Thank you, any readers out there! And thank you so much to those who took the time to review.

I forgot to mention this in the last chapter: the "Sonic maps out Robotropolis" thing was inspired by him doing the same in Skyblaze's fic, Hold On. I loved that idea so much (and the fic too of course!) that it's become part of my headcanon as well.

Approximate timeline in terms of the comics:

Chapter 1: A few years before the comics start

This Chapter: Early part of the first 25 comic issues

More notes at the bottom!

"Urp!" Rotor swallowed, trying to keep his lunch in his stomach where it belonged.

He didn't do well at high speeds.

The sky, ground, and surrounding trees had all blurred together, making him feel dizzy and weightless. Equally disorienting was the loud, continuous whooshing in his ears.

Rotor shut his eyes tightly. He didn't often have the pleasure of being toted along by their resident supersonic hedgehog, but he was rapidly discovering that keeping his eyes closed was the way to go.

Sonic was stronger than his lean limbs suggested, but even he couldn't carry heavier Mobians while he ran any great distance. This meant that Rotor could only hold on to Sonic for dear life as his own body was nearly airborne, whipped about as if he were just a streamer in the wind. With his free hand Rotor valiantly kept a grip on his favorite yellow hat, and with all of his being he desperately hoped they reached their destination soon.

Thankfully, he and Sonic soon came to a stop on the outskirts of the Great Forest, at the tip of a great bluff overlooking some flatland.

As Rotor resettled his cap and recovered his balance, Sonic went to the edge and crouched down. Shrugging off his field backpack, he pulled out a pair of binoculars and used them to get a better look at something in the distance below.

"Well," said Sonic after a moment. "Good news is those sensors you installed are definitely not malfunctioning. The bad news?" He looked back at Rotor. "I don't think that thing's delivering a pizza."

Rotor joined him at the bluff's edge and looked down. The terrain was grassy, pockmarked by the occassional rocky outcropping and shrub. With the clear blue sky as a backdrop and a slight breeze, the scene could have been idyllic - were it not for the presence of the giant, lumbering robot he and Sonic had been sent to intercept.

Constructed of glinting red metal, the bot featured a small, rotating head unit sat upon an armless torso and jointed, mechanized legs. The torso was so large that a handful of Robotnik's hoverpods could have fit inside, the shape so rounded that the effect was almost comical. It didn't seem to be a particularly fast model, judging by the way it moved, but was still very tall and would tower over any normal-sized Mobian.

Rotor took the offered binoculars. "It's been a while since the last one," he murmured thoughtfully, adjusting the lenses.

The Freedom Fighters had long been aware that Robotnik knew of Knothole's general location. The fact that he didn't often exploit that knowledge was no comfort at all, because the few direct attacks to date had been carried out by his most formidable creations. With not only the survival of the resistance but the continuation of the royal line at stake, the Freedom Fighters had no choice but to develop certain protocols - namely a three-line defense system - in the event of a frontal assault on their home.

Because their combat-ready forces numbered so little, they could only spare a two-member team for each line of defense. Each team consisted of one fighter and one other to act as technical or command support.

The first line of defense was charged with scouting and engaging the threat. The secondary defense team, along with traps built into the surrounding forest, would hopefully increase the odds of stopping any threat before it reached Knothole. The main priority of the third and final defense team was the evacuation of survivors.

Of course, Sonic's unique set of skills allowed for other opportunities - including something special for particularly unfavorable circumstances - but the three-line defense system hadn't failed them yet, and remained in place.

So when Rotor's new perimeter sensors sent out the alert, Sonic had reported to the front line with Rotor in tow as Sally and Bunnie stayed behind to protect the village along with the others.

Rotor had just zoomed in to view the strange, circular indentions on the robot's middle, when Sally's voice suddenly spoke through the communicator on his wrist.

"All teams are in place, guys. Special deilivery on standby. What exactly are we dealing with out there?"

"Eh," Sonic said helpfully, eyeing the robot with disapproval. "I've taken down way taller."

