AoStH/Archie Crossover: Part 1

"Stick close, 'lil bro," AoStH Sonic said, creeping through the forest.

AoStH Tails walked up and slipped his hand into Sonic's. The two had woken up in this alien forest, which was scary enough, but Sonic was acting so cautious Tails' fear was multiplied. They crept in silence for a few more minutes. Then Tails broke the silence.

"Why are you acting so weird? You're scaring me," he said, voice wavering.

Sonic stopped and looked back at Tails. Those wide eyes melted some of the caution, then fortified it. He sighed, then knelt to meet Tails' eyes, putting his hand on Tails' shoulder.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," he started, "that's not what I'm trying to do. I am being a little too uptight, aren't I?"

Tails nodded.

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll try to loosen up, but no guarantees, okay?" Sonic said, standing up.

"Okay," Tails agreed, feeling much safer.

The boys walked on for a good ten minutes. They pushed aside a couple of ferns, then gasped. In front of them, situated in the middle of a large clearing, was a city. Sonic and Tails were overwhelmed for a few minutes because no city on Mobius was that large. Then Sonic shook his head and strode out towards it.

"Sonic, wait!" Tails called, running up to him and trying to pull him back, "we don't know if the people are friendly!"

"Well, I won't find out unless I try," Sonic pointed out, pulling away from the young fox.

"But-," Tails started, hand outstretched.

"I know it's dangerous," Sonic said, putting his hand on Tails' shoulder, "that's why you're staying in the forest where it's safe."

Tails looked down, and Sonic noticed a small tear slip down Tails' cheek. Sonic felt a sudden rush of love for Tails. The kid was trying so hard to be brave, but he was scared. He'd be fine, the little trooper. Tails was a strong kid, good heart. Time and time again, Tails had proved he could take care of himself.

If Tails thought Sonic was excited to be going into this alien city at all, much less alone, he'd be gladly mistaken. Thing was, though, Sonic had no choice, so he had to be strong. Tails needed him to be.

"Calm down, now," Sonic said softly, lifting Tails' chin, "I'll be careful, okay?"

"Promise?" Tails asked in a whisper.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Sonic asked, standing up, "I promise. Be back in a flash."

Tails watched Sonic run off, then turned and walked into the forest. Curling up under a small cave of ferns, he waited for Sonic to return.

Meanwhile, Sonic was stopped at the wall of the city by a projected lynx.

"Stop. As protector of Mobotropolis, I ask you to state your name and business here," she said, standing in the way an authority figure would.

Sonic decided to act offended.

"What does it look like to you?" he asked, "I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, and I just got lost. I want to know where I am."

The lynx looked him up and down. Her stern expression remained, but it seemed to soften.

"Interesting," she said, "you're not lying, but I know you're not the Sonic I know. You must be from a different zone."

"A zone?" Sonic asked, keeping it cool but starting to inwardly panic.

A different zone? What was a zone? A different place? Time? Dimension? What trouble was Tails and him in? What danger? How could he keep Tails safe? Why did life have to do this to him?

The whole time the lynx (Nicole) had been watching this Sonic carefully. His face was calm, looking at her with the face of someone in charge. However, her scans of him showed a raised pulse, at the levels of someone panicking.

"You've never heard of a 'zone' before, have you?" she asked.

Nicole was surprised when Sonic laughed.

"Of course I know what 'zones' are. The question is, do you know?" he asked breezily, inspecting his fingernails like he didn't really care.

Man, he's good, Nicole thought.

Sonic had just effortlessly twisted the question to Nicole. He didn't know what a 'zone' was, but didn't know if Nicole was friend or foe. Nicole felt sorry that he lived in a world where he needed to be so cautious. At the same time, so did she.

"Of course I know! I asked you," Nicole said, acting annoyed.

"Prove it," Sonic said, giving Nicole a sideways look.

Man, this kid's had a lot of practice.

"Fine," Nicole said, arms folded, "A zone is the same as a dimension. Two zones are different dimensions of the same world."

"Right," Sonic said, agreeing with her, "now I want to see the Sonic from this zone."

