Full Summary: When Sonic disappears without a trace, his friends are left to watch the world fall down around them. Seven years later, and the Earth is a very different place. Eggman rules the planet with an iron fist, while Amy and Tails shoulder the burden of keeping the last pocket of resistance alive. Food is scarce, morale is low, and while Amy grapples with the hopelessness of the situation, a certain hedgehog makes his miraculous return – seven years too late.

"You're like iron. You'll break before you bend."

Rating: T, just to be on the safe side. Nothing too bad, but dark themes and possible violence may ensue.

-X-

"Well, well, well... Sonic." Eggman grinned. It wasn't a pleasant expression. "You know, I can hardly believe that worked. Something on your mind hedgehog?"

Through what he calculated to be a clear foot of reinforced glass, Sonic scowled. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. As if anyone – the Doctor especially – would leave a Chaos Emerald just lying around like that. He should have smelled the trap the second he walked in the room. But he'd been so distracted...

"Now – what to do with you?" Dr Eggman began to pace, bald head bent low, hands clasped neatly behind his back. "I so rarely have you at my mercy like this that I find myself rather... under-prepared."

Sonic said nothing.

All this posturing was purely theatrical, obviously. The blue blur knew better by now than to doubt Eggman was already three steps ahead. The Doctor knew exactly what he was going to do with him, and the sooner he made his next move, the sooner Sonic could figure out how to fight back. He couldn't break through the glass as was – it was too thick, and he didn't have enough room to build up momentum – but when the opportunity presented itself, he'd make his escape. It was just a waiting game, that's all.

"I bet I know what you're thinking," Eggman said suddenly, pressing his smug face in close to the glass. "You're thinking 'I'll wait for him to make a mistake, then I'll make a run for it'. Well I've got news for you this time rodent." He spun with dramatic flourish, presenting a small gadget for Sonic's inspection. "This time, there will be no mistakes."

The gadget was a remote control – compact, innocuous looking, with only two buttons... But for some reason he couldn't explain, Sonic's stomach dropped like a lead ball at the sight of it.

He pressed his hands against the inside of the tube, as if he could somehow phase through the barrier by sheer force of will. His heart was beating so hard he could feel the pulse in his fingertips.

"What's that?" he asked, though he dreaded the answer.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Eggman smirked. He pressed a button with his thumb, the action as perfect as if he'd been practising it all day – which, knowing his nemesis like he did, Sonic thought he probably had. A hissing noise reached the blue blur's ears and with the suddenness of being dunked in icy water, the temperature in the tube plummeted.

A glance up confirmed what he'd already suspected. Gas; being pumped in through the air filtration system.

Shivering, Sonic groaned through chattering teeth, "Wh-Wh-What a-are you d-d-doing?"

He fell to his knees, exhausted past the point of standing even though it had been mere seconds since Eggman pressed the button. Head too heavy to hold, he was reduced to staring blearily at his gloved fists, though his warrior's sense dictated he should keep his eyes on the enemy. He didn't have long – already he could feel the gas working through his body, depositing him into unconsciousness... Or worse.

"Nighty night, hedgehog." Gone was Eggman's jovial mood, replaced by something colder even than the energy-sapping gas. Clearly, the gloves were off. "I win."

Sonic fought it for as long as he could, but it was a losing battle.

His final thoughts were for his friends, the friends he might never see again. Tails... Knuckles...

Ultimately, the last of his strength deserted him and he fell flat on his stomach. His eyes closed, and before he surrendered to the inevitable the events that had led him to his own demise flashed through a mind sluggish with sedative.

...Am...my... I'm... so...rry...

-X-

Sonic's disappearance was as sudden and catastrophic as no one could ever have guessed it would be. In those first harsh weeks his friends searched high and low for the missing hedgehog, impeded at every turn by Dr Eggman, who – without his arch-enemy to oppose him – thrived, growing stronger and stronger with each passing day.

By the time a year had passed, Eggman had most of the Western continents under his control. Within two, the entire world was his playground. And by seven...

By seven, all hope was lost.

The friends he'd left behind had given him up for dead, and what little humanity there was left either bowed to Eggman's new world order, or lived deep underground – the resistance, in name alone.

Those who cared to remember 'the end of the world' all said the same thing:

Freedom died with Sonic the Hedgehog.

-X-

At last – a brand new story. And this one is set to be my best work yet. So if you got this far be sure to put it on alerts – I promise you won't be disappointed!

I know this chapter will be confusing, but don't worry. I have everything figured out, and all of your questions will be answered as we go. Updates should be regular – at least once every two weeks – but if they slow down for any reason it'll be because I'm working on something big. In that instance, I daresay your patience will be well rewarded.

Thanks for reading, and like I said – alert, favourite and (if you're feeling generous) review.

-X-