I must be dreaming (Sonic the hedgehog)

Chapter 3

With a quiet groan, the young woman sat up rubbing her head.
"Mmm.. aaoow" she muttered, flinching in pain. She sat on the side of the bed, looking down at her hands an odd expression on her face.
"Bu.. but... how?... why?" she mumbled, shaking her head in confusion.
"Ah, you're up" said a soft voice, startling the woman. Vanilla Rabbit slowly walked towards the bed. "I'm glad to see you're feeling a little better today, I was really begining to worry" she smiled.

The young woman looked up at the rabbit, her eyes begining to well up with tears. "I.... I don't understand... what.. what is all this?" she asked, slowly raising her hands and touching her face. "What's going on?.. What.. What am I?" she said as she looked up at Vanilla.
"Why... What do you mean dear?" Vanilla replied as she sat beside her.
"A mirror... please... give me a mirror" the young woman begged.
"Now, dear let's just.." Vanilla began only to be interupted.
"Please... I..." the woman whimpered, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Oh.. don't cry dear... I didn't mean to upset you.. I wasn't implying anything about your looks, sweety. It's just... I wasn't sure you were well enough to get up and move around yet. You were quite a state when we found you." Vanilla reasured the woman, gently petting her on the back.
"Please, come with me dear. There's a nice big full length dress mirror just in the next room. Come and you'll see... you look just fine" she smiled, taking the young woman's hand.

The young woman stood there staring at the reflection in the mirror, a look of shock on her face. "I... I must be dreaming.... that's it.... I'm dreaming" she said, touching her face.
"What's wrong dear?" Vanilla asked looking at her curiously.
"I... I'm... I'M AN ECHIDNA!?!" the woman yelped, a look of dismay on her face.
"Aren't you normally?" Vanilla asked, now feeling confused.
"Well.. no!... no, I'm human!... or I was... I.. I don't understand this at all!" the woman replied, a hint of panic in her voice. She took another look in the mirror then sat on the floor, her eyes welling up again.
"Hmm?.. Oh dear.. that means.. Oh I think perhaps I should hand this over to Sonic... He'll know what to do." Vanilla muttered to herself quietly. "Well, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it all my dear. In the mean time, lets get you all fixed up.. I have some friends I'd like you to meet." Vanilla smiled, offering out a hand to help the woman to her feet.

The doorbell rang and with a big smile on her face, Cream headed over and opened the door. "Sonic!" she squeeled, hugging the blue hedgehog as he stepped in.
"Hiya Creamy Cream, is your mum home?" he grinned, petting her on the head.
"Mamma's upstairs with our new guest.. she's nice. I'll go let mamma know you're here" Cream smiled and headed for the stairs.
"Mamma! Mamma! Sonic just arrived.. he's waiting downstairs" Cream called out as she opened the door, entering the room.
"Oh, thank you sweety" Vanilla replied.
Cream looked at the young woman standing infront of the mirror. "Ooh you look lovely" she smiled.

"Eh.. thanks" the young woman said, a slight blush on her cheeks.

The doorbell rang again "Oh, I wonder who that could be?... eh, Cream dear could you?.." Vanilla said gesturing to the door.
"Sure Mamma..." Cream smiled heading out. "You really do look lovely" she called as she pulled the door shut.
"Oh don't you just..." Vanilla smiled, looking at the young woman.
The woman looked herself up and down in the mirror "I guess I'll just have to go with it for now." she sighed and took a deep calming breath.
"If you want my oppinion dear, I think you're very pretty." Vanilla smiled, placing a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder.
"You're very sweet... Thank you, for taking care of me I mean." the woman said softly, a smile on her face.
"You're very welcome my dear" Vanilla replied petting the woman on the back as she led her out of the room.
The atmosphire in the room grew tense as the four friends sat waiting.
"I thought you said she was awake?" said Knuckles giving Sonic a disgruntled glare, suddenly breaking the awkward silence.
"That's what I was told" Sonic replied with a casual shrug. Knuckles frowned, looking away from the hedgehod.
"Maybe she's not ready to come down yet, I know I'd be nervous if it was me." Amy smiled looking at them both.

