Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story.

What Would Have Been

Chapter VII

Oh . . . I hurt. The feeling of my body shivering from cold and pain makes me ill to my stomach. I can even hear myself let go of involuntary whines and whimpers of agony as it seems the pain is surging through every part of my body! Where am I? Am I dead? No, I wouldn't feel pain, would I? What's going on then!

I open my eyes, which even that simple movement brings on a headache, and . . . it's dark. Just blackness, I can't see anything. What does that mean? I'm . . . Blind! I try to move, but . . . but I can't! Oh man, panic . . . panic! My legs, my arms, my head, nothing can move! The more I struggle the more I realize I can't move. Ow, my right arm hurts . . . I'm trapped. Am I paralyzed, no . . . my body shivers again as I feel how cold it really is, and how damp my fur feels. Suddenly I let go of a breath I didn't even know I was holding to find that I can breathe; with extreme pain. I took in a deep, slower breath and soon coughed and sputtered as the feeling of someone stabbing my chest took place.

"Get me out of here," I moaned, feeling like I was going to die. The headache, the pain in my arms and legs, the difficulty in just breathing . . . I opened my mouth again hoping to take a shorter, less painful breath when something gritty and earthy landed right on my tongue. Dirt . . . no sand. Gross . . . wait, sand? Desert, chaos emerald, Eggman, Knuckles, Tails . . . my memory came flooding back along with a wave of anxiety. Had they been caught? Am I? Are they okay? If Eggman did this to me, what did he do to Tails and Knuckles? I've got to find them. I willed for my determination and concern for my friends to over ride pain and began struggling against what I knew now to be sand to get free. Wet sand though. I'm not so blind either, I can see a little now. In fact I see the light at the end of a vertical tunnel, but how . . . I would need to be underground. But underground? Okay, questions later, just worry about getting out. Why can't I move this arm . . .?

"Ow, oh."

Man, now I remember it's broken. With extreme care I used my left hand to dig out my right arm. As I dug out my legs, I slowly realized the scent of oil all around me and messed into my fur. Oh well, guess I won't need that hot oil treatment for my fur after all. I also noticed I was missing a shoe and glove. As I tried to stand in the wet oily mess of sand, I quickly learned that the ankle with a shoe still attached was sprung. I attempted to climb out, but found that my one hand and foot were not enough to pull my pathetic butt out. This was bad but while we're at it, there is a small hole in the corner thats beginning to spring up water that is slowly eating away the floor from underneath me. I have also discovered that I feel I am going to wet myself. I Have To Get Out Of Here!

Think, Think, Think! Plan, we need a plan. Forget plan, just get out. Idea, Idea . . . wait. I look down at my shoe on a foot that doesn't work and a glove on a hand that doesn't work. Duh. I quickly switch the clothing items; though they fit strange it's better than slipping.

I begin climbing successfully, just as the floor gave way to a blackish liquid, a mix of oil, water and dirt I guess. I feel the beads of sweat run down the course of my body as it is taking everything I have to just hold on and more than I have to struggle up. I can feel the sand embedding itself into my skin as I press up against the wall and drag myself up.

Every shaky hand hold and wobbling foot step was like another heart attack to my nerves, but I was one moment closer to the surface. Sometimes I had to stop as my body would shudder under the stress. I can't do this much longer, I'm going to slip, I'm gonna fall. No! I can't fall, I won't fall, I will not allow it. I'm getting out. I gritted my teeth, knowing that if Eggman had captured my friends they were going to need my help, no matter what condition I was in. Just needed to focus away from the pain if I was going to make it, and I was going to make it.

The sun on my fur was nice as the warmth felt comforting. The air up here was fresher and the sand softer on my skin. Ah, I can feel a breeze, a gentle wind. Almost there . . . almost . . . just a little closer. Come on. No, yes, no, yes . . . yes, yes, yes! I let out a breath as I dragged myself up over the edge onto the hot desert sand, and then I just lay there, exhausted. I felt way beyond weary, mortifying was more like it. Oh, I can't even stop my body from shaking. It's miserable but relieved at the same time. It's so confused. Shivering from the cold water in my fur or the pain throbbing through my body one moment, then purring in the warmth of the sun or temporary ease brought on from breaks between pain waves the next. It was making me sick, so I just lay there, hoping someone would find me, doubt and fear doing everything to make their presence known.

Then I hear a slight fluttering, at least it sounds like fluttering, and use up what feels like every last bit of energy in me to turn my head in the direction of the noise. The sun is so bright; all I can make out are shadows of somethings in the air, flying somethings. I look to the ground and see the outline of large birds . . . terror and despair doesn't waste time to add themselves to my pain . . . vultures. Isn't it bad enough that I'm in this position then to have a welcoming committee like this, or is it dinner company? I hear the stupid pigeons coming down, but I make an effort to sit up and they all quickly flap away, though not far.

"Go away," I shout, but am shocked by how horse and brass my voice sounds.

"Squawk," is the dumb bird's reply, and I thought I sounded bad. They all started squalling as they kept moving in closer, lunchtime in their beady little eyes. With a broken arm, swollen ankle and possibly cracked ribs, I was not going anywhere fast. I was also faintly aware of a gurgling noise in my lungs every time I breathed deep, not good considering life right now.

