Sonic's Birthday

Sonic opened his eyes, letting tears stream down his face. He got up and sniffled, finally released from Cyberspace once more. "Come back…" he begged inside his pounding head while he covered it with his pillow. "Come BACK…" Sonic tried to sleep again. "COME BACK!" He shouted as he kicked his legs, as he tossed and turned.

"Sonic?" Sage asked, opening the tent door. "Come on, it's time to rise and grind."

"Grinding? But I'm not wearing my Soap shoes…" Sonic mumbled, looking all around. "Where are my Soap shoes?"

"Huh? Searching my databases, those have been out of production AND style for years," Sage replied. Sonic spinned out of bed and grabbed his fishing rod from the floor. "Come now, Amy's waiting for us at the shore." Sonic and Sage looked to the horizon together, as the sun rose over Kronos Island.

Sonic and Sage trekked through hills and debris, past shimmering ponds and electronic ruins. Sonic waved to the small frogs relaxing in the puddles. He rolled down the verdant slopes and grinded along the bleachers of the Kronos Coliseum. Eventually, he arrived at a tree stump in a flower field. It took him a while to see her, but after he blinked, he saw Amy of the Roses sat at the opposite side of the stump.

"Happy birthday, Sonic!" Amy cried, leaping up and presenting Sonic a birthday mud pie. But it was on fire. And it was gross. But it was real. And it was tangible.

"Oh, that's right," Sage mumbled as Amy bounded towards Sonic and phased her arms through him. It wasn't a hug. But although he couldn't exactly feel her kisses, he could still feel that old spark when they landed on his face. "Sonic, it's your birthday. You're officially one year closer to all of this being over."

"Sonic, I got you something!" Amy exclaimed. She held up a pair of red shoes.

"My old kicks?" Sonic asked, smiling as he took them out of her hands. He looked down. "They're… they're wonderful, Amy. Thank you so much." Sonic wouldn't run in them anymore, he wouldn't put them on. Because he would hate to ruin them. "I'll just…" Sonic sniffled. "I'll wear them later."

"You don't like them???" Amy whined.

"I need some fresh air!" Sonic nearly shouted, getting up and walking off in his heavy fishing boots.

"Redundant. My databases show that this island has the cleanest air in all of Erius," Sage said. "Something bugging you?" Sonic walked past another hologram of Amy.

"Sonic, you seem upset," Amy stated. Another hologram as Sonic sped up. "Is it something wrong with me, Sonic?" Amy tried to keep up as Sonic continued to run. It was all a blur. "Am I ugly, Sonic?! Did I say something mean, Sonic?! Do you HATE ME, SONIC?!" 

"NO!" Sonic shouted. He plugged his ears tight. He shut his eyes, and Amy popped out. Out of sight, out of mind, out of existence. It was in the past. He breathed shakily.

"When will it stop, Sage?" Sonic asked, sweating and salivating as Sage patted him on the back. "I want to get off this dumb island, already."

Sage paused. "There is a way." She looked off into the distance at where Rhea Range used to be.

Next thing Sonic knew, he was at Giganto's grave. The serene resting place for the defiled robotic creature. He stared down the mummified carcass of the horrific beast as it was slowly devoured by the island. And then he kicked it. "Do you remember the structure that Yari stood at before downloading Cyberspace data?" Sage asked him. "If you need a reminder, Yari was the Ninja you—"

"Yep…" Sonic groaned, walking underneath the upside-down Rhea Range, which was standing by the tips of its many mountains. "Can it help me get back to the mainland?"

"No, but it will get you closer to the end of this journey. Ares Island is the next stepping stone on your quest across the Starfall Sea." Sage thought on her choice of words. "Okay, well… it's a LARGE stepping stone." They both arrived at the upside-down stone monument they were looking for. "There's only one problem. With Giganto dead, there is no longer any Cyber Energy for this portal to run on."

"Of course there isn't," Sonic sighed.

"Unless… perhaps I can power it…" Sage approached the portal and put a hand to it. ZAP! Sage held her arm and staggered back.

"Access denied," the portal said in morse code. Sonic felt RED-CODE translating the message for him. "You are an enemy combatant. You do not have the necessary privileges to access this data." The portal suddenly began to glow red, sounding an alarm. Soldier bots faded into existence, forming a ring around Sonic and Sage. They closed in, and Sonic got ready for a fight.

Suddenly, Sage opened her eyes with a crackling red and purple aura surrounding her. She spun around, causing the Soldiers to crash into each other and explode.

"I've lost track of how many times you've saved me from those things," Sonic sighed, wiping sweat from his face.

"It's just my job," Sage replied, examining the portal as the glow faded. "Sonic, the portal probably reacted negatively because I was designed by Eggman to infiltrate the Fallen Stars' network in order to look for you. Maybe you could try activating it." Sonic nodded, stepped up to the portal, and Cylooped it. He and Sage watched with bated breath as the portal began to power on. A blue light began to shine from the portal. "Just as I thought. Sonic, you are the key to Ares Island!" Sonic looked to the portal.

"So… what horrible and traumatic 'tribulations' are waiting for me on the other side of this thing?" Sonic asked. He approached the portal.

"Sand. Mostly." Sage hopped into the portal.

"Wait, Sage!" Sonic shouted. He instantly leapt in after her, disappearing off the face of Kronos Island. Ghost Amy watched from behind Giganto's arm.

"Don't keep me waiting too long…" she finally muttered, her voice flat and hollow.