Filled with the void infinitely around him, all Solid sees is the vintage TV, and the memories chase back to his mind when he watches many of his childhood shows from back in his day.

  But the static rushes around the TV, echoing around the void. Nothing but blank. All he can think about is reworking the antennas or just hitting the TV, to let it run through his favorite shows. Even in the early 2010s, when many people had switched their former vintage TVs for newer models, his early life remained poor.

  Rather than pure emptiness and just a vintage TV, a VHS tape is seen lying on the ground and filled with dust. He picks it up and wipes all the dust off with his gloves; the title is visibly seen and marked, “Northern District”. Severe trauma occurs throughout his mind whenever a mention of this district is made; all he can remember is the pain that symbolizes the district. Yet, he has no choice but to insert the tape and watch it for his good.

  …

  Narrator: “The largest city in our empire, Haven City, continues to grow. Boasting stunning landmarks and content that Lunians can enjoy or live in. However, the booming, yet underappreciated Northern District is not to be ignored, as is the rapid rise of this district’s manufacturing industry.”

  On the screen, real-life footage of the Northern District is shown to the audience. In the panoramic shot, there is an overwhelming number of factories that are still in operation. Smoke coming out of each smoke stack, representing the daily life of the working class.

  Narrator: “Many residents who’ve worked painstakingly hard to afford a home in the suburbs, along with the horrid conditions of the inner cities, can finally afford a house here while maintaining a closer work environment. The bread and butter of all districts; no need for traffic delays; no need to work hard for a small apartment. What you need, Northern District: The Breathtaking Manufacturing District!”

  “…”

  Pans of footage throughout this film highlight the incredible historical significance of the business and the residential areas being developed; many residents reside in these vibrant homes with their families. Their neighbors who live in these homes have shared similar experiences with them. A brief footage of a sidecar shot drives past the neighborhood, where the entirety of the Northern District’s housing is just small houses with small front yards.

  “S-…”

  Narrator: “The ideal situation of workers working near their workplace is by far the best when heard by multiple sources shared throughout many experiences, from these residents’ friends, family members, or acquaintances. Sources like these, however, were concluded to be too weak to back up those claims. So today, we’ll be doing some interviews amongst the residents here in this district who do live in these circumstances.“

  “So-…”

  Solid grabs the remote and fast-forwards through the documentary, seemingly ignoring that the narrator interviews multiple residents who reside in the Northern District. He already knows that all have similar answers, mostly being that “This type of residential district is a benefit and advantage to their normal life.” He skips over all but one interview because of one person whom he knows personally, who appears in the documentary.

  “Sol-…”

  Interviewer: “My name is [REDACTED]. I’m 25 years old, divorced, and I have a 1-year-old son. If you want to know more about my son, his name is Tricky the Porcupine, and I love him as a mother. Although being a single mother is challenging, I am fortunate that this district has allowed me not only to support myself financially but also to find a job and get hired. It’s a win-win! Tricky is going to be an amazing and benevolent person when he grows up. I’ll take care of him to my fullest, no matter the consequences. I put my efforts into my job, which I’ve dedicated myself to. Living in this district single-handedly… SAVED my life and I’ll live here for the rest of my life.”

  All that Solid can feel is the burden inside his chest; hearing the voice brings nostalgia and a broken heart.

  “Soli-…!”

  Narrator: “So to speak about the Northern District, many experts predict that this district alone will be the largest, based on population and area combined. Remember that it’s a new and growing district, and anything can happen to it, even in the next few years…”

  The static takes back control of the old TV screen, and all it’s consumed now is the growing darkness surrounding the background. Solid feels relieved to hear her voice once again… all feeling comfortable. He closes his eyes again, ignoring the voices around him, finally giving himself the deserved rest he needed, after months of being burdened by working…

  “Solid!”

  “Solid!”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Solid!”

  - - ACT 1: Stage 2 (Northern District) || START - -

  — Northern District —

  “Solid!” Sonic continuously shakes Solid until he suddenly jolts. “You alright?” He questions him with his voice lowered in relief. “You’re staring at the sign, and then you just randomly dozed off.”

  “… I’m… I’m fine…” Solid puts his hand on his forehead, still recovering from the weird disconnection from the real world. “I was carried away for a moment. I…” He contemplates describing what happened during his disconnection, but opts to keep it to himself, seemingly wanting not to worry the rest of the team further. “Never mind.”

  The team remains hesitant but assured that Solid is fine. They also glanced at the sign he was reading. “Northern District. The Breathtaking Manufacturing District.” Tails reads the historical, yet rusty sign, concentrated on the middle of the road. The sign evokes a peculiar sense of nostalgia, while also reminding them of the reason they’re there. “This is the district with the highest chance of Eggman hiding?”

  “I’m certain; tons of abandoned buildings and warehouses around here. Although more are scattered throughout other districts, a high percentage of them are concentrated here, especially as the manufacturing industry has died down over time.” Solid glances around each building, all of which show signs of being worn down. “There is a chance that Eggman has a hideout in one of these buildings. Even if it may not be obvious, there’s always a slim chance.” He looks around at the scenery of the district in the distance, all harbored by factories and warehouses that are either still running or abandoned.

