Work Text:
It happened faster than he could think. All of it did.
He and Sage were blazing streaks of light in the sky, comets on a collision course towards the looming purple moon threatening to end them all. Even as it belittled him, as it spat out evidence of its clear superiority complex, Sonic couldn’t find it within himself to be phased. With the rush of being Super beside his newfound ally, blasting like a glorious star towards whatever fate lay before him, he found himself riding the high as he always did. A Chaos charged fight in space? It was nothing new, so it was nothing to worry about, no matter what The End said.
The voice that guided him was being smothered under deep anger now; gone was the calm feminine tone that lured him to this point. How he could have let things get this out of hand was beyond him; that, or he didn’t want to think about it. Not now, when he was riding this high.
He let himself be tossed to The End by Sage as his adrenaline reached its peak. With a supersonic crash, Sonic bore his way straight through the heart of the beast like an arrow to a target. He was sure that was the end of it when he turned around and saw the resounding damage his final blow had dealt with a triumphant smile. But that vibrant red buzz it emitted said otherwise.
Sage’s cry echoed from within the titan. A cry with such fear, such desperation, such… resignation.
Things flipped so fast that Sonic barely knew what to do, other than limply watch as Sage barrelled into the core of The End. A millisecond that dragged for an hour as all sound drowned away, save the ringing in his downturned ears. A rush of dread hit his heart as he boosted himself forward in one last vain attempt to repair his mistake, quills standing on pinprick ends. His lapse in judgement, his comfort in his attack’s power?
He thought the fight was over.
And now, he supposed it was.
A grand supernova consumed Sonic’s vision as he was blasted down to the Starfall Islands, little more than a hunk of debris within the wreckage of battle. His golden visage barrelled down, leaving him little more than a second of contemplation as he descended. He was supposed to be the hero, he was supposed to finish this fight. He could have, he was capable! He was so close, but he was complacent.
So it happened again.
Well, at least Shadow made it back.
This time he wasn’t so sure.
How many times could he try his luck before it caught up to him?
“Please, look after… father.”
How could he ever? What was there to do, to say? No, it was his duty. His complacency had led to this fate for a friend, once again. He refused to deny her dying wish, even if he had no idea how to fulfil it.
Breaking through the stratosphere, Sonic locked eyes with his waiting friends. The smiles on their faces, now free from the cyberspace within him? The innocent excitement at the sight of their friend? He couldn’t ruin this moment for them, not after all this. He had his most recent practice during the cyber corruption, so it wouldn’t be hard. It never was, really.
Nearing the ground, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles ran over to him with glee. He relaxed his muscles, let the chaos energy leave his tired body, blinked away his tears, and smiled. He laughed. Bright as always, nothing but happy to save the day and see his friends. A hug, a high five, a fist bump, he let his friends’ affections wash over him in that field of blooming flowers.
As the four made their way to the Tornado, Sonic let himself lag behind for just a moment. Sneaking a glance at the stars still dusting the sky, he whispered.
“Sayonara, Sage.”
He knew it wasn’t the same, but something about saying it felt… right.
From up ahead of him, Tails responded. “Hm? What was that Sonic?”
“Eh, s’nothing.” He said with a handwave.
“Well if it’s nothing, let's get a move on! I can’t wait to get home.” Called out Amy from even further ahead.
“Alright, alright!” Sonic said with a faux laugh, settling back into his stride. But as he turned, his eyes caught sight of Eggman standing atop a cliff, watching the stars fall.
“Please, look after… father.”
Her words still rang in Sonic’s head.
“Father.” He muttered. He was her father. He supposed it made sense, he made her after all, but…
He’d never seen Eggman like this. Was he… mourning? Sonic couldn’t leave in good faith, not now. As much as he hated the guy, he knew this was his responsibility to shoulder.
“Hey guys, second thought, could you hang tight for a bit? I’ve got some things I need to sort first.” He said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder.
Amy shrugged. “Alright, but be back quick! Say hi to the Koco for me on your way too!”
“Oh, me too!” Tails added with a smile.
“Well if you guys are all getting a mention, make sure you bring me up too! Wouldn’t want them to forget about me!” Said Knuckles.
