(EDITING) Sonic Rift

Chapter Eleven : Rainy Days

Third Person's POV

Connie didn't know what to do. She stood, shivering in the freezing rain, covered in mud from head to toe, staring at what she'd found. She didn't know who to tell, or what to say when she found them. Who would believe she found a blue hedgehog?

At least she thought it was a hedgehog. The creature was around her height, so the size of a six-year-old child. It kind of looked like one too, with big red shoes with white stripes, and human-like appendages. Plus, she heard him yelling. As an animal-lover, she had seen all kinds of weird animals, but there was nothing like this.

Connie stepped closer to the creature laying on the sidewalk. Her twin ponytails dripped water on his face as she leaned over him. She flinched, hearing it growl, but quickly realized it was a groan of pain. He was bleeding from the mouth and nose.

Kneeling down beside him, the girl cautiously poked his shoulder, pulling her finger away in case he tried to bite her. "Excuse me? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

The hedgehog didn't make any other noise. He wasn't moving anymore either.

Connie bit her nails, still shaking from the cold. She had to get him somewhere safe and out of the rain, bring him home so she could help him. But six year olds can't carry someone the same size as them. She'll need help, which brought her back to her first thought:

What did Shades do to him?

Sonic's POV

Raindrops bounced off the window pane, and I watched the small bullets of water fall to the ground. In my head, I followed one of the droplets, racing it against the others. It started at the top, running down the glass as fast as it could. I saw a second droplet try to beat the first, falling even faster. They ended up merging just as they hit the windowsill. Rain looked the same everywhere I went. It's everything else that changes.

"You sure you don't wanna come?"

"...I'd just be sitting in the car, wouldn't I?"

From the reflection in the glass, I could see Myles picking at his scarf again. He tried to smile at me, "Yeah, I guess I didn't think that one through. Well, is there anything I can get you?"

Rose was picking him up. They were going to the store for groceries. The cabinets were empty, and the teenager was getting tired of making food for us. I squinted as car headlights flashed past the window. "Nah, I'm good."

"Okay... I'll be back."

I heard the creak of the front door open and the crackling of the rain.

"Be safe. Both of you."

He paused, his hand lingering on the handle. "Okay?"

The sound of the rain muffled again when the door shut behind him. From the window, I watched Myles run to the pink cabriolet Rose was driving, hands over his head. He practically threw himself into the passenger side of the car. A few seconds later, Rose was backing out of the driveway, the lights passing the house as they left. I felt myself sigh.

No matter how hard I tried not to hear Tails's voice, that's all I heard.

I closed my eyes tightly, my head resting on my palm. So, this is the Hero of Mobïus. He rots away in another dimension, never able to stop Eggman from taking over. The villages and cities are overrun with super-badniks. The Freedom Fighters dwindle to nothing, and the people are hopeless. Knuckles never gets the Master Emerald back, and Angel Island dies. Amy fights her way to the top, but is overwhelmed by Eggman's forces. Tails is left alone for the rest of his miserable life. Yet, I'm here.