1| The Day They Built the Wall

The techcarts were putting up a wall.

Two blue Mobian hedgehogs stood at the city line, watching the techcarts drill metal sheets into the walkway cement. The whoosh and punch of screw blasters reverberated down the long line of slowly rising sheets, dividing Mobius from the forest beyond and the rest of planet Marto with it.

They both knew the first shot had been fired.

"They can't do that." the small hedgehog snapped, his green eyes blazing. He was only seven years old, but he was tall, if not a little round at the stomach, and his blue head spikes had grown out thick behind him. "Whadda they think they're up to?"

"This is...not what I expected." the older one said to himself. He was full grown, tall and well-built, his spikes a darker shade of blue than those of the young one next to him. He was robed in a wine red cape and the band of the Heartseat's personal guard circled his brow.

The small one's gaze darted over the walls. "They can't do that," he said again.

People built walls to keep stuff from getting in…and from getting out. Walls got in the way of things, and he didn't like it.

"Does Heartseat Nikolos want this, Uncle Sparks?" the hedgehog turned and looked up at his uncle, crossing his arms.

"It's all right, Sonic. Stay quiet and I'll see what's going on." Sparks said. He strode forward and whipped back his cape—a sure sign that he was not pleased.

Sonic followed, arms still crossed and head cocked. "You mean he hasn't asked you or the Mobius council?"

"Quiet, Sonic," Sparks leaned over and rapped out a rhythm on the gray window of a techcart.

Sonic frowned. If they needed a wall, their Heartseat was supposed to tell them about it, but had he done that? Nope. He'd just gone a built a wall. And Uncle Sparks had always told him how important it was that rulers and people talk. That's the whole reason New Mobius had been built-

The techcart window rolled down to reveal a speaker system. "Who is this?" The techcart asked in an automated woman's voice.

"Commander Sparks speaking," Sparks said, furrowing his brow.

"Commander Sparks. Please do not step any further as there is dangerous construction underway. All Mobians must stay confined to New Mobius at this time. How can I help you?"

Sonic piped up, pushing up on his feet and fisting his hands. "You can start off, can-head, by knocking down the wall! That's our forest-"

"Unidentified voice." A light flashed from the lens built into the speaker.

Sparks shot his nephew a sharp look.

Sonic looked down at a crack in the cement sidewalk and scuffed his toe against it, feigning nonchalance.

C'mon. Someone had had to say it.

"Signing off," the recording device chirped.

"Override," Commander Sparks said. "He is my nephew."

The device remained silent for a second, processing this new information. "Signing off."

"Override," Sparks whipped his hand over the speaker's control panel. He popped it open with a flick of his wrist, revealing the inner working of the techcart. He snatched a silver, raw wire in his hand, and narrowed his steely blue eyes in concentration. A series of flashes sprung from his fingers. The whole structure of the techcart shuddered in response.

Sonic lifted his head and jumped forward, gaze riveted to his uncle's hands.

Static and slurred beeps sputtered out of the speaker. It replayed a recording of a man's voice—a man every Mobian knew well—their guide, their first Heartseat, Dr. Ivo Nikolos. "Initiate Speech recognition. Go to the edge of the Mobius boundary sidewalk and complete downloaded task ASecurity 101…" The recorder fizzled out again.

"Hmm." Sparks bit his lip. He waited a second, then released the wire. A black char tainted the silver wire where he had gripped it, leaving an imprint of his fingers.

The window slid up.

The techcart rolled on to complete its task.

Sonic mouthed a "wow", grinning.

"Apparently this is what Doctor Nikolos wants," Sparks murmured. "ASecurity 101…"

"That was sweet." Sonic burst out, eyes bright with fascination. "Was it illegal?"

Sparks smirked to himself—that secretive, knowing smirk. "Was what illegal?"

"What you just did, of course," Sonic reminded, his eyes shining with sauce, a smirk tugging at his own mouth as well. "You sparked it."

Sparks hid his amusement. He looked up at the skyline of New Mobius, a jigsaw puzzle of cement, tubing and glass. Thin streams of blue smoke wisped up from bottle-sized chimneys only to disappear into the clear sky. "I have my reasons. It's my job to protect this place. And everyone in it."

Sparks turned to face Sonic. He leaned over and grasped him by the shoulders. "Speaking of which, what was that stunt you pulled? Taunting a techcart, Sonic, I'm surprised at you."

Sonic crossed his arms and huffed, "I'm sorry, Uncle Sparks, I didn't know it'd go all wacko on me with the lights and try to sign off like that. It's just-" his eyes blazed and he frowned hard, "Just I don't like this, it doesn't feel right and they can't do it. You won't let them cut off Mobius from the rest of Marto, will you?"

"I'm sure they'll put in a gate." Sparks raised his eyebrows. "Doctor Nikolos must be installing a city wall for security reasons. But that's not the point. The point is, Sonic, you have to trust me to handle these things when I say I can handle them. If you go barging in, you're going to get others and yourself hurt. I may know something you don't."

Sonic faced his uncle dead on. "But-"

Sparks frowned at him.

Sonic's resolve wavered for a second, but he didn't drop his gaze.

…Uncle Sparks wouldn't just let bad stuff happen.

Sonic replied, his voice steady, "Yes, Commander."

Sparks ran a hand through Sonic's head spikes and ruffled them. "It's hard, but you can do hard."

Sonic grinned. He tossed his head and started up the nearest steps. "You bet."

