Revel in your presence

Theory

As he blinked himself awake, he recognized the outline of a black hedgehog. He groaned as he fought the sunlight. "What...?", he muttered through his teeth. 

Shadow must have heard it since his gaze dropped down at him with an raised eyebrow.  "You're finally awake hedgehog. Was about time."

He raised himself up quickly and ran over to the new Knuckles. He leaned in and stared at the newcomer for a moment. Knuckles in return, just stared back, sweat beginning to form on his head. Sonic then leaned back and rubbed the back of his head. "Man, you've gotten really buff, Knucks.", he commented with a breathy laugh.

The echidna looked over to his friends, wo didn't seem fazed by it. He then turned back to the blue hedgehog smiling in front of him. He needed a moment to think, before concluding, "Hehe, I knew the training was working. And you have gotten smaller."

Sonic blinked at him, but in no time he heard a sigh from Sonic (VBoom). "That's not me, Knuckles..."

Knuckles turned to his version of Sonic. "Ah- Do you know, who this strangly familiar looking hedgehog is?", he asked while pointing at Sonic.

Sonic (VBoom) just rolled his eyes and came up to the huge mobian. Before introducing him, he took a deep breath. "Knuckles, this is Sonic. My prototype. Sonic, this is Knuckles."

Shadow was surprised, that he still referred to Sonic as his prototype. Said hedgehog on the other hand wasn't as surprised but rather annoyed. He rolled his eyes and whispered, "Yeah, right. Prototype..."

Knuckles let out a strong laugh and said, "You two have the same name."

They both looked at him with a raised eyebrow, an unspoken, 'Oh really? We didn't notice.'

Musclehead began to notice the uncomfortable silence and asked, "You new, didn't you?"

They both hummed with the exact expression. Knuckles pressed his lips together, wanting to escape this conversation. He cleared his throat and began, "Yeah, so I'll be-"

"Heya Sonic!", a shout erupted from a few meters away. Both hedgehogs spun around at the same time. The fox that was running over to the group began to slow down the nearer he came. He added, "And Sonic?"

Sonic's eyes lit up, when he noticed that it was Tails. His ears perked up. Shadow noticed of course, and reacted with a frown. He wasn't going to risk, that this version turned out to be the same as Nine. Although this one bore the characteristics of their Tails. He let out a breath. Even if he did not want Sonic to get attached to these version, he knew, that, right now, he had no way to stop him. 

Sonic skidded over tot he almost perfect resemblance of his little brother. When he hugged the not so little fox, the other, although surprised, started laughing. Sonic (VBoom) wasn't very fond of the action and grabbed the other by the arm and pulled him off the laughing fox. Shadow squinted his eyes, only observing at first.

Sonic came to a realisation that this still wasn't his little brother, when he felt the protective and envious gaze of this version's Sonic. "Back off dude.", the taller warned

His ears slightly dropped and he waved his hands while giving an apologetic smile. "Sorry old habit."

Tails had now calmed down and walked between the two's staring contest. "Didn't know you would let yourself be cloned, Sonic.", he noted, while taking in the smaller hedgehog's appearance. "Even though he is a bit small, don't you think. Even I am taller than him."

Sonic's face formed a scowl. He did not like the idea of his little brother outgrowing him. Of course he knew the day would come, but he wasn't ready for it to be now. Perhaps it was also  just the fact that he was called short by him. The other Sonic just snorted. "As if I'll ever let my clone be this sorry example of me."