Chapter Text
“Do you have to go?” Sonic whined.
The past month has brought… a lot of changes. There was the reconstruction of Mobotropolis started, there was the work on reversing the Robotizer, there was Elias being instated as King of the Acorn Kingdom, there was Sally being moved into a different house from Tails and Sonic, there were a lot of changes.
Sonic admittedly was behind most of them but the distance he found growing between him and Sally was not something he ever expected.
Elias had so much planned for the recovering kingdom and he very much wanted, maybe even needed, Sally’s help for it. Not that Sonic was calling him incompetent- oh, who is Sonic kidding, he is.
Elias is, what, 23 years old? Hadn’t he been hiding away all these years? The least he could do was know how to run a kingdom without his teenaged younger sister’s help.
Not that Sonic would ever say any of that to Sal’s face. She’d take it the wrong way, see it as Sonic thinking she couldn’t handle the responsibility, and that was the last thing Sonic wanted.
Sonic knew she could handle it, hell, she’d make a damn good queen, she’d been doing it for years now, but he doesn’t think she should have to.
She should be free, able to finally relax. Sonic just wished he could make things easier on her but…
“Yes, Sonic, I do,” Sally replied to his question, sighing as she packed a dress into her suitcase. It didn’t suit her at all, wrong shape, wrong color, wrong length. Not only would Sal hate it, it would look terrible on her, even if simply by the virtue of her hating it. “It’s important for Acorn to make good relations since we’re trying to reinstate ourselves.”
Sonic huffed, flopping onto her bed. It was definitely too big for Sally, even if the rest of her treehouse style abode was pretty sweet. He wished she’d just come home. Tails hadn’t been sleeping well since she moved out.
“But it’s almost my birthday, you’re going to miss your gift!” Sonic pleaded. “You’re really gonna abandon me, two days before my birthday?!”
“Sonic, you know I don’t have a choice…” Sally’s face softened. She pat Sonic on the head, slamming her suitcase closed. “I’ll bring you back a souvenir, alright?”
Sonic huffed, crossing his arms. She knew that wasn’t what he wanted, if he wanted a souvenir, he could honestly just run and get it himself at this point!
“Could I at least know where you’re going?” Sonic tried one last time. “Maybe we can hang when you’re not in boring meetings and shit!”
“I can’t afford to be distracted,” Sally denied yet again. “I promise you, I’ll make it up to you when I get back.”
Sonic grumbled, crossing his arms.
He didn’t want Sally to make it up when she got back, he wanted her to do it now. Sonic sighed, sitting up. But that was selfish of him. Sally was a princess of the Acorn Kingdom long before she was Sonic’s friend and she’d still be one long after they stopped being friends.
He should be grateful for the close friendship they already had.
“...Be safe, alright?” Sonic warned. “Ol’ Egghead is still at large.”
“I’ll be fine,” Sally reassured. “He won’t catch me unarmed.”
She flashed her rings again, her birthday gift from last year. Sonic swallowed around the bitter taste in his mouth at the reminder of birthdays.
“Alright, but don’t expect me to be quick about saving you if I’m too busy celebrating being seventeen!” Sonic teased.
“Oh, of course, I won’t hold my breath, you slowpoke,” Sally teased back, reaching over and pinching Sonic’s cheek. He stuck his tongue out, pulling out of her pinching grasp.
“...Call me the minute you get back, alright?” Sonic said, trying not to sound sad. “Tails’ll want to see you right away.”
“Tails,” Sally said, as if she didn’t believe him. She smiled, her sapphire blue eyes glittering. “Right.”
Sonic decided to treat himself for his birthday; a nice pitstop to a nearby kingdom by the name of Soleanna. It was annoyingly water themed, being a series of islands and half of the roads weren’t even roads but waterways!
Despite that, it was lovely. See, it was the celebration of the country’s sun god, Solaris. Perfect timing, seeing how his birthday is literally the same day as the start of their big festival.
Sonic wasn’t sure how he felt about religions and gods, really, considering he’d met one and they turned out to be a stretched out Chao but who is Sonic to deny a good party?
Sonic slipped on a jacket he had stolen from Sal and slipped into the crowd, just another tourist viewing the city’s interesting customs.
He’d found this food truck serving something called a Chiacchiere , which were these strips of dough that were fried and then covered in a snowy white sugary powder.
