Act 3

THIS ISN’T REAL

ACT II

Screenplay By INFINITE THE JACKAL

INT. PRISON CELL - TIME UNKNOWN

FADE IN:

The PRISON CELL is DEVOID of anything except the barest minimum. A SLAB to sleep on, a HOLE to shit/piss into. It’s FILTHY and smells AWFUL.

SONIC, a blue hedgehog, RECLINES on an uncomfortable metal slab sticking out of one wall. He is UNCLEAN, EMACIATED, and in general just looks like SHIT. Just the most MISERABLE, DISGUSTING, USELESS-

SONIC

(exasperated)

Fuck, okay, I get it.

Why do you have to be such an asshole?

---

The latest play started a bit differently than normal. Sonic was passed caring. If Infinite wanted to try out new material on him, the jackal was welcome, but Sonic wasn’t gonna improv with him. The famous method actor lay on his cold metal slab impassively, waiting for his opening scene to start.

The floor trembled, metal groaning and creaking under compressive strain, and the lights flickering a bit. Hmmm, seemed like the beginning of either an ESCAPE! plot or, if Infinite was really in a sick mood, a Buried Alive! scenario. Sonic’s heart was so cold at this point that he didn’t have a preference anymore. Well, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. He got to stretch his legs during escape plots.

The shaking and light show went on for an extended time. Infinite normally didn’t let the preamble go this long, but eventually the control panel by the door on the other side of the blue barrier sparked and went dark. Then something hit the door so hard the damn thing buckled inwards. Finally. Okay. Line.

Line.

Line.

…

Line?

Sonic lay still, waiting for directions. What he needed to do. His motivation for this scenario. Yadda yadda. Something to give him a hint on what Infinite was in the mood for today tonight whatever time it was. As he waited, a second blow warped the door further and Sonic didn’t even flinch, slowly blinking his tired, flat eyes.

Ugh. Sonic still hadn’t heard anything, and he hated having to wing it. He always fucked up and Infinite would punished him for it. Sick, twisted shit too. Fuck. Sonic released a long, irritated sigh and slowly rose from supine to sitting, as metal claws reached through the thin gap that had formed between the door and frame, prying the steel back with an earsplitting screech.

His hands pressed against his ears. “What the fuck, Infinite?” He grumbled. Going for hyper-realism or some shit with this one. The illusions had become obnoxiously accurate. Sonic slowly rose to his feet. He frowned at just that small movement made his legs ache and his head swim. What did Infinite expect him to do with this? Normally Sonic was given at least a mildly functional body.

Two figures pushed through the gap in the broken door. “Sonic!” That sounded like…great. “Thank Chaos! It’s you!” Amy…ugh, Sonic hated the fake Amys. Something about the saccharine sweetness just pickled his liver. “It’s really you!” The Amy doll rushed towards the barrier. However, the other figure shot forward and held ‘her’ back.

Distorted by the blue barrier, Sonic squinted to make them out. Metal Sonic? Okay, not much of a surprise there, Metal was one of Infinite’s favorite sub-bosses, but the combination with an Amy was throwing him. “Feel free to jump in anytime.” Sonic mumbled. Infinite normally hated when he went off script, but this was getting a little…

Metal rapidly signed something to Amy that Sonic didn’t even try to follow. Though…that was a little weird. Amy nodded and Metal went to a control panel attached to the wall. Before he could unearth the niggling thought demanding attention at the back of his mind ‘Amy’ drew his attention. “Metal is going to override the energy barrier, okay? Stand back and we’ll have you out in a moment.”

Rescue plot, then. “Sure, Ames, whatever you say.” Damn, his voice sounded rough.

Her face scrunched in confusion. “Sonic, are you okay?” The question was so stupid he barely even registered it. Sonic and Okay did not exist in the same universe.

Sonic crossed his arms and looked down at himself. Gaia, he looked terrible. “Never better, Amy.” He tried to grin, but the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably in just the most unhinged way.

“R-right.” ‘She’ seemed undaunted by his sarcasm, but her (stop it, it’s not really Amy) its feigned concern was mounting convincingly. “We’ve got to go quickly. Tails’ team will already be setting explosives around the core. If we don’t make it back to the transports in time, we’re going to be going with the station.” Okay, well, there’s the hook and stakes. Fine. Sonic could work with this, he guessed.

The panel Metal was fucking with sparked violently and the barrier blazed brighter. Sonic shielded his eyes. “Metal?! Be careful!” Damn, this Amy puppet was so perfect it made him sick.

With a loud pop! the barrier died and took the overhead lights with it, plunging the entire room into inky black darkness. Sonic’s body locked up, but his heart went wild. Darkness. Literal, actual blinding darkness. When was the last time he’d been in the dark? He couldn’t see. Not himself, not his cell, not Infinite’s pawns, nothing.