Before Sally could scold Sonic for being so flippant (and for disregarding her request), said hedgehog had already sped off down the cliffside and towards the clearing.

"Er..." said Rotor.

Sally's voice was supremely unamused. "He's engaging the robot without a plan, again, isn't he?"

"Pretty much," Rotor admitted, before proceeding to provide Sally with the robot's observable details.

Sonic, meanwhile, zipped over to stand directly in front of the robot, giving it a little time to register his presence and transmit his image back to Robotropolis. He knew the thing was wired for audio and visual, as Robotnik was big on the whole armchair villainy thing.

Sonic made a knocking motion with his hand and said loudly, "Yo, 'Buttnik! Ya home?"

Just as expected, Robotnik's voice could be heard from a speaker somewhere on the bot's body, sounding a little tinny but just as sinister as usual.

"Ah, just the little rodent I was hoping to exterminate. Impressed by my newest creation?"

Sonic shrugged. "It's big, but kinda boring. And a little too wide around the middle, sorta like -"

"Silence!" Robotnik interrupted furiously.

"And what's with the no arms?" continued Sonic. "Trying to make my job easier than it already is?"

Sonic may have been more likely to think with his feet rather than his head, but he was no simpleton. He knew the robot's strange design meant it was definitely hiding something worth worrying about, and goading the evil doctor was the fastest way to find out what.

Sure enough, Robotnik took the bait.

"Oh, quite the opposite, hedgehog. Many times over, in fact. Allow it to demonstrate!"

Sonic tensed, about to drop into a ready stance, when he heard Rotor suddenly call out.

"Sonic!"

Sonic turned to see the walrus sliding down the side of the bluff and heading towards him, looking panicked.

"Watch out, Sally said those ports -"

Before Rotor could finish, a swift metallic clank was heard as one of the ports opened up.

Sonic and Rotor watched in growing alarm as a thick metal arm began to extend outward, segment by segment. It was more like a tentacle, bending and curving as it rose into the air. It very quickly reached hundreds of feet above them, and then they could no longer track it because they were too busy diving for cover as it smashed downwards.

Robotnik's voice boomed into the air as the dust cleared. "Behold, my Tentabot! It will advance, extending its tentacle arms through the ground. One of them is bound to run through that base of yours which has eluded me for so long, and destroy that wretched forest in the process!" He dissolved into echoing laughter.

Sonic and Rotor clambered to their feet and moved quickly to get some distance between the robot and themselves.

"This is bad," said Rotor. "The reach on that thing is - at this rate -" He didn't have to finish, as the apprehension was clear on his face.

"Not gonna happen," Sonic said resolutely. He wasn't wearing a communicator of his own, as each defense team had only been alotted one each, but he reached for Rotor's wrist and brought the communicator up to his face. He spoke quickly into it. "Sorry for running off earlier, Sal, but it looks like we're gonna need that special delivery, pronto!"

Rotor stayed back as Sonic sped towards the Tentabot, which seemed to be making good on Robotnik's threat.

The arm shot forward violently into the ground, sending rocks and chunks of dirt flying outward. Then a second tentacle on the opposite side began the same extension process as the first, each segment clinking into place as it emerged and grew longer.

Sonic could see now that the many slots all over the Tentabot's body meant they would soon have many more problems to deal with, just as Robotnik promised.

Sonic jumped into a spin and hurled himself at the robot, hoping to quickly cut through the embedded arm before the new one extended fully. But whatever the appendage was made of, it was more durable and Sonic-proof than any of Robotnik's creations so far.

"Gah!" Sonic shouted as he bounced off. He barely had the chance to uncurl from his spin before the second tentacle came flying towards him, effectively swatting him out of the air.

Rotor watched helplessly as Sonic landed hard and bounced back up with the impact, taking a worrying amount of force to his back and head. Sonic seemed stunned by the hit; he was slow to sit up and stumbled as he got to his feet, clutching a hand to his head.

Those few moments as Sonic staggered left him completely unguarded, and that same tentacle reared back for another strike.