His voice was demanding like he was ordering Nicole. She smiled, and her zone's Sonic (Prime) stepped out from behind the wall where he'd been hiding.

"I already called him," she informed the shocked hedgehog in front of her.

Before he could respond, Prime Sonic asked,

"Where're your friends?"

Sonic's insides froze, then he mentally slapped himself. Of course this zone, being another dimension, would have a Tails, and of course this zone's Sonic would ask about him. But revealing Tails now would be dangerous. Tails couldn't be found by these people until Sonic was sure they were friends.

Speaking of, this Sonic hadn't asked for Tails specifically. He'd asked where Sonic's friends were. That meant this zone's Sonic had many friends, and, from what Sonic could see, a set city. Sonic relaxed. If zones were this different, he didn't need to expose Tails.

Sonic shrugged casually, going back to inspecting his fingernails.

"What friends?" he asked.

Prime Sonic and Nicole looked at each other in shock.

"Don't you fight Eggman?" Prime asked.

"I fight a Robotnik," AoStH offered, "but I work alone."

"What does your Robotnik do?" Nicole asked, trying to find out if Sonic was a friend or foe.

"Destroy things, do evil, try to take over the world," Sonic yawned and stretched like he was bored, "you know, the normal villain stuff."

"So you're a hero as well," Prime said.

"Yes, I take it you are?" Sonic asked.

"You bet," Prime confirmed, then called over his shoulder, "guys, come on out. This Sonic's not a threat."

Sally, Prime Tails, Amy, Bunnie, and Antoine came out from behind the wall that Prime Sonic had come from. But when they turned to face AoStH Sonic, he was at the edge of the forest.

"Hidden friends, eh? Two can play that game," he called, then turned to the forest.

"Tails! Come on out, lil' bud!" he called.

"Didn't he say he doesn't have friends?" Prime Sonic asked.

"He said he works alone," Prime Tails corrected.

"Maybe he was trying to protect his Tails," Bunnie suggested.

"I wonder why," Sally murmured.

They didn't have to wonder long. Only a few seconds after Sonic called, a brown blur zoomed out of the forest, stopping next to the hedgehog. The fox was very young, younger than Charmy. Even though, he seemed very bright and curious. The AoStHs came back to the Primes. AoStH Sonic stepped forward.

"Sorry about what I'd told you," he said, "I wasn't sure if you were threats or not. I was playing it safe- as safe as all of you being potential enemies can be."

"Don't sweat it," Prime Sonic waved his hand dismissively, "we were playing the same game."

Prime Tails' eyes were on his counterpart.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Four and a half," AoStH Tails answered.

"Man," Prime Tails mumbled.

"No wonder you're so protective," Bunnie said to AoStH Sonic.

"What?" AoStH Tails asked, confused, and turned to his counterpart, "how old are you then?"

"Eleven," Prime Tails answered.

"Wow," AoStH Tails said, "you're old!"

"Hey!" Prime Tails protested as everyone else laughed.

AoStH Tails was even more confused by that reaction.

"What? What's so funny?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it, Squirt," AoStH Sonic said, ruffling Tails' hair.

Before AoStH Tails could answer, Nicole cut in.

"The Death Egg is approaching," she said.

The Primes nodded, and Sally said, "thanks, Nicole."

She turned to the AoStHs.

"Get your Tails to Freedom HQ. Sonic can take you there. The two Sonics can come back and fight once Tails is safe," she said.

Fear flooded AoStH Tails. He glanced up at AoStH Sonic as if begging him to not leave him. AoStH Sonic stepped up so he was standing next to his Tails. Prime Sonic noticed AoStH Tails' hand slipping into his Sonic's, and Sonic's hand tightening.

"Thanks," AoStH Sonic said, in a normal voice, "but I don't think it's a good idea for me to leave Tails."

Sally nodded.

"Sonic can bring you both to Freedom HQ, then," she said.

_______________________________________

Once at Freedom HQ, Prime Sonic introduced the AoStHs to Uncle Chuck and Cream. When he left, AoStH Tails turned to Uncle Chuck.

