Chapter Text
August 2020
"Do you have any idea how these work?" Tom asked. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground in Sonic's room, examining the portal rings he had taken from their little bag. They were tinkling in his palm.
"I told you. You think of where you wanna go and throw them. You used them yourself!" The hedgehog was zipping around, doing several things at the same time, as usual.
"That's not what I mean. How do these things know what you are thinking? Can they read our minds?" "Apparently, duh" "But how do they do that? And how does the portalling work? Is it like a wormhole or something?"
Sonic stopped his activities and sat down across from Tom. "I have no idea, actually. Maybe. I'm not a scientist you know."
Tom put all the rings back into the bag, except one. He held it into the light. "Are you aware how awesome this technology is?" Sonic shrugged "I never thought about it, it probably is..."
"It totally is! We humans have only managed to travel to our moon. And have sent robots to our neighboring planet. This can get a person to the other end of the universe! This is just...wow!"
"Well if you put it like that..." the hedgehog grinned mischievously "for an underdeveloped civilization like yours, it must be pretty impressive." He laughed and dashed away, when Tom tried to grab and tickle him.
"Very funny space boy! Seriously now, imagine what might happen if one of these got into the wrong hands! The world wouldn't be save anymore! For anyone!" Sonic looked at him thoughtfully. "I guess you are right. One ring to rule them all, huh?" He took the last portal ring from Tom, put it back into the bag with the others and the bag back into it's drawer.
"What was that?" the small town Sheriff asked incredulously, "Don't tell me you've seen Lord of the Rings!" Laughing, the blue alien shook his head "Haha. No. I never got the chance. I read it." "Really? When?" "Don't know, a year ago maybe? Or two...I'm not sure. I really liked it!" Tom looked around the room. "But you don't have it, do you?" "No. I used to sneak into the Book House at night. I've read all kinds of books." Sonic slumped down next to him.
"I kind of miss it. It was fun." He looked a bit dejected."But I can't do that anymore because I have to stay at home at night and SLEEP...ugh!" Tom snickered and put an arm around the little hedgehog. "Yes Yes I know we are such a bore!" "And...now that everyone knows about me...it feels kinda wrong to sneak into peoples places."
"You don't have to sneak in there, you know. It's a public place. Everyone can just go and borrow books."
"Me too?" Sonic's face lit up. " I can get books from the Book House?"
"It's called Library. And yes, everyone includes you. We just need to get you a library card."
"Oh wow that's so awesome! Let's go let's go!" A blue streak zipped down the stairs. "What are you waiting for come OOOONNNNNN!"