by Jake Black
“Guys, guys, guys, I can’t tell you any of that. You know, space-time continuum stuff. I don’t want the universe to implode by screwing up the time line!” Future Sonic said.
Future Sonic led the group out of the lab, passing in front of Sonic who was leaning against a far wall. Future Sonic shot Sonic a look that seemed to say, “I’m taking over.” Sonic felt anger rising within him. He felt replaced. He was mad at his friends for believing so easily. They’d betrayed him. Something was up. This guy was an impostor, Sonic was absolutely sure of that. But how was he going to prove it?
* * *
Future Sonic and the gang were gathered around the table eating lunch. Future Sonic was impressing everyone with stories from the future. Amy Rose, Tails, and Knuckles were soaking in everything Future Sonic was telling them.
“No, really! The cars fly!” Future Sonic said.
“But how do they maintain sufficient speed to stay in the air but not so fast to cause lots of accidents and injuries?” Tails asked.
Future Sonic shrugged. “I for sure don’t know that. What do I look like? Some kind of brainiac like you, Tails? They just fly.”
Sonic burst into the room and got in Future Sonic’s face.
“I don’t know who you are, but I don’t believe for one minute you’re me from the future,” Sonic said with a snarl.
Future Sonic laughed and pushed Sonic away from him. “I forgot how grumpy I used to be!” he said.
Sonic didn’t let up. He came nose to nose with Future Sonic. “All right, buster. If you’re really me, prove it. I’m the fastest being in the universe. You should be just as fast as me. Let’s go.”
Future Sonic glanced around the table, a little nervous. “C’mon, let’s not get crazy here, Sonic. I mean, I’m a lot older than you. I don’t know if—”
Sonic slapped the table. “Aha! I knew you were a liar! You know you can’t keep up with me. See guys! He’s not me. He won’t even race me.”
Future Sonic stood up quickly from the table.
“If you’d let me finish, I was going to say I’m a lot older than you. I don’t know if you can keep up with me. I’m just as fast as you; maybe faster.”
Sonic grew hot. He couldn’t believe the audacity of this faker. “It’s on. Right now.”
Moments later, the group was outside. Sonic and Future Sonic were side by side behind a line drawn in the dirt. No one noticed as Future Sonic slipped a small chip onto Sonic’s shoe.
“On your marks. Get set,” Tails called, raising a siren blaster in the air. “GO!”
The siren blared, and the two Sonics were off. Their course would take them over the nearby hills, to the beach, through the city, and back to the starting line in one giant circle. They were neck and neck as the race began.
“Faster, huh?” Sonic sneered at Future Sonic next to him.
“Just watch,” Future Sonic said.
Future Sonic flipped a switch on his wristband and starting going faster, and then faster—and faster still. Within seconds, Future Sonic was blazing ahead of Sonic in a blue-grey blur. Sonic skidded to a stop, shocked, and watched Future Sonic run out of sight. This is impossible. Simply impossible, he thought.
Back at the starting line, Future Sonic returned about fifteen seconds after leaving. Everyone was shocked that he completed the course that quickly. Even more surprising was that it took Sonic a full two minutes more to complete the course and return to the starting line.
“How . . . did . . . how did you . . . how did you do that so fast?” Sonic said as he gasped for breath.
“You know, more experience,” Future Sonic said, kicking the toe of Sonic’s shoe. “Now, can we start prepping for the big, final battle against Dr. Eggman?”
Knuckles and Tails excitedly walked with Future Sonic back toward the lab. Future Sonic looked over his shoulder back at Sonic and winked. Amy Rose put her arm around Sonic.
“Are you okay? I’ve never seen you so winded,” she said.
Sonic brushed her arm off and stood up straight, squinting suspiciously at Future Sonic.
“This isn’t right, Amy. I don’t know what it is, but something’s up with that guy. I had to push myself the most I ever had, and he still beat me by a lot.”
“Sonic, just because he’s faster than you doesn’t mean anything. He’s from the future. He’s got better shoes, better training, and more experience,” Amy Rose said, hoping her words would bring some comfort to her friend.
Sonic shook his head. “No, Amy. That’s not it. It’s not just the running. It’s something else. And I’m going to find out.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Amy Rose said and jogged to catch up with her friends.
As Sonic watched his friends leave, he felt something strange in his shoes. His feet started moving. Before he knew it, Sonic was running—running away from the lab. And he couldn’t stop. His shoes were forcing him.
Somehow, Sonic knew, he had to get his shoes off and get back to his friends before it was too late.
* * *
Future Sonic, Knuckles, Amy Rose, and Tails returned to the lab and continued working on the tank. They were making good progress. Tails thought it would be up and running by the end of the day.
“So, you need to show me how this thing works,” Future Sonic said.
Tails looked confused. “I thought you knew already. Don’t you lead us into battle in it?”
Future Sonic paused, gathering his thoughts, “Um . . . well . . . it was a long time ago. Tech has advanced way beyond that. I need a refresher on remedial tech like this.”
“Uh . . . okay . . . ,” Tails said.
Tails gave Future Sonic an overview of the controls, teaching him how to drive the tank and fire its laser cannon.
“This is so cool,” Future Sonic said.
A short time later, the trio tightened the final bolts. The treads were attached, and the tank was finished. Tails stepped back to admire his work.
“I gotta admit, you did a good job with this, Tails,” Knuckles said.
“It’s perfect for the final battle against Dr. Eggman tomorrow,” Future Sonic said. “Remember! We move at dawn!”