Life was hard. And fun too, of course, but it was still hard. His short seven years of life had already taught him that. He had been born after the war, but he saw the effects of it every day. In the shrapnel that he sometimes stepped on and had to pull out of his feet. Or how they sometimes had to wear gloves that protected their hands from the hazardous fluids that shot through the tubes of the New Mobius factories. How he had to pretend to be normal or else…

…Something might try to kill his family.

He didn't know what the something was, but he did know that when people died, you couldn't be with them anymore, and he didn't like that.

That is why he needed to know how to protect people. Because he wasn't really normal, even if he had decided to hide it and pretend he was. Uncle Sparks was a gifted Mobian, and so was he. But Sonic had a different gift than Uncle Sparks, and he had to use that gift to make sure nothing bad happened. He had to be able to do hard. He'd never been in a war yet, but someday he would be. It could be any day and it could start with anything.

He didn't like that wall.

Why would Heartseat Nikolos do that?

Sonic stopped in mid-step and looked over his shoulder. "I got a question though."

"Do you?" Sparks said, gaze fixed ahead.

"Question, Commander?" Sonic retried.

"Proceed," Sparks said with a soft grin.

Sonic pinched his lips a little. Uncle Sparks was one person he tried really hard not to tick off. "Well…you always say that a warrior has to trust his leader, and that's why I need to trust you and—and, yeah, I get that all the way," Sonic pushed up on his toes. "So…I guess your leader is Doctor Nikolos…but back at the techcart…I mean, if a leader is doing something that might be bad, what do we…?" Sonic let his words trail off.

Uncle Sparks stared at him. The spikes at the back of Uncle Spark's head pricked up and his eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Sonic to think that far or that fast. He floundered for the proper response, gritting his teeth.

His nephew was picking up on something far bigger than both of them.

Sonic waited, his face upturned and green eyes wide. He looked so young still.

A sad smile bent the corners of Uncle Sparks mouth. It was not fair.

And yet, it had to be. Sonic was not born to live in peace, and Sparks could not afford to make the mistake of dismissing him because of his age…and leaving him unready. He must treat Sonic with respect and that meant evaluating Sonic's abilities based his character, not his age. The two were often related, but not always. He'd apprenticed Sonic for the past two years now and he knew his nephew enough to trust him with an appropriate level of responsibility and even danger… But, if things went badly really fast, even if Sonic did not mean to, there was always the chance someone could make him talk.

Sparks' silence said it all and Sonic got it.

Sonic's eyebrows drew together in thought. He glanced back at the rising wall.

"Sonic…you must not tell anyone what I did back there," Uncle Sparks said, trying to keep his tone gentle. "Promise me."

Sonic nodded.

"Well," Sparks stretched, changing the subject at once. "Well, well, well. I see we've lost our running track—for the day at least."

Sonic blew out a long sigh. "Well, I can't run in the city."

Sparks stretched his hands, sending a quick shock of electricity up his neck and shoulders to release some of the tension. "We'll work something out so you can run somewhere," he assured. He scratched his headspikes. "But in the meanwhile…I've been thinking."

Sonic whipped around in a flash, anticipation gleaming in his eyes. "Y-you were thinking what?"

Sparks rubbed his chin, pleased. "Well, I was going to save it for your birthday…but this seems like the proper occasion and I just heard that they're finished…"

"Oh—oh—oh boy," Sonic struggled to control himself, fisting and re-fisting his hands. His eyes widened. "Um-A blaster?"

Sparks shook his head. "No, not a blaster."

"Aw," Sonic deflated.

"I think you may just like these better. And if you don't, your Mom certainly will." He winked.

"Is it related to my training?" Sonic asked, walking backwards up the stairs.

Sparks raised his chin and marched up after him. "I won't tell you anything else about them. Follow me."

"That's a yes!" Sonic fist pumped. "Can I eat it?" he bounced after his Uncle. "Have you hidden it at your pad?"

Sparks smirked. "We're going to Doctor Nikolos's tech lab."

Sonic caught his breath.

Author's Notes: (Previous)

Thanks for stopping by and reading! By now you have probably picked up on the fact that this story doesn't exist within one of the Sonic canons. ;-) This series is a Novelization/Retelling based off of Sonic's concept. There are references to some of the canons that have inspired this story (Satam, AdventuresoStH, Sonic Boom, Archie comics) hidden throughout the story, but the story world and backstories are original. Some characters (Sparks—who looks like Sonic Light Mobius, by the way) are original too, and the canon characters personalities have been tweaked. If retellings suite your taste, I hope you enjoy!

This particular episode is a prequel episode to Series 1 AND Series 0 of this whole retelling realm, "Rebels of the Mobian Restoration." More info on my page. When Episode 1 of Series 1 is uploaded, I will add the link here. s/12072676/1/Episode-1-Rupture-Rebels-of-the-Mobian-Restoration

Thank you, everyone! :-D

His grace is sufficient for me,

His power is perfected in my weakness,

Constance/Connie

P.S. One word of warning to all the passionate shippers out there! This story has a Sonally theme, but I haven't totally slammed or ditched Amy Rose either… ;-]

Update 12/4/2017,

Heads up, the format of this series has more or less changed now. This collection will still appear in an episode format, but there is no longer a Series 0 and a Series 1. ;-) It's all just different volumes of the same series. Also, there are ALOT more bonus scenes now! Hopefully they won't be too slow or anything. Thanks for stopping by!