The Speed of Sound

Shedding the Disguise

        "Okay, are you sure of what you're saying? Are you sure it's not just some old person thing? 'Cause if we get this wrong, it could get us into a lot of trouble."

        Right after you called him over the communicator, Sonic had broken the sound barrier to get to your side. Now the two of you are squatting behind the white picket fence of the neighbor's, just down the street from the elderly (y/a)s' home. Of course, it would do you no good to form a spy plan when the ones being spied on were watching.

        "They were acting strange all day, Sonic," you quietly answer the hedgehog, "and I swear Grandpa was about to force me inside. His eyes were also glowing." You fidget nervously in your hiding spot as the owner of the fence you are hiding behind leaves the front door to check on his mailbox. A brief, disappointed sigh leaves the man upon finding nothing, and he returns inside. Safe to continue, you explain, "All day Grandma and Grandpa were trying to get me inside the house. I don't know why, though, but I just feel too uncomfortable to actually go inside alone with them."

        "Glowing eyes? That does seem pretty strange. Okay, (Y/n), you've convinced me. Er—not that I didn't believe you in the first place!" Sonic utters a flustered laugh and waves his hands in the air, his cheeks growing a light shade of pink. Once calmed, he peeks over the top of the fence to stake out the area for anyone who may be watching. Seeing no one, he turns around to give you a thumbs up, then you both hurriedly sneak down the street and around the elders' home to the backyard. Sonic hugs the back wall of the house, keeping well below the sight of the windows. "All we gotta do is be quiet and listen," he whispers, almost too quiet to hear, but your sensitive ears are able to catch the words.

        Nodding at the blue hedgehog, you crawl under another window nearby, ignoring the grass stains that are probably being left on your knees. You sit down and lean your back against the house, taking in a deep breath from the stress of the situation. I can't believe I'm doing this, you clench your teeth together. I just know there's something up...but if these (y/a)s aren't my grandparents, then where would my real ones be?

        Movement comes from inside the house. Beside you, Sonic's body stiffens and his eyes harden in anticipation. You are fully alert as well, unmoving and unblinking with pricked ears, waiting for what happens next. From outside the opened window, the sound of fast and heavy footsteps reaches your ears. Fast and heavy, so very unlike the usual slow, light steps of a frail elder. Listening closely, there is an irritating beeping, just before a voice speaks.

        "Retrieval of (y/c) (y/a) was unsuccessful. Will attempt again in the future." The voice is obviously mechanical from its grating tone, however, it does sound familiar. Very familiar.

        "I need that (y/a), NOW!" Both you and Sonic jump in surprise at the volume of the sudden shriek, the fact that it came from the speakers of a device making it even more painful with the mechanical screech it was accompanied with. It isn't too hard to tell who this voice belongs to. "How else am I supposed to execute my genius plan to defeat that blue mongrel?"

        Sonic and you glance at each other with wide eyes from the revelation. All of this is because Dr. Eggman wants to defeat his long-lasting archenemy! Now there is no doubt that the old (y/a)s are planning against you, and what's stranger, they are robots! 

        "Geez, that must be why they were so cold," Sonic shudders, remembering the icy touch of stiff fingers pinching his and his fox friend's cheeks.

        "But where are my real grandparents?" you whisper with worry.

        The hedgehog places a hand on your shoulder, guilt seeping through his emerald gaze. "We'll find them, (Y/n). If the robots are here looking for you, then that might mean Eggman is keeping your grandparents as prisoners." He sighs and grumbles into his hand in a very uncharacteristic manner, the happy, go-lucky smiles and jokes completely pushed out of mind. "That Egghead would do anything to defeat me. I'm sorry you and your family had to get tangled in this mess."