"You're this world's Sonic's uncle?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes," Uncle Chuck answered a little uncertainly.

"Don't you have an Uncle Chuck in your world?" Cream asked.

"Nah," AoStH Sonic answered, "I don't have any relations."

"You don't?" Uncle Chuck asked, surprised.

"Nope," AoStH Sonic said, shaking his head, "been on my own since I was a kid."

"And I've lived with Sonic my whole life," AoStH Tails added.

Neither Prime knew how to take that, so they shrugged it off.

"Want to play?" Cream asked Tails.

"Sure," he said, "what' cha want to play?"

"I don't care," Cream answered.

"Then let's figure it out," Tails said, starting to hover.

The two kids left to find something to do. Uncle Chuck turned to Sonic.

"Your world sounds very different," he noted, "what's it like?"

"Well, my world is Mobius," Sonic started, "Pretty place, but not as lush as your world. Me and Tails go all over it, keeping the evil Dr. Robotnik and his badniks at bay."

"Do you have a home base or town you live at?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Nope, we just camp wherever we wind up that night," Sonic answered, "anyways, Robuttnik doesn't like me that much, so made a couple of robots, Scratch and Grounder, specifically to catch me."

"Have they ever?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Well," Sonic was suddenly embarrassed, "I have gotten cornered a few times. Couple times it was Robuttnik that helped me escape. Other times it was a badnik. I've had to wriggle out myself a few times. Most of the time, though, it's Tails and a new friend that bust me out."

Uncle Chuck was surprised.

"You've been caught?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Sonic answered, looking down, "I have a major weakness that is decently easy to exploit."

"Water?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Nah, water's fun to be in. Besides, I've fought under water multiple times. That's why I've made sure Tails and me can swim," Sonic answered.

Uncle Chuck was pretty sure water wasn't it but was still surprised to hear AoStH Sonic wasn't scared of it. Next guess.

"Chili dogs?"

"A weakness, yes, easiest to exploit, yes," Sonic said, "but not the main cause of capture."

At least this Sonic liked chili dogs. He wasn't a complete imposter. But what else? Uncle Chuck noticed Sonic glance over at Tails and Cream, who were playing flying tag. He paused. Of course, that was Sonic's weakness, but this had dark implications. Well, time to find out.

"Tails?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Bingo," Sonic answered, turning to him.

Oh.

Not really wanting to know, Uncle Chuck asked,

"If you don't mind me asking, how many times has this happened?"

"My weakness exploited?" Sonic asked, " about 65% of encounters."

Uncle Chuck glanced over at Tails. You couldn't tell all that had happened by looking at him. But in this new light, Uncle Chuck began noticing things. Tails' impressive acrobatic skills had signs of honing that only fights and life-or-death situations could develop. Tails was having fun now- relaxing, you could say- but Uncle Chuck had no doubt that at the first sign of danger Tails would spring into action.

"You're noticing it too," Sonic said, startling Uncle Chuck, "the results of a freedom fighting lifestyle since infancy."

Uncle Chuck looked at Sonic, who was looking at Tails with a face that seemed both wiped of emotion and full of it at the same time. Before Uncle Chuck could respond, though, Sonic continued.

"I've raised him, you know. Found him as an infant, and we've been together since. I love him a ton, and want the best for him. Thing is, sometimes I wonder if I'm really doing my best. And looking at him, I'm a little sad to see how used he is to fighting, to life-threatening situations. He shouldn't have to endure that, but that's all I have to offer," Sonic closed his eyes and bowed his head, "am I really the one that should be taking care of him?"

"I don't think he'd have it any other way," Uncle Chuck pointed out, more than a little alarmed at this confession, "he definitely loves you, and I don't think it would be a good idea to pass him on to someone else."

"I know," Sonic said, then looked up at Uncle Chuck with a smile, "thanks for the affirmation, though. I needed it. I just get stressed sometimes, trying to be the best parental figure I can be."

"I think you're doing a great job so far," Uncle Chuck said truthfully.

