside of his nose, he observed the nearest stalls already torn down from the havoc and the Badniks that begun to swarm him. Screams turned into cheers and citizens peaked out from hiding with claps and excited whispers.

"Oh my Chaos- that's Sonic the Hedgehog!"

"I knew he'd come!"

"Those Badniks'll regret showing here now!"

The celebrated Fastest Thing Alive tucked his list within his large, sharp quills. "Mind makin' this quick? I've gotta pick some stuff up for Tails- you know how it is."

Eggrobo's raised their weapons and Eggpawns stomped their feet. Beebots and more Motobugs alike joined their brethren with respective whirs and hisses.

Sonic shrugged. "Guess not."

He gave a flashy grin (he couldn't help feeling even more confident from the excitement pouring from the crowd). "Good thing going fast is what I do best."

In a blue flash he was gone. The Badniks stumbled about to try and lay eyes on the silent speedster, but with a booming whoosh he barrelled by some of the larger opponents- snickering at the way they tumbled against each other. With a leap he swung from a Beebot and landed atop the large gun an Eggrobo equipped. He peaked right down the weapons charging centre, glanced at the upcoming machines, stuck his tongue out and flipped up when the firearm struck. A cyan blue ray burst towards skidding Badniks and crushed right through many of their chests (no, the beam did not look familiar. Nope).

Looking over his shoulder at his progress, emerald eyes widened upon catching an Iberian Lynx squeal when lifted by her underarms. Large sun hat fell from her head and little sandals kicked in the air. Sonic burst forward, skidded to swipe up the hat, and zoomed around the machine- making it dizzily spin.

"Please, sir! I'm getting-!"

It's grip on the girl loosened, she squealed, vision briefly became beige when her hat was put back on and she found herself perched back on the ground. Sonic only gave a salute prior to rushing back into battle.

"I've seen a bunch of you around for a while now, wanna tell me why?"

Expectantly, he only received a downpour of lasers and repeated swings. Dropping to his knees and sliding, he narrowly escaped the clutches of an Eggpawn. Without a pause, he leaned on his hand to spin back and pushed his leg skyward- knocking a Beebot straight into the side of a nearby stall.

"What about your boss? Is he behind this or are you just erratically running about?"

Having used his words for a break, Sonic dusted his legs when his ears sprung up. At his left, two Eggpawns stretched their arms forward as they charged, on his right Beebots buzzed closer, behind stormed a crowd of Eggrobo's and before him rolled many Motobugs. He glanced at his shiny red trainers, noticing a rusty silver drain. Ah, perfect.

The small lynx peaked from her hiding spot and gasped, trying to call for the hero to run- but the Badniks were quicker and he disappeared from view when they collided. Sparks flew, metal pieces bounced off and overrun whirs boomed over the crowds worried whispers.

As the last of the Badniks fell, metal grinding against concrete screeched from behind. A dusty blue head with bandages wrapped around his lower four quills popped out and he rested an elbow against the ground.

"Hedgehog: noun. A burrowing animal." With a sleek jump he fiddled with his golden ring shaped earring before stretching his arms behind his head.

Only briefly could he examine the damage of the stalls (bringing out a cringe from him) and pile of robots prior to a colourful crowd surrounding him. With many smiling faces and hands gratefully clasped together, some shook his own and cheered.

"Thank you, Sonic! For saving us!" A bull with little, circular glasses and very long beard patted his shoulder.

"Here! Something for your efforts!" He couldn't even see who'd given him a basket of chilli dogs (despite his nervous grin, he wasn't complaining).

"All in a days work folks!" Feeling the tug on his fingerless gloves, he looked down to that same Iberian lynx.

"Thank you, mister!"

"Sure thing kiddo. Say, how many times have you guys been given trouble?"

"Well, until now not since...." Her brown eyes lowered. "You know."

"Ah, ri-."

He flinched at the buzz under his left gloves cuffs and pushed them up, pulled a seashell bracelet down to reveal his Comlink. Tails' twin namesakes flashed over a blue screen and Sonic, with the basket in hand, slipped out from the crowd to answer.

"Yo, buddy! I've got-!"

"Is that you on the news fighting Badniks?"

He cringed. "Depends, what did you see?"

"Sonic."

"What's the big deal? I'll get your parts-."

"You know the Commander wants to hear about these instances. And, you told him you haven't come across Badniks or anything Eggman related on your runs much."

Sonic couldn't help the eye roll. "I haven't."

"We both know that's not true. I've been there when we came across some of his goons."

"...Sure. But I don't think these warrant a G.U.N visit. It's not like the guys showed up himself."

"And you don't think these Badnik appearances are suspicious?"

Sonic began pacing, ear flickering at the faint sound of rumbling. "Well 'course I do. But nothing's happened yet. Towers worries for no reason."

The twelve year old fox could be heard sighing. "One of these times, if you keep getting the news' attention, he will show up. He probably only hasn't because of the lack of news coverage- you know better than anyone how he is. Besides, Team Dark has some news for you."

Gasps and a scream. Flashes of cameras and reporters, once nearing to approach him, stopped in their tracks. There was a low hum of something so plain and normal, yet Sonic knew it was anything but.

Nevertheless, Tails continued. "They have a new mission from Towers, but they want you to go with them. They said they've found h-."

Green eyes shrunk and blue legs almost tripped over a loose stone. "Yeah er, bud? You might wanna let 'em know that info's old news."

Tails could hear the tiniest quiver in his brothers voice. "What? Sonic's what's wrong? I'm close by, I can-."

If there was one sound Sonic hated more than anything, it was that nightmarish, throaty, downright evil cackle. Everything about that stupid golden tooth, unnaturally wide smile, dark blue glasses and grey-tipped moustache set his quills upright and teeth on edge.

"HO HO HOOO!"

The Eggmobile was new, shiny and just as round as the man sat within. His two lackeys peaked over at his sides and a claw and wrecking ball swung beneath the vehicle. Citizens below mustered their courage to look over their hiding places, eyes glued onto the glaring speedster.

"I knew you couldn't hide forever."

"And I knew you couldn't stay away from the attention forever."

Sonic glanced at cameras zooming in on him and reporters crouched behind the equipment- except for one. A teal hedgehog in a red silky suit still held her microphone- switching her gaze back and forth between the pair.

Was this...some kind of stunt?

It didn't matter. He shook his head and observed all the terrified citizens. A year. A year of peace and less regulations. Hope over fear. The once notorious empire reduced to a joke and the man himself nothing more than a halloween costume. As the Eggmobile lowered, a wave of dust washed out beneath and briefly brought a brown neckerchief into his lower view.

A red plane caught the upper corner of his eye. He followed to see it way high up, twisting through the fluffy clouds. Sonic returned his gaze to the waiting man in front of him before his brother's location could be given away.

Maybe it was a stunt. Maybe it was an elaborate plan of the mans or some magnificent coincidence. It all led to one fateful moment just the same.

It didn't matter how much he spoke of being as free as the wind, he would return to this game all the same.

In a cruel twist of irony, the one who resembled freedom most of all was perhaps the least free overall.

"It's been a while, Eggman. Let me show you how good at this I got whilst you've been away."

And he'd be damned if he wasn't free enough to do that too.