Begin Again

Weeks after the world was reunited by Infinites powers Sonic the hedgehog runs through the night worried about the state of Mobius. Food and many resources are low to the confused Mobians, cities are destroyed and rubble litter the region where Infinite was last seen.  Running on a star filled night Sonic tries to clear his head and fight off sleep as too much work is needed to restore the world, find missing people and punish the crazed jackal. "Being a hero is never easy", he says to himself with a tired chuckle.

... As the void of Sonic's mind took him into its rabbit hole, he noticed something.. He appeared to be in a dark void right now, filled with nothing but the gentle sounds of the wind and darkness. Behind him, many steps ahead, was the jackal himself. His back was facing him in a monotone way as his long tail touched the ground like it could no longer get up. He just stood there in an ominous manner, not moving a muscle or making a sound, just staring into the vast void.

Sonic momentarily freezes up seeing the terrorist that caused so much death and destruction to the whole world. For a brief second Sonic remembers the torture the jackal afflicted to him all thise years ago. Without saying a word Sonic slowly approaches hoping not to make a sound as his fists ball up ready to kill Infinite.

The materialization of one of his worst battles doesn't move an inch. Something's wrong here.. What does he want? What is he doing here? Why is he so quiet? There was no way to know until he'd see it for himself, hoping that things would be better understood eventually. The wind in the void became a little louder.. Finally, he spoke.

"... What do you remember, hedgehog?"
A vague question in a vague place has been spoken.

Sonic stops walking forward hearing the monster speak. Taking a step back he is almost afraid of Infinite turning around. Glancing around Sonic keeps his guard up for anything fishy as he opens his mouth. "Beating you're ass", is all he says defiantly. Despite the fears he smiles in hopes of Infinite losing focus.

"That attitude never got you too far.. I'm surprised that you're still able to keep it up."
The monster kept his face away from the hedgehog.

Sonic crosses his arms as his eyes are glued to the jackal. "Heh.. if that's how you see it. Wasn't it you who lost the war? And just recently your big plan of global destruction taken from you due to your Ruby glitching?! Face it Infinite you will never win"!

His head turned to him a little, but he still did not show him his face.
".. Winning the war was just a small thing to do.. The bigger one would be.. Freeing myself."
As he finished his reply, he turned his head to the original position again.

"Tell me, hedgehog.. When was the last time you had someone taken away from you right in front of your eyes, and getting mocked by your opponent for not being able to save them?.."

Hearing those words Sonics anger and fear is replaced with compassion. "I have made sure such things have never happened. Did something happen to you Infinite?" He asks as he carefully walks towards him. "If so I am sorry".

He got even quieter for a moment..

"... Oh so now you're sorry..?"

His voice echoed through the void like if they were both inside a cathedral. Finally, he decided to turn his face to his foe... 

His face looked like it was ripped off. The only things remaining were little strings of badly cut skin, loose bloody fur and shredded muscles. His eyes were missing, his lips were no longer there and revealed bloody teeth, some of them had cracks on them. He looked like he got shot straight in the face. The jackal kept his arms crossed while looking at him with those moist red sockets.

"Could've said it a little earlier, don't you think?"

Sonic is too terrified to scream as he falls on his back when he sees the face. His hands start to shake and he starts to feel sick. "W....W....Infinite". Is all he can manage to say as Sonic attempts to crawl away.

"You may think you're a savior, but a real savior would've seen their mistakes and fixed them before they become a bigger problem."

He approaches menacingly, his steps also echoed through this empty place.


"Look up, hedgehog."

.. There were corpses, hanging from the very far ceiling. They were hanging from ropes stuck to one of their feet. Many familiar faces could be seen up there like Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Sally, Eggman, Kory.... Shadow was the one hanging behind Infinite, and his corpse had worse wounds than the others.

"These people looked up to you.. And you let them rot."
He approached his skinned snout to Sonic's face.

"And with that said.."

"How about i return the favor?.."
The void around them distorted itself as he asked, and weird noises became louder and louder.

Sonic finally lets out a terrified scream ahe he looks at his dead friends. Its all he can do as he starts to cry. "What did we ever do to you"? He asks between tears when he can finally speak

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?"
His voice echoed louder, making the void's floor shake. The corpses' blood began dripping like upcoming rain.

"YOU COULD'VE JUST PUSHED ME AWAY! YOU, AND YOUR JACKASS BOYFRIEND COULD'VE JUST LEFT ME ALONE! I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE HIS DISGUSTING FACE MOCKING ME FOR WHAT HE DID! I'M TIRED, AND YOU'RE OUT!!"

He prepares something in the clutch of his claws.. A blade appeared in his hand, and he got ready to stab his forehead with it. Just as he did the first blow.. Everything went quiet and dark.

Sonic wakes up screaming loudly from the horrible nightmare. His body jerks up as he goes to a sitting position throwing the blankets off as his body is hot from the sweating. Screaming is all he can do as the images replay in his mind.

Running steps could be heard from far away from his room. Getting closer and closer until someone opened the door quickly. Shadow got in, worried sick about his beloved blue blur.

"SONIC I'M HERE! WHAT HAPPENED?!"

Sonic is sitting on the dark room huddling on the bed crying glanceing at Shadow. "It was horrible Shadow. I dreamed he killed everyone".

He calmed down as he saw his distress. Approaching his bed and kneeling besides it, he gently pets his back as he tried to calm him down as well.

"This again, blue?.. Third time this week.. I'm not complaining, but it's something to be concerned about at this point."

"I know...I know but we cant tell the others. They need to see me hopeful. It inspires them to keep fighting". Sonic wipes the tears away as he hugs Shadow. "I saw his face this time. It was a gory mess".

Shadow gently hugged him back, petting his now long and messy quills.


"Blue, i know you like making them hopeful.. But how are you gonna do that if you can't take care of yourself?"

Sonic calms himself down enjoying the comfort. "I dont know but once we stop him they should go away. We just need to focus on finding him until we do. I dont think we can capture him. I hate to say it but hes been too dangerous".

"Worst part, Kory's with him.. I can't really remember why she got to his side in the first place.."
She looked at the window beside Sonic's bed with a confused expression.

Sonic looks outside staring at the stars. "I do not know but i do know she wont like what we must do. I hope she is safe with that monster".

".. She always knew how to get in and out of trouble.. I'm curious to see how she'll figure this one out."
He chuckled, looking at Sonic again.

".. You do understand that, right? If you can't be here for yourself, you won't be here for others. I do see where you're coming from tho, and i know that you'll need lots of help with that. I'm always here for you, blue."

Sonic hugs his beloved tightly. "I will get better once our world does. I thought i had gotten over the beatings".