Before he even realized what his legs were doing, Rotor was running towards the towering robot, waving his arms in what he hoped was a distracting enough manner.

"H-Hey! Over here!" he shouted. Not very creative (taunting the enemy usually fell under Sonic's line of work, not his) but his effort seemed to have gotten the job done. The robot turned towards Rotor and prepared to lash out again.

Rotor gulped but stood his ground, determined. He may not have been gifted with any extraordinary physical abilities, but he was still a Freedom Fighter, and also a walrus with a respectable amount of sheer arm strength.

Grabbing the thickest wrench in his toolbelt, Rotor swung it hard in what he hoped was the right direction and timing. With a resounding clang, the force of the blow pushed the tentacle just far enough away but also sent Rotor tumbling backwards.

Now on the ground with no chance of dodging the arm that would be swinging back down at any moment, Rotor covered his head and braced himself. He hoped he had bought Sonic enough time to recover.

Something suddenly barreled into him at breakneck speed and then he was hurtling sideways, away from where the tentacle had just slammed down.

Sonic had been that high-speed something, and the two of them tumbled over one another as their momentum ran its course. They ended up far enough away from the Tentabot that they weren't in immediate danger, and they hunkered down behind a cluster of rocks and shrubs.

"Thanks for the save," Rotor managed, voice a little warbled. He really didn't do well at high speeds.

Sonic smiled, steadying his larger friend. "Back atcha, Rote. I appreciate the help, but I'm gonna need you to lay low. No offense."

"Uh, none taken," said Rotor. He was still trying to blink the stars out of his eyes, wondering how Sonic could've taken worse direct hits to his body and head and still move, much less talk and smile.

"Cool," said Sonic. "Hang tight and let me know when the ol' calvary arrives!"

A quick thumbs up and Sonic was speeding off to engage the Tentabot once more.

As Rotor watched, the situation grew increasingly helpless. They couldn't overpower the robot, which was growing harder to defeat by the minute, and without a way to incapacitate the arms or get past them to destroy the main body, Sonic was fighting a losing battle. Yet they couldn't just retreat in the face of such an active and direct threat to Knothole.

Rotor hailed the village on the communicator. "Things aren't going so well on our end...how's that delivery coming?"

Sally responded quickly. "ETA is twenty minutes. How is Sonic?"

Rotor hesitated. He knew (as they all did) that Sally and Sonic shared a special connection of sorts. Though the two were similar in many ways, their differences were so stark that most interactions between them were filled with tension - a tension that had evolved into the romantic kind in recent years. Rotor wanted to spare her the worry over Sonic, who was very likely injured at this point, but at the same time knew that she would only want the truth.

"He...He's getting battered out there, Sally."

The extra pause before Sally spoke was the only indication she had been affected by Rotor's words. "He'll be there soon, Rotor. Tell Sonic to hang on."

He? Rotor thought. Antoine wouldn't leave the princess, and couldn't move that fast anyway. But that would mean...

Before Rotor could think more on it, Sonic was hurtling through the sky, having been caught again by one of those monstrous tentacles. He hit the ground on his side and skidded roughly, stopping just yards away from Rotor.

"Sonic!" Rotor rushed over, helping the hedgehog get to his feet. He noted the bruises already starting to show on the lighter peach fur of his friend's arms and chest. "You can't keep taking hits like this!"

Sonic gave his head a hard shake and rolled his shoulders, without even a glance at Rotor. His attention was entirely on the Tentabot which was now lurching forward, having already retracted the first arm from the ground. The second arm plowed farther than the first, sending up another spray of rock and greenery. A telltale clinking sound indicated a third arm was making its debut.

"If it's attacking me, that's one less arm shooting towards Knothole!" Sonic grit out. Then he was speeding away once more, and Rotor had to hold tightly onto his cap to keep the resulting rush of wind from tugging it away.

He could only hope that the help from their friends arrived faster than soon.

Tails' namesakes were spinning furiously, propelling him through the Great Forest at high speed.