Sonic smiled as he turned around towards the cliff. “Will do, guys! And no need to worry, Knucklehead.” With that, he took off towards Eggman, feet blurring beneath him as he boosted through the foliage. He let his forced smile relax once he was out of their eye line, settling into neutrality, and soon found himself beside Eggman atop the cliff.
He wondered, for a moment, if he was making the right choice coming up here. It wasn’t that he couldn’t be civil; he was able to restrain himself when he had to. He just wasn’t much good with emotions this heavy. He could barely work them out in his own head, let alone Eggman’s. He’d usually open their conversations with a snide quip or scathing nickname, but now? It felt wrong. So Sonic was left floundering. Instead of his usual routine, and after much deliberation, Sonic opted to sit beside Eggman on the cliff face. It didn’t take long for him to draw his attention.
“What are you doing here, rodent? Don’t you have your little posse to get back to?” He said, still not averting his gaze from the falling stars that tore through the sky above him. His voice was venomous as always, but noticeably soft where it was usually sharp.
“Relaying a message, I suppose.” He said with a nonchalant wave of his hand. “For Sage.”
The silence that hung between the two was his only response.
After a moment, Sonic continued. “She told me to look after you. At least, I think she did. Was more of a mind beam sort of thing, but I heard her voice when she…”
“You don’t need to say it.”
“Right.”
“I don’t need you to look after me, anyway. I’ll be just fine on my own.”
“Suits me just fine, Eggman.”
Silence fell between the two once again, this time laced with awkward energy.
“You’ve said your piece, hedgehog.” His voice broke the quiet air. “You can leave now.”
“Wow, how gracious of you.” Said Sonic, deadpan. “You can’t say I’m not trying.”
“I don’t need your pity.”
Sonic did a mental double-take as he looked up at Eggman. “And why do you think it’s pity? I’m just doing what I have to. Since Sage is… gone, I’m going to do my best for her, even with how hard you insist on making it for me!”
Eggman clenched a fist beside him. “She isn’t gone.”
“…What? I saw her throw herself into that thing! She exploded!”
“And she isn’t gone!” He swung around to face Sonic, arm gesturing widely. “You think I wouldn’t make a data backup of my own daughter?” As the words left his mouth, his aggravated demeanour faltered.
“So she really was, huh?” Said Sonic, looking Eggman in the eyes. “Your daughter?”
“Is. And… I suppose so, yes.”
“She called you her father, you know. When she asked me to look after you.” He shook his head. “Couldn’t tell you why, but that kid had… has a soft spot for you.”
“How could she not love her own father?” Eggman said with a righteous laugh. “And I’m certainly her favourite.”
Sonic rolled his eyes. “Yeah, naturally.” He said, voice laced with sarcasm. “You’d be anybody’s favourite.” Tapping his foot against the ground, Sonic shifted his angle. “But you said you could bring her back with a backup, is it really that easy?”
“It’ll be a piece of cake for a mind like mine!” Eggman bellowed proudly. “Easier than making her, that’s for sure.”
“…Will she remember this?”
“Eh?”
“Saving the world, the Starfall Islands, all that jazz.”
“Hmph, I don’t have to tell you anything.”
“Gee, thanks for the help.” Sonic rolled his eyes. “Just wondering, is all.”
“Well, you can wonder somewhere else! I can’t give my greatest enemy all my trade secrets!”
“Touché, Eggman. I’ll be off with my ‘posse’ then!” Sonic said with a wave, getting up from the ground to run down the slope of the cliff yet again. However, before he could make it more than a few steps, he heard Eggman speak up behind him.
“Thank you.”
Sonic was sure his ears must have been more damaged than he thought from the supernova’s sound. “What was that?” He asked, head whipping around to face the other.
“Nothing, you’re hearing things! Go!”
With a small smile, Sonic rolled his eyes and made his way down the cliff once more.
He said that she could come back. She may be missing her memories after he couldn’t save her in their space-bound fight, but her digital blood wasn’t on his hands. The thought still made his heart ache with guilt- that he took her memories like this in the first place, letting her make that sacrifice.
How many times could he try his luck before it caught up to him? Before he killed somebody forever with his negligence? How many self-sacrifices would he have to witness?
He couldn’t let it happen again. He wouldn’t.
If another’s life was on the line, he would fight to his last breath.