SONIC RESURGENCE

Chapter 22

What must be done... ...The servers are the seven Chaos.

Chaos is power. A power enriched by the heart.

The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos.

...Feel within... The sea of Chaos... And the ancient waves.

May the light of its power shine down eternally and protect us all.

Uncle Chuck's Apartment, New Mobotropolis, Acornia

Oliver Maurice "Sonic the Hedgehog" Cobalt lay on his bed in his new room, sulking as he held his new classical acoustic guitar. Due to the mandates passed by the Parliament which was approved by King Max, the Hero of Mobius was no longer granted access to Freedom HQ and was prohibited from holding any Chaos Emeralds until he was healed physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When he was permitted to leave Queen Alicia Memorial Hospital, Sir Charles and Rosie took the wheelchair-bound civilian back to Sir Charles' apartment where he would be given some time to relax without dealing with the constant sound of beeping from a monitor or having to be stuck in a plain white room. At the same time, doctors and nurses kept a close eye on the Azurite.

A business week (five days) has passed since then and despite Cream, Vanilla, and Amy's initial visits along with a phone call from Breezie, the Mobian blue hedgehog did not try to interact with the outside world or its inhabitants unless he was in the backyard. Having to be bound to a wheelchair nearly assassinated Sonic's overall self-confidence and pride. When he wasn't reading a book under the shade of a tree in the apartment's backyard, he silently closed himself off in his new room.

Lately, his somber mood got him back into music as a method to get through his current emotions. And while he would normally listen to music, the trauma of losing his childhood home was so great that it forced him to take out Catty Carilsle's birthday gift for him and strum through pain.

As Sonic played his guitar solemnly, he subconsciously strummed the notes for the national anthem for South Island, which was an ancient hymn that originated from Green Hill. He kept the tempo slow as a means to pay each note its respect that was due like Sonic was playing the tune as his way of mourning the people whose lives were lost.

People that were dependent on him. People that he had failed.

When he was finished, Sonic prepared to repeat the song for the fiftieth time when he heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Oliver? It's your uncle, may I come in?"

Sonic, who had nothing but a plain white t-shirt and white socks on his pawed feet, sat up from his bed while he made sure that the cast on his right leg was positioned correctly.

"...Come on in," A soft-spoken Sonic allowed verbally.

Opening the door, Sir Charles entered Sonic's semi-barren unlit room which indicated the boy's emotional state. The blinds were closed shut along with the window. The teenager's face was melancholy. The older blue-eyed scientist pitied his nephew. While he was happy that Sonic was safe and in one piece, he could see that the fight with Metallix had nearly broken his will and done extensive emotional damage. The excitable personality had all but left the younger blue hedgehog. Sir Charles could see it in Sonic's eyes as the shining emerald eyes that desired adventure were replaced with a pair of dull defeated green eyes. Without context, Sonic looked like a complete shut-in that only continued to withdraw from the outside world.

Sir Charles approached his nephew's bed, asking, "Good morning, Sonny Boy. How are you feeling today?"

Sonic decided to look towards his uncle's frame, but not directly into the old man's eyes.