He'd been getting faster - a little downtime meant Sonic could take him for more training runs - and sometimes he liked to imagine himself able to keep pace with his hero, soaring at Sonic's side as they adventured through Zones of all types and foiled the evil tyrant's plots. But this was no time for daydreams. Robotnik was attacking and Tails was charged with one mission: deliver a pack filled with Rings and Chaos Emeralds to Sonic so he could transform into Super Sonic.

Tails had often listened in fascination as the other Freedom Fighters told stories about Sonic's amazing new form; how the hero had somehow harnessed the energies inside the many Emeralds of their world and turned into a super-powered version of himself. Now it seemed that Tails would get a chance to see this transformation in person.

There won't be much of a chance if I don't get there in time! Tails thought grimly. With a grunt of determination, he pushed himself harder.

The coordinates Sally had programmed into his communicator brought him near Sonic and Rotor's last known location. Sure enough, the sounds of battle reached his ears as he drew closer: clanging metal, booming thuds and the unmistakable, high-pitched whine that meant Sonic was dashing about.

Tails was so focused on reaching his friends that he almost overshot the cliff's edge. With a cry, he dug his heels in and skidded to a stop. He couldn't just barrel onto the battlefield and put the special delivery at risk; he needed to assess the situation first just like Sally always told him. He scrambled behind some foliage and peered down at the clearing, trying to catch his breath.

One of Robotnik's giant creations was stomping its way nearly past the edge of the forest, and Sonic was running full-tilt to avoid the reach of its tentacles. Rotor was nowhere in sight, but Tails hoped the walrus had found a safe vantage point.

Closely observing the battle below, Tails could see that one tentacle always remained on the attack while the others burrowed towards Knothole. They were alarmingly fast despite their length and size, and - judging by the number of ports on the round torso - many more were just waiting to emerge and complicate matters.

Tails watched as Sonic dodged one tentacle and then jumped onto another that was already embedded into the ground. Running along its length, Sonic was clearly was going for a shot at slicing through the bot's wide torso. The risky move didn't pay off, however, as he was viciously batted away before he even got close.

Tails couldn't help but wince at the sight, clenching his fists. He just had to get down there! But he had to be smart about it. If even Sonic couldn't avoid them, Tails figured his own chance of getting through would be non-existent.

Despite the hit, Sonic recovered and sped out of hitting range. That was when Tails noticed - whenever Sonic ran too far out of their reach, all four tentacles dug into the ground to take advantage of the reprieve. This left about thirty seconds before one of them re-emerged.

Tails shifted into a ready position, knowing his best bet would be to wait for another one of those instances.

A few more minutes of waiting, tails flicking anxiously, and the moment came. Tails took a deep breath and leapt over the edge, flying swiftly down to the clearing with his fists thrust out before him. "Sonic, here!" he called out.

Without slowing down, Sonic quickly looked over and smiled in genuine relief. "Tails!"

With all the strength he could muster, Tails swung the bag in Sonic's direction and let it loose.

Sonic swerved expertly to change course for the bag, catching it with one hand. He flashed a grin at the fox. "Thanks, buddy! I'll take it from here!" In a blur of movement, he spun quickly to gain momentum before pitching the bag high up into the air. With a few running steps he jumped towards it, spinning into a ball.

His quills tore through the bag and absorbed the Rings on contact. Out spilled the Emeralds, each one large, faceted and deep green. They didn't fall to the ground but caught strangely in midair, and quicker than a blink had surrounded Sonic. Their power seemed to hold him up in the air as well; he had uncurled from his spin and was now floating as though it were the most natural thing in the world. The gems began to quickly spin an orbit around him. Just as they reached a feverish speed, Sonic closed his eyes, a look of serene concentration on his face.

Tails had just an instant to shield his eyes as a burst of yellow light surrounded Sonic.

Blinking rapidly, Tails wondered if his eyes had been damaged by the flash, because there seemed to be a different hedgehog in his best friend's place. Formerly blue fur was now bright gold, with spiky quills of the same color now upturned instead of swept back. Only the familiar smirk and determination in his (now inexplicably red) eyes indicated that this radiant being and the beloved hero were one and the same.