It was delicious and Sonic had eaten way too much.
Despite all the waterways, Sonic thought it was a really pretty city as well. The constant light colors contrasted well with the fiery red symbols and banners of Soleanna’s god, decorating the space in speckles of burning red.
As the sun set and the festival truly began, Sonic found himself climbing up a building to get a better view.
It was a parade of boats, women in beautiful and flowing dresses dancing and twirling, looking almost like flowers blowing in the wind.
Across the waterways and the city, lanterns were lit and placed on every surface, the sun emblem on them casting shadows across various walls.
With the flickering and moving light of the lanterns’ candles, it almost looked like the city was on fire. Sonic snorted at that. What a silly thought.
The crowds cheering at the festival quieted as the Duchess of Soleanna stepped before a giant golden statue.
She prayed, a prayer of thanks to her god’s golden light and a request for it to continue to shine on them. She then paused, a few seconds too long, really, before kneeling, lighting the statue ablaze.
The crowds cheered as the Duchess smiled, waving at them.
But the fun and joy was short-lived. Even Sonic was surprised as things seemed to randomly start exploding. The Duchess’ guards bunched closer to her, blades drawn.
Sonic jolted up, kicking himself into gear, as familiar looking robots fell view.from an oncoming airship onto the boat with the duchess on it.
Sally reached the boat first, her see through blades gleaming in the light as she leapt from whatever boat important visitors get to ride onto the bigger ceremonial boat.
Wait, Sally?
Sonic rubbed his eyes and leaned forward, watching. Sure enough, there was Sal, blue eyes burning a passionate fire as she carved her way through the horde of robots.
It was mesmerizing to watch, the way that even in a dress that long and boring, Sally still was an agile and effective fighter.
Sonic found himself frozen with a smile, shaking himself back into reaction. But now wasn't the time to admire his best friend, he needed to give her a helping hand!
Eggman landed down in front of the Duchess, saying something Sonic just couldn't hear as he darted through the crowd and leapt over from boat to boat.
He and Sally reached the Duchess at the same time.
"Sorry, Egghead!" Sonic called out as he spindashed through a few machines. The megalomaniac turned towards Sonic, missing Sally running over and taking the Duchess by the hand. The nineteen year old Duchess startled as she was pulled away, thankfully keeping quiet. "Her majesty's a tad busy. Have you considered getting an appointment?"
"You insolent little rat, I just can't get rid of you, can I?!" Eggman snapped, pointing at Sonic. "Get him!"
"You're free to try!" Sonic taunted, running off.
After losing Eggman's eggbots, Sonic found and caught up with Sal and the Duchess.
"You two alright?" Sonic asked, walking up to them hiding in an alley.
"We're fine," Sally panted before reaching over and smacking Sonic's shoulder. "What are you doing here?!"
"Ow!" Sonic said, even if it didn't really hurt. "I wanted to check out the Festival of the Sun, is that such a crime? I didn't know this was your event!"
"Who was that?" Duchess Elise interrupted. "He… he said he wanted my Chaos Emerald."
"Your Chaos Emerald?" Sally questioned. Elise nodded, opening the hand she had close to her chest to reveal a light blue Chaos Emerald.
Sonic blinked, surprised. He supposed he now knew where at least one emerald had gone when Sonic wasn't using 'em.
"That was Doctor Eggman," Sonic finally answered. "Weird of him to ask you for it. He's more used to just taking."
Elise looked away at that, gnawing at her lip. Sonic frowned at that but decided not to comment on her odd reaction.
"Don't worry, we're used to fighting him, we can protect you!" Sally reassured, placing a hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Sonic's one of the best fighters I know."
Sally then paused, looking him over.
"What?" Sonic asked, shifting uncomfortably in his jacket.
"Nothing," Sally sighed, looking away. "We have to get the Duchess back to her palace. Will you be safe there?"
"I… yes, I will," Elise nodded, almost hesitantly.
"Good, let's get you there," Sonic said, stepping forward and offering a hand to Elise. She took it after a moment, standing up. "C'mon, let's get you home."
They hurried down the street when a spotlight hit the trio, nearly blinding them.
"Found you!" Eggman crowed and Elise screamed as a giant hand shot out, snatching her away.