"Really?" Sonic smiled, "thanks."

The moment was ruined slightly by Nicole appearing in front of the two.

"Sonic, we need you to come help," she said quietly, glancing at the two kids playing tag.

Sonic nodded.

"Okay," he turned to Uncle Chuck, "keep a close eye on Tails while I'm gone. The kid can be slippery when he wants to be."

"I'll do that," Uncle Chuck nodded.

As Sonic ran off, Nicole glanced between him and Uncle Chuck.

"Did I… miss something?" she asked.

"Not really," Uncle Chuck answered, "you'll learn when he tells you."

Behind him, the room had fallen silent as Cream and Tails watched Sonic run away.

_______________________________________

AoStH Sonic ran up to the city to find… Scratch and Grounder. For some reason, those two were giving the Freedom Fighters a hard time. AoStH paused behind a tree to watch the others' fighting styles. Hack and slash. No wonder they were having a bad time.

Sure, the dumbbots were jokes, but only under a certain fighting style. Hack and slash wouldn't work since the bots were quick and nimble. Besides, they were used to trickery to catch Sonic, and the lush environment hid the traps well. AoStH Sonic only knew he was next to a trap because he knew the telltale signs of a bot plot. Donning the disguise of an attorney, Sonic stepped up to the bots.

"I am a representative from the Society of Tyrannical Universal People Interested in Destruction. You are trespassing on one of our members' claims. This city is the claim of Julian/Ivo Robotnik/Eggman's to attack and control," he said authoritatively.

"So? He gave us permission," Scratch said.

"He did, did he?" Sonic said skeptically, pulling out a clipboard, "then explain why in order F-151512,  section 611, paragraph 15 it states, 'no poultry or tank-like robots are to be within 100 square miles of Eggman's city.'"

"It does?" Grounder asked.

"Yes, so unless you want your license revoked, I suggest getting out of here," Sonic said, pointing.

The badniks booked it in the direction Sonic pointed. Sonic waited until the badniks were out of earshot, then tore off the disguise and ran to where the Primes were caught. Prime Sonic stared at his counterpart in awe as he freed him from a net.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"The better question is: What was that?" Prime Tails corrected, tied to a tree.

"Acting, Tails," AoStH Sonic answered, untying him.

"Acting?!" Antoine asked, "zat was acting?!"

"Yep," AoStH Sonic answered, "the hack and slash technique works, but once you're watching over an infant your tactics change a little."

"Your Tails?" Sally asked, climbing out of a pit.

"Right," AoStH Sonic agreed, "and though he can't really act, Tails is really good at trap setting and reversing."

"Is this how you always fight?" Bunnie asked.

AoStH Sonic shrugged.

"Sometimes I act. Sometimes I trick. Sometimes I mislead. Whatever the situation calls for," he said.

"Sonic's great at all of them," a voice came from the forest.

AostH Tails came out.

"Tails! What are you doing here?" AoStH Sonic asked, "you're supposed to be at Freedom HQ."

AoStH Tails lowered his head.

"I know, but I wanted to help," he said quietly.

"Thanks, Tails, but I got it taken care of. Stay where it's safe next time, okay?" AoStH Sonic scolded lightly.

AoStH Tails made a soft, indecipherable sound. Sally walked up to him.

"Where's Cream and Uncle Chuck?" she asked.

AoStH Tails pointed.

"At HQ," he answered.

"They let you go?" Prime Tails asked suspiciously.

"No," AoStH Tails answered, "I snuck out."

Nicole materialized in front of Sally.

"Sally," she started, then saw AoStH Tails.

"There you are!" she said, "how did you get out?"

"Wait," Prime Sonic said, coming up to them, "you're telling me he was watched by Cream, Uncle Chuck and Nicole and still got out?"

"Yep," AoStH Tails said, drawing himself up proudly.

AoStH Sonic, a little embarrassed, pulled AoStH Tails aside.

"Don't do that again, okay?" he told the fox in a low voice, "escaping from a cell is one thing, but when you're left in a safe place to be safe, you don't… leave."

