Everything I Wanted by Billie Eilish.
~~~

He pulls on the needle to bring the black thread through once more and slips it back under the torn puffer vest resting on his lap. A hole once large starts to close as he sows the damage shut. Soon, it becomes a thin stitch like pattern that matches a few more decorated across the brown cloth. He holds it up to examine his work (thankful that he can do this without having to ask Sally for help now) and with a content nod tugs it over his shoulders. Then, he removes his black glasses (which Sally continuously said he should wear more) and places them atop a rickety desk.

Sonic mindlessly fiddles with some loosening string and slips past vines covering his rooms entryway. There, his ears flicker upon hearing sniffles and he makes his way to the edge of the upper floor, arms slinging over a rustic wooden fence. He peers over and green eyes almost instantly soften upon seeing a curled up chipmunk sinking into a raggedy bean bag. The radio beside her is playing a tune often heard by them and N-I-C-O-L-E's computer system is shut down- presumably so they can rest. But none of it matters when he hears another sniffle and Sonic is quick to slide down the ladder.

He reaches for the chipmunk he can now see trembling. "Sal?"

His voice is gentle (reserved for moments such as this) and his shoulders lower upon his hand meeting her shoulder. But Sally tenses and quickly lifts her head, taking a wobbly inhale as she reaches to rub her eyes. Sonic stops her and conducts the action instead, crouching on a knee as he does so.

"You okay?" He asks, despite knowing the answer.

"Sorry. Just thinking."

"That doesn't usually do much good to your pretty head."

As he hoped, Sally chuckles and diverts her gaze. "I can't help it."

"I know." He stands and holds out a hand. "But I can."

Perplexed, the chipmunk raises a brow but accepts the gesture nevertheless. She relaxes as she leans against him, allowing to be in his arms. Her head nuzzles against his neck and her eyes close as they begin to slowly rotate. His grassy scent soothes her mind and his beating heart calms her form.

"I think about it too." Sonic admits, barely above a whisper.

Sally (regrettably) lifts her head to examine kind green eyes. She recalls how she used to stumble and blush in embarrassment whenever he offered to dance- but doing so now felt oddly...right. She could already feel her troubling thoughts simmer away and then he smiled and Sally couldn't understand why her heart ached- like it yearned for something. At this she quickly hid her face against his neck once more.

"Admittedly, I hope I never stop thinking about them. That way...it's like a part of them stays alive. Besides, I have you to pull me back to Mobius when I get too lost."

"I'll always be there to do so."

Sally feels them sway and she wraps her arms above his shoulders, letting them intertwine at the back. "Sonic I...thank you. For keeping me here. For not letting me...I'm glad I still have you."

Sonic briefly pauses at the rare intimate honesty and when he feels heat hurry to his cheeks, he gives a laugh that comes out softer than planned. Still, he continues leading her in slow circles.

"You hardly need me. You're the strongest mobian I know. I-if anything I should thank you for-." He stalls when she lifts her head to show glistening sky blue eyes and an amused grin.

He clears his throat. "I'm your friend. It's my job."

Sally wonders why her heart aches again, and why it feels more painful and less welcomed. She examines green eyes and searches for if he has more to say- but she can't tell. If Sonic doesn't want to be read, then he won't be. Then she wonders why she's thinking this at all and it dawns on her that maybe she-

Sonic notices her mind begin to wonder again and so he pulls her in by sending her in a light twirl- one that elicits a surprised giggle and he swears it's the most endearing sound he's ever heard. Then he literally brings her in and hugs her by the waist- letting her hands fall onto his shoulders as they resume their leisure rotating. Sally's eyes explore once more and Sonic wonders if she's able to decipher the message he's attempting to convey.

'I'm here.'

