Everything Changes (A Sonic Boom Fanfic)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The three of them made their way down the mountain together, at a surprisingly slow pace. Even Sonic walked rather than ran down the slope. Perhaps it was because he seemed tired; the sun did look like it had only just risen, now that Kay thought about it.

Eventually they emerged from the forest at the base of the mountain, and that's when Kay really began to see how drastically different things were from how she remembered them.

Sonic and Tails led her through a small village that was apparently their permanent residence. When she inquired about a name they had none to give her. Just "the village." She then inquired about the name of the continent they were on. They told her it wasn't a continent at all, but an island – Bygone Island. Kay was surprised as well as confused. Sonic the Hedgehog lived on an island? He still couldn't swim, right? How did he stay sane?

Everywhere they went the townsfolk waved to Sonic and Tails, and the two of them waved back. Kay took note of this, as well. OK, so Sonic is still well-known. That's normal. They walked by several homes and shops that did not seem to be arranged in any logical order. A beaver's hut was right next to what appeared to be a pet shop. Mobinis are still a thing.

Finally the three of them made it to a small, outdoor restaurant with a picture of a rather unhappy looking burger across the front of it. Oh. Meh Burger. Got it. Sonic strolled right up to a table near the entrance and waved a hand towards the newcomer nonchalantly. "Guys, this is...eh, what'd you say your name was?"

"Kay," she replied.

"This is Kay." Then the hedgehog waved his hands to the others at the table. "These are my friends. Amy Rose and Knuckles."

If Kay thought Sonic and Tails had changed, their differences were nothing compared to those she saw in Amy and Knuckles. Amy looked older; perhaps only a year or so younger than Kay herself. While her physical appearances were the same, her dress was not. It was longer, more form fitting, and more mature-looking. Her piko hammer lay propped against the table, mallet side down. She smiled welcomingly at Kay.

Knuckles was huge. Taller, she could tell, even though he was sitting at the moment. But his upper body was that of a pro wrestler, with muscles to spare. He wore sports tape just like the other boys did. What threw her off the most, though, was his eyes. They were the same color, but looking into them...Kay knew, just at a glance, that this character was the one who had changed the most. She just didn't know how yet.

"Hi, Kay," Amy said pleasantly, motioning to the seat beside hers. "Join us."

"Thanks," Kay replied quietly, still trying to wrap her head around the differences she was seeing. Sonic strolled away to the counter – presumably to order – but Tails took a seat beside Knuckles on the opposite end of the table.

"I haven't seen you around here before," Amy continued. "Where are you from?"

That dreaded question that always seemed to get her in trouble. Kay froze. Normally she would have been able to come up with some sort of logical answer. But here? Everything was so new. She had never heard of Bygone Island until just a few minutes ago. How was she supposed to answer this question?

Thankfully, she didn't have to. Tails answered for her.

"Sonic and I found her on top of Mount Safety. She was sleeping on the rock in the frozen lake."

"Why would you do that?" Knuckles spoke for the first time.

All their voices are different, Kay thought. "Uh...I don't know...I'm just as surprised as Sonic and Tails were."

"You don't know how you got up there?" Amy inquired.

She had no other reply but the truth. She shrugged helplessly. "No."

"Do you remember anything before that?"

Nothing that would help me now. "I...don't think so."

The pink hedgehog gasped dramatically and turned to the boys across from her. "She has amnesia! The poor thing."

Amnesia? Kay frowned. Now that she thought about it, until she learned more about what was going on in this crazy new version of Mobius she'd entered, that might actually be a decent excuse to use. It would give her a reason to ask questions about things without seeming too out of place. Or crazy.

It was at this moment that Sonic returned, carrying a tray full of very processed-looking food. "What's this about amnesia?" he asked as he sat down. Tails instantly began helping himself. Sonic didn't seem to mind.

"Kay has amnesia," Amy told him. "She can't remember anything."

"Huh. That might explain a few things," Sonic replied, "but I'd still like to know why you were in the middle of the lake. Who does that?"

Kay took a moment to collect her thoughts, took a breath, and decided to just roll with the role of amnesiac. "Guys," she began slowly, making sure to look at each of them as she spoke, "I've never heard of Bygone Island. Or Mount Safety, or Meh Burger...or anything. This is all new to me."

"But you knew my name before I had a chance to tell you what it was," Tails pointed out.

Crap.

"Yeah, and come to think of it..." Sonic added, pausing in his chewing with a thoughtful look on his face. He seemed to see her – really see her – for the first time in that moment. "You knew my name, too. But I never told you my name."

Crap. Kay thought quickly. "Maybe...I had heard about you guys before? I just...don't remember where...I guess." She felt as though a knife was being twisted in her chest. Lies.

"That makes sense. We are pretty popular," Knuckles said, grinning from ear to ear and leaning back in his seat casually. A moment later he fell out of it entirely, nearly taking the table with him. Kay instantly got to her feet to see if he was all right, but Amy put a hand on her shoulder to ease her back down.

"He does it all the time," she explained.

He does?

"Well..." Kay struggled to figure out how to ask for help without seeming like she was asking for their help specifically (though that's what she really wanted). "What...what do I do?"

"I'm sure we could help you find where you came from," Amy offered.

"Ah, Amy?" Sonic frowned at her. "She's never heard of Bygone Island? She could be from anywhere. Bygone isn't exactly a popular spot on the map, you know."

"But she was on Mount Safety when you found her. She has to be from somewhere on the island. Maybe from the north shore. She can't have just wandered across the ocean and wound up on the summit, could she?"

"I guess not," Sonic agreed. He swatted at Tails' fry-stealing hand.

Amy put a hand on Kay's shoulder. "Kay, you can stay with me while we figure out where you came from. Us girls have to stay together, right?"

"You and Sticks don't live together," Knuckles commented before she could reply. Amy gave him a withering look.

"Sticks is crazy and lives in the jungle," she said. "I live in a sophisticated beach house. Kay will be much more comfortable with me." Kay decided to keep quiet, seeing as that was probably the best course of action at present. "And the first thing we're going to do," Amy added suddenly, taking in the newcomer's attire, "is get you into something more ladylike."