Cream walked in, a big smile on her sweet face. "Ok Mamma" she called out as she sat beside Amy. Vanilla poked her head round the door, a sudden suprised look on her face.
"Oh my... I didn't realise you were all coming at once" she said with an awkward smile.
The friends sat looking at eachother in confusion as she left the room again.
"Well, here we go. Now remember, don't be shy dear. They're all so nice, I'm sure you'll be getting along in no time. Just you wait and see." Vanilla smiled reasuringly at the young woman, then led her in to the already full room.
The young woman stood there beside Vanilla. A feeling of nervousness running right through her as she felt all eye's now on her.
"Uh-um... I'd like you all to meet Brea" Said Vanilla in a clear voice. The young woman looked round the room, an awkward smile on her face.
"Hello" Amy grinned as she stood up and slowly walked towards her.
"My name is Amy Rose" she continued, batting her eyelashes cutely.
"Hi" Brea replied quietly, an expression of un-ease creeping across her face.
"I'm Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog" Sonic beamed as he approached her, shaking her hand firmly.
"Oh.." she began then looked over at Vanilla.
"Oh yes.. that's right, I mentioned before didn't I.. yes, this is the lovely young man that found you out in the snow." Vanilla said with a proud smile, gesturing in the blue hedgehog's direction.
"Um... eh.. th...thank you" Brea stuttered, glancing at him then down at the floor in embaresment.
"Hey, no problem... helping lovely ladies like you is one of my favorite pass times" he grinned, winking at her then noticed Amy glaring at him.
"What an ego. Hmmf!.. show off." Knuckles muttered under his breath as he lent back in his seat.
"Hi! nice to meet you.. I'm Miles Prower.. but my friends call me Tails" said the fox. Waving nervously as he stood up, twitching his tails.
A small amused smile crossed her lips as Brea watched him "Heh heh.. Hi" she giggled watching his twin tails wriggle from left to right.
Sonic watched her and grinned, giving his best friend a discrete thumbs up.
Knuckles stood up, crossing his arms as he walked towards them. A look of suspicion on his face. "Hmm.. I'm Knuckles.. the echidna" he said sharply, reaching out to shake her hand.
Brea looked at him for a moment then reluctantly placed her hand in his. "Eh.. Hi!" she said softly, a slight pink tint to her cheeks.
He shook her hand firmly, a light smile now on his face. "Nice to meet you" he replied looking at her up and down, then sat back down on the sofa.

Vanilla glanced at Brea, then back at the others. "Well.. let's give our new friend a little space shall we?" she said gesturing towards the sofa.
Brea took a deep breath and headed to the sofa, as she sat down she could once again feel everyone watching her.
"So... why not tell us a little about yourself?" said Amy as she sat beside her.
"I.. eh.." Brea stuttered, looking down at her feet.
"Yeah. Ya know, where you're from.. what you're like.. how you got here, that kinda stuff." Tails said smiling.
"To be honest, I'm still kinda confused myself." Brea replied with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" asked Sonic, raising an eyebrow in interest.
"I... I have no idea how I got here.. I remember.. I was walking home, then.. dark and suddenly I wake up in a strange room.. and I'm... I'm not me anymore" said Brea, shifting awkwardly in her seat.
"Not you how?" asked Knuckles, watching the young woman fidget nervously.

Brea's eyes began to well up again. "I.. I'm not... I mean.." she stuttered.
Vanilla stood beside Brea, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Brea isn't like us. She isn't an echidna... not where she's from." said the rabbit and gave Brea a reasuring nod.
"And where are you from?" said Amy curiously.
"Well... I'm from Earth... I.. " Brea replied, her voice trailing off mid-sentence.
"You're human?" said Sonic as he walked towards her. Brea nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Human? ... but how?" asked Amy now looking at Sonic, a little confused.
"I'm pretty sure I know." he replied, crossing his arms.
"Go on" said Knuckles with an hint of suspicion in his voice.
"Eggman" replied Sonic with a frown.
"Who?" asked Brea as she looked at Amy, a look of fright on her face.
"Eggman is our local bad guy" said Tails as he watched her.
"Yeah, a real loser" added Amy as she sat back, crossing her arms.
"I think it's all connected to that weird contraption he had the other night" said Sonic as he sat on the arm of the sofa, beside Brea.
"I had that run in with old Egg-head, then a few hours later... I found Brea." he continued, a self-satisfied smile on his face.

Knuckles looked at Brea then over at Sonic, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. "Oh, so you think the machine did it?" he said crossing his arms. Sonic simply nodded.
"You mean, the machine you blew up?" said Knuckles sarcasticly, a smirk on his face as he looked at Sonic.
"Eh... heh... well.. yeah." Sonic replied, an embaressed look on his face as he looked away from Brea.
"So there's a big chance this is your fault?" said Knuckles shaking his head in disaproval.
Sonic glared at the snarky echidna "Stupid Knuckle-head" he thought to himself, then looked over at Brea giving her an apologetic shrug.
"Well, maybe you're here for a reason" said Amy with a reasuring smile.
"Maybe" Brea sighed.