Knuckles turned to Tails. “I’m out. Gotta prepare for tomorrow’s battle. Call me if you need me,” Knuckles said as he walked out the door.
“I better go, too,” Amy Rose said. “I’m going to find Sonic. He was still pretty upset at the end of the race.”
“That’s because I beat him so badly,” Future Sonic said as a light on his wrist lit up and a strange beeping noise sounded. “I’ve, uh, gotta take this. Future communicator.”
Future Sonic disappeared into a back room.
* * *
Future Sonic tapped the blinking light on his wrist. A holographic image of Dr. Eggman shot upward.
“Everything is going according to plan. I have access to the weapon,” Future Sonic said.
“Good. Good,” Dr. Eggman said. “They believe you? That you’re from the future?”
“Yes.”
“You planted the permanent running chip on Sonic’s shoes?” Eggman asked.
“Yes.”
“You are my greatest creation! A robot so lifelike that even Sonic’s closest friends don’t realize you’re a robot. I’m a genius!” Eggman roared in celebration.
“The attack begins at dawn,” Future Sonic said, pushing the light on his wrist and closing the holographic image.
He turned to leave the room, but stopped dead in his tracks. Tails was standing in the doorway, eyes wide, mortified.
“T-Tails. How long have you been standing there?” Future Sonic asked.
“Sonic was right! You are a fake!” Tails said.
Future Sonic lifted his right arm and blasted ropes at Tails. The ropes wrapped their way around Tails from head to toe before he eve
n had a chance to escape. Future Sonic grabbed the cocooned fox and dragged him to the closet.
“Sorry to have to do this to you, Tails, but I can’t have you stopping our attack tomorrow,” Future Sonic said. “Actually, I’m not sorry.”
Future Sonic slammed the closet door shut.
* * *
It took what felt like hours, but the speed chip overloaded and freed Sonic from its trap. He returned to Tails’ lab, but it appeared abandoned. It made sense, though. It was the middle of the night. Almost dawn, actually. Sonic moved to leave when he heard what sounded like a muffled cry for help coming from a back room.
Sonic found the source of the noise. It was coming from inside a closet, which the hedgehog opened. Sonic leaped back in shock, seeing Tails tied up. He quickly removed Tails’ bonds.
“You were right, Sonic!” Tails gasped. “That Future Sonic isn’t from the future at all. He’s an advanced robot created by Eggman!”
Sonic gritted his teeth.
“There’s more. He put some kind of chip on your shoes so you’d have to run forever,” Tails said.
“I know. When he kicked my foot, it set off the chip,” Sonic said. “But it’s not a problem anymore.”
Tails moved into the lab.
“Oh no,” Tails said. “The tank is gone, and it’s almost dawn.”
Knuckles and Amy Rose arrived to join what they thought was going to be the climactic battle with Dr. Eggman. Tails and Sonic quickly brought them up to speed.
“We’ve got to stop him before he uses the tank,” Sonic said to his team.
“How could I have been so stupid? I taught him how to use the tank!” Tails said.
Sonic shook his head. “No time for that now, Tails. We’ve got to find him and stop him.”
Outside the lab, the tank’s treads had left a trail in the ground, which led to the outskirts of town.
“If he’s planning to use that on the town—” Amy Rose began.
“I’m gonna get that guy!” Knuckles said, slamming his fist into his other hand.
The sun was starting to peek out over the horizon.
“There’s no time, Knuckles. I’ve got to do this one by myself.” And without another word, Sonic shot off in a streak, following the tread prints.
* * *
Impostor Sonic plowed over the rolling hills and fields that separated Tails’ lab from the nearby town. Dr. Eggman had programmed him to gain Team Sonic’s trust, steal some kind of weapon, and use that weapon to scare the townspeople into abandoning the town, leaving it for Eggman to come in and conquer. It was all going according to plan.
Fake Sonic saw a blip on his external sensor. Something was coming up on him from behind—and coming fast. Sonic! The robot turned the tank’s laser cannon around and started blasting lasers at Sonic.
Sonic dodged the laser blasts. Within seconds, he jumped on top of the tank. He opened the hatch and dropped into the command seat next to Fake Sonic. The two wrestled each other, trying to gain control of the tank. The laser cannon’s turret spun wildly, shooting laser blasts indiscriminately.
“You can’t stop me. I’m a better version of you,” Impostor Sonic yelled.
“No. You’re. Not!” Sonic screamed, grabbing the robot’s arms.
Sonic threw the robot out of the tank’s controls and on top of the tank. The tank continued to roll toward the town as Sonic and his doppelgänger again wrestled one another. Fake Sonic pinned Sonic to the roof of the tank.
“Face it. I’m better than you. You’ll never defeat me!” he said.
Sonic brought a foot up to the robot’s chest. “I’ve had enough of you! Real will always be better than robots! Always!”
Sonic kicked out, sending the robot backward. Fake Sonic came back toward Sonic, planning to throw him off the tank. As he got close, though, the robot tripped over a large bolt on top of the tank. He slipped off, landing on the ground in front of it. The massive treads slowly rolled over him, crushing the metal monster.
Sonic slipped back into the tank, shutting it down. It was over.
* * *
Later, Sonic rejoined his friends at Tails’ lab. Tails and Knuckles were dismantling the tank. Now that Eggman knew about it, Tails didn’t want their enemy to steal it again.
Amy Rose looked sad. “I’m sorry I doubted you, Sonic.”
“Hey, no big deal. I got to whip his butt and save the day,” Sonic said. “Best part is, we still get to make our own future!”
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