Mirror Image

XXI - A Bad Case of the Blues

In a quiet street in Station Square, a small newspaper booth stood on the corner, a wooden green sentinel watching over the usually busy crossroad. Inside, an old sheepdog Mobian slumped on a rickety wooden chair, reading his paper and smoking a drooping cigarette that scattered ash across the floor.

The streets had been quiet of late, and business was slow. Since the attack most people stayed at home, and with the city centre being a smoking crater, there wouldn't be much for them to do even if they did go out.

He didn't mind so much; the street usually heaved with hustle and bustle, never giving him a moment to relax, and there was always some punk kid around waiting to cause trouble. Like that fox he saw the other day, the one who messed up his stand.

Kids these days have no discipline, he thought to himself, if I catch him around here again I'll put him over my knee and give him twenty of my best. Browsing his paper, he saw yet another story about Sonic's rampage and disappearance. Another one who could do with a good hiding.

Something blue shot past the corner of his vision, and he looked up. Nothing but an empty street greeted him. Looking back at his paper, another shot of blue caught his eye, and he stood up, peering through the window of his booth.

Blue again, but this time he saw it clearly. A blue hedgehog with red sneakers sprinted down the street, looking like he was going for platinum on the hundred metres. The old sheepdog glanced from the picture in his paper to the hedgehog running past him, and the connection switched on in his mind.

That was Sonic, he thought in surprise, Sonic the Hedgehog!

He reached for his phone, intending to call the police. He would claim a handsome reward for turning in Mobius' most wanted, enough to hang up his flat cap for good, he hoped. Before he could dial, another flash of blue caught his eye. Looking up he saw Sonic running past his booth again, from left to right just as he had done a few seconds ago.

Has he gone around the whole block already?

He watched Sonic sprint away down the street. Seconds later the blue hedgehog passed his booth again, from left to right.

Then another, then another, then another.

He scratched his head as identical blue hedgehogs continued to file past him. His coffee mug began to vibrate across the counter, and a sound like a torrent of rain grew louder and louder.

With a thunderous din the street ahead of him swarmed with blue, as a wave of hedgehogs poured along the streets, the feet hammering the road and kicking up a swirling cloud of dust. As he looked on, dumbstruck at the tsunami of quills flooding the street, he caught a glimpse of the expression on their faces.

They were all smiling in exactly the same way; a wicked smile glowing with malicious intent. His heart pounded with terror at the sight of it, and with trembling hands he reached for his phone to call the police.

Before he could dial the first number, something leapt through the window of his booth. The last thing he saw was piercing green eyes, and that smile.

~o~

Tails looked glumly at a lonely chilli dog occupying the space next to him. The canteen had quietened down since the last time he was there, and opposite him Knuckles messily devoured a burger, dripping red sauce over his plate. Tails shifted uncomfortably in his seat, constantly turning around to look towards the double doors with apprehension hanging over him.

"What's wrong, Tails?" said Knuckles through a mouthful of food, "you've barely touched your fries."

"I'm just wondering where Sonic is," said Tails, glancing at the door again, "his chilli dog's getting cold."