Story Tale

Chapter 1

Cold floors with chills sinking beneath his skin had been enough to wake Sonic from his unconscious state - they weren't, however, enough to help him regain his spiraling vision where everything in his sight swirled and twisted beyond recognition. It must have taken several minutes for him to rub away the dizzying vision and even longer to achieve a clarity on his mind and focus his thoughts to be coherent enough.

Though his time of perception is nonexistent at this point, what did exist was the startling realization that he didn't have a clue as to how he got here, or where here even is.

There was only a silence in his ears that only made Sonic even more unsettled, and then came tiny voice, too quiet to hear clear enough, except he recognized the voice almost immediately. "...-ic?" The words weren't so easy to understand, but that wasn't important since his vision came back and there were two blue eyes staring into his own. Worry ruined the yellow-furred fox's brightness, darkening them into a different shade entirely. Smithy?!

"Sonic? Sonic? Can you hear me? I know this is overwhelming, but you need to focus." The blacksmith said to him, speaking his words slow and concisely. This made Sonic frown in response.

His surroundings came into his sight and Sonic's expression only dropped after that.

He was in a lab.

An utterly familiar lab, with far too many lights, there are these feelings towards this lab that weren't recognized at all. Fond, sorrowful, and strange feelings that confused the hedgehog even more. Too many questions arose with far no answers at all.

But - where is the blacksmiths shop? Perhaps he fell ill while the blacksmith had been forging his weapons?

Maybe not...

Shouldn't Sonic be at Camelot Castle? Where was Lancelot? Percival? Gawain?

Then Sonic grit his teeth, and shut his eyes in pain because everything became too loud, too bright, too unfamiliar. Then he remembered where he was before...this. Sonic had just been discussing the kingdom's safety with his knights of the round table when It happened. There had been a strange, pulsing violet opening in the stone floors right beneath Sonic's feet. One that dragged him downwards with so much force he didn't get the chance to even realize what was happening.

He had to go back. To his original world where he had belonged before he had been dropped into the magical, fantasy land of Camelot as it's knight and king.

Sonic did see one last sight before he plunged into the abyss of violet - he saw the forlorn, startled look on his lovers face. They knew this would happen. Three years had passed for when Sonic first came here under Merlina's summon.

It was Merlina's power alone that kept Sonic here under his own wish, his selfish desire because he couldn't go back. Not when he found Lancelot.

But Merlina had strained her abilities to the brink, she even came to the knights once after her defeat - to reveal that she didn't have enough magic to keep Sonic here. Yet, she tried her best.

Sonic just wishes she'll learn not to feel guilty for this. Knowing her, she'll take Sonic's sudden departure to heart, just like Lance.

Emerald eyes shot open, Lance was gone.

Camelot no longer had him as their king.

Lancelot didn't have Sonic at his side. A memory forms around Sonic, overtaking his surroundings and replacing all that's around him and Sonic feels like his head's been shoved underwater.

. . .

Overlooking his kingdom from the balcony outside his bedchambers, Sonic watches over Camelot with a pondering expression on his face. Beyond the horizon is the sun setting slow with a violet night sky following as it's shadow. The stars glimmer and Sonic begins to frown. Emerald green eyes staring off into the distance without clearly seeing his surroundings. His mind had too much on it to properly pay attention to what was around him. Which is how his knight, Lancelot of the round table, managed to sneak up on his king so easily.

"What troubles you, my love?" Arms wrapped themselves around Sonic's waist gently, a warm smile tugs at Sonic's peach lips and he turns around to see Lancelot. Despite the smile, it doesn't make the knight's concern for his lover disappear. Instead his concern only grows. "Do you wish to talk about what is bothering you?" Lance asks, with a soft and caring tone that makes Sonic's heart flutter despite the guilt in his chest.

Sonic didn't speak yet, still silent in thought, the hedgehog chose to return Lancelot's embrace and rest his head on his knight's shoulder with his mind racing a million thoughts and infinite worries. "I do not wish to return home...except we know I will have to eventually..." Sonic said to Lancelot. The words tasted bitter on his tongue, admitting what he has grown to fear. Then his tone dropped into a whisper, "Does that make me selfish? To not want to leave? Am I cruel for wishing to stay here with you?"

Lancelot's hand went to Sonic's chin, lightly guiding Sonic's head off his shoulder and allow him to make direct eye contact with the cobalt hedgehog. When their eyes meet, Lance's breath had been taken away yet again, no matter how many times he's seen them, he will always find himself getting lost in those emerald eyes he's grown to love over these few years.

And his heart aches with grief, he wants nothing more than to keep his love from leaving. Perhaps it was selfish of Lancelot as well, but he did not wish to accept this. The very thought of Sonic leaving for his original world only serves as a terrible, dreadful, and tragic reminder that they will be separated soon. That the love they share will be gone. Over. Forever and ever. Like a bad ending to their happy tale.

"I could never think this of you. Never. You are not selfish, you are not cruel, you are none of that at all. You are the kindest in all of Camelot, you're heart is that of pure gold. I have never seen anyone braver than you, you care for others more than you do yourself." Lancelot says in a soft, yet strong and confident voice meaning ever single word. The ebony hedgehog holds Sonic tighter, keeping their intimate eye contact. "I love you, Sonic, you are my love, my world...I know-" Lance pauses to swallow the lump in his throat, "I know you'll have to leave, even if you don't wish to. I know that I will always love you, and that fate will bring us together once again..."

A tear rolls down Sonic's cheek, and Lance wipe it away and the rest that soon follow.

"It's not fair..." Sonic cried quietly. Lance pulled Sonic to him, hugging him tightly in his arms, and let his love cry out his sorrow into his shoulder. He can't bare to let go. Afraid to lose him. Scared to be alone in grief. "It's not fair..."

"I know."

. . .

That happened recently. Sonic knows this, he remembers with such strong emotions and vivid details it feels almost like he's there. A sharp pain in his heart makes him wish to weep in sorrow for who he has lost. The family he's gained. How he wishes he could be in Camelot Castle with Lancelot at his side, ruling their land together.

But that was only a story tale, and his story doesn't have a good ending for him. That had been Sonic's last thought before all his memories came rushing into his head, his mind couldn't handle it. Sonic pushed himself to stand up, only to feel gravity tugging him back and crashing into the floor in an unconscious state once again. This time around, he doesn't feel the hard cold floor as he fades out - Sonic swears that it's Lancelot's arms that are wrapped around him and keeping him from hitting the ground.