“Sonic?” ‘Amy’s’ voice barely registered above the pounding of blood in Sonic’s ears. Was that even what the sound was? Did he even have a body anymore? He felt like he was floating, a spark of consciousness in an unending sea of dark nothingness. Oh. That was a nice thought. Would he ever find the shore?

It doesn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

A pair of red eyes appeared in the void, but it was okay. They weren’t those red eyes. The border around Metal’s eye screen illuminated, casting the room in harsh hard light (we’re talking, like, at least five thousand lumens at 4000k. that shit was blinding). “Fuck, Metal! Gods damn you!” Sonic slammed his hands over his eyes. He’d been looking directly at the stupid, fucking robot, too. Fuck, his eyes stung and glaring spots danced behind his eye lids.

Soft hands touched him and he lashed out blindly, connecting with something that squeaked. Before he could get his bearings, sharp metal fingers dug into the flesh of his forearm and ripped him forward. Sonic’s bare feet skittered and slipped on the metal flooring as Metal drug him from his cell. The ex-hero blinked furiously.

“It’s okay, Metal.” The fake Amy made excuses for him, just like the real one would. “He didn’t mean to hit me.”

His robot facsimile made a series of shrill beeps before shoving Sonic towards the breach door the pair had emerged from. Amy (fucking stop it. you’re just setting yourself up for more pain, you stupid son of a bitch) It stepped beside him, gingerly touching his shoulder. “Here, I’ll go through first and help you avoid the sharp edges.”

Sonic roughly shrugged its hand off and approached the gap. Okay, ‘Amy’ had a point. Every metal edge was jagged and sharp as fuck. Whatever, Sonic was getting impatient. He wanted this adventure to get going already.

CUT TO:

INT. UNREMARKABLE SCI-FI ADJACENT HALLWAY

Sonic tried to crawl through carefully, but he was working with defective machinery. His body shook and fumbled, so Sonic ended up touching or putting his weight on things he shouldn’t have. Cursing colorfully, he climbed through and fumbled into the lit corridor beyond. The empty, sterile blankness that was the Doctor’s signature aesthetic greeted him.

Great, a labyrinth, probably. Occasionally Infinite got something stuck bad in his craw and made Sonic run through an impossible maze trying to escape a black and red minotaur until the hedgehog inevitably collapsed. So fun. So original. He didn’t normally have an entourage, though.

Oh shit, was this about to be an Escort mission? Those were the worst…

The two supporting roles clamored out behind him, Metal carefully helping ‘Amy’. What was their deal anyway? Why Amy and Metal? That was fucking weird, right? Was there, like, some thematic shit going on? Sonic wasn’t into Amy, so she went for a fake him? He felt a pang at the uncharitable thought. Whatever, all of this was fake anyway.

“Sonic!” ‘Amy’ exclaimed. “You’re bleeding!”

He looked down at himself. Sonic’s chest was splattered with crimson alright. Looks like he knicked the fuck out of himself crawling through that metal maw. He felt his brow and his bare fingers came back red and glistening. “Geeze, Amy, calm down. It’s just my blood.” Though…he was feeling a little lightheaded, again.

It doesn’t matter.

His pain. “It doesn’t matter.”

This isn’t real.

His suffering. “This isn’t real.”

“W-what?” ‘Amy’ sounded shocked. She wasn’t, of course, because she was Infinite and Infinite knew exactly everything about Sonic’s reality. There were no mysteries here, no puzzle to be solved. All Sonic had to do was get to the center of the maze and he’d be rewarded with a few seconds where he could pretend that this was real before being brutalized and shoved back into his cage. “T-this is real, Sonic!”

The corridor shook and Sonic lost his balance. ‘Amy’ caught him and helped him regain his footing. “Metal,” The pink thing looked desperately at the robot. “W-What is Sonic talking about?” Metal signed frantically with sharp, fast contortions of his hands. “Oh, my Gaia.” The Amy doll said in a small voice.

Sonic’s attention wandered. All he had to go on were the NPCs, so if ‘Amy’ was gonna stall here, well, he guessed he’d go with it. ‘Amy’s’ grip on him shifted, feeling more frantic, possessive in an almost nostalgic way, but her eyes remained watching Metal. Foolishly, Sonic looked at her. (Fuck, no, IT.) He looked at it**.**

‘Amy’ had her quills cut strangely. Sure, it was still a bob, but…messy? Like ‘she’d’ traded her usual stylist for a well-meaning but over worked landscaper. In fact, the more Sonic focused on the Amy shaped illusion, the more strange details he noticed. ‘She’ was skinnier and her clothes were scuffed and worn in places, with deep stains. ‘Amy’ was normally so immaculate with ‘her’ appearance. Just like Shadow.

