Sunlight shined over a small rural town of Green Hills, Montana. The quiet town was nothing special, all things considered, but like the sign leading to it stated: A little town with a big heart! Plus, it wasn't completely barren of interesting things, one such thing was Green Hills Sheriff's Department. On the outside one may ask what's so special about? Well, it's actually because the family that runs that building have been around for almost hundreds of years, protecting the peaceful town for as long as one can remember and the most recent of these descendants to protect this town happens to be Tom Wachowski.
Tom was just an ordinary average sized, yet well-fit human with short brown hair, peach skin and clear blue eyes. He was no different from others, except from the fact he was everyone's go-to guy, be that being a sheriff or just himself on his regular day, and the reason for him earning that status was because he's willing to help any person with their own problems; be that as small as helping someone finding their lost toy or as big as... fixing a backyard fence, all of which citizens of his town are really grateful for, to have a great protector helping them out. But for Tom this might as well be torture.
Oh sure, he adores being a sheriff, even showed it extensively during his youth, and when the day finally came to be, the first few days were exciting! There wasn't much in terms of crimes or anything major, but he was enjoying this role! Then a few more days passed, then weeks, then months, then years; that's when he started to become a bit world-weary, as his daily duties never provided any sort of challenge as instead of allowing a change in somebody's lives, he's been spending more time helping locals with mundane tasks. Even regular police responsibilities became mundane after a while; and today being no exception.
As of right now, he was busy on the speed trap, on the road, hiding behind the big sign, leading to (what else) Green Hills. A Speed Radar Gun was looking out the patrol car's window towards the long road. Tom, complete with his sunglasses, kept staring at road expectantly, "Come on, one car!" He said to himself, annoyed and almost begging. Eventually, the hand holding the speed gun dropped from exhaustion, he has been waiting for at least one car to pass by him all morning and nothing, absolutely nothing happened during all that time.
Eventually, in his boredom, he started to imitate car noises and move the speed gun across the road to make it seem as if he was catching cars that were moving along the road with incredible speeds. However, that too, soon became tiring and he dropped the speed gun on the front porch of the car.
"I'm bored!", the cop proclaimed, but to his annoyance his answer came in the form of his radio communication to receive a response from his friend and partner at work; Wade Whipple.
"Tom? Do you read me, are you there?", Tom picked up the communicator.
"No, Wade. I'm actually on a yacht in Barbados." Deciding to play a little joke on his friend, who he knew to be oblivious to Tom's sarcasm, "With Rihanna." He quickly added, despite not knowing anyone with the name.
Obviously Wade took the bait, which didn't take much convincing at all, "O-M-G! That's amazing, please send pics.", Tom would've groaned at his friend's obliviousness, but he couldn't help but chuckle a little as it was so easy to mess with him.
"No Wade, I'm actually at the speed trap." Tom explained, perhaps the only time he had something fun to do during this morning and maybe the entire week.
"Already?" Wade asked, not noticing Tom's sarcasm, "How did you get back so fast? Barbados is in the ocean!", this time Tom actually sighed, not even playing around with his co-worker made his job entertaining; but then something caught his eye.
"Hang on, I think I got something.", he placed the communicator back on the radio, so that Wade wouldn't distract him. Quickly grabbing the Speed Radar gun and pointing it at the road, he wasn't aiming at an incoming car because there wasn't one. What he was aiming at instead... was a turtle.
Just a regular, small land turtle was crossing the road at a speed that must be painful to live with and Tom's speed gun proved it as after a few beeps, it showed the speed that the turtle was moving at, 1 mph.
"Hey buddy! Where's the fire? Got kids living around here!" Tom called out to the turtle, who didn't pay the screaming human no mind and kept crawling, realizing what he just said he felt kind of stupid now, "I thought that was funny, sorry!"
