Sonic: DISARMED

Part 5

Sonic was recovering well, he was gaining 2-3 pounds a day, which was good. He was quite malnourished and dehydrated when he found himself under Eggman's care, but now he was steadily gaining some much needed weight and was no longer dehydrated. It had been a week since he woke up in the Emperor Egg-Ship, but while his body was recovering, a new problem was rearing it's ugly head.

It was obvious to everyone who laid eyes on, Eggman, Metal Sonic, even Orbot and Cubot who Eggman considered to be "Dumb Bolt Buckets" could see it. The dark bags under his eyes, the drowsiness, how he jumped at every bang and creak. Sonic was obviously exhausted and in dire need of proper sleep, but the hedgehog refused to admit it. Maybe because he was scared of being seen as weak, maybe he didn't want to admit he wasn't invincible, no one knew and Sonic certainly wasn't telling.

The problem wasn't with Sonic's body, it was with his mind. He was having nightmares, terrifying, horrible, vivid nightmares so scary he would rather spend the rest of the night lying awake in bed then go back to sleep and risk a continuation of the terror.

Sonic laid in his bed, asleep but not for long. Tossing and turning, tears pricking at his eyes as he mumbled incoherently in his sleep. He was having another nightmare and from the looks of it, a nightmare much more nasty then it's predecessors.

*In Sonic's Nightmare*

Sonic was running for his life, in a black void surrounded on all sides by endless darkness. He was running on a cold, twisting, cobblestone path, behind him was a mob of humans armed to the teeth with guns and searchlights, looking for him. No matter how fast Sonic ran, he couldn't seem to keep the humans far behind him for long, a searchlight fell on him, causing a wave of panic to wash over Sonic as bullets rang out into the abyss, some bullets whizzing past him while others hit the ground behind him.

Sonic rasped and wheezed, his breath ragged and his throat and legs burning. He couldn't go on like this, his stamina would soon deplete to nothing and his legs would give out, leaving him at the merciless whims of the ones chasing him. "Those sadistic, self-righteous, fuckers." "Those humans wouldn't know what it meant to be a hero if it was spelled out to them, they wouldn't know the pain or suffering they had happily put  me through." "Ugh, they'd probably love the misery I'm going through." Sonic thought as he ran. Sonic yelped in agony as a sharp pain cut through his legs, he'd been shot down. Sonic crashed to the ground as his body was bathed in the light of multiple searchlights, he could feel the cool steel of the barrel of many guns pressing into his back and forcing him to stay on the ground.

"Ha!" "Got em!" One voice cried out, "I shot the freak first!" A second announced, "Nuh Uh!" "I got him first so I get first beatings on the little blue bastard!" A third voice whined. While the soldiers argued, Sonic was trying to stealthily crawl away. He didn't want to die yet, he still had so much he wanted to do! Sonic was so close to getting away when a human grabbed him by the scuff of his neck and threw him across the path, Sonic tried to scramble to his feet but a boot came crashing down onto his back and slammed him to the ground. Sonic let out a cry of pain as the boot pressed into his back, "Argh!" "Please don't hurt me!" Sonic begged, but all he got in return was being kicked onto his back, the last thing he saw was the barrel of a gun being pointed at his head.

*End Of Nightmare*

"NOOOO!"  Sonic cried out, shooting up in bed with tears pooling in his eyes as he gasped for air. Sonic wiped a cold sweat off his brow with shaking hands, slowly regaining control of his breath. Once Sonic was breathing normally, he slowly got out of bed, he was still shaking but it wasn't as bad as when he first woke up. "God fucking dammit..." Sonic rasped under his breath, "That was one of the worst one's yet..." Sonic looked over at the digital clock on his bedside table, "2:37 am" the clock read. Sonic tiptoed out of his room, he hoped he hadn't woken up anybody with his nightmare. He couldn't let them know he was suffering this much, he didn't want to be a burden, he couldn't be a burden. If he was a burden, he was vulnerable, If he was vulnerable, he was unlovable, if he unlovable he was guaranteed to die alone.

Sonic snuck into one of the bathrooms on the Emperor Egg-Ship, turning on the sink and splashing some water on his face, trying to wake himself up. He knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep for the rest of the night so he may was well stay up. Sonic turned off the sink and crept out of the bathroom, he was on his way back to his room when while passing by the lounge area a familiar voice that Sonic didn't expect at this time of night rang out. "Sonic?" "What are you doing up this late?" Sonic looked over into the darkness of the lounge to see Eggman of all people, sitting in a recliner with a computer on his lap and a cup of coffee on the side table next to him. Eggman was wearing a fluffy pink and white robe, pink sleep pants paired with pink fuzzy slippers and a tiny pink and white sleeping cap on his head, Eggman still had his signature blue goggles over his eyes, he must've slept with them on.

"Er...umm...what are you doing up so late?" Sonic asked, point an accusatory finger at the mad doctor, "Me?" "Well, if you must know I'm staying up late to finish up a few projects of mine." Eggman explained, shooting Sonic an annoyed glare. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Eggman asked, Sonic gulped nervously, should he tell Eggman about his troubles? What if he thought that Sonic was being weak or kicked Sonic out for being a burden? But Sonic knew that Eggman would probably not take no for an answer so he decided to come clean. "I...I..."*sigh* "If I tell you, do you promise to keep it to yourself?" Sonic asked, Eggman's expression softened once he realized the creature was genuinely opening up and by doing so, putting himself in an incredibly emotionally vulnerable state. "Yes I promise." Eggman said, Sonic hesitated for a few seconds, scanning Eggman's face to try and see any kind of deception but their was none to be found.

"Okay...so...I had a nightmare, a pretty nasty one actually." "I couldn't sleep so I decided I would just stay up all night in my room. " Sonic explained while nervously clenching and unclenching his fist. "How long have you been having nightmares?" Eggman asked, once again Sonic hesitated, looking down at his feet before looking up to meet Eggman's gaze, Sonic's eyes were clouded with anxiety and his face lined with worry. "About...5-6 days..." "They've slowly gotten worse over time, I don't know why..." Eggman gently placed his computer on the seat of the chair, getting up from his seat and slowly walking his way over to Sonic. "I...I'm sorry, I shouldnt be sharing this stuff with you." You probably have enough to worry about as it is and you don't need-" Sonic was cut off by Eggman putting a hand on Sonic's shoulder, "Listen here rodent." "Don't apologize for opening up, you need to get that stuff off your chest, it's a natural and valid need." "If you want to talk to someone I'm more then happy to listen and whatever you share with me, I'll keep it private unless you want me to share it." "Okay?" Eggman said, Sonic muttered out a small "Okay, thanks." and nodded his head, a small smile on his face. Sonic then turned around and started to walk back to his room when Eggman said one last thing. "Hey, try and get some sleep." "Alright?" Eggman called out from behind him, "Will do doc." Sonic said, turning his head to look at Eggman for a brief moment before turning his gaze back to his room. Eggman could only hope that Sonic would take his advice, if not for Sonic's own sake, then for the sake of the people that cared for him.