Huh. Weird. But-

It doesn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

“Sonic?” ‘Amy’ was talking to him. Sonic hummed noncommittally but looked at its face. It was doing a great impression of crying. “We need to run! We’ll- We’ll help you, I promise! But right now, we need to run!”

Sonic blinked and snorted. “Sure, sure. You drag your feet to get started and now you want me to run? Whatever, dude.”

Its grip on his arm tightened and it looked at him with Amy’s beautiful green eyes. “Sonic, this is real. We’re- We’re rescuing you.”

Sonic rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure thing Ames. Whatever you say.” Chaos, Infinite was laying it on thick.

Its green eyes searched his face with heart-clenching accuracy to how Amy would actually look at him. Sonic’s stomach roiled. He felt like he was going to puke. How could this thing look like her, sound like her, feel like her! “Quit clinging on me, you sick fucker!”

‘Amy’s’ eyes went wide before dissolving into hurt and ‘she’ released him.

Sonic didn’t even have the time to form another snarky retort before Metal backhanded him so hard Sonic cracked his jaw on the unyielding floor. “Metal!” Amy shrieked, her voice choked with distress, “H-He didn’t mean it! You said yourself Infinite was messing with his head. T-that he’s…He’s-” She covered her face with her hands, poorly covering a sob.

Sonic rolled onto his back. Before he could lift, Metal slammed his foot against Sonic’s chest and pressed hard enough to get Sonic to focus on him. “Your weakness dishonors us both.” Metal signed. “Get a fucking grip, you disgusting meatbag.”

“Damn, Infinite. You really know Metal well after all. Mad props.” Sonic jeered, though his vision was pretty blurry.

Metal narrowed his eyes at Sonic, but removed his foot. Amy crouched and pulled Sonic to his feet again. She smiled warmly and-

Suddenly the wall next to them exploded and Metal tackled Amy. Sonic dove to the side. Steel screamed and ruptured, electrical wires snapped and sparked. The whole corridor groaned and an alarm began to blare. The lights died and were replaced by dim emergency lighting. After a moment, the alarm faded to a whine and sputtered out.

When the racket settled, Sonic looked at the massive girder that impaled the floor where he’d just been standing. Through the wreckage, he saw Metal’s impenetrable shield flicker off to reveal Amy and the robot unscathed but blocked off from Sonic. Damn, not going to lie, pretty good timing for upping the tension. And scratch the escort mission! Small blessings.

“Sonic!” Amy (it’s not her. stop thinking it’s her. it’s not it’s nots it’s not!) called through the gap in the wreckage. Sonic swallowed. “Stay there! We’ll…We’ll make a hole for you to get through.” Amy (you always do this! you let him trick you and then it hurts worse. don’t you remember? It’s not real it’s not ever real you stupid idiot) looked all over the blockage, trying to ascertain the most likely egress. He tried to push up but failed and winced instead.

Sonic’s head throbbed. Between the back hand, the jaw crack, and whatever was wrong with this body, no part of him was having a good time. Slowly, he got back on his feet while Amy (IT IS NOT AMY!)- The thing that looked, sounded, and felt tragically like Amy and Metal tried to move tons of mangled steel.

“Shadow! Over here! Hurry!” ‘Amy’ cried in relief. Sonic’s ear twitched and he looked up at ‘Amy’. It was looking behind itself at something Sonic couldn’t, didn’t want to see. He took a shaky step back. “We found him! He’s on the other side!”

Sonic froze as his heart seized in his chest. “No no no no no no no!” He groaned. It was too early! “This isn’t fair!” He yelled at Infinite. He hadn’t even escaped yet. He hadn’t pretended to believe this was real yet. Fuck. Shit, he must be fucking up. He didn’t mean to! This script is just shit!

He couldn’t make out any words. “Something is wrong with Sonic!” The Amy thing yelled. “He’s not in his right mind! Infinite did something terrible to him.” This was a common plot. Sonic’s friends trying to convince him that he was the insane one. But that normally happened before Shadow appeared to rip the mask off the whole sick charade and abuse him until Sonic begged for death.

Sonic heard Shadow’s voice. “Get to the extraction point. I’ll handle Sonic.” Oh, fuck.

Fear flooded him, forcing everything else away.

The actor bolted before he really knew what he was doing. There was yelling behind him, but he refused to comprehend any words. A sudden flash of green light made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Only getting away mattered, delaying the inevitable, staying safe for one minute, one second longer. His legs screamed, suddenly being asked to do something of which they were no longer capable. He tripped and stumbled but found enough equilibrium to not eat total shit.

Something seemed to react inside him and a warm tingling sensation radiated from his core, easing the pain and invigorating him as it spread. Chaos energy? Infinite had learned how to copy the sensation of his chaos energy? Sonic grimaced. There really was nothing the Phantom Ruby couldn’t replicate.

