'Canon' is a western invention that does not apply to a Japanese mascot series.
Canon is derived from the holy book of the western world. It is not applicable to eastern mythology, which naturally lends itself to numerous artistic interpretations. If Sonic is to be like a fairy, then we are to accept that his world is fluid and adapts to the context much like himself.
The wind is free.
>Man at his birth is supple and soft. At his death, he is hard and stiff. Green plants are tender and filled with sap. At their death, they are withered and dry. Therefore, the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death. The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life. Thus, an army without flexibility never wins a battle. A tree that is unbending is easily broken. The hard and strong will fall. The soft and weak will overcome.