Future and Past

Chapter 3: The Outside

The three walked outside, and a bright light was the first thing that Project saw. He closed his eyes.

"It's so bright..." he murmured.

"I just love the sunshine, don't you, Project?" Sonic asked.

"Sun-shine?" Project said the syllables apart, trying to figure out what he meant. "What's that?"

"You don't know what sunshine is?" Amy asked.

Project shook his head. "I don't know what any of this is... What is this green stuff beneath my feet? What is the beautiful blue above?"

"Aw, you poor thing!" Amy frowned.

"Don't worry. We'll teach you what everything is." Sonic smiled reassuringly. "The 'green stuff' is called grass, and the blue above us is the sky. Sunshine is the warmth and brightness that comes from the sun, which is up there." He pointed up to a glowing orangish-yellow ball in the sky.

"And what are these?" Project asked, curiously pointing to the things he ran into before.

"Those are trees. They give us oxygen, so we can breathe." Amy explained.

"But... In my cell, we had no trees and air was limited. Whenever I couldn't breathe, they held a green emerald in front of me, and I could breathe better." Project said.

"You mean a chaos emerald!?" Both Amy and Sonic said at the same time.

"Uh... Yeah..." Project said. "That's what those people called it."

Sonic looked like a fish out of water.

"I prefer this 'oxygen' more though. It definitely feels cleaner and makes me feel healthier."

"G.U.N. really treated you horribly, didn't they?" Amy asked, frowning.

Project nodded. "They beat me, rarely fed me, and only allowed me to breathe with the emerald after a beating. I was never allowed to move, even if I could, and if I ever talked, they'd choke me and give me no breathing time afterwards..."

Sonic frowned. "Well, don't worry, that'll never happen again. You're free now. Maybe you could run a bit, to get your legs moving."

Project beamed when he said that. "Really!?"

Sonic nodded. "Let's see how fast you are. Run to that tree and back."

Project nodded and got into a running position. He mentally counted down from three. 'Three... Two... One... Go!' and he ran off as fast as he could. Soon, the fire shot out of his shoes again, but this time he was ready for it as he changed his posture into a skating look. He sped faster and faster, almost as it it was a second nature for him. In an instant, he was at the tree and back.

Sonic was wide eyed and smiling. "You run just like Shadow use to! And just as fast!"

"I didn't know I could run that fast..." Project smiled.

"That was really cool!" Amy smiled. Then, she held up a picnic basket. "We can sit in a clear area and eat some. I'm sure I have enough for the three of us. I made chili dogs..."

"Chili dogs!?" Sonic smiled like a little boy in a candy store. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Sonic grabbed the two's arms and ran off in a fast run. Soon, they were in a small clearing, but Project saw blood stained grass near a tree. "I-Is that... my blood?"

Sonic frowned. "Yeah... This is where Tails and I found you."

"That's a lot of blood..." Amy commented.

"Let's just eat..." Project said, desperately trying to forget how all of that blood got out of him.

"Yeah, good idea." Sonic nodded.

Amy spread out a small, checkered sheet, and the three sat down on it. Amy took out a bag full of these 'chili dogs,' that Sonic seemed to love, along with some cups and a pitcher of yellow stuff that Amy called 'lemonade.'

"Do you like them, Sonikku? I know they're your favorite." Amy asked, leaning closer to him. Sonic only replied with a thumbs up and leaning away from her, still gulping down the food. Amy's face seemed to have brighten as her smile widened. She leaned closer to him.

"Are you two- what's the word?- a couple?" Project asked, observing the two.

"No!" Sonic said, but at the same time, Amy replied, "Yes!"

Project looked at them both, confused completely. "Huh?"

"We are not together. She just thinks we are." Sonic said.

"You are mine, Sonic!" Amy declared. "You always have been!"

Just then, they heard a noise. Project's ears went down, fearing the worst. Then, a familiar voice was heard, "Sonic!"

"Soon, Tails appeared, looking really worried and tired out. "Sonic! The G.U.N. commander wants to see you, now!"

Sonic's eyes widened, but he stayed calm. "Okay, I'll go see what's up. Tails, please take Project to Angel Island. It's safer for him there. I'll meet you up there when it's safe. Tell Knuckle-head what's going on. Amy, you go home."

"But-" Amy began to protest, but Sonic beat her to it.

"No Amy, it's safer for you to go home. It's too risky to keep you here."

Amy sighed and nodded as she ran off, most likely to her house.

Tails nodded. "I'll sneak Project to the back, where the Tornado 1 is."

Sonic smiled. Thanks little buddy." Then he turned to Project. "Follow Tails, he'll get you to a safe spot."

Project nodded, ears down in worry. Sonic smiled and said, "Don't worry. I promised that I would keep you safe, and I intend to keep it." Then, he ran off.

"This way, Project." Tails said as he started walking. "Be quiet so he doesn't hear you." Project nodded and followed the young kitsune.

They slowly made their way to the back of the house; Project gasped at the bi-plane that sat in front of them.

"Hop in." Tails whispered, getting into the driver's seat. Project nodded and got into the back, buckling up.

"Here we go." Tails said as the plane took off without a sound.

"Project liked looking at the view from above, but the thing that really caught his eye was the floating island right above the city.

And that was where Tails was flying to...