"Elise!" Sally and Sonic both cried.
Sonic moved to rescue her but the light vanished, revealing the street chock full of botniks.
"Hoo boy," Sonic inhaled sharply through his teeth.
"Princess Sally! Sonic!" Elise screamed, freeing her arm. She threw her Chaos Emerald at Sally, the princess catching it.
"Just hang tight!" Sally said, tucking away the emerald. "We're going to save you!"
"Get me that emerald!" Eggman commanded, the botniks charging at the two. He flew up and away, taking Elise with him.
"Let's get to it!" Sonic said, getting into position besides Sally.
So, yeah, Shadow ended up taking that job from GUN. don’t worry, he’ll probably be out before his birthday. Rouge said it’d be his little gift from her.
See, GUN was using their past crimes against them as blackmail working for GUN but they’d been pardoned and celebrated as heroes by the literal president. Rouge was working with another GUN agent, some lady named Topaz, to get it down on paper.
Also to get Shadow officially recognized as a living person and not just, you know, some medical aid/weapon/lab rat.
They thankfully didn’t have to deal with so many legal trappings for Omega. Omega technically didn’t work for GUN and anytime someone tried to change that, Omega put plenty of holes in the attempt. Literally. What Shadow’s trying to say is Omega attempts to kill anyone who tries to control him.
However, for the moment, Shadow is GUN’s lapdog. It’s not an admirable position considering… everything but it’s necessary if he doesn’t want to end up unconscious in some pod. Again.
Shadow slammed his air shoe’s heel into a Egg Gunner’s head, feeling some anger siphon into the now crushed metal.
It was a minor eggbase, probably just for manufacturing. Good for letting off some steam. Sure hope nothing ruins that for him-
“Agent Shadow, come in!” his earpiece suddenly rings. God fucking damn it.
“What is it?” Shadow asks, frowning.
“Transmission from HQ. There's an SOS coming from Dr. Eggman's current base within White Acropolis. Our last communication with our agent was 26 hours ago. We expect an immediate rescue, Shadow The Hedgehog,” the speaker says.
Shadow frowns, racking his brain. Didn’t… Rouge have a mission there? Shadow inhaled sharply through his teeth. Oh shit.
“Understood,” Shadow finally responded. He cast an uncaring glance at the burning down minor base and nodded to himself, tail flicking wildly. Eggman would have a hard time rebuilding this, if he even bothered. “Initiating mission now.”
Never let Rouge say Shadow doesn’t do anything for her. He idly adjusted his quills as he walked, the bat walking behind him.
“Chilly, huh?” Rouge asked. “Aren’t you cold?”
Shadow exhaled, watching his breath become mist. He adjusted his heavy jacket, more to adjust the comfortable pressure than anything else.
“No,” Shadow said, not pausing in his walking.
“And you aren’t curious to what this is?” Rouge asked further, holding up her target. It was a strange item, like a fairy’s wand but twisted and dark. Shadow felt like it was staring at him somehow. He didn’t like it.
“No,” Shadow answered again, looking away from it. He felt Rouge risk a glance at his tail. It operated on an emotional scale all of its own, blasted thing.
The ground trembled and three of Eggman’s bigger boys landed in front of them, aiming their guns down at the duo.
“Hm, seems he doesn’t want us to leave,” Rouge remarked casually, tucking away the item.
“We often tend to disagree with the good doctor,” Shadow huffed, running a hand through his quills one last time. “Let’s get this over with.”
Well, it'd been a rough night and half a day. And Sally wasn't even the one getting captured!
Sally glanced over at the Duchess as they walked through the grassy field, staining her golden tights with dewy green.
"Not to victim blame ya, but I'm pretty sure Eggman is targeting you specifically," Sonic finally said aloud. "You have something else he wants."
"I… yes. I can't give it to him, even if I wanted to but," Elise took a sharp breath. "Twelve years ago, my father was running the Solaris Project. I was very young so I'm not sure what happened but something went wrong, horribly wrong. I was the sole survivor."
Sonic and Sally cast a look at each other, sympathy ruling their senses.
"Now that man wants to repeat it!" Elise said, turning to the two. "Why?"
"Who's to say?" Sally sighed. "Eggman's not the easiest to predict but I don't doubt he thinks this… Solaris Project will give him an edge for his Eggman Empire."