"Ouch, let go, let go! You stupid idiot!" I screamed as one of the vultures grabbed my arm, my broken arm, with its beck. I rose up my good arm and hammered it off, before it did any real damage . . . but I had to cradle my arm again and fight back tears as it felt like it was going to fall off. Frustrated, I kicked dirt at the several birds that were now circling me, eyeing me warily. It didn't take a genius to figure out that I was in for some trouble and that if I didn't get out of here . . . Instinct in me at that moment forced me to react in a way that I wish never to repeat. I curled up into the tightest ball I could muster; spines erect and let out all kinds of screams, loud growls, shouts, ear splitting whistles and any other loud noise I could possibly make. Its working, it's working! Yes, the birds are leaving; crazy turkeys . . . wait what's that.

I felt taps on my back and a few pulls on my quills. The birds are trying to get to me, but they can't. So I stayed tucked, preventing anything from getting to my middle or ligaments. Man this is like that movie; I'll never watch it again. Then the assault let up and I decided that this might be a chance for me to make an escape. Sore ankle or not I had to make a run for it. Uncurling so fast that I was dizzy, I lurched forward, frantically trying to gain distance. Instead, I collapsed about three yards from where I was and quickly curled up before the onslaught of vultures came back on top of me. I tried again only to be caught in the same situation. I almost wanted to jump back into that hole.

I almost cried at the hopelessness, how was I going to get out of here? All I could hear was the flapping and the squawking, the poking and pulling. Is this what happened to my friends? Knuckles? Tails? Are they dead or dying? What have I done? Where are they? I can't handle it, the stress, the pain. Lord, it's a nightmare . . . please . . . please make it stop. I folded my ears back to block out the noise, but it didn't stop the distress for my friends inside of me. For that, I cried, worrying about them, worrying about my own fate and failure.

The pulling of my fur and quills stops and so does the poking and jabbing of beaks and claws, but I don't uncurl. They're probably waiting for me to run again. Well, no show here. I hold my ground instead, praying that they'll lose interest in me. Suddenly, I feel a weight on my back, but it is different than before. It's not pulling or poking, but it is firm and huge I can tell. I tense up not knowing what to expect. It's shacking me, must be trying to flip me over, no. I resort to screaming again, but I give up I'm too tired. I just remain curled, deaf to the world around me. Then it starts . . . stroking me. What? It feels like fingers, fingers? I release my ears from the side of my head.

"Sonic? Sonic can you hear me?"

My eyes widen as I recognize the voice. I don't know whether to jump up with joy at the sound of my name or cry some more at the sound of Eggman. This could be the single most greatest or worst moment of my life. Wasn't all this Eggman's fault, is he trying to kill me? But I am so tired; I don't think fighting back will work. Experience has taught me one thing over time, and that is you have to take your chances. Risk and reward. The Doc is pretty unpredictable, but I know that I need help and that he doesn't kick a hedgehog when he's down, most of the time. Plus he doesn't sound villainous, but concerned.

I uncurl, to see that was a mistake, as my head throbbed with a new headache. I opened my eyes and looked up at the evil egg head and would have laughed at the worried face he had on if the pain wasn't so great. Ironic that it would be my worst enemy that would find me, uncanny even. I manage to smirk, though I can feel the corners of my mouth twitching with stress. He frowns at me lifting an eyebrow as well. Man, got to break this awkward moment.

"Nice timing. Could have been a lot faster . . ." I tried to joke but my stomach made an unpleasant gesture, hurling my guts all over the desert. Embarrassing as that was, I nearly fell back into my own vomit, face first but the Doc caught me. My vision was starting to blur, which meant I didn't have long before I passed out again. Then Eggman actually picked me up to which my body naturally protested to by tensing up. It was painful to do so, but I couldn't tell myself not to. It must have been noticeable.

"Relax," he said to me before turning outwards to shout, "I found him."

I looked out of the corner of my eyes to see Knuckles and Tails running towards us and smiled, they're okay. I could now relax, tension melting off as the burden of their safety was lifted off and knowing I could trust in my friends for my protection and help. I looked back up at Eggman who seemed to be deep in thought. Wonder what he's thinkin' about, the crazy man. Hope he is really interested in helping us. It's so hot out here. Wow, my thoughts aren't making any no sense . . . none.

"Your lucky hedgehog," he says. Yeah right. "But don't expect me to help you out again," he says. What's that all about? He's helped me out plenty of times, well maybe not plenty. Once or twice now that I think about it. In fact he's probably helped me out more times then any other enemy . . . oh forget it. It hurts to think right now.

"Is he all right?" I hear Tails' faintly ask.

"Maybe, I'll have to blah blah blah to see if every things in order blah blah blah," Eggman goes on about something. It's becoming 'yawn' tiresome to listen, but I struggle to stay awake and do so.

"He'd better or else," Knuckles threatens, and I can feel myself chuckle at this. Eggman quirks an eye ridge at me and for some reason I have to fight the urge to stick my tongue out at him.

"I think he'll be fine."

"I hope so," I feel Tails hand on my forehead and smile at his child like concern. They're all right . . . blackness I think I'll give into sleep, but . . . I turn to Tails.

"Next time, I tell you don't worry . . . do me a favor, worry."

The End

Author's Note: Yay, chapter seven is up, and Sonic is alive. And as an added note, yeah this is the end. I'm sorry, I tried to write more to it but in my mind this is how it ended, so this is how it ends. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and the encouragement and right now I am in the process of writing three other Sonic fanfics, so keep an eye out for them.