Tails had never seen anything like it, and his thoughts struggled to turn themeselves into words. "He's...? But what did he - This is - "

There was a chuckle from beside him. Rotor had skirted the battlefield and hurried over to Tails, who was still gaping up at Sonic in his new form.

"That's right, I forgot you haven't seen him like this before," said Rotor. He looked back to Sonic, the amusement in his voice now something like fond reverence. "Tails, meet Super Sonic."

Sonic glanced at his two friends below and his smirk widened, and then he was flying off towards the huge bot.

"Noooo!" bellowed Robotinik. Having witnessed Sonic's entire transformation, he now realized that his precious Tentabot was in danger of being turned into scrap metal.

Sonic didn't attack the giant bot so much as he seemed to pass through it; mere contact with his form damaged the thick metal hide, and his spinning jumps nearly shredded the previously indestructable tentacles. He did all this at such incredible speed that a trio of afterimages followed behind wherever he went, and the very air around him shimmered with yellow and white sparks. If Sonic was normally a blue blur, Super Sonic was a flash of golden light.

With Tentabot now lying in pieces, Sonic soared gracefully over to Tails and Rotor. He hovered there in the sky above them like a minature sun.

The question came out before Tails could stop it. "It's...It's really you, right Sonic?"

The yellow hedgehog tilted his head and looked at him blankly. Tails didn't see any recognition in those red eyes. Did this form affect Sonic's memories somehow? Or was he really a different person, like this?

A wave of uncertainty washed over Tails and he was just about to give in to the urge to step back, when Sonic suddenly grinned.

"I'm just kidding, bud! 'Course it's really me!" Sonic spun in the air with a flourish and then winked. "You know any other hedgehogs who achieve the impossible on a daily basis?"

Feeling his heart immediately lighten, Tails couldn't help but smile. Adopting a mock-thoughful tone, he said, "Well, I dunno. Uncle Chuck managed to put up with you as a kid, not to mention now..."

Sonic's eyes widened before he burst into laughter. "Why, you little -" he said playfully, just before swooping down. He circled Tails a dozen times in about three seconds, creating a small, tornado-like effect that drew Tails upward.

Buffeted by the gentle wind and immersed in the trail of golden sparkles, Tails let out a giggle. He felt like a tiny kit again, playing in the rush of air that Sonic's speed created or riding on Sonic's shoulders as they raced the sunset back to the village.

As his feet touched ground again, Sonic alighted next to him. The golden sheen had already started to fade from Sonic's fur. In just moments it was completely gone, revealing the familiar cobalt blue. One blink returned his eyes to their normal color.

Those bright green eyes shone with pride as Sonic looked at Tails.

"But seriously, Tails, you were the real hero today. If you hadn't raced over here in time, I don't know how we were ever gonna stop that thing."

Tails was proud of himself as well, but still shuffled his feet bashfully. "I'm sure you would've figured something out, Sonic. You always do."

"That was an awfully close one, though," said Rotor, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Robotnik sure hasn't been slacking in the design department."

Sonic shrugged. "Yeah, well we showed him. I doubt the lesson will stick, but I'd be happy to teach it to him again!" He pounded a fist into his palm for emphasis, grinning.

"Yeah!" Tails agreed happily.

They lingered a few minutes more as Rotor checked in with Sally, letting her know that Tentabot had been destroyed and they were all safe. As he finished up, Sonic and Tails conducted a quick patrol of the area in case Robotnik had left any lesser bots behind. The trio were soon prepared to make the trek back to Knothole.

Tails had just meant to ask Rotor whether he wanted to salvage any parts before they left, when a sound from Sonic made him stop short. He turned around just in time to see Sonic collapse to the ground.

"Sonic! Are you okay? Sonic!"

Tails was at the blue hedgehog's side in an instant. He frantically searched for any serious wounds they might have missed, but aside from minor scratches and some dirt in his quills, Sonic looked just fine. He gently shook Sonic's shoulder, but there was still no response.