"Which I won't let happen!" Sonic reassured. He stuck out a thumbs out, beaming.
Elise smiled before her eyes darted over to Sonic's shoulder.
"You're hurt!" Elise pointed out, pointing to his shoulder. Sally looked at Sonic, a tear in Sonic's jacket sleeve revealing a cut on his arm.
"Oh, this?" Sonic said, twisting to look at it. "It's nothing."
"Don't say that! Hold on," Elise said, reaching down and tearing off the edge of her dress. She approached Sonic, a wordless question in her eyes.
Sonic hesitated before shrugging off his jacket, looking away as Elise tightly wrapped it around the cut.
Sally understood Elise's guilt and concern. As they got older and Sonic started scarring in gold, Sally found the more bright reminders of Sonic's close shaves also reminders of her own weakness and failure.
"Is that my jacket?" Sally asked after a moment, pointing to it folded in Sonic's arms.
"Oh, is it?" Sonic asked coyly, shrugging it back on. "I didn't notice."
Sally huffed and Elise giggled, the guilty expression fading from her face.
"Much better, Elise!" Sonic said, cheering on the Duchess. "Keep your spirits up!"
He grinned, so suddenly bright and brilliant, that Sally felt like the air was punched out of her lungs.
"Smile!" Sonic said and Sally watched as Elise was caught in Sonic’s flow, just like almost everyone they’d ever met. “You know what I like to do when I’m stressed?”
“What?” Elise asked, yelping as Sonic grabbed a hold of her hand, reaching down and also grabbing Sally’s.
“Running!” Sonic cried joyfully and Sally laughed, caught up in his energy. It was odd, seeing him use the same tricks he’d used to cheer her up at times on someone else but Elise wasn’t having a good go of it, she’d pay it no mind. “As my uncle told me, if I’ve got time to worry, run!”
She was too busy taking advantage of the warmth of Sonic’s hand to complain anyway.
Let Shadow say this; he was not a fan of how his birthday week was going. Rouge had said it would be the 'best birthday week ever!' and Shadow's feeling severely underwhelmed.
For one, he's been fighting Eggman and transporting Rouge for hours. That is awful, already, if it wasn't added he was doing this for GUN.
There's something going on here, something Shadow doesn't understand, and he doesn't like it.
The feelings all come to a head when Rouge is falling, unable to catch herself in time, and the… Specter of Darkness is also falling and Shadow catches Rouge.
The Specter shatters on the ground, tendrils of black smoke shooting out of it.
Eggman cries out in anger at that, quickly pulling his forces back into a retreat.
Shadow tries to stand in-between the threat and Rouge but it's literal smoke, swirling around them before it slams down, vanishing inside of Shadow's shadow.
It feels weirdly anticlimactic, or at least, it does until his shadow starts moving.
It stretches out, no longer following Shadow's movements.
Something claws its way out of Shadow's shadow, the shadow itself vanishing, as if getting sucked up.
“Your shadow!” Rouge exclaims, frowning.
The creature that climbs out is an eerie double of Shadow, just de-saturated, with its own third eye a flaming red instead of a sickly yellow. Its horns were also different, looking more like antlers.
It moved as if it had never walked before, half bent over. It stared down at its hands, as if surprised.
“Oh, how ironic fate can be! I would never have believed I would be resurrected through your shade!” the strange creature laughed, bowing mockingly. “I thank you, Shadow The Hedgehog!”
“Who are you?” Shadow demanded. People he didn’t know knowing his name was never a good sign, in his experience. “How do you know my name?”
“I'm Mephiles. Mephiles the Dark,” Mephiles introduced himself, moving towards Shadow. His tone turned mocking, as if Shadow was the butt of a joke he didn’t know. “What, did you forget me? I owe much to you, Shadow.”
“Owe me?” Shadow questioned, glancing at Rouge in question. She shook her head. Great. How did Shadow know this guy then?
“Oh, yes,” Mephiles chuckled, holding out his hand. A sparking purple orb appeared in his palm. “What you gave to me, I now return to you! A one-way ticket to oblivion!”
He extends his hand upwards, purple energy flowing down and surrounding the three of them, whisking Rouge and Shadow to parts unknown.
Two hundred years into the future and Shadow still can't lose Sonic.