  They all feel Eggman’s presence in one of the buildings; however, they aren’t compelled to search every single one of them. “This is too much!” Knuckles complains and punches a wall in anger, creating a noticeable crater. “We can’t go out there, explore every building, and expect Eggman to be there with the Master Emerald! That’s gonna take ages!” He paces back and forth. “By the time we do find any clues, Eggman would almost be finished or already made a move before we even find a single clue.” He groans before leaning against the wall, beside the wall he punched.

  Amy skeptically looks at Solid; she’s unsure if he’s capable of helping them. “If there are too many buildings we have to explore to find clues, I’d rather go out to the mall and explore.” She confidently asks him while clutching her hammer. “Just like what Knuckles said, it’s going to take a long time.”

  Sonic’s patience starts to run low; he doesn’t expect this much of a hassle. The accumulated number of warehouses is enough to overwhelm him. “Solid… I respect what your approach is, but this is too tedious, and we’re probably going to waste more time doing this.” He looks at him with a little bit of determination, feeling hopeful that he can revise his plans. “We can go this route, or try to make another route. What I mean is… make another decision than exploring these buildings.”

  For such a straightforward task, it’s plagued by being the “simple yet hard” treatment. The overwhelmingly negative response prompts Solid to use his brain once again. He understands the team’s frustration; he knows that Haven City is a massive city that’ll take more than a long while to get a singular clue. It could be too late for them to get any if Eggman does manage to do his part. However, he runs out of ideas, his brain becomes bleak, and with no hope arriving anytime soon, it’s a desperate call for solutions…

  But something calls out for him in his heart…

  Someone that he knows personally.

  Someone who could potentially help…

  “... There’s one place I know in this district that may lead us to one or many clues.”

  Tails walks up to him, requiring more clarification while having hope in his voice. “Tell me more about this place. Is it going to be the same trend from what we’re seeing?”

  “... Yeah. It’s just like what you see here. Rusty… Old… Not abandoned, just to be aware.” Solid signals for another run to the team. “I’m not sure if you’re gonna continue supporting my approach, but follow me.” He instantly flashes before the team follows him.

  Deep in the Northern District, the neighborhood is a shell of what was stated in the documentary. Those small houses in the film that were displayed are a far cry from what it is today. These homes, meant to be enjoyable to live in, have degraded and rusted over time. Multiple cars parked on the street symbolize that their population remains at its highest, but the front yards of these houses aren’t spectacular. Overgrown grass, trash littered throughout every home, and the fences surrounding the front yard symbolize each house’s land/territory. It’s not a spectacular sight to see; nevertheless, it’s considered home for every individual in this strong community.

  “Here we are… the Northern District that I still know of.” Solid takes a sight of the neighborhood, with his arms akimbo. He takes his time to get his thoughts together, almost anticipating saying something, before his confidence gets the better of him. “I want to reveal something to you guys…” He says while they’re still casually walking, with them contemplating whether it’s serious or not.

  “I used to live here.”

  Sonic and Tails glanced at each other, not surprised that he already lived in such a bad place to begin with. “He went from poor to poorer.” The blue blur quietly remarks, leaving Tails to roll his eyes. More opinions formed in his mind about this neighborhood. “To be fair, I really don’t care if I live here. I’m just concerned for our safety, and seeing how this place makes me a bit tense… yeah, it’s a bit… sketchy.”

  From Knuckles’s perspective, he has a strong sense of honoring those who’ve struggled in the past, connecting to his Echidna roots. Having the sort of link to Solid’s living conditions here, which he feels is an honor. “... A strong warrior living in these conditions, back when he was young…?” He continues to have deep thoughts about the whole living situation here, along with envisioning what the orange hedgehog may have experienced in the lower-class neighborhood. “He’s a warrior back then… and now a strong warrior right now. Since he has a job, hopefully he’s able to maintain an upward mobility.”

  “Shouldn’t we tell them about how Solid is homeless?” Tails quietly asks, letting the private conversation be between just him and Sonic.

  “Nah,” Sonic immediately answers without any hesitation. “Although Knuckles would be his usual self, I’m unsure if Amy would be happy to find out. We’ll keep it a secret until we do tell Solid privately.”

  “What did you say about me being unhappy?” Sonic gets alarmed as Amy speaks beside him, forgetting she’s usually next to him every time. “You're trying to keep me up to surprise. Because I know you’re never good at secrets, Sonic.” Her tone captures a sense of love, hoping that his surprise for her is bittersweet. Along with Solid’s promise to take her to the mall, this could potentially lead to a date with the blue blur in her mind.

  However, just as the team continued talking to themselves, they watched as Solid set frozen ahead, looking at a particular part of the roadway. He feels discontent with himself, still remembering the past trauma that unveils in his mind. It’s not until he looks behind him now that he sets his goals straightforward, slowly approaching the fence.

  The team watches as he is strongly attached to the house. Visually, it’s just like all the other houses in the neighborhood. Yet, he places a hand on the rusty fence, having a sort of connection. He stares at the house with no emotion, but something in him is reminiscing. A feeling for the need to return to the past to deal with situations he should’ve dealt with back then.

  Or something similar, wanting to redeem himself.

  It’s before he suddenly jumps over the wired fence and lands inside the front yard. Walking past the messy yard, filled with littered stuff and overgrown grass. He proceeds to stand right in front of the front door, reluctantly reaching out for the door handle before he instantly pulls his hand away, forgetting something important.

  His eyes slowly glanced back at the team, now revealing another thing.

  “This is where I lived.”