Rotor had knelt and given Sonic a once-over as well, but sat back on his haunches after a few moments.

"He's okay, I think. This happened last time. He's just - look." He put an arm out in front of Tails, encouraging the young fox to lean back a little and observe.

Sure enough, Tails saw that Sonic's face was relaxed and his chest rose and fell steadily with measured breaths. Somehow, in just a few seconds, Sonic had slipped into a deep and rouseless sleep.

"The Super form takes a lot out of a guy," said Rotor, smiling ruefully. "Especially taking so much damage beforehand, and running on the minimum amount of Rings." He turned to give Tails a reassuring look. "His body just needs to recharge a little. He'll be up and at it again in no time, you'll see."

Tails nodded, still feeling a little shaky.

"H-How long has Sonic been able to do this, anyway?" he asked. He couldn't remember just when the tales had started to make the rounds of the mess hall.

Rotor scratched absently at his cheek as he thought. "I'm not sure. He's transformed a couple times already, but I think the first time was on his own."

Tails fell silent as he digested this information, his mind quickly working through the implications and questions they raised. What if Robotnik could unlock that power from the Emeralds as well? What would the madman be willing to do to obtain that power? And under what circumstances did Sonic first transform? What other abilities did the Super form hold? Sonic had apparently turned into Super Sonic a few times before, and Tails hadn't noticed anything different about the hedgehog. But could there be any permanent side effects?

That line of thinking brought echoes of Tails' earlier uncertainty. Who gained nigh invincible super powers and remained unchanged? Could Sonic really stay the same Sonic? His Sonic?

Not only that, Tails thought. Was Sonic once again running off somewhere I can't follow?

For years Tails had stayed behind the front lines, swaddled and safe back in Knothole while his friends risked their lives in the war against Robotnik. Now a little older with some training and experience, Tails had finally achieved his dream to fight at Sonic's side as an official Freedom Fighter. But now Sonic seemed more unreachable than ever. Would Tails always fall just short of enough? Always get left behind?

His tails twisted together slightly in agitation. Maybe it was just the mild shock talking - it wasn't every day one witnessed their best friend turn into an invincible, god-like being, after all - but Tails couldn't help feeling overwhelmed.

Movement from the subject of his thoughts made Tails jump slightly. He looked down to see that Sonic was shifting in his sleep, trying to find a position more accomodating of his quills. Now nestled more comfortably on his side and using the nook of his arm as a pillow, he began to snore lightly.

The sound was so normal, so familiar and endearing that Tails finally felt his worry dissipate. He blew out a relieved breath and smiled.

Yes, this was still the same old Sonic. Still the Sonic that Tails followed and admired and loved as fiercely and completely as a brother, no matter what color his eyes and fur turned or what unimaginable power he could effortlessly wield. And that Sonic would never leave him behind.

Mumbling from said hedgehog suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Jus...one more chili dog..."

Looking at each other, Tails and Rotor shared a laugh.

Definitely the same old Sonic.

The two of them settled in to watch over the hero as he enjoyed some much deserved rest.

Barrage of Notes:

When Super Sonic first appears in the Archie comic, Tails and the other Freedom Fighters don't seem to be surprised in any way, implying they'd seen him transform before. This was pretty much my exploration of how Tails' first encounter with Super Sonic went.

I feel like Tails would feel a little overwhelmed and upset because he still thinks he has to be like Sonic in order to make a difference; he still needs to learn that he has his own strengths and can help out in his own way.

Also, the Archie-verse used to have multitudes of Emeralds and they were all green, and Sonic had to physically grab enough of them along with fifty rings (which were literally stacked together on his arms, like bracelets) in order to turn Super. I tried my best to work with that.

I started out intending for this fic to fit into both the SatAM AND Archie universes, but wanting to use Super Sonic kinda threw a wrench in the plans (though with some mental gymnastics, SatAM might still work! Eheh). Anyway I hope it all works somehow and is maybe a little enjoyable.

GAH this was so long, I'm sorry! 'Till next time!