Mephiles had transported Shadow and Rouge two hundred years into the future, where everything was shit, but Eggman also transported Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.
“And then this white hedgehog showed up and actually pretty much handed my ass to me but Amy saved my bacon!” Sonic had been talking for the last couple minutes, basically catching Shadow up on what he was up to, for some reason. Probably because he was anxious about Princess Sally. She hadn’t been sucked into this future with the trio. He always babbled when he was anxious. “But what’s up with you?”
“Nothing,” Shadow said. He just wanted to find the Chaos Emeralds and return to their proper time.
“Oh, so you just found a time machine and thought you’d take it for a whirl?” Sonic teased with a snort. “C’mon!”
“It’s none of your concern,” Shadow huffed. This Mephiles was Shadow’s problem, not Sonic’s. He wouldn’t involve an… acquaintance in his own problems. “Just focus on finding a Chaos Emerald!”
“I’m trying!” Sonic lamented. “But this place feels weird.”
Shadow hummed in response. It was true, the latent Chaos energy of the city they were in was incredibly bizarre. But Shadow had to focus, he had things to do.
Shadow stared up at himself, actually himself. There were signs of the passage of time on his face, his horns grown out as well. Shadow could barely see them through the translucent barrier on his future self’s prison.
So this was it? This was all there was for Shadow? It didn’t matter what he did or who he saved, Shadow would get locked up. Get locked away.
Mephiles taunted him, trying to side Shadow over to him, but Shadow refused. He would never betray Maria’s promise, even as the evidence of Shadow’s own betrayal hung above him.
Omega, new and old, appeared, saving Shadow and the two escaped to the proper time.
Shadow had to fix this, seal away Mephiles, regardless of people’s belief in Shadow himself.
He would set this right.
Silver was so conflicted. He was in the past and it was beautiful! But he had to kill someone, that way this past could be his present. He’d been so close but Amy, this nice hedgehog he’d met, stopped him.
Amy had stood between Silver and the Iblis Trigger, allowing him to escape with the princess he’d been curled around in the vision Mephiles had shown him.
“Sonic would never do that!” Amy cried as Silver tried to explain it to her. “He’s my friend and he’d never do that!”
The thing is, Silver was starting to think she was right. The whole time he’s been here, he’s been hearing about this Sonic, someone so tough and brave and loyal. He was like the big brother Amy never had, protective and cheerful. She’d come to the Festival of the Sun to give him her birthday present for him. Silver had kind of been looking forward to meeting him.
How was someone like that supposed to cause the end of the world as they know it?
“Blaze?” Silver spoke up, his best friend since he was a child turning to look at him. “Killing someone to save the world… is that the right thing to do?”
Silver couldn’t find Sonic but he knew what he would do when he did. Blaze was right, it didn’t matter whether it was good or not. If Silver did nothing, nothing would change.
Mephiles wouldn’t say what Sonic does exactly to doom everything but he did say where Sonic was.
Silver watched for a few minutes as Sonic ran with Duchess Elise in his arms, Princess Sally Acorn running right behind him.
Silver gritted his teeth as he prepared to attack. He had to do this. He had to. The Iblis Trigger had to die!
Shadow doesn’t know who this white hedgehog is but he saw him with Mephiles for a brief moment in that ruined future. Either this hedgehog was a pawn or an accomplice. Add in the fact he’s been gunning for Sonic for the past two or so days, and Shadow is all too eager to kick his face in.
“You two go save the Duchess,” Shadow said, as Sally helped Sonic back to his feet. Shadow adjusted his rings. “I’ll take care of this.”
“Thanks for the save, Shads,” Sonic beamed. Sally nodded to him respectfully, the two dashing off.
The white hedgehog moved forward to chase them, getting a fist in the face.
“Who are you?” the white hedgehog demanded, glaring. “And why do you look like Mephiles?”
He? Look like Mephiles? Shadow suppressed a snort.
“I’m Shadow, Shadow the hedgehog,” Shadow introduced himself. “Your hunt ends here.”
It’s funny, really, one second, you’re kicking a guy’s ass, the next second, you’re traveling twelve years into the past with him.
Peachy. Regardless, Shadow gained a lot from the little history dip. He knew how to capture Mephiles again and stop him from whatever the hell he was planning on doing to… well, Shadow wasn’t sure what Mephiles’ goals were.