Surprisingly, Sonic found he knew the layout of this base pretty well. Infinite had a terrible habit of reusing sets. The hallways were swarming with badnicks and alarms blared constantly. It was all gravy for Sonic though. He dipped and dove and dodged, leaving plenty of shit between him and his dogged pursuer. Occasionally he passed windows into workshops or warehouses and all of them were swarms of movement and flashes of light as robots and mobians engaged in heated battle.

Nope.

Na-uh.

Not getting pulled into a side quest or unimportant ‘larger’ narrative. Run. Avoid. Stay away from…

He heard his name. Over and over, said in anger and in aguish and in growing desperation. Telling him to stop. Demanding that he stop. Begging him to stop. But he couldn’t- Oh Chaos, it hurt. That voice, that face! It burned in his chest, the tiny flame of hope. Hope that, maybe, this time things were real. Sonic would go mad from the pain if he couldn’t remember, he had to remember-

It didn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

Sonic entered a large empty room. A hanger of some sort judging by bits of hose and machinery lining the walls. He skidded to a stop, gaze snare by one of the walls, the entirety of which was covered by a faint sheen of blue energy and through which, expanding brilliantly into infinity, was a curtain of stars.

“W-what?” Sonic couldn’t comprehend what he was looking at. “I-I don’t understand…” It was never like this. D-Did that- Did that mean-?! A wave of nausea broke over him as his chaos energy production faded and Sonic bent over and dry heaved. There didn’t seem to be anything in his stomach to expel and he wasn’t surprised because he couldn’t remember the last time he ate. Trying to straighten, his vision blurred and his legs wobbled.

“Ah.” The voice sent ice knifing down Sonic’s spine. He was roughly pulled upright and forced to lean his weight on a black and white body. “There you are.” Infinite cooed in his ear. The Ruby pulsed rapidly from its place embedded in the villain’s chest. Sonic tried to move his head away, but he was held firmly.

Clawed fingers pressed into Sonic’s shoulder and walked along his upper back to the other side, his hair rising as the digits passed. Sonic pressed his eyes closed as Infinite’s fingers dug into his flesh, anchoring the arm wrapped almost congenially around Sonic’s shoulders. “What a mess you’ve made, Sonic.” The jackal whispered into his ear, his voice tinny coming through his mask.

SONIC apologizes to INFINITE

Sonic almost smiled in relief. Finally, some direction! Some clarity about what he was supposed to be doing. Sonic could see his pulse beating desperately behind his eyelids. He was so confused. Nothing was going like it normally did. Why was this happening? This wasn’t like anything Infinite had inflicted on him before, right? A-At least n-not that he c-could remember.

SONIC apologizes to INFINITE

He flinched at the intensity of the prompt. “I’m s-sorry, Infinite.” Sonic mumbled. Maybe rolling over and showing his belly would get him thrown back into the real world quicker, where at least he could understand what was going on.

“Ah, how sweet~.” The lilt stole Sonic’s breath and he began panting. “You really have learned your lines. Let’s see if you’re ready for the dress rehearsal.”

Suddenly the arm was gone, pulled away so quickly that Infinite’s claws raked along Sonic’s back and he grit his teeth against the whimper that wished to be free. Sonic stumbled, but felt a disturbance in the air around him. Slowly, against his better judgement, he opened his eyes.

Infinite floated in the air a dozen or so feet away, angular flashes of magenta energy sparking in the air around him, while Shadow stood between Sonic and the villain. “I am so honored you’ve come all this way, Shadow the Hedgehog.”

“Stay away from him, you disgusting sicko!” The striped monster declared. “He’s not your plaything any longer!” It threw ‘his’ arm out to further shield the fallen hero.

Infinite tilted his head. “Are you sure about that? Have you asked him what he wants? Sonic~,” The blue hedgehog’s ears pinned back at the sweet lilt in his jailor’s voice, “Come to me.”

SONIC approaches INFINITE

Sonic’s feet started carrying him towards the jackal. There wasn’t any thought behind the motion, he did what the script said he did and that was that. Infinite called and Sonic responded. This was just how things were. The tide could easier resist the moon than Sonic could his director.

“Sonic!” Terror given form exclaimed and grabbed his arm. Sonic fucking lost it. What the fuck was Infinite playing at this time, huh? Sonic knew the moment he gave any indication that he thought this thing was actually Shadow, it’d sneer at him, pin him to the ground, and rape him until he bled out.

“Get off me!” Sonic sucker punched the Shadow-shaped monstrosity as hard as he could in the face. He couldn’t muster much force, his body was just so weak now, but it seemed to surprise the doll enough it released Sonic’s arm. He trudged towards Infinite, absently rubbing the spot Shadow had gripped, his head hung low, shoulders hunched, eyes glued to the ground. He really just wanted this play to be over.

