Warriors by Imagine Dragons.
~~~

The puffer vest he wore flapped against the sides of the red plane amidst the wind and his gloved fingers drummed the front rim of the passenger seat. He hummed and watched the stars dancing in the coal night sky, the moon peaking out behind misty clouds. In his lap sat a brown backpack and in the pilots seat Tails was settled, contently bringing the Tornado towards Angel Island.

"Sonic, what's the plan?"

The blue blur shrugged. "We go in and bring Robotnik back out with us."

"That's-...that's not much of a plan."

"I like to improvise."

Tails sighed. "Alright then, if we get him- what next?"

"Next?"

"What do we do with him? We can't lug him around."

"Ah."

The fox sucked his teeth. "Maybe turn him in or something? I-is there anyone for that? It can't just be you, Sally and your friends. N-not that you aren't awesome at this or anything!"

Sonic watched them begin to circle the island below. "There is someone else. A group, actually. But I don't trust them."

"Why not?"

His fingers dug into the backpack. "Long story."

Noticing the other's increasingly tense demeanour, Tails chose to leave the conversation at that. But, Sonic did reach to ruffle between his ears with a chuckle. "I'm probably not being sensible. That's Sal's thing. But don't worry, we can handle him!"

"Maybe alone, but we don't know what other tricks he has."

"Then we'll deal with them there. If you believe in yourself, you'll be fine!"

Tails briefly focused on manoeuvring the Tornado over trees before tapping his fingers against the yoke. "Do you believe Robotnik can be stopped?"

"Today? Well yeah. Thought I made that obvious."

"I mean in the long run. I doubt we'll finish his decades worth of tyranny and violence today."

"Well I-." Sonic looked ahead as the Tornado made it's first contact with Angel Island's soil.

"It has to end eventually."

Tails tensed as the plane continued bumping across the grassy ground. "How long has this been going on for?"

"Not sure how it started. But I have a feeling the war with the humans has something to do with it. Robotnik used to be a lot...worse, too. Guess with GUN and practically everywhere being under his control anyways, well, he's relaxed a bit."

Tails' eyes squeezed shut as the Tornado finally landed and he exhaled upon the aircraft slowing. "GUN?"

Sonic's fingers snapped and he hopped lightly out the plane, leaving the bag behind. "Ah. Yeah, that's the group I was talkin' about before."

The fox clambered out and flew down to the other's side, copying the older one's crouching stance. "And, untrustworthy."'

"Eh, maybe I'm being biased. Now, let's listen." Sonic whispered, holding out an arm in front of the kit.

"Right."

His ears craned towards leaves rustling, bird's occasionally tweeting and firefly's fluttering. The Tornado was silent, Tails was lightly breathing and Sonic still couldn't shake the feeling they weren't alone. The fox seemingly couldn't hear it, but he had caught the sound of a twig breaking past the trees. Easily could've been an animal- but Sonic wasn't taking any chances.

So, Tails was incredibly confused when the speedster whirled around to kneel and hug him. Followed by a whisper, "We're being watched."

The young kit hid his face against the other's shoulder. "How do you know?"

"A feeling. Plus I can hear them."

"H-how would they know we're here?"

"We flew in on a bright red plane- we didn't exactly make it very hard." Sonic climbed up, took his friends hand and cautiously began winding through trees.

"So what do we do?"

"We trap 'em."

—————

The pair took to the trees, the oldest of them standing delicately atop a branch and peering into the darkness of the forest. The youngest swung his legs back and forth, occasionally glancing at his blue best friend before returning to observing the moon.

"What if we don't beat him?" Tails asked, voice hushed.

"That's not really an option."

"Sonic."

"Honestly? I don't think we'll get to see."

The fox's namesakes wrapped around him as he gulped, eyes shrinking at the thought. Sonic double took prior to cringing at himself, 'Probably not the most comforting thing to tell a nine year old.'

"Don't think about that, Little Buddy. Stick with me and you'll be fine. Promise."

"And who'll keep you safe?"

Sonic snorted, but to Tails it sounded harsh. "I do that myself."

The fox watched his friend with lowering ears. The blue blur continued observing their surroundings (Tails was told this was so Sonic could find a clearing for them to lead their follower out) and the kit looked back at the moon.

"Maybe we could fly there. Where we're both safe and no danger can come after us."

"Wh-?" Sonic turned, then followed the other's gaze. "The moon?"

"Yeah. Where good always wins."

For a moment it was quiet (despite a bush loudly shaking- compared to it's neighbours) prior to Tails flinching upon a hand resting between his ears, softly combing through his fur.

"Alright pal. One day, we'll get outta here. How's about-?"

Sonic's ears sprung up and he quickly stood, eyes dotting across their surroundings. Tails followed, watching in confusion before hearing treading nearby. Simultaneously, the pair looked to the same direction where a shadow was seen slipping between the forests last trees. Tails stumbled as a ferocious blue blur blasted by him, but the fox caught himself with his namesakes to follow.

Sonic graciously passed shrubbery and swept by trees. Tails glided just behind, eyes narrowing as he focused on the mysterious figure who's head turned to watch them. Purple eyes glowed under the inky night sky and it was with the parting of trees that the fox realised they were being led into a trap.

"Sonic-!" He called, reaching out.

The blue blur leapt out from the trees onto a vast meadow with few ponds. He briefly saw small blue creatures of some kind sleeping by them and a glorious but damaged stone shrine with-

"Oomph-!"

The view of grass quickly turned to a starry sky as his legs left the ground. Sonic felt tears creep to his eyes as his entire body shook from the shear impact of a terribly violent white mitten. He could already feel a bruise forming on his cheek and saw speckles of blood fly past him prior to crashing into the ground. He couldn't even muster a groan upon impact and let a brown boot roll him onto his back. The world span faster than he could run, sounds slurred together like he was deep underwater and colours twirled like a blurry spiral.

Still, he blinked to try and focus his vision only to meet a wobbly blob of red. His eyes narrowed and he let out the faintest wheeze, but did manage to make out a brown hat, boots, bandaged mittens (with pointed knuckles somehow) and many white patterns across incredibly bright red fur. However, when a wavy golden pattern joined the red's side Sonic's eyes widened and he attempted in lifting his arm. He was fruitless and could only control his vision focusing as he was kicked at the side of his upper leg. Only then did he truly understand who the figure was. An echidna. And that echidna was holding his best friend by the tails.

"I was warned about you." The echidna spoke, voice gruff and low. "You're Sonic the Hedgehog, and you're an unwanted guest on my island."