The Solaris Project hadn’t been a failed attempt to make some new kind of engine, it was an attempt to control Soleanna’s literal god.
There was a lot right there but Shadow didn’t want to think about the religious implications of that.
Mephiles was half of Solaris, an inky darkness that the Duke had given him a non yet broken Specter of Darkness to wrap it with.
Mephiles had vowed revenge and Shadow felt very unsettled by the concept of time travel and fate. Not going to think about that, thank you very much.
But he knew how to beat Mephiles now and Sonic wouldn’t have to deal with Silver on top of everything else.
Sally couldn’t help but sympathize with the Duchess. Didn’t mean she wasn’t annoyed with how much they had to rescue her but… Sally understood her pain.
The pressure of ruling a kingdom, of being in a position of power you never asked for… she understood it.
“I feel bad for her,” Sonic said suddenly, Sally about to leave to resume her own responsibilities here. Sally paused, turning to her friend. He adjusted his jacket.
“What do you mean?” Sally asked.
“I mean, it’s kind of like you or a lot of our friends, really,” Sonic said. “Responsibility she was never supposed to have, placed on her by unfortunate circumstances but she doesn’t have all of us.”
“Well…” Sally said. “She does now, right?”
Sonic brightened at that, smiling.
“Yeah, that’s true,” Sonic agreed. He stood up, stretching. “Well, I’ll see you back home. I’m going to go find Tails.”
“Stay safe!” Sally called out as he started to run away.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Sonic called back.
Okay, for the record, Sally does like Elise and does hope after all of this that they can foster an equally beneficial relationship between Soleanna and the Acorn Kingdom, but if Elise keeps getting kidnapped, Sally is killing Elise herself.
They chase after the airship Eggman was carrying on, only stopping when the white hedgehog who kept jumping Sonic and some weird purple cat showed up.
“You look like you’re in a hurry,” Silver said, waving away the crumpled robots he’d nabbed.
“...We cool?” Sonic asked, arm extended out in front of Sally. Silver made a face, confused, glancing at the purple cat.
“...We cool,” Silver said, sounding unsure of what he was saying. Sonic nodded and the four went to save Elise.
And they’re too late. The airship, something went wrong, and it crashed down in flames.
Oh Gaia, Elise…
Sally can’t stop herself from dropping to her knees in horror, Sonic barely able to stay standing himself.
“We can still save her,” Silver says and Sonic and Sally look at him. He pulls out a Chaos Emerald and Sonic stares at it. “If we go to an earlier time…”
“I see,” Sonic says. He reaches into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out his own Chaos Emerald.
Sally hastily stands and her and the cat girl make eyes. The cat nods to her and Sally can’t help but nod back.
A ripple of energy crosses the air as the two hedgehogs use the emeralds to more or less pierce a hole into time itself. Sally moves to enter it, Sonic tossing his emerald to Silver.
“We can take care of this,” Sonic says, determined. “Besides, you’ve got somewhere else to be, right?”
“We…” Silver said, looking down at the Chaos Emeralds dumbstruck.
“We’re going to change Elise’s fate,” Sally says, reassuring the snowy white hedgehog. “That should change yours, right?”
Silver nodded, clutching the emeralds tightly.
“Thank you,” Sally added on. “For Elise’s sake.”
“Yeah, just…” Silver looked away. “Save her.”
With that, the two jumped through the portal.
They save her this time. They do. The ship fails and crashes but they save her.
Elise laughs as Sonic carries through the exploding ship, Sally burying her face into the crook of his neck as she clung to his back.
“You certainly don’t look worried!” Sally shouted out to the other royal.
“If you’ve got time to worry, run, right?” Elise replies, beaming. Sonic laughs at that, ducking to avoid a low pipe.
Sonic leaps from the crashing ship and there’s this horrid moment where it looks like they’re not going to make it, that they failed and this time, all of them will die.
And then Eggman’s airship explodes, the force of the blast sending them up and over the ledge.
Sally lets go and tumbles, landing on her feet. Sonic curls into a ball, minimizing the impact. Elise just hits the ground and rolls.
Sally and Sonic both startle and turn to her, worried she’s hurt. Elise sits up, her red hair in a disarray and laughs, beaming.
