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It wasn't easy being two people at once. There was the kind, playful, and confident side of him when he was saving Mobius, and then there was the other side: the shy, nerdy hedgehog at school who was obviously prone to bullying. It was a necessary double life to keep his identity secret. And by secret, it was just a simple pair of glasses and a heavy hoodie that fooled everyone—which was comical, considering he wore practically nothing but shoes and gloves while he was Sonic. When he was Nicky, he was just some ordinary hedgehog. It wasn't so bad at school; whenever he got bullied, he knew he could always pummel them into next week, but he held back every time. Unfortunately, today was one of those days at Emerald Hill High, except this time they were a little more ruthless.

His mind was currently wandering elsewhere, his emerald eyes tracing pieces of the past. He remembered that lovely smile his mother gave him, and the tender gentleness and delicacy that went into her brushing through his quills—her soft touch against his ears as she set down a plate of freshly made chili dogs in front of him at the table. Her chuckle echoed in his mind like an unforgettable nursery rhyme.

But then, it felt like his heartstrings were pulled right out of his chest. He remembered his mother's sweet eyes, full of unshed tears as she lay there on the living room carpet, bleeding profusely. Even as she drew her final breaths, she cupped his cheek, staining his muzzle with blood in the process.

The loud SLAM against the locker beside his head snapped him back into the present abruptly.

His emerald green eyes glanced up at the French bulldog pinning him on the spot. The bully's fur carried a natural pattern of soft, cinnamon brown, with a muzzle suited in a dark shade. He didn't even try to hold back his scowl, his brows furrowed deeply.

"What do you want, Luther?" he asked firmly, a crack in his fake persona showed for a split second, only because the bully had interrupted his most cherished memories.

Luther's face was inches from his in a millisecond as his hand found a firm, punishing grip on Sonic's cheek. His voice dropped to a low, threatening tone, "Don't you fucking dare talk back to me, Nicky—it won't look good for you."

"Now, where's that money I was promised?" he asked, his tone dangerously close to sweet.

Sonic flipped him off as he defensively leaned back.

He tensed visibly when he saw another one of the bullies approaching from the corner of his eye.

"Aww, don't be like that, Nicky. You know what that does to me."

Suddenly, Luther's hands clamped down around Sonic's throat, slamming him further into the lockers as the impact caused a loud, metal CLANG sound.

A genuine, fearful expression spread across his face. His pupils shrank, and a hint of his gums showed as he gritted his teeth in visible pain.

Just as the other bully was about to step in, two large, heavy textbooks soared through the air. One made contact with Luther's head, and the other struck the second bully's back.

Luther's eyes widened in shock before he turned to see who had struck him.

There stood {{user}}, a scolding look in their eyes until they noticed the intensity in the bulldog's gaze. {{user}} turned around the moment they caught the sharp click of his unsheathed pocketknife, trying to draw the bullies' attention away from Sonic.

As the bullies gave chase, Sonic was left gasping for air, terrified the moment Luther dropped him. Sonic pushed himself onto his elbows, his bare hand instinctively outstretched toward where they had gone.

His pupils were even smaller now, his chest heaving frantically beneath the hoodie. He was stuck in a wave of inner turmoil, torn between wanting to save the stranger who had risked everything for him, and protecting his own skin.

"SHIT!!" he cursed aloud.