He told almost everything to his friends. After all, there wasn’t much that he had to hide.

Of course, that was before Eggman took over.

Six months of endless torture and confusion. He could never tell anyone of what actually happened on the Death Egg in that time, but it was one of the worst things he had ever experienced.

He didn’t know how much his friends knew, but he knew that they probably suspected something. He heard the rumors that spread through the resistance. He never confirmed or denied what happened when he was asked. Even when Tails, worried for him, questioned him what had happened and if he was alright, he just laughed it off and said that everything was fine.

Nothing was fine….

Everytime he even looked towards Infinite, a shiver ran up his spine. Infinite could sense it too, and he almost got caught shaking in front of Infinite and Silver. Luckily, Silver never questioned it and Infinite is gone. At least he thought so.

He found himself with so much fear after those months, and sometimes he couldn’t even tell what was real.

Water was something he was always afraid of, but now….

____________________

He glared at the cell doors in front of him, trying to figure out where he was and what was going on.

The most he could figure out was that he was in some kind of prison, most likely put there by Eggman. Everything else was a blank.

He thought back to what had happened before he passed out. There was Zavok, Metal, Chaos, and Shadow with Eggman….

There was also that new guy.

He bit his lip in thought as he looked to the bonds containing his wrists and ankles. Who was he? Why was Shadow of all people siding with him? And how did he get beaten so easily?

His mind wandered to Tails, and he suddenly found himself worrying if he was okay. Was he in this place too?

Finally, he shouted. “What’s going on here!?”

He stood and tried to move his arms again, but to no avail. He knew that unless he wanted to fall face first to the ground, he shouldn’t try to walk, let alone run. He tried to see if there was anything outside the cell doors. From his standpoint, there was nothing but other cells.

“Hello!?” He called out. Finally, that guy appeared. “You! Where’s Tails!? And where are we!?”

“That pathetic fox is out of my way.” The guy told, his eye fixated on him. “And as for where you are, you’re in your worst nightmare!”

And with that, the guy disappeared, leaving many red boxes to fly towards him.

He blinked. Everything looked the same, just with a strange red tint. He looked around cautiously. “What’s goin’ on here!?”

A second after he finished the question, the cell doors became a wall, and he could hear water starting to pour out around him. His eyes widened as his heart started to beat faster in growing fear. “W-Wait, what!? I-Is this some kinda joke!?”

The water was up to his knees now, and with his ankles shackled, he knew there was no way he could run. He looked around the darkness desperately, hoping he could find anyway out. Sadly, there was no light, only red tinged darkness.

He felt his ears flatten against his head, shaking horribly. The water was at his stomach now; he started to hyperventilate. “H-Help!”

It started coming out faster, and he felt himself almost near to fainting out of fear. It was up to his neck and he knew that the end was coming. Of course Eggman would want to finish him off!

He felt tears come to his eyes as he thought of everyone, and he wondered what they were doing. And then he thought of Tails.

Tails was there before he passed out. He wondered if he was okay.

“I’m sorry, Tails!” He cried out before the water filled the room.

And then he found his face connecting to the floor, no water in sight.

“H-Huh?” He groaned out in confusion. The bars were back, the place wasn’t tinted red, and it didn’t even look like water had been present. He tried to get back on his feet but could only get on his knees. His heart was still beating faster than his own feet could take him as he looked around the- no- his cell. His ears went back as he heard a familiar chuckle.

“This is better than I’ve ever imagined.” He glared to the man walking up to his cell.

“Eggman!” He struggled a bit in his bonds, the urge to break out getting even stronger. “What’s goin’ on here!?”

Dr. Eggman just grinned. “I’ve won, hedgehog.”

Those words sunk into him as he felt his heart drop. Eggman couldn’t have won, right? His friends would make sure that he wouldn’t. His voice came out a bit weak. “Where are my friends?”

“It doesn’t matter where they are. Not here.” Eggman simply said. “All that matters is that they’ve lost hope, now that their hero is dead.”

“Dead!?” He looked to the human in shock. “I’m not dead!”

“That’s not what they think.” His grin widened.

His ears flattened against his head as his mind went to his friends. “They think I’m dead…?”

“And soon enough, my empire will be finished, and what they think will become true.” Eggman boasted as he stared off into space.

________________________

Six months later and he was still alive; the world was slowly going back to its former glory. He was okay.

But sorely damaged inside.

He helped all he could with repairs; he still couldn’t believe how destroyed his entire world was. The world he almost failed to save….

He pulled it off like it was no big deal. It couldn’t be; he was a hero! He couldn’t get a little… a lot… of… torture….

No! He couldn’t let it get to him! Without him, the people lose hope, and he could never let that happen.

No matter how much he felt like he was going to crumble under the touch of anyone.

It felt nice to feel someone real….

It felt nice to feel a nice touch instead of devastating blows….

_____________________

He cried out, the calls echoing through the prison.

Another cut.

Another bruise.

Another stab.

Another wound.

Another cry.

He couldn’t fight them off! They were surrounding him: Shadow, Chaos, Zavok, Metal, all of them! Punching, kicking, stabbing, crying. He struggled again in his binds before curling up, tears streaming down his muzzle. They didn’t stop.

He remembered when he could fight them so easily. He remembered when Shadow was his friend. He remembered when Chaos cared for the chaos. He remembered when a scar was half the fun of being a hero.

All of those memories turned to dust before his eyes.

Another cut.

Another bruise.

Another stab.

Another wound.

Another cry.

____________________

People he once thought as friends slowly became twisted in his mind.

He tried his best to hide those thoughts from Shadow. The real Shadow.

