Collared Sonic: Part 1

The post-Resistance was enjoying an uneventful day. Eggman hadn't done much lately, which was a good thing. Everyone was watching for an attack, but the break was welcome.

That soon changed, however, as the Death Egg loomed over Restoration HQ. Amy barely had time to alert the others when Eggman sent a transmission to the HQ's screen.

"I trust you alerted Sonic and the others?" he asked.

"Why do you care?" Amy asked.

"Because I have someone I want you all to meet," Eggman replied, "I want everyone here by tomorrow morning. I'll introduce you then."

The screen went dark. Amy remained still, watching it. A Restoration member approached her with unease.

"What should we do, Amy?" she asked.

Amy closed her eyes and sighed, then turned to face the Restoration.

"Those of you willing to fight, prepare to do so. Those of you who aren't or can't, retreat to the nearest villages and evacuate them. We need to clear the battlefield of citizens," Amy ordered.

With nervous nods and shuffling, the Restoration got to work. Many members had been Resistance soldiers during the War and stayed to fight. Wispons were distributed, along with wisp capsules. Those too afraid to fight or unable to because of long-lasting injuries left to evacuate surrounding towns.

By nightfall, Sonic, Tails, (a very grumpy) Knuckles, Tangle, (an also very grumpy) Shadow, Rouge, and the Chaotix had arrived. Amy relayed Eggman's message to them, and no one was very thrilled.

"Why would Eggman be so eager to formally introduce us to this person?" Tails asked, "it has to be a trap."

"Either that or someone that one of us is close to," Espio suggested.

"Why would you say that?" Tails asked anxiously.

Espio shrugged.

"It isn't beneath him. I'm just saying there could be many reasons. I hope that isn't it," he said.

No one got much sleep that night, worried about what the morning would bring. When morning finally did come, the post-Resistance lined up on the field in front of the HQ. Eggman came down in his Egg-o-Matic along with Orbot and Cubot, Cubot waving a white flag.

"Hello, everyone," Eggman said, "this truce won't last long, I promise."

"As we expected," Shadow mumbled.

Eggman frowned, then smiled again.

"As I was saying, I want to formally introduce you to my new henchman," he continued, "this..."

A blue streak came racing towards them. It stopped next to Eggman, showing itself to be a blue hedgehog. He had one accessory: a spiked collar.

"...Is Sonic the Hedgehog," Eggman finished with undeniable glee in his voice, "tell this Resistance where you're from, Sonic."

The other Sonic bowed his head submissively.

"As you wish, Lord Eggman," he said, then turned to the Resistance with a look of disgust.

"I am Sonic the Hedgehog, personal Bodyguard of his greatness Lord Eggman. My original lord, Lord Robotnik, gifted me to Lord Eggman. I am from a world ruled by the glorious Robotnik Empire, ruled by Lord Ivo Robotnik XVI. I was born in Robotnik Falls, the capital of the Empire. The city surrounds Robotnik Falls itself, a beautiful oilfall. Behind the oilfall is the residence of the Robotnik family," the other Sonic had a dreamy expression on his face by this point, as awestruck now as he would be if he was there now.

"Oilfall?" Charmy asked, confused.

The other Sonic looked like he'd been struck. He looked at Charmy as if slightly offended.

"Of course," he said, "aren't there oil falls in this dimension?"

"They're waterfalls here," Eggman explained, "with water, not oil."

The other Sonic was disgusted.

"Water?" he asked, "what a waste."

"You grew up loyal to Robotnik," Sonic stated.

"Of course," the other Sonic said, "you fight against Eggman."

"Of course," Sonic replied, more than slightly put off by this newcomer's upbringing, "Now for our intro. We are the Resistance. We fight against Eggman, who is working to make the world an awful place. We-"

"The introduction is over," Eggman cut in, "Sayanora, Resistance! You have met your downfall. Right, Sonic?"

"As you wish," the other Sonic bowed his head, then glared at the Resistance, "the enemies of the Empire will perish."

"Good," Eggman cackled.