Placing the radar gun back on the porch, Tom took off his sunglasses and looked at the road, deep in thought: So, this is how the rest of my life will go, huh? I didn't manage to catch a single car, wasted an entire morning doing so and then made fun of a turtle, which made me look like an idiot. Great... Well, what else was I expecting? Especially living in the most boring, most dreadful town like Green-
All of a sudden, his thoughts were interrupted by a 'woosh' sound, followed by the wind picking up. Tom blinked in surprise, straightening up in his seat as he looked around trying to find the source of the sound thinking he missed a car pass by, but instead heard a beeping from the radar gun which drew his attention to it. The radar showed him a number, which made him blink twice to believe, 294 mph.
"What?" Picking the radar from the porch, Tom looked closer to check if it was the sun messing with his eyes, but no, that's the exact number he was seeing! Looking back at the road he didn't see a car in the distance, which itself was unlikely as even the fastest car wouldn't be able to reach that kind of speed, much less on a public road. Maybe the gun was broken? But it worked fine before, and he couldn't think of anything for it to-
Another blow of the wind. Tom barely blinked as he heard another beeping from the speed gun, this time it showed a higher number than before, 300 mph.
Tom's eyes nearly popped out from his sockets, just how!? Tom fiddled and lightly smacked the device to check if it really is broken but nothing proved it was, this for all intents and purposes, is a real number! Obviously, the car idea is thrown out the window, there's no way that the person in those cars would purposefully reach these speeds. Plus, the fact that two cars would travel at near same speed was just too coincidental and for that to be the same car is simply impossible.
Tom couldn't comprehend anything that happened, there's no way any of this is real. Getting out of his car, he investigated the area around him to hopefully find a reason for every that has happened in the last 2 minutes, because even though he never saw it, he did feel the wind and that reason did have to exist. But this did turn out hopeless as looking around there was nothing, at least nothing that could prove that what happened was real.
He did remember hearing from a few locals that things have been stolen from them over the years and they have been accompanied by a strong wind, which was one thing that excited Tom to investigate and find the crook but they all have turned out null, no evidence to suggest who could have stolen them or anything major that were stolen; just some food, multiple comics, an old boombox and some things from the nearby junkyard like broken sign posts or a broken washing machine.
When finding nothing on the road, Tom was about to conclude his time here and return to the station but just then he noticed something, inside the tall grass something was glowing, and he only noticed it because of the bright blue color illuminating from it. Looking closer at the object, it looked something like a thin strand of hair or a needle. Reaching out towards it and grabbing hold of it he was surprised for it to feel quite soft and warm from the tips of his fingers, and when he pulled it close to his face, it looked a quill from an animal, which he would think nothing much of if wasn't glowing like a light bulb. Moments later, the glow dissipated and what remained was a dark blue quill.
Then, to break Tom's thoughts, Wade called through communicator, "Tom! We need you down on main street, there has been a violent gang shootout going on there!" Thinking definitively that there was nothing else to find, – like what could be weirder than an unconventionally large, blue quill? – Tom got into his patrol car and left for the station, turning on the lights on top.
At the same time, he heard Wade laughing, "Just kidding! A duck stole a bagel, but they do need it back." Questioning why the bakery wanted a stolen bagel that would most likely be disgusting to sell back flew over Tom's head just like the duck that stole it, he was too busy thinking about the quill he had found earlier, it's not every day you'd find something like that in the middle of a barren road, and why was it glowing like that? He'd have to ask for a DNA check on it, in case it was radiated.
Along the way back he noticed a car heading his way, the first one he'd seen since morning. Normally he would've been mad for leaving right as a car just so happen to appear on his way, but today, after everything that happened, he could care less about missing a car. The only other thought that didn't conquer his mind right now was that turtle crossing the road, he was hopeful that it got across safely and the car passing him wouldn't run over it.
=============== 0O0 ===============
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The small turtle still was on the road, crawling without a care in the world, but the sound of a car approaching made it want to have care and pick up its pace, yet it was still crawling at a snail's pace. The car kept coming faster, with the driver either not noticing or not caring they were they to drive over an innocent animal and this might've been the turtle's grave had it not been picked by a blue blur.