“Sonic?” The fucking thing sounded hurt. Like, you know, betrayed. Fuck, Sonic hated this script so much. “I don’t understand.” Something dark and ugly clenched in the pit of Sonic’s stomach and made him want to say now you know how it feels. “I’m here to rescue you, hedgehog! What…What are you doing?”

No, Sonic reminded himself. No, Shadow wasn’t here to rescue him. And even if he was-

It doesn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

Infinite lowered and wound his arm tighter around Sonic’s shoulders, his hand coming up to brush against the hero’s cheek with a poisoned mockery of affection. “Good boy.” Sonic, his cheek pressed against the metal mask, desperately willing this whole thing to be over, to be back in his cell, to be alone and free of the stinging sensation trying to invade his heart.

To be free of the hope trying to burn its way out of his chest.

SONIC leaned into INFINITE’s touch, knowing full well that this LOVE was all that remained for him in the UNIVERSE.

His ears pinned and quivered as his body pressed itself into the jackal as Infinite continued to caress Sonic. He felt like puking. “You didn’t really think he’d want to come back to you after everything he’s done, did you?” Infinite sneered.

“Shut your fucking mouth, scum, before I rip your jaw off!” Shadow roared.

“Did you ever wonder why things were going so poorly for you and your little petting zoo? How the Doctor’s forces just seemed to know all your hiding places? Well,” Steely claws pressed into the flesh of his throat and Sonic couldn’t help but flinch. “You have Sonic to thank for that.”

“You’re lying.” Shadow said it with such conviction…But it was true. Sonic was sure, in the real world, all his friends were suffering because Sonic failed to resist the Ruby and keep his thoughts inside his head.

“Oh, Shadow, why would I need to lie to you when the truth is so deliciously painful? It’s very simple actually.” The hand on Sonic’s throat held firm and Infinite’s other hand dug into Sonic’s head, claws stabbing into his cranium hard enough to draw fresh blood. Sonic managed to repress a whimper, but his breath came in short, quick pants which didn’t really help his lightheadedness.

“Everything he’s ever known, every memory, every feeling, every fractured, lazy thought, I have. The locations of the warrens you vermin inhabit. The weaknesses that drive you to cling together like rats on a raft. And,” Infinite dug his claws into Sonic’s scalp, and he couldn’t hold back the cry of pain this time. “The secrets that infest your vile, putrid heart, Shadow.”

Sonic, for the first time since this whole bullshit scene started, looked at Shadow.

He was beautiful, of course, (Infinite had long perfected the ruggedly handsome physique). Shadow crouched slightly in an aggressive stance and coiled so tightly a passing breeze would set him off. His quills were fully erect, deadly sharp and eager to destroy. His muscles were taunt and rippling through his fur, the tension held in check by a massive force of will alone. His face was contorted with rage, his eyes twin suns burning with a hatred normally reserved for his progenitors, lips back in a snarl, fangs gleaming and wickedly pointed. The feral ferocity of the apex predator, every aspect screaming danger! to all lesser lifeforms.

Sonic’s body went wild with a bizarre mix of panic and despair as it prepared for the inevitable finale. Suddenly, Sonic’s breath hitched, his throat bobbing painfully under Infinite’s claws, as he realized Shadow wasn’t looking at him, he was looking at Infinite.

His chest burned.

His heart was on fire.

The hope was infecting him, immolating him alive.

No no no no! He can’t! He couldn’t! It hurt too much. Over and over and over, the hope only brought pain and disappointment. The only way to avoid the terrible agony was to remember-

It doesn’t matter.

This Isn’t real.

Shadow locked eyes with Sonic. The depth of misery, rage, and desperation boiling in those crimson pools was soul-crushing poison of the most potent caliber. The blue hedgehog was overcome with a smothering sense of shame and sorrow. He looked away immediately, but his eyes still watered.

This isn’t real. Over and over Sonic repeated the conviction in his mind. This isn’t real. It was a trick, a farce, a trap. Some new scenario designed to cultivate horror and agony in Sonic. An exercise in futility. A lesson in powerlessness.

And it was working.

This,

whatever it was,

this was beyond the pale.

Nothing came close.

The heat in his chest was driving him insane! Sonic blinked and hot tears ran down his cheeks.

“Sonic…” Shadow whined the name through grit teeth and Sonic just fucking shattered. While he fumbled with the jagged shards, foolishly trying to reconstruct himself, his body shivered and tremored. “Sonic!”

“Ah, ah, ah, Shadow.” Infinite dug his claws into the flesh of Sonic’s throat, drawing blood and a pained whine from the hero. Come on! Give him a fricken break already! “Any closer and my hand might slip. And that’d just be a shame, wouldn’t it.”

