Welcome Home, Son by Radical Face.
~~~

"Sonic?"

He had a headache, that was definite. When he stood, it felt light and he found his sight spinning. Even with Amy holding his upper arm, it was gentle but delicate. Her eyes bore into the side of his head, but his own met a pair of sky blue. Tails, beside Cream, watched him worriedly and only when the fox squeezed his hand did Sonic find himself able to focus on the questioning faces around him.

"We need to leave."

"Why?" Knuckles observed the blue blur scoop up the Tails Electric and brown backpack.

He was ignored. Sonic shoved the device into the bag, heartbeat pounding.

"Vanilla, Ma'am, what happened?" Amy inquired.

"I don't...." The adult rabbit observed the speedster sling the bag over his shoulder, eyes scattered.

"What was said?" Tails moved to hold his brothers hand again.

"We discussed that list you three found. How it definitely seems to have been tampered with. How Robotnik-." And then Vanilla realised and approached the entryway.

"Sonic, dear, what other technologies did he reach?"

The blue leader swallowed, throat dry as his hand scratched his scruff. "I'm not certain, but I think a couple years back he reached a friend of mine. I dunno why he would either, but they and the others deserve to know."

"Who's the friend?" Tails asked as he and Knuckles followed him outside.

Amy stayed with Vanilla and Cream, helping the pair quickly gather as many items as they could. In doing so, she found a picture atop the empty fireplace. There was no Cream, but Vanilla stood beside a chocolate patched cream rabbit. Vanilla had a hand resting over the bump of her belly, and the unknown mobian settled his atop hers.

"Dear?"

Amy jumped, hopping around to see Cream and Vanilla with Cheese and a couple of bags. "Sorry."

The mother walked to retrieve the photo, slipping it into her knitted handbag. "Don't be. The curious mind is a powerful tool when used properly."

"Then...who is he?"

"Was, dear. Was."

That was the only answer given, but it was all Amy needed to know. Seeing Cream's face fall at the mere mention was enough for her to squeeze the bunnies hand as they exited the home. Ahead, in the empty space of grass where a red plane sat, the three boys conversed. Amy watched the blue leader in particular, soon noticing his tired eyes and pale face.

"What about the other rabbits?" She chose to ask, noticing a few watch them pass.

"They'll be alright."

"And the town?"

"I think my being here is causing the most trouble. This place will be untouched without me. Snively isn't after little villages, after all."

"Snively?"

Vanilla stalled, just briefly. "Robotnik's' nephew, of course. You don't know about him?"

Amy's eyes wondered back to the groups blue leader. "No. It seems we don't know a lot, though."

Knuckles looked over his shoulder, noticing the other three emerge from the rabbits' house. Then, a thud came from the Tornado and he turned to see Sonic had thrown the backpack into the passengers seat section. Thus, his arms crossed as he allowed Tails to take the lead in conversation.

"Sonic, who did Robotnik reach?"

There came a sigh. "Nicole. I think. They're a holo-lynx, ya know, a hologram made up of Nanites."

"Nanites?"

"Nanotech', I think is what Rotor called it. It...it originally belonged to Robuttnik, but after the war against the humans Ki-...Sally's family got hold of it."

Tails tapped a finger against his chin whilst Knuckles went to assist Vanilla and Cream with their bags. "No wonder he'd try and get it back then. But how does that correlate with the list now? They happened two years apart. Unless that's why he breached Nicole's systems to begin with, to give himself access to whatever hacking tools he needed?"

Sonic blinked, feeling a little lost, but shook it off. "Either way, standing around here ain't gonna give us any answers. We need to tell my friends."

The fox followed his brother up the plane, hopping into the pilots seat. "It might be a good idea to think of an easier way to reach them. Some way to communicate no matter where we are."

"We'll think of that after, but right now we gotta get to-."

"You never actually told us where they are." Amy cut in, sat in the passengers seat with Cream and Cheese on her lap.

Sonic, atop the very front of the plane, turned to face the group. He acknowledged Knuckles and Vanilla sat on the wing prior to meeting the pink hedgehog's gaze.

"Really, it's starting to sound like you haven't told us much at all."

"Where's that coming from?"

Amy gulped, noting the other's tone was less than happy. "I-I didn't mean to upset you, I just thought m-maybe we should know a bit more about...all of this."

"Don'tcha trust me, Ames?"

"Of course! I-."