Just as the tire of the car was inches from its shell, something picked it up with inhuman speed, this something turned out to be a strange creature with its honestly fuzzy, blue fur covering most of his body, with peach skin on his muzzle, inside ears and equally fuzzy front torso.
Other than that, it had small, triangular ear on top of its head, six long quills extending from the back of the head, with two protruding from behind the shoulders, a short tail and a black, stubby, little nose. It also wore pure white gloves and worn-out shoes, with clear socks within. The little turtle was shocked and thankful for this creature's last minute rescue, and the creature smiled at the little guy.
"Whoa, buddy! You almost got yourself turned into a pancake back there! You're so lucky that I was fast enough to get you. I mean, they wouldn't call me Sonic otherwise." The creature, named Sonic gloated, while also managing to give out his name to the surely surprised turtle. While the turtle had no idea of knowing, this was the same blue hedgehog that arrived here on this very planet years ago and during that time grew accustomed to his life on Earth and lived like it was his normal habitat. The hedgehog then playfully petted the turtle's head, "Say are you some kind of adrenaline junkie?
"Must be real rough to be slow all the time, huh?" At this the turtle seemed to look dejected, Sonic gave the turtle a look of pity, wondering how to correct his comment on the little creature's lack of speed, then he come with an idea. "Hey, tell you what?" he grinned as the turtle looked back at him, "Today is your lucky day!"
Before long, the blue hedgehog stood in the middle of the road, turning his friend to look at the road and immediately started speeding through it. The turtle truly felt like it was moving at the speed of sound and for a brief moment, it began to smile, and Sonic was just as exhilarate as the turtle, "Have you ever felt more alive!?" He cheered loudly, as he kept accelerating.
Sonic then held the turtle in his left hand as he mimicked an airplane, which is then when the turtle wanted off the ride, but Sonic didn't notice the little creature's distress as he kept running, "This is great! You're doing amazing!" The hedgehog praised looking at the turtle in his palm, but he was surprised to see that his little friend wasn't in his hand. Realizing he was holding him way too lightly, "Oh jeez!"
Rushing back, he luckily saved the turtle way before it touched the ground last second, then with his friend back rushed back where he was previously running while brushing off its shell, "Good recovery!", he sighed with huge grin, and then let out a huge cheer that could theoretically be heard from across the road.
=============== 0O0 ===============
Eventually, Sonic finally stopped and arrived in a specific area of the woods. The turtle he was still holding was shaking so badly that it just wanted for this creature to put it down already, aside from nearly becoming roadkill again thanks to the hedgehog's negligence, but he also was taking them far from where they were heading, and it'll take long while before it could get back where they used to be. Finally, Sonic put his shell-shocked friend on the sweet ground.
"Let's keep this our little secret, okay?" He told the shaking turtle, it's body got quite used to being light, even though their little head didn't. "Pretend you never saw me! I was never here!~" The hedgehog continued, waving his arms and whispering at the last sentence, before disappearing in a blue blur.
The turtle finally collapsed on the ground, trying to get over their fast experience. He didn't know where his rescue-then-induced-trauma helper disappeared to, nor did they care as it hoped to never see that creature again.
Even after he gave it another shot at life.
=============== 0O0 ===============
Sonic was just so full of energy!
Even after running for all his life, he never felt such exhilaration! Maybe it was because he helped that turtle, maybe he was always full of energy? Well that doesn't matter! He had a lot of energy to spare, so he better waste it! Zipping through a pretty spaced out forest, Sonic arrived where his little cave was located.
Sliding through the hole entrance and landing on the soft beanbag, Sonic entered his domain. His home, to say the least, was vast. The inside contained all things that Sonic had 'found' during his years on Earth, from various road signs, toys, furniture and comic books to the aforementioned beanbag, a broken washing machine and a boombox; which Sonic turned on to set the tone for his energy waster exercise and from it played the most appropriate and one of Sonic's favorite songs!