—————

But then he's not and his ears are flooded with harsh noises of machines and whirs and his eyes spring open to be blinded by an agonising light and his entire body aches. The light pierces his vision and he teeters on the brink of gaining a migraine before his head drops. He hisses as a sharp stabbing throb circles his abdomen and his legs shake, even though he's on his knees. But soon something more concerning comes to his attention as his vision focuses- revealing hefty handcuffs that detain him. These metal constraints smother his entire hands and Sonic shifts, only to hear a jingle and then he knows his ankles are tied too.

There's also a sizeable bruise blossoming on his front and breathing feels like a chore- as if his lungs are crushing against bone. A few spines from his forehead quills drop in front of his eyes but Sonic's more attentive to the metal he's sitting on. There's small holes which inclines him to believe he's sat atop some sort of drain. He groans and his eyes narrow as he lifts his head- meeting a reflection of himself and he can see his busted lip and the many scratches that decorate his form.

Once his eyes adjust to the blinding light above him, the glass shifts to show his outer surroundings. He scurries back almost immediately- only to hit more glass. Opposing him is a long steel bridge that ends at a pair of doors one way and meets his large dome imprisonment at the other. At a struggle he slides up the glass to shakily stand (vision swirling briefly) and acknowledges he's in some cylinder connected with countless wires that stretch to the dome's ceiling. Behind him sits a long computer system and beside his cylinder is a large red button.

'Is this...?' He can't find the courage to finish his sentence.

He also refuses to think this is his...well, he refuses to think so conclusively. He still needs to see Sally again as promised- because he knows she'll love the friends his made so far. He wants to tell her about his adventure (that's nearing two years) and he wants to bring her on one and-

His eyes land on another cylinder a short distance away and he panics for a moment because- oh Chaos- Tails isn't here- but soon notices it's already got something inside. A bunch of mangled robot parts lay on the floor, with wires sprawled all over it. And like his, wires climb to the ceiling but this one lacks a button on it's outside. Sonic's heart starts to race and he knows he hasn't felt like this in years, but it becomes even harder to control when those distant doors groan open.

His legs buckle and he would've dropped if he weren't leaning against the glass. A round shadow slips past the doors and gets drowned in light to reveal a towering man with one hand stroking his moustache and the other hidden behind his back. As usual, he dons his usual attire of black and red. Specifically, boots, formal trousers and a tailcoat with silver accessories. But Sonic's more attentive to blue glasses sitting atop a large, pointed nose and upon the man nearing he feels like his heart's going to burst out his throat. So he gulps and musters up a scowl (despite his ears edging backwards) and watches the man stop at the edge of the dome.

"So many before you have been in a similar predicament." He starts and Sonic already feels his blood boil.

"Of course, for someone like yourself I thought I'd...change it up a bit." A nasty grin stretches across the mans pale skin and he marches leisurely towards the cylinder (revelling in the hedgehog shrinking- even just slightly).

He leans down to be eye level with the rodent. "You're rather quiet today hmm? Overwhelmed, perhaps? Maybe you need some clarification-."

"W-where's Tails?!" Sonic demands.

"Very brave." The man mocks. "If you're talking about that silly fox, he's with that stupid echidna. Waiting."

"Wai- for what?" As soon as he asks, Sonic has an inkling of the answer.

Doctor Robotnik's grin doesn't do much to console him and he gives a firm knock on the glass before disappearing around the cylinder. The speedster spins and watches the other sit comfortably in a cushiony chair behind the computer system.

"Originally, I had planned to simply Robotisize you. But then I had the brilliant idea to catch two rodents with one machine." Blue glasses glimmered over the edge of the screens. "The machine in question stands right before me."

"But I'm not-." And then it all clicks together. "You-."

"Sweet little Sally will become so heartbroken when she sees her knight in shining armour is nothing more than a killing machine. That'll make it all the more easier to get rid of her once and for all. Of course, you won't be around to save her by then."

"Wait-!"

"Relax you nuisance. If it's any consolation you'll be with your failure of a family soon enough."

Something in Sonic's head immediately snapped and a thin black mist circled his shoes. Enraged tears welled at his eyes and he gave the glass a tremendous hit with both fists.