Sonic was coming back together in a strange shape. Something sharper and colder than before, but that’s how it was. Every time he had rebuilt, Sonic lost something. Tiny bits that couldn’t be reused. He was always a little smaller, unable to hold the same amount of light or softness as before.

“What do you want, you cur!?” The fact that the show kept going despite Sonic’s lack of participation was strange. However, Sonic was busy on an existential level and didn’t notice.

“Oh, I want for nothing.” Infinite’s claws retracted from Sonic’s head and began carding through his quills. “I want you to suffer and my cup runneth over.” The hand at his throat lowered, claws slowly dragging down Sonic’s chest. “You have no idea how much fun he and I have had.”

SONIC drops into INFINITE’S hand while SONIC moans like the filthy WHORE he was.

Sonic gasped and choked as he reinhabited his body at a particularly fucked up moment. “Gah!” His length harden painfully and involuntarily as Infinite’s hand slid lower and lower. He bit his lip to garble the noise erupting from his throat, a moan, yes, but one drenched in pain and misery and shame.

“Sonic!” Shadow’s voice cracked with concern tainted by disgust.

By the time Infinite’s hand reached his loins, Sonic was present and accounted for. He whimpered as sharp, sadistic claws wrapped around his length and began to stroke him slowly. He clenched his eyes shut and desperately prayed to peace out again for a while, but luck was not on his side. His trained body gathered heat low in his abdomen, knowing habitually that the only path to peace was obedience.

As if he wasn’t jerking Sonic off, Infinite kept talking menacingly, like the try hard edgelord he was. “This is all your fault, Shadow.” Sonic’s traitorous hips bucked, chasing a release that Infinite’s languid pace and tight, [painful grip, was delaying. “If you hadn’t murdered my family, none of this would have happened.”

Shadow growled, low and threateningly. “You used them like cannon fodder, basically feeding them to me.” Sonic could feel the hate radiating off Shadow, gathering in the air like a red mist. “They were mindlessly reckless and heinously unprepared.” Sonic felt Infinite’s body tense further and further, the pace of his hand remaining steady, but the force with which he stroked Sonic increasing. “You used them then and you’re using them now to justify doing whatever your dark little heart desires.” Sonic whimpered and it only seemed to drive both of the others into deeper, darker places. “You only loved them as far as they served you, then and now. You disgust me. You’re weak and pathetic.”

“I AM NOT WEAK!” Infinite squeezed Sonic’s cock with crushing force and he screamed. His legs buckled. Infinite retained his grip on Sonic’s length and gripped his quills roughly to keep him upright. “You think I’m pathetic, do you? And what about you, Shadow? All that power you threw away, and for what? Some human girl and this wretched creature here? You think you’re so superior to me? How little the past would need to change for you to be in my place now? Admit it! You were born to enslave this world. That it is I fulfilling your destiny speaks volumes on your weakness.”

SONIC comes. HARD.

“F-fucking asshole.” Sonic groaned as his thighs twitched, a weak, dehydrate spurt of seed ejecting from his lower head. “You’re the w-worst.” Steely claws clenched on his softening pecker and Sonic cried out. “Ahhh!” This sick fuck was about to snip his junk in two. Thoughts swirling in a maelstrom, Sonic desperately tried to remember that-

It doesn’t matter.

This Isn’t real.

“Stop!” The red miasma faded. “Please, stop!”

“Beg, Shadow!” Infinite finally released Sonic’s abused manhood and the poor thing retreated, red and swollen (but not in the fun way), into his pouch. “Get on your fucking knees and beg for his life!” He stabbed aggressively at the ground. The Ruby glowed brightly and the air around them began to shimmer with small magenta cubes.

Shadow’s chest pumped like a billows, the fire dying in his eyes, rage replaced by desperation, as his gaze traced Sonic’s decrepit form. Slowly, he sank to his knees. “Please…” His voice was small and strained. “Let Sonic go.”

Infinite began to snicker then laugh. Sharp, cackling noises, maniacal and mirthful. The jackal threw his head back, roaring at some hilarity only he was party to.

“Take me instead.” Sonic barely heard Shadow over the jackal’s frantic cackling.

Infinite stiffened, his laughter dying at once. “What did you say?”

“Let Sonic go.” Sonic frowned. He looked up, his vision blurry, and beheld the dark kneeling figure. “Take me in his place.” The Shadow shaped thing gestured at its chest. Why was the Shadow clone saying that? Sonic was confused as all get out. “That’s what you want anyway, isn’t it?”