The other Sonic's glare paused for a moment on Tails, then Knuckles.

"Now that you have met, I think you deserve a demonstration of Sonic's power," Eggman said, moving higher, "Sonic-"

Before Eggman finished the order, the other Sonic leaped forward and pinned Charmy to the ground. The bee yelped, and Vector and Espio were on his assailant in a flash, but they weren't quick enough. The other Sonic was standing on the Egg-o-matic before anyone could react, dangling his catch in the air by the wrist.

Sonic jumped up at his counterpart, but the other Sonic only jumped higher, pausing in midair then knocking Sonic to the ground. The other Sonic's spin was more of a saw than a ball. Sonic landed hard on the ground.

"Excellent!" Eggman crowed, "now let the bee go, Sonic. The demonstration is over."

The other Sonic let go of Charmy's wrist, scowling. Charmy flew back to the other Chaotix, hugging Vector's neck and crying. The Resistance were all glaring at the other Sonic, Sonic and the Chaotix most of all. Within the first five minutes of being introduced, he had proven unafraid to play dirty.

Content with the Resistance's reactions, Eggman left with the other Sonic, leaving fear to take hold.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What was up with that Sonic?" Sonic asked, "he's nothing like me!"

"He did say we were a different dimension than his own, Sonic," Tails pointed out.

With nothing else to do, the core Resistance members had retreated to Restoration HQ to plan. As the conversation continued, Tails' mind drifted, for the thousandth time, to the elongated time the other Sonic had looked at him. Tails shuddered slightly. The other Sonic's glare had seemed different for him. Deeper. Harder. More layered. Tails knew, without a doubt, that this Sonic hated him with his whole being. But why?

"Right," Knuckles nodded, referring to Tails' comment, "he could be very different then."

Like Tails, Knuckles had noticed the other Sonic's longer glare at him. It had also been layered- more layered than his glare at Sonic. Knuckles didn't like it one bit. This other Sonic had it out for him, he knew it. But Tails and Knuckles weren't the only ones who'd noticed.

"I'm not the only one who saw the other Sonic glare longer at Knuckles and Tails, right?" Tangle asked, "because no one else has mentioned it."

"I noticed," Amy said.

"He must know you two from his dimension," Vector reasoned.

"He hates us," Knuckles stated, "I can tell."

"Me too," Tails shuddered, "I've never seen anyone that hateful."

Sonic nodded.

"You two must be trouble," he smiled, "I wonder how much of a hard time you've given him."

Knuckles cracked his knuckles.

"I hope we threaten his precious empire's existence," he said angrily.

"True, but Robotnik had Sonic," Tails pointed out.

"SMALL VICTORIES, TAILS!" Knuckles yelled.

"Okay, okay! Small victories!" Tails said, taking a step back, "but the other Sonic is dangerous. He had Charmy at Eggman's mercy before any of us could react!"

Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the group.

"That's why we have to attack first!" Shadow insisted, startling everyone, "we need to use the element of surprise before he does, otherwise he'll attack Charmy again. Then Tails. He may even capture Sonic if we aren't careful!"

Worried murmurs erupted and Charmy squeaked and flew closer to Vector. Vector and Espio stepped closer in a defensive way. Sonic put a protective arm around Tails, who was so nervous he almost looked Charmy's age.

"Cool it, Shadow," he said in a warning tone, "we'll be as careful as we can be. But the Death Egg is the Death Egg."

"Yeah," Tangle said nervously, "isn't it really dangerous?"

"Yes, but it's essential to attack first. Otherwise, you won't succeed," Shadow said.

"Before you go off on your own, I have to say that Eggman will be expecting us to attack," Amy pointed out.

"He'll also expect us to wait," Shadow countered.

"He'll expect you to come on your own immediately," Rouge pointed out.

Shadow grumbled at her logic, then teleported out of the room. Rouge sighed. Still scared of Shadow's predictions, Charmy peeked out from behind Vector and Espio.

"How will we fight the other Sonic?" he asked.

Nobody had an answer.