With the music set, activities ready, Sonic began his party!
Within a span of a few minutes, Sonic did every activity he could do in his cave; jamming out on his rubber guitar, break-dancing, jump rope with himself, run on his makeshift treadmill inside the old washing machine he found in the junkyard, throwing around his nunchakus and read every single issue of 'The Flash' comics he got from the local comic store. Afterwards, using an old road sign as a table, Sonic got out his ping-pong paddle and ball to play a bit table tennis. Using his speed, he made it seem his 'other self' was challenging him, and taking that challenge hit the ball to that 'another Sonic'. The intense match of ping-pong didn't last long as he hit the ball ricocheted towards a hanging bag with a label "Emergency Use" and fell to the ground, exposing the rings from the bag.
With an alarmed gasp, Sonic quickly dove to the bag collecting the spilt out rings back inside the bag. He was glad none of them activated or were damaged as they are vitally important to him, not only in survival in this cruel world, but they're also the one thing he has as a memory of Longclaw.
Looking at the map, also inside the bag, it showed other worlds that were crossed out for being unsafe to travel to, while there were a few Sonic remembered from his time as a child, others Sonic had no idea what was so dangerous in them. He recalled Longclaw telling him that this map was given to them by his parents, which was also the only time she spoke of them to him. He doesn't remember much about them, since Longclaw told him that she was given the task of keeping him safe from harm, almost after his birth. What happened to them, Longclaw had no idea and only hoped they were still alive.
Now that Longclaw wasn't with him, really made Sonic regret everything he had done and hated himself for not listening to his guardian's warnings. To think that everything could've been avoided if he wasn't so reckless with his powers, if he just stayed low all this time and not abused his power for his own gain, if he wasn't gifted this power to begin with... If he simply wasn't born...
Sonic shook his head free of all those thoughts crowding around him. Looking at the map, there was only one other planet that wasn't crossed out or was Earth, and it was one Sonic dreaded even more than a water infested world he and Longclaw tried to live in once... Actually no, the water world is worse. But that didn't ease Sonic any more than this one. Taking one of the rings and tossing it, caused the ring to enlarge and revealed an image of the world he disliked within the inside border of the ring.
The world in question was a mushroom world. Just a world filled with large and small, smelly and gross mushrooms all around as far as an eye could see. Aside from being a bland world to begin with, it also was greatly disgusting and just the sight alone made him shudder. But what he hated more is that, if he was discovered, he would have no choice but to warp there, this planet was his final resort to safety as Longclaw instructed him.
"...I hate mushrooms," Sonic mumbled, hoping desperately in his mind that it wouldn't have come to this.
Shrinking the portal back to it's regular size, Sonic hung his bag where it originally was. Walking to his boombox, that was still playing the songs in the back, he just turned it off; not feeling too good after his sudden mood shift. Even if that wasn't the case, he was extremely bored. Every activity he had in his cave, he already did several times already, and that's not even including today.
With nothing else to do, Sonic decided to do the only other thing he does every time whenever he feels alone, he pays a visit to his 'friends' that live in Green Hills. Well, he doesn't doesn't really visits them or even talks to them, just observes what they're doing every day.
So with that decided, Sonic got out and visited one of his favorite people in this town; 'Donut Lord', and the reason for it is because he's this town's protector, like a guardian of sorts, not just protecting all of his people but also respecting and helping other creatures, like right now as he's helping a mama duck and her little ducklings crossing the road. Oh and he's called that for speaking to donuts and treating them like his personal soldiers and eats them if they get out of line!..
Now that he thought about it, he seems to have issues.
Anyway, there's then the 'Pretzel Lady' who lives with Donut Lord. She's very nice to all animals and heals them all back to health when they don't feel too good. Oddly enough, Sonic chose to call her that when she was able to stretch her legs to uncomfortable positions, and Sonic knows because he could feel his bones about to shatter when trying to repeat after her during her excerices.