Through Infinite’s mask, Sonic heard the jackal’s breath grow rough and heated. None of this made sense. Infinite could do anything he wanted with his puppets at any time. Sonic wasn’t fooled by this Shadow, not even a little. This whole exchange seemed self-indulgent on a stupid level. “Ugh, like, for real, dude,” Sonic mumbled, “just masturbate in front of me like normal…”

“Silence!” Infinite hissed, his claw slamming into Sonic’s throat again. What the fuck? What the actual, literal fuck? “Very well. Submit to me, Shadow the Hedgehog.” Infinite’s voice warbled with anticipation. “Exchange your body and soul for his.”

Shadow pushed to his feet. “Let him go first.” He growled.

Infinite threw Sonic to the side. He hit the metal flooring hard but was immediately hauled up by his quills by another Shadow. Cold, black arm encircled his neck, holding him in tight headlock. Sonic’s eyes watered as he hopelessly scratched at his assailant.

The other Shadow’s eyes filled with disgust and anguish as he beheld his copy. He pulled as gaze away as Infinite approached. The jackal dug his claws into the white hair on Shadow’s chest, and the black hedgehog did nothing but shudder with revulsion. Infinite shook with excitement, his breath rough and lustful, drunk on victory as the world around them rippled with warfare and explosions.

“Anything he knows, you know.” Shadow growled, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Is that right?”

Infinite’s ears flicked, betraying his confusion.

“Then you have no idea I can do-” this.

Shadow exploded into black tar-like goo and Infinite caught it full in the face. The ruby clone holding Sonic dissolved into a shower of magenta cubes and Sonic fell. He raised onto his elbows to watch the grotesque scene playing out, making no attempt to stand. Shadow had completely melted into a large puddle of spreading blackness. Sonic had never seen anything like that in his whole gods-damned life.

A massive, black limb launched from the growing puddle of dark, viscous tar and slammed into Infinite. From the slick emerged more tentacles, tipped in red, but glistening, black, and veiny for the main length. A large bulbous clout of pitched black rose, studded with glowing red spots.

“You wretched, disgusting creature!” Infinite roared, the Phantom Ruby pulsing brightly as the area grew thick little rectangular sprites of magenta light. “You think you can trick me? I am the Master of this reality!”

Let’s put that claim to the test! Sonic heard the voice like something cold and slimy running down the back interior of his skull. Something foreign, unfathomable, and in him already. He shuddered, his empty stomach clenching. Sonic curled into a ball. All around him the sounds of combat erupted, of chaos enchanted flesh against Ruby enhanced steel.

You know what would be really cool, right about now? If Sonic just fucking passed out. That would so nice. He’d be so happy if he could just stop being here, experiencing whatever the hell this was. Maybe if he held his breath-

He heard a series of thuds land all around him and a deep shadow fell over the balled hedgehog. Foolishly, he loosened his curl and lifted one eyelid. The black creature was tented over him almost protectively as it batted away an amalgam of Infinite’s endless stream of clones and mockeries.

Sonic, don’t be afraid! It’s me! It’s Shadow!

The blue hedgehog gagged. By now, Sonic was an old hat at having voices in his head try to convince him they were friendly. Spoiler alert: they never were.

SONIC ran as fast and as far as he could from the MONSTER

Holy fuck, didn’t have to tell him twice! Sonic curled and rolled out from under the cover of the creature. It took notice and took a swing at him, but a copy of Zavok tackled it. Sonic rose and just fucking sprinted away, his body screaming in protest and his heart burnt to a blackened husk.

He quickly left the large open space and reentered the warren of unremarkable corridors. He dodged badnicks and avoided dark passages choked with debris. Wherever this was, it was coming apart at the seams. The walls rattled and screamed from unseen forces and the whole place lurched randomly.

He ran.

To where?

It doesn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

From what?

It doesn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

A flash of red in his peripheral was the only warning he received before a large fleshy mass wrapped around his midsection and lifted him off the ground like he was made of paper mache. He thrashed his weak body doing more harm to himself than to his captor. He scratched with his dull, cracked claws and bit with his teeth so hard his gums bled.

The tentacle didn’t even struggle to hold him tightly. The large creature braced itself against the walls of the corridor and brought Sonic to face it…face? Ten glowing (spots?…eyes?...fuck it, we’ll go with eyes) eyes considered him with alien expressionlessness.

Ah.

Okay.

Sonic understood now.

There had been a lot of preamble, but it was time to get down to business. Infinite must be in the mood to explore some kinks or some shit, because this was about to be some hentai tentacle rape type crap, wasn’t it? Sonic whimpered and grit his teeth preparing for intrusion, the pain, the shame, and the gut-wrenching disgust.

Sonic! Open your eyes. It’s going to be okay. I’ve got you!

Can you believe this shit? After everything he’s been through already, Infinite is still going to taunt him like this? Fuck him. Fuck Eggman. Fuck everything about this. “Just get on with it, you disgusting piece of shit!”

