Sonic: DISARMED

Part 15

Shadow and Sonic were in Sonic's hotel room helping the blue blur pack up the last of his stuff. It had been a day since Sonic had given his testimony against The President, tomorrow they would leave for Mobius and never return to Earth. Sonic couldn't wait to go home, to his own planet, to his friends, to where he belonged.

"I've already made up my mind." Sonic said out of nowhere as he clicked his smaller travel bag shut, "Made up your mind about what?" Shadow asked as he stopped halfway through putting the last load of gloves and shoes into Sonic's suitcase, looking up from his task. "I've made up my mind about Earth, once I leave here I'm never coming back here." "I'm going to the government officials of Earth in an hour to tell them my desisicion." Sonic explained, Shadow raised an eyebrow at Sonic, Sonic's face looked deep in thought, his facial expression torn between nervous and serious. "What lead you to that desisicion?" "Just curious is all." Shadow asked, throwing in the "Just curious" part at the end to make sure he wasn't being rude.

"Well, aside from the whole...everything that's happened with The President, I just don't feel welcome on Earth, I never have." "No matter what I do for them, no matter how much of my time and energy I give towards helping the people of Earth, the second something goes wrong everybody blames me and I get punished for something I didn't even do, and when I'm revealed to be innocent they rarely apologize!" "I honestly don't know I've helped Earth for as long as I have, but today my generosity runs out." Sonic declared, putting a hand on his hip, Shadow suddenly looked very guilty and turned his back to Sonic, crossing his arms uncomfortably. "I see...I'm sorry." "I'm sorry for everything."

It took a second to click for Sonic on what Shadow was talking about, "Shadow are...you and I thinking the same thing?" Sonic asked, "Yes."  "Sonic, about what happened when I first showed up and the ARK, I'm sorry for what I did, if I ever helped make you unwelcome on Earth, I-" Shadow cut himself off, too ashamed to speak another word. Sonic walked in front of Shadow and put his hand on the ultimate lifeform's shoulder, "Shadow, it's okay, really it is." "I already forgave you for that stuff a long time ago, you were grieving and traumatized, who can blame you for going to the dark side?" Sonic gently reassured, a small smile working its way onto Shadow's face. "Thank you Sonic." Shadow nodded.

"No problem bud, besides, now that I think about it I can kind of see where you were coming from back then." Sonic admitted, much to Shadow's confusion. "I mean, before I lost my arm I didn't know what it was like to permanently lose a part of yourself." "I felt lost, scared, alone, I felt incomplete." Maria was your family, your everything, I can see where you were coming from." Sonic explained, leaving Shadow stunned. Never in a million years did Shadow ever think that Sonic would be able to relate to him and never did he think that he would be able to understand what Sonic was feeling. "It's good to know we understand each other." Shadow said.

"Oh boys~" Rouge's voice drifted into the room, both hedgehogs turned to see Rouge fluttering into the open doorway. "I'm going jewelry shopping before we leave, either of you want to come with me?" Rouge asked, "I'll go with you Rouge, but only to make sure you don't steal anything." Shadow declared sarcastically, Rouge let out a playful scoff. "Oh please, you're no fun." Rouge rolled her eyes. Eggman walked up beside Rouge, "Sonic, you're going to the government to tell them your decision, yes?" Eggman asked, "Yep, I'm going right now." Sonic. said, "Would you mind if I come with you, for moral support?" "I'd also like to see the look on their faces when you tell them your decision." Eggman explained, "Yeah sure, you can come with me doc." Sonic said.

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Sonic and Eggman were walking through the hallway of a government office, neither of them saying anything. Sonic was nervously fiddling with the golden brooch that held his red shawl together, the shawl made him feel safe, it reminded him of his friends, of his home. It was like a safety net he could wear. Sonic and Eggman got to the end of the hallway, a wooden door stood in his path. On the other side of the door was a collection of government higher-ups eagerly waiting for him to arrive, "You ready?" Eggman asked. "Yeah, I'm ready." Sonic said, he took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the office first, Eggman entering behind him. All the government higher-ups seemed both startled and relieved to see Sonic, an awkward silence falling over the room for a few seconds. "Oh, you're finally here!" "Welcome Sonic, welcome!" One of the government higher-ups said, breaking the awkward tension in the room. The government higher-up walked over to Sonic and shook his hand, "Nice to be here." Sonic said, forcing an easygoing smile onto his face.