Finding out that all of those were fakes helped a small bit. But he couldn’t help the slight flinch whenever Shadow even so much as looked to him. He felt- no, he knew Shadow was catching on. He was perceptive like that.

He could still never get over those eyes….

______________________

“Wh-Why are you doing this!” He cried out, only earning him another burn.

Shadow's eyes sparked with malevolent delight. He never spoke. Not once.

He didn't need to.

It was searing pain, and he could feel his fur falling off.

No matter how much pain, he still couldn't look away from the joy in the other hedgehog’s eyes.

“How can we make this better…?” He heard Eggman’s voice. He and that mystery jackal had been watching the whole time.

“Might I suggest something, Doctor?” The voice of the other caused shivers to rack through his body as he let out another cry.

“What is it?” His arch-nemesis snapped.

“There’s one thing that’s extremely degrading to hedgehog’s that I’d think you’d love.” The jackal’s voice grew even more sinister. “Blunting his quills.”

His breathing became frantic to the idea as another burn was added to his side.

“Perfect!” He could almost see the dark grin the human had.

And he was dragged away, too hurt to flail, to broken to resist anymore….

___________________

He refused to even look back on the memories of that experience.

The only thing that came out of that was blunted quills.

And an even more broken hedgehog.

“Sonic?” He turned to see worried blue eyes staring at him. “Is everything okay?”

He shook the thoughts and memories away, quickly putting on a fake smile. “Of course, little buddy! I’m fine!”

Tails frowned, walking closer. “Rouge… told me about the day we came to rescue you….”

His eyes widened, those unwanted memories quickly spurring back.

__________________

His friends were coming for him!

He was going to be free!

The thought excited him as he heard it from the white bat standing in front of him.

“Don’t worry, blue. We’ll get you out of here.”

Free!

Free!

Free!

After who knows how long, his friends had finally found out where he was!

He was starting to lose hope, but the news from Rouge had made him more elated than he had been in who knows how long!

“Th-Thank you…. If I could move my arms, I’d hug you right now!”

“Save your energy; Knuckles is sending a team up here soon.”

A little while later, he found Eggman standing in front of his cell. He looked up to the other, who raised an eyebrow in question.

“This is the first time you've looked at me since you broke. What's changed?”

He stayed silent, but his eyes did not waver. He wouldn't let fear contain him any longer.

He was going to see his friends again.

He wasn't going to let Eggman win again.

“Answer me, rodent!” Eggman glared at him through his blue tinted glasses.

He remained silent.

Eggman got angry. He quickly pressed a button, and he soon found himself hanging upside down. He gasped out in shock, some wounds reopening in his legs, causing small whimpers to escape.

No, don't do that again.

Rouge is watching….

Don't show weakness….

You're their hope.

His ears twitched as he heard running water. His eyes widened as he looked to Eggman. The cell door was now a clear wall.

This wasn't that strange red tinted place….

This was real….

Real… water….

“Why do you suddenly have that spark, hedgehog?” Eggman said above his panic.

“No nononononono!” He struggled, crying out.

“I'll stop this if you tell me.”

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” He was panicking.

“Then tell me, rodent!” Eggman's voice cane out as a growl.

The water was touching the tips of his ears. He just wasn't as strong as he use to be…. “MY FRIENDS ARE COMING TO GET ME!”

The water stopped, drained quickly, and his head hit the ground painfully, followed by the rest of his body. He let out a loud cry of pain.

The ground was still moist.

“How'd they find out you were alive!?” Eggman questioned darkly. “How'd you find out!”

He only let out a weak whimper as a response, his ears flattened against his head.

“No matter.” The doctor waved his hand, dismissing the thought before murmuring, “I'll have to move my plans ahead.”

He then left the now sobbing hedgehog alone.

Rouge flew down from her hiding place, eyes wide. “Blue, are you okay?”

He only let out a louder sob, hating that Rouge had to see that. “I'm sorry!”

“Don't worry! I'll get in contact with Knuckles!” Rouge was quick to comfort.

He curled up, tears streaming down his muzzle.

“Knuckles, can you hear me?”

“Rouge! It's about time! How's Sonic doing!?” He heard Knuckles’ voice and let out a quiet whimper, which Rouge heard.

“He's… been better. They're getting ready to banish him into space.”

“What!? You can't be serious!” Silver's voice was now heard.

He couldn't listen anymore, the pain becoming too much for him. He almost felt as if he was slipping in and out of consciousness.

Rouge was saying something to him, and then she left. His blurry vision looked around until he had found something on the ground in front of the bars of his cell. Curiosity got the best of him, and he soon found himself painfully inching like a worm to the thing. The closer he got, the better he could see it. It was like a miniature version of what that jackal had on his chest. He struggled a bit to grab it in his bound hands, but it was soon in his hands.

He held it close, momentarily thinking about what would happen when his other friends found him like that.

No, he couldn't let them see him like that.

The thing in his hands glowed, and the next thing he knew, he didn't have a scratch on him.

He looked at his arms curiously.

He could work with this….

__________________

Quickly, he grinned. “That was nothin’, buddy. I'm fine, see?”

That's when the rest of his friends appeared. Knuckles held a small piece of the phantom ruby. “We finally found the last one! Now, it will never bother us again.”

He stared at it. If this was the last one, then… was that the one he lost?

The moment Knuckles threw it to the ground and shattered it, he got his answer.

The virtual reality that he had conjured up with that very same piece had vanished, and his friends saw what he really looked like.

They all gasped in shock as he looked down to himself, feeling the pain that he had tried to hide all come spiraling back. He let out a pained cry as he fell, his legs not being able to support him anymore.

His friends now saw what he had become.

Six months of torture really does a lot to a hero who had once never truly feared pain.