He told almost everything to his friends. After all, there wasn't much that he had to hide.

Of course, that was before Eggman took over.

Six months of endless torture and confusion. He could never tell anyone of what actually happened on the Death Egg in that time, but it was one of the worst things he had ever experienced.

He didn't know how much his friends knew, but he knew that they probably suspected something. He heard the rumors that spread through the resistance. He never confirmed or denied what happened when he was asked. Even when Tails, worried for him, questioned him what had happened and if he was alright, he just laughed it off and said that everything was fine.

Nothing was fine….

Everytime he even looked towards Infinite, a shiver ran up his spine. Infinite could sense it too, and he almost got caught shaking in front of Infinite and Silver. Luckily, Silver never questioned it and Infinite is gone. At least he thought so.

He found himself with so much fear after those months, and sometimes he couldn't even tell what was real.

Water was something he was always afraid of, but now….

He glared at the cell doors in front of him, trying to figure out where he was and what was going on.

The most he could figure out was that he was in some kind of prison, most likely put there by Eggman. Everything else was a blank.

He thought back to what had happened before he passed out. There was Zavok, Metal, Chaos, and Shadow with Eggman….

There was also that new guy.

He bit his lip in thought as he looked to the bonds containing his wrists and ankles. Who was he? Why was Shadow of all people siding with him? And how did he get beaten so easily?

His mind wandered to Tails, and he suddenly found himself worrying if he was okay. Was he in this place too?

Finally, he shouted. "What's going on here!?"

He stood and tried to move his arms again, but to no avail. He knew that unless he wanted to fall face first to the ground, he shouldn't try to walk, let alone run. He tried to see if there was anything outside the cell doors. From his standpoint, there was nothing but other cells.

"Hello!?" He called out. Finally, that guy appeared. "You! Where's Tails!? And where are we!?"

"That pathetic fox is out of my way." The guy told, his eye fixated on him. "And as for where you are, you're in your worst nightmare!"

And with that, the guy disappeared, leaving many red boxes to fly towards him.

He blinked. Everything looked the same, just with a strange red tint. He looked around cautiously. "What's goin' on here!?"

A second after he finished the question, the cell doors became a wall, and he could hear water starting to pour out around him. His eyes widened as his heart started to beat faster in growing fear. "W-Wait, what!? I-Is this some kinda joke!?"

The water was up to his knees now, and with his ankles shackled, he knew there was no way he could run. He looked around the darkness desperately, hoping he could find anyway out. Sadly, there was no light, only red tinged darkness.

He felt his ears flatten against his head, shaking horribly. The water was at his stomach now; he started to hyperventilate. "H-Help!"

It started coming out faster, and he felt himself almost near to fainting out of fear. It was up to his neck and he knew that the end was coming. Of course Eggman would want to finish him off!

He felt tears come to his eyes as he thought of everyone, and he wondered what they were doing. And then he thought of Tails.

Tails was there before he passed out. He wondered if he was okay.

"I'm sorry, Tails!" He cried out before the water filled the room.

And then he found his face connecting to the floor, no water in sight.

"H-Huh?" He groaned out in confusion. The bars were back, the place wasn't tinted red, and it didn't even look like water had been present. He tried to get back on his feet but could only get on his knees. His heart was still beating faster than his own feet could take him as he looked around the- no- his cell. His ears went back as he heard a familiar chuckle.

"This is better than I've ever imagined." He glared to the man walking up to his cell.

"Eggman!" He struggled a bit in his bonds, the urge to break out getting even stronger. "What's goin' on here!?"

Dr. Eggman just grinned. "I've won, hedgehog."

Those words sunk into him as he felt his heart drop. Eggman couldn't have won, right? His friends would make sure that he wouldn't. His voice came out a bit weak. "Where are my friends?"

"It doesn't matter where they are. Not here." Eggman simply said. "All that matters is that they've lost hope, now that their hero is dead."

"Dead!?" He looked to the human in shock. "I'm not dead!"

"That's not what they think." His grin widened.

His ears flattened against his head as his mind went to his friends. "They think I'm dead…?"

"And soon enough, my empire will be finished, and what they think will become true." Eggman boasted as he stared off into space.

Six months later and he was still alive; the world was slowly going back to its former glory. He was okay.

But sorely damaged inside.

He helped all he could with repairs; he still couldn't believe how destroyed his entire world was. The world he almost failed to save….

He pulled it off like it was no big deal. It couldn't be; he was a hero! He couldn't get a little… a lot… of… torture….

No! He couldn't let it get to him! Without him, the people lose hope, and he could never let that happen.

No matter how much he felt like he was going to crumble under the touch of anyone.

It felt nice to feel someone real….

It felt nice to feel a nice touch instead of devastating blows….

He cried out, the calls echoing through the prison.

Another cut.

Another bruise.

Another stab.

Another wound.

Another cry.

He couldn't fight them off! They were surrounding him: Shadow, Chaos, Zavok, Metal, all of them! Punching, kicking, stabbing, crying. He struggled again in his binds before curling up, tears streaming down his muzzle. They didn't stop.

He remembered when he could fight them so easily. He remembered when Shadow was his friend. He remembered when Chaos cared for the chaos. He remembered when a scar was half the fun of being a hero.

All of those memories turned to dust before his eyes.

Another cut.

Another bruise.

Another stab.

Another wound.

Another cry.