"Have you made a decision?" One official asked aloud, "Yes, what's going to happen?" Another official asked, "What's the plan?" A third official asked. Before Sonic could even get a word out, more and more government higher-ups started asking questions, all of them crowding around Sonic and Eggman, although you couldn't hear half of them because everyone was talking over each other. Eggman was tempted to say something when Sonic beat him to the punch and spoke up first. "Woah, woah, hold on folks!" Sonic declared, putting his hand up, "Everybody chill out, I'll tell you all my decision right now." "But you gotta be quiet and let me talk!" Sonic explained and the room fell silent. "Okay, my decision to help Earth is...I can't afford to help Earth out anymore." Sonic declared, the room again broke out into a frenzy of questions and different voices talking over each other, this time Eggman didn't bite his tongue and was the one to speak. "Let him explain, let him explain!" Eggman gently warned, stepping forward and putting an arm in front of Sonic. "Doctor Robotnik is right, everyone please be quiet!" The government higher-up who shook Sonic's hand ordered, the room fell silent once again.

"Okay, okay, the reason I'm not helping Earth anymore isn't because of anything one person did, I came to this desisicion over a long period of time and I've thought it through a lot." "No matter what I do, no matter how much I give to the people of Earth, I never get back what I put in." "Sometimes I even get punished for doing nothing wrong but being on Earth at the wrong time and when my innocence is found out I rarely hear an "I'm sorry." from someone in charge." "That's happened muiltple times, to the point I don't feel welcome on Earth anymore, the only reason I've kept coming back is eniter when I accidentally get transported here or I come back for the people of Earth who need protection and don't have a say in what the higher ups do." "But now I'm not coming back or helping Earth at all, I'm just not getting back what I put in and I'm sick of it." Sonic explained, the room stayed quiet for moment, everyone except for Eggman processing what Sonic had just said.

"But, isn't there something we can offer you?" One higher-up suggested, "We can change, just give us a chance!" Another higher-up protested. Sonic shook his head no. "I'm sorry but you're not going to be able to change my mind on this, I've made my choice and I'm sticking to it." "The next time you need help, call on someone else, because I won't be answering." Sonic declared, the room entered a state of hushed and frantic whispers for a minute before going quiet again for the last time. "Very well, if that's the choice you're going to make then we accept it." The government higher-up who had shaken Sonic's hand spoke up, looking at Sonic before turning to the rest of the higher-ups. All of them nodded and murmured out a "yes", showing that they accepted Sonic's decision. Sonic felt a weight lift off his shoulders, it felt good to have stood his ground and said his piece. "Have a good day." Sonic said, then he and Eggman left the office, Eggman letting Sonic out first and then closing the door after himself.

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Sonic stepped out of the building, the cool evening air brushing past his face. Sonic looked up to the sky, the sunset was a beautiful mix of reds, yellows, pinks and purples. "Well, that was a doozy, you ready to head ba-" Eggman stopped midsentence when he saw tears silently rolling down Sonic's cheeks, despite this Sonic was smiling softly as he looked towards the sunset. "Sonic, what's wrong?" "You're crying." Eggman asked, motioning to Sonic's face. "O-oh yeah, it's okay Eggman, really it is!" "These are just happy tears, I'm glad this nightmare is finally over." Sonic said, wiping his tears away, Sonic seemed to be surprised that he was even crying. "How about we go back to the hotel and finish packing up?" "I'm sure Rouge and Shadow have come back by now." Eggman said while walking up besides Sonic, "Sounds good to me." Sonic replied, wiping the last few teardrops from his eyes.

Eggman and Sonic began their walk back to the hotel, making small talk and laughing as they did. They were halfway back to the hotel, going through a very quiet street when a car pulled up on the other side of the street, blocking the duo's path.

Sonic's stomach dropped and his heart rate quickened when he realized the car was a purple limousine.

Sonic's body started to tremble when The President, grinning wickedly, stepped out of the driver's seat. Four A.A.C agents stepped out of the backseat, laser guns in hand. Eggman stood in front of the terrified blue hedgehog, Sonic was shaking and whimpering, tears pricking at his eyes. "No...no no no no... please no..." Sonic begged, covering his mouth with his hand. "Hello Sonic, you're coming with me." The President coldly declared, a wicked toothy grin still plastered on his face as the four A.A.C agents surrounded the two.