"You- argh!"

Vomit inducing lights danced across his vision as his ears were flooded with a deafening screech. Simultaneously, his strength gave way and he dropped to his knees. His teeth ground together and his eyes squeezed shut upon an electrifying pain ricochet throughout his entire form. His body shook and he could feel bile rise to his throat- but he only screamed as the indescribable agony kept increasing in intensity.

Outside, Robotnik stood and watched as the rodent's entire cylinder filled with a blinding light- and soon the other did the same. Despite horrific yells and voice cracks, the emperor grinned and brought his hands together. However, an alien internal twinge occurred upon hearing gagging mix with the screams.

But it soon vanished upon a loud bang bursting from above and he was quick to run to the dome's edge. Robotnik looked up at the distant balcony (which circled the room) and felt a tremendous amount of rage upon seeing two stupid mobians peering over. Sonic's screams and throwing up cut between the silence, followed by a desperate cry from above.

"Sonic!" Tails didn't hesitate to leap over the metal railing and spin his namesakes, letting Knuckles glide ('He can do that?') after him.

Robotnik whirled around quickly and took refuge behind the computer. He watched the two simpletons near landing as smoke burst out from the two cylinders. It quickly swam up to the ceiling and enveloped the dome as the lights began wildly flickering. Even a few wires snapped and danced across the floor. Tails lost his focus throughout but had Knuckles to pull him back as they stumbled onto the floor- hands covering coughing faces. The wires soon lay limp, most of the lights stayed off and the smoke gradually became a thin mist. Tails immediately picked himself up off the floor with a gasp and wide, glassy eyes watched the two cylinders.

"What the...?" Knuckles' eyes narrowed upon seeing what was once robot scrap now stood completely upright and-

"Sonic!" Tails shrieked and shot past the echidna, sliding a short distance prior to hitting the cylinder.

Within, a violently shaking hedgehog wheezed on all fours. Eyes were screwed shut, but it was clear tears had flooded down his now ghostly muzzle. Vomit with speckles of red slipped through the floors holes and even a couple of tiny blue spines followed. Blue eyes widened in great worry and Tails gave the glass a gentle knock.

But sympathy quickly twisted into anger as he looked around the cylinder at a cowering Robotnik. "What did you do?!" He demanded, tears almost spilling.

"Tails!"

Surprised, the fox whirled to see Knuckles charging straight for him. The former turned to the second cylinder- catching glass shatter before red fur smothered his vision. He could feel an arm wrap around him and he immediately started kicking.

"Put me down! We can't leave-!"

"We're not!" Knuckles snapped and crushed his fist against the red button.

Tails watched the glass slide up and the second there was a big enough gap the echidna scooped Sonic up with his other arm. However, Knuckles hissed and chewed his gum to avoid making too many complaints when unbelievably sharp spines dug into his limb. Nevertheless, he didn't waste a moment in charging down the steel bridge. Tails craned his head to watch his best friend to try and decipher his condition. Although his physical state was obvious (and poor) his head was lowered enough for his face to be hidden- which made reading him far more difficult.

"After them!" Robotnik's voice bellowed behind them.

Still, Knuckles twisted so he could protect the two as much as possible whilst he crashed straight through the hefty doors. Without looking back, he made the first turn he could and grimaced upon metal briefly screeching against metal. Tails squirmed so he could look behind him and felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing the jet flying machine barrel towards them.

"Knuckles! What in Chaos is that?!"

The echidna stole a quick glance prior to focusing ahead. "Robotnik getting creative is what that is!"

Tails shook his head to rid the panic and focused on mobian hungry optics. They were a chilling red to match it's feet that were lined with white. It had a large yellow centre, a pointy silver nose and shiny muzzle. It lacked a mouth, held nightmarish claws and most terrifyingly was a glistening cobalt blue.

"Oh Sweet Gaia...." He felt faint. "Knuckles it's...it's Sonic. Robotnik made a Metal Sonic."