"We're going to Knothole." He swallowed. "There. That's where Sally, Rotor, Nicole, Antoine and Bunnie, by the way, are. Anything else?"

Amy felt sick, sweat coating her forehead. "N-no. Thank you."

Sonic nodded, turned to put in the directions towards the aforementioned location for Tails and expertly hopped to the Tornado's wing with Vanilla and Knuckles. Only then, when all settled on the metal as they began to ascend, did he feel nervous like never before, a tad excited and incredibly ill.

—————

They traveled the entire night, through wispy clouds and chilling winds, and conversed about a glorious range of topics. Tails discussed his next great invention, a communication device for them all, and Sonic offered to introduce the fox to Rotor back in Knothole. Vanilla asked about the four's meetings, and was told such stories. Cream inquired about their adventures and Knuckles spoke of 'visiting' Robotnik camps between meeting each new member of the group. Sonic asked the rabbits how they had been, Vanilla replied that despite Snively's scare it had been peaceful and wonderful when she heard the beginnings of the 'mysterious blue blur' over radio. That led to questions about the emperors nephew, how Sonic knew him, how Knothole was tied into it and the story behind his rather unknown origins.

But, the sun began to rise and sleep swept over the group. Most, at least, for Sonic and Tails presumed to stay awake and snicker and tease until they came across very familiar mountains. The older brother stood without thought, watching the meadow that spread past tremendous mountains as the early beginnings of the sun slithered across the grass.

"You recognise this?" Tails asked, glancing at the Tornado's map. They were close.

"Uh...yeah. Yeah I do." Sonic raised a hand to protect his eyes from the sun, blinking to reveal the faintest starts of trees.

It was then his heart began pounding. His throat ran dry and he had the strongest of inclines to sit back down. Alas, images of orange flames, crumbling wood, hidden basements and cyan beams danced through his mind. He tried to gulp, briefly feeling dizzy, but found they were much closer- thus new memories starting flooding through. Late night dances, early morning sprints, sunflowers and fantastic blue eyes etched their way into his view and he didn't feel so scared anymore.

The sun was proudly above the mountains by then, and awakened the remaining group. They stirred and muttered, straightening to lay their eyes upon the grand, luscious forest below. In other words, The Great Forest.

—————

She had thought about him. On chilly, lonely nights. When the radio conversed and conspired about the unknown blue blur- she had laughed when they suggested he was a rabbit ("I'm a hedgehog!" She would hear him protest). When N-I-C-O-L-E vanished just months after his departure, like years before. When armies of Badniks would trample through the wood and her friends would send them far whilst at her side. When GUN's commander, Towers, would be on the radio- promoting his new and 'improved' defence against Robotnik. She'd scoff, knowing they didn't have what she did- the fastest thing alive.

Well, what she had.

And then, between fights and builds, she would think about him again. Admittedly, she felt more doubtful without him at her side- but trusted she would, no, hoped she'd see him again. And she knew letting herself get so consumed by unnecessary thoughts of that cocky stubborn hedgehog wouldn't do her, as a leader, any good.

But she couldn't help her hope and euphoric excitement get the better of her when Bunnie had pulled her outside from their main base due to 'sounds in the sky.' With a grin on her face and a bounce in her step, she watched the fluffy clouds. She stared, chewed her lip, observed and eventually saw a helicopter with GUN insignia plastered on it's sides.

Months pursued and she quickly proceeded with work. For one, she and Rotor continued to struggle to find why N-I-C-O-L-E had been tampered with twice ("But at least they knew they had been interfered with." She would hear him say). Second, Badniks were closing in- she had realised- but couldn't figure out how they were getting more accurate with their location sweeps. Third, Sonic's identity had been revealed so she knew it was only a matter of time until they would all be discovered and- oh dear, she could only imagine how cross he'd be with himself.

She found herself sitting atop the mound, overlooking the groups work for the past couple of years. The radio sat beside her and, once again, discussed Robotnik's reign. His camps scattered across Mobius were decreasing in numbers, and she had an idea to whom caused it, but the emperor merely changed course. He previously threatened GUN, doing so a number of times, would take over small enough villages the media would soon focus on something more 'thrilling' and smothered Mobius in his insignia.

It was better than how it was when she was a child, she knew that. They had their own radio station for one thing. But it's times were planned by the Robotnik Empire, the staff would sometimes 'randomly disappear' and after certain actions from the Emperor, the broadcast would be monitored. Not to mention larger cities across Mobius had the tightest of securities, from monitoring what vehicles left and entered the city, citizen identifications to strict curfews. Music genres like rock were basically banned, Robotnik had never used the term but he didn't allow such 'ear torture' to be played.