So he called after a pretzel, something that Sonic once tried and really enjoyed!
Next up is, 'Goofy Bean'! He's good friend to Donut Lord and works with him in the Sheriff Department, he can be really silly at times and he likes coffee!.. A lot of coffee... He seems to also have issues, but that's why Sonic calls him that! Short and simple!
Then there's *'Sass Girl'.
She also works at the Sheriff Department and she... Okay she is the best, okay? And there's a good reason Sonic likes her, it's a real close call between her and Donut Lord, she is basically everything Sonic is, she's funny, she's awesome, and he just likes her, has a huge crush on her, one that probably will never happen for obvious reasons.
There is only one person in town who actually is on to Sonic, he even gave him a nickname, 'The Blue Devil', not that it helps as people don't believe him. 'Crazy Carl' his name is, not really but you understand, he has been onto the blue hedgehog for quite some time and even when he tries his best, he always receives the short end of the stick. But they have fun together, or maybe just Sonic. He even calls Sonic 'The Blue Devil', which pretty sure decreases his credibility even further.
But even though Sonic's glad that no-one believes him, it does pain him a little on the inside that no-one knows about him, like even a little bit. Being alone for so many years, Sonic wanted nothing more than to get out of hiding and make friends with those humans he idolizes, but he's scared. Scared that if he shows his face to anyone they would want to capture him, trap him in a cage, experiment on him and when they learn of his power conquer the universe.
Sonic keeps convincing himself that he's okay with his isolation, but a visit to his Psychiatrist revealed something that he wished wasn't the case, he still remembered his last conversation with him.
"You zink your prolonged isolation iz making you a bit crazy, perhaps?" Sonic's Psychiatrist asked, who strangely looked a lot like him but with glasses and a German accent.
Sonic laughed at the thought of that being the reason, "Crazy? Me? No way, doc, you got me all wrong-"
"And despite all these so-called friendz of yours, deep down you are still rather lonely?" Sonic interrupted himself, taking off his glasses and dropping his fake accent. "Perhaps afraid you'll be alone, forever?"
Sonic on the couch looked distraught, wanting something against that, but no words came out.
"Yeah", he solemnly confirmed, "Maybe you're right, doc... Doc?" Not hearing answer he looked at the chair where his Psychiatrist sat only to see no-one there. Sitting up, Sonic moved to the window and out to the night street, where most buildings were already out like the sun.
Sonic then ran back to his hideout. What a mood kill.
=========== Author Notes ===========
I don't know if I'm over-exaggerating to the 2 of you that are left reading this, but I'm sorry... My procrastination is a real problem for me and I can't help it. Also my college work could provide more problems, so even if a chapter is short it's my fault I couldn't write it faster and so is the time I took to make it, please be aware that I am working on chapters, but when they appear won't have an exact date.
Again, I'm sorry, but that's how I'll work... Anyways;
Fun Facts!
Did you know that most turtles move so slow because they don't need to move fast? Turns out, because most turtles are mostly herbivores (eat plants) and its shell protects them from predators they have such slow metabolisms, plus their anatomy aren't best suited for running anyway.
Sonic's cave is littered with Sonic references! From the obvious like "Hill Top Rd." sign referencing Hill Top Zone from Sonic 2, to more subtle like on Sonic's bandanna having the original logo from Sonic 1 and 2.
The song playing on Sonic's radio was "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queens.
The mushroom world was likely a reference to Mushroom Hill Zone from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, however Sonic's comment "I hate mushrooms" was presumably a reference to his old rival from the 90s, Mario but that's most likely a stretch.
When Tom talks to the ducklings crossing the road their names are Donald, Daisy and Daffy, which reference Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Daffy Duck, former two from Disney and latter from Warner Brothers respectively.
*If you know about the early development of Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), you may recognize this broad and if you don't, doesn't matter you'll find out more about her... NEXT EPISODE!!