Sonic…

“Just fuck me already!” Hot tears stung his eyes, but he held his eyes tightly closed, absolutely fucking done with bearing witness to this nightmare.

S-sonic? I- I’m not-

“I’m so sick of your bullshit! All this crazy shit is so fucking pointless.” The words were rushing out like water over a broken levy.

Sonic, open you eyes. I’m not Infinite-

“You sadistic, sick coward! You can’t even rape me yourself. You always hide behind his face.” He was talking so fast he was asphyxiating, getting the anger out was more important than air.

Look at me, hedgehog!

Sonic’s eyes snapped open and he stared at the creature, his ears lying flat on his skull. He trembled, every inch of him collapsing into pudding in preparation for what was about to happen.

N-no, Sonic, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to- It’s me. I know it must be…surprising that I’m like…this, but I promise I’ll explain-

A loud bang! reverberated through the corridor and the lights died, plunging the pair into darkness. Sonic started to lose his sense of self again. Ten red eyes were the only illumination, anchoring him to the nightmare.

We have to go. Hold on!

“Gack!” Sonic choked as he was suddenly accelerating. No matter how wildly his eyes searched, there was no light to be found. He was jerked roughly back, forth, up, and down without warning and around them the base screamed and hissed. Disorientation was threatening to knock Sonic loose from his body again. Suddenly Sonic’s head throbbed and his rapid pants were not cutting it in the oxygen department.

Decompression?

In the darkness, everything stilled. Sonic wretched.

We must be near the outer hull. If I can get us clear of the station, I can shift and- Sonic wheezed. Sonic? The red eyes appeared again, squinting at him.

Your chaos is too low. Your body won’t be able to handle the vacuum. The red light was starting to dim and Sonic felt a tingling numbness spread through him. I can...just barely sense Knuckles. Hopefully he is still on the station. Sonic, just hold on a little longer!

In a flash of bright green light, they appeared in another large open area. The black squid had misjudged the snap and fell at least twenty feet to slam into the unforgiving floor. Luckily, it had placed itself between Sonic and the ground, but he was still jostled violently. He gasped in as much air as he could, the edges of his vision rushing back into focus.

On one end of the hanger, an army of badnicks bathed a population of retreating mobians in lasers and small caliber ammunition. The mobians were pouring into airships…wait, no, spaceships probably, given the whole space backdrop. Anyway, the black squid recovered quickly and slithered across the ground to one of the transports that was closing its back. Its arms jammed into the hatch closure, prying it back open.

“Sweet Chaos, what the fuck?!” Inside, Knuckles raised his fists.

The squid brandished Sonic and the Echidna’s eyes went wide. “Sonic!”

“Oh, hey Knuckles!” Sonic might have still been recovering from hypoxia. The world will never know for sure. “What are you doing here?”

Shut up and take him!

Knuckles eyes narrowed and snapped to the writhing sea of black and red. “Shadow? Is that you?”

“What’s with the silly hat?” Sonic giggled. Oh, fuck, he was upside down. He was so nauseous.

“It’s a beret, you cretin!” Knuckles snapped. Good old Knuckles. Always good for a rise, even in Infinite’s plays.

You’re wasting time! TAKE HIM!

The tentacle monster shoved Sonic into the back of the transport. “I’ve got him!” Knuckles’ arms wrapped around Sonic like steel bands, firm, immovable, but strangely gentle. Sonic thrashed, but the Echidna held him with seemingly little effort. “Dear Chaos, Sonic...You’re skin and bones.”

Don’t let him go! He’s delusional. DO NOT LET HIM GO!

“Eggman’ll have to pry him out of my cold dead hands! Now, get in!”

No. The thing’s arms retracted from the ship’s interior. I will cover your retreat. Behind it a legion of robots approached.

“This place is about to blow, you idiot!”

I’ll be fine. GO!

“Commander, we need to launch!” The pilot yelled. “Charges on the core are starting to go off!”

“Fuck! You better survive this, you asshole!” Knuckles glared as the bay door closed, separating them from the black squid. “Get us home!” He yelled at the pilot.

Unable to see the monster anymore, Sonic went limp. “Sonic?” Knuckles sounded concerned. If Sonic’s sternum wasn’t about to snap under the stress of his heart pounding against it, he would have been impressed at Infinite’s creativity. Sonic had never heard Knuckles so scared. Nothing daunted the Echidna warrior. Just another example of why-

This isn’t real.

Right?

Looking through the cargo bay, the front window of the transport presented a massive, brilliant green and blue globe set like a brilliant gem against a dazzling black blanket studded with stars.

Space. Infinite had never put him in space before. Did that mean-?

It doesn’t matter.

This isn’t real.

It’s never real.

It’ll never be real.

FADE OUT