She pushed that all away, choosing to focus on the radio for some kind of clue. She knew Robotnik was up to something, for despite his small attacks he was mostly hidden. If he weren't busy, Sonic probably wouldn't have...well, the amount of camps destroyed wouldn't have occurred. She watched the clouds, arm resting on one of her arched knees until she heard something about a 'shiny, flying blue phenomenon causing torment in villages.'

She scooped the radio up, sitting straight as her attention was snagged. But the radio staff moved swiftly along, no doubt terrified to say anything more in case they would disappear too, and she returned to watching the sky. Another intriguing thing followed, a sound from the sky. From above the clouds. An odd, perhaps electrical, type of whirring. She slowly stood and her ears strained to take in the wind almost whistling.

"Sally Girl?" Bunnie called below, Antoine and soon N-I-C-O-L-E at her side.

"Listen." The leader atop the mound merely responded.

A short distance away, a purple walrus emerged from behind an oak door. Rotor watched the grass and leaves and quickly the breaches of tress flap against the wind. His eyes squinted as nature began dancing in the breeze, thus he approached his friends who looked to the clouds. There came a peculiar clank, louder whistling and then Sally saw something she had dreamed for years.

Between the clouds came specks of red. Under the white candy floss showed a scraped, rusty red plane. It circled above them and Bunnie cheered prior to it landing on the large patch of grass opposing the mound. The rabbit and the others swiftly hurried around it, grinning and cheering. The red plane was more...colourful than expected. A red echidna helped two rabbits climb down, a small fox in the pilots seat somehow flew to the ground and- there he was. A pink hedgehog giggled as he helped her down before watching Knothole's citizens.

Sally's legs were weak- no, actually, all of her was shaky and she would've fainted if he hadn't looked directly at her before anything else. Bunnie's laughter slipped away, Rotor's cheers vanished and tears glazed over her eyes. Hands over her lips, Sally let out an abrupt laugh before running as fast as her legs could push her. And then she was there and he was here and his hands were in hers and soon she was in his arms.

He squeezed like never before and spun her around, her legs off the ground in the process. He laughed and Sally felt her heart explode, not caring for a single stare she was given. Her eyes were screwed shut and she shook in his hold, unable to contain her immeasurable, euphoric joy. But he trembled too, and it felt more exhausted than anything so she stepped back the slightest to cup his face in her hands.

Sally observed, photographed and drowned in his face- making sure she'd never forget it. Her teary eyes danced over his dry lips, rather pale muzzle and baggy but stunning eyes. They were still as astonishingly green like nothing else she'd seen, his crooked smile was still as sweet as she dreamed and his dusted pink cheeks continued to make her giggle. Then, his hands rested over hers and she could see his entire form relax.

"Long time no see." He whispered for they were close enough and she airily laughed.

Of course he'd greet her in such a way in that voice that was lower than she recalled, but it was proud and strong too.

"Hi." She breathed, finding herself very ready to get rid of the space between them.

Perhaps he thought the same for she could feel him shift closer, growing redder in doing so, but was interrupted by pink fur and wide green eyes. Sally flinched, finding the pink hedgehog had a hand held out and a bright smile painted on her face. The chipmunk tried not to snicker and tease the blue hedgehog who spluttered and massaged the scruff of his neck.

"Hiiii! My name's Amy Rose! You're Sally right?"

The chipmunk glanced at the much larger group, who were mostly introducing themselves to each other. Bunnie, Cream and Tails clearly pretending to do so. She straightened, graciously shaking Amy's hand with a smile.

"I am-."

"Sonic's talked a lot about you, like a lot a lot."

Sally quirked an eye ridge at said hedgehog, smirk etching onto her muzzle. Sonic in return attempted to act clueless.

"Is that right?"

Amy giggled. "Oh absolutely. But I'm sure he's got a lot to talk to you about, we've had quite the adventure!"

The princess hummed, directing her focus onto the group that looked her way. Her friends along with herself had quite the story to share too, thus she knew a sit down around the fire would be perfect in introductions and storytelling. Therefore, taking Sonic's hand (which she found fit perfectly despite the multiple year long distance) she addressed the expanded group.

"I think some chilli dogs and hello's are in order, right?"