Tails bowed his head.

"Sorry, Sonic," he muttered.

"It's fine," Sonic said, putting his arm around Tails' shoulders, "just keep it in mind next time, okay? It's to keep you safe."

Tails nodded, still radiating guilt. AoStH Sonic locked eyes with his counterpart and jerked his head in the direction of Freedom HQ.

"K' mon," he said to his Tails, and the group all left for HQ.

_______________________________________

That night, the AoStHs camped outside Freedom HQ. They had been offered a room in the HQ, but AoStH Sonic had politely refused. He explained that he and his Tails were used to sleeping outside and that they didn't want to take up extra space. That was part of the reason, but not all, as Prime Tails found out.

He couldn't sleep, so he'd decided to get a drink of water. On the way, Prime Tails saw his Sonic keeping watch by the door. Sonic beckoned Tails closer while motioning for him to stay quiet. When Tails approached, he started to hear soft singing:

"I tell you the story

  I've often told,

  One of eternal glory

  A tale of old;

  Of love and devotion

  Coupled with sacrifice,

  Of one who loves us dearly

  Who calms all our strife."

AoStH Sonic was singing a lullaby to his Tails. Prime Tails was surprised and touched by this. He moved to the window, so as to see better. AoStH Tails was laying on a small mat, and AoStH Sonic was kneeling next to it.

"Born long ago in

  A stable in Bethlehem,

  Back when the world was ruled

  Entirely by humans.

  A humble birth

  With humble parents

  And a humble way of life

  Was Christ's childhood."

The lullaby was religious, Prime Tails realized, then wondered why that was such a shock. AoStH Sonic would need any support he could get since the two seemed to have been on their own for a long time.

"He always knew his mission;

  The reason for His birth.

  He never once questioned

  Why He came to Earth.

  You know the rest of the story.

  The miracles and endless love,

  The jealousy of Pharisees,

  And the betrayal of

  The Christ.

  His suffering, unfair trials, and   crucifixion

  Are often told of,

  And are important,

  But there's more to this story.

  After three days the Christ rose again,

  Having defeated death

  And saved his fellow man;

  Who are us too.

  He left His spirit to guide the way

  Of those who truly love Him,

  As I do..."

AoStH Sonic paused for a moment, looking around, then leaned closer to his Tails. He finished, in barely a whisper,

"...And as I love you."

The primes stayed silent, frozen by this unexpected show of affection. AoStH Sonic, unaware others had heard the song, brushed back his Tail's bangs.

"'Night, Tails," he whispered.

AoStH stood, then moved to his mat on the other side of the campfire to the side of the 'yard'. He sat down and hugged his knees to his chest. As he looked up at the sky, the primes saw the face of one simultaneously younger and older than AoStH's 15 years. AoStH's face had no mask; his emotions clear: he was optimistic, cautious, lost, very scared, but above all, filled with love for Tails and this 'Christ'. He then started to quietly sing again:

"I understand now,

  Under the stars so bright

  How Christ could carry on and complete

  His love-filled sacrifice."

AoStH looked over at the sleeping form of his best friend. Then he smiled, and sang in the softest voice of all:

"Although I'd never tell you

  Or admit it to anyone,"

AoStH lowered his head, still smiling,

"You saved me, Tails, in the cheesiest way possible:"

AoStH took a deep breath,

"You taught me how to love."

He lay down and pulled up the covers. If the primes had been speechless before, that was nothing compared to now. Tails felt dirty since this AoStH Sonic was the true AoStH Sonic; this was Sonic without any defense, any layers. Nobody was supposed to see this Sonic. No one was supposed to know that Sonic was lost and… needy.

That's what that face had been. Needy. The last lines of the secret lullaby offered a possible explanation of what Sonic had been deprived of:

'You saved me, Tails, in the cheesiest way possible:/ you taught me how to love.'

Tails glanced over at Prime Sonic, who had arrived at the same conclusion. The two friends stood silently for a few minutes, absorbing what they'd seen, then slipped away to their beds. Neither would tell what they'd seen tonight.