Sonic joins in her laughter, Sally pausing to relish in the sound as her own laughter joins the chorus.
Most called Sonic’s laugh an almost evil cackle. Sally thought it was charming.
“Excellent smile, Elise,” Sally says to the older, helping the Duchess to her feet. Elise giggles and beams some more.
They’re walking back when it happens.
A bright light, blinding the trio as they walked, appeared.
“The hell- ?” Sonic questioned, squinting.
“I don’t know,” Sally replied. Elise said nothing, also squinting however.
There’s a sound almost like one of Eggman’s lasers and Sonic makes a strangled gasp of a noise.
Sally turns to look at him, just in time for their eyes to meet. Brilliant green fades to a dull shade as Sonic collapses, the hole in his chest gaping.
“Sonic!” Sally screams, the light vanishing as she runs to his side. She doesn’t know what she’s planning to do but there has to be something she can do. This… this can’t be how it ends…! “Sonic, say something!”
Her white gloves are turning red and the jacket Sonic had stolen was now ruined. For some reason, that’s as far as her comprehension was allowing her to go.
“No, no, no,” Sally begged, pressing her hands onto the now soaked fabric on Sonic’s body. “Wake up, please!”
Elise has been having what is turning out to be the best days of her life. She got to see her kingdom like never before, she had made at least three new friends, and learned a new matra over the whole ‘never cry’ thing.
Sally is who she aspires to become, even if the princess is younger than her, and Sonic is the one who inspired her to do so.
He wants to see the world, has wanted to since he was very young, and is going to, no matter what Eggman does. An admirable goal. An enviable goal.
Sally and Sonic, they’re the best friends Elise could have ever asked for. After years of isolation and solitariness, burying her own emotions to keep her father’s wish, she finally had people who… listened. Who understood.
And now one was dead.
She doesn’t know what’s happened. All Elise saw was a bright light before Sally ran over, screaming, to Sonic’s still collapsing body.
Sonic’s dead. Oh Solaris.
Don’t cry, Elise, don’t cry.
Sally begs and sobs, her hands shaking as she fruitlessly attempts to awaken Sonic.
Don’t cry, don’t, don’t cry.
There’s a cruel laugh rising up behind her and Elise is too afraid to look behind her.
Don’t cry, don’t cry.
Sally pulls Sonic into her lap, wailing as she is stained in his blood, uncaring of the red smearing on the grass or her body.
Don’t, don’t, don’t, be a strong Duchess, be a good Duchess, be strong-
“I can’t do this without you,” Sally sniffles. “Don’t leave me alone, you’re all I have! You’re all I have!”
A tear streams down Elise’s cheek and she freezes, raising a torn glove up to touch it. It’s hot to the touch, burning a mark down Elise’s cheek.
The tear is followed by a second and another and another, burning Elise’s skin, making Elise cry more. Her heart, her body, they both burn so much!
“Sally,” she cries and the princess’ head shoots up, turning to Elise. “Something horrible is happening to me!”
It’s true. Now that the tears have started, they’re not stopping, her skin cracking to reveal what looks like molten rock underneath.
The pain, the sadness, the rage, it chokes her.
“Finally the seal is broken!” the voice that had laughed says gleefully and Elise screams as it feels as if she’s being burnt up from the inside. “At long last, I’ll be able to join with you, Iblis!”
The world goes white and Elise’s screams of pain mix with cruel laughter and the roarings of something monstrous coming out of her.
Even if the world becomes Shadow’s enemy, Shadow will fight like he always has. Mephiles tried to break him with what ifs, what if the world turns against Shadow, despite his efforts, what if Omega, one of his bestest friends, was the one to hunt him down, what if Shadow is alone, fighting a battle he couldn’t hope to win.
But Mephiles couldn’t. Shadow had made a promise, to himself as much as to Maria. This life was his to live and he would live it, with or without interference.
Rouge vowed to stand by his side, no matter what, and though Shadow gave no reply, he already knew he would die for Rouge if need be.
The various copies of Mephiles pooled at Shadow’s feet, a representation of Shadow’s mental and physical victory over the oily copy. Shadow hoped this would be the end of that, considering the Specter of Darkness trick didn’t exactly work anymore.
He clicked his rings back into place, feeling a comforting wall of power form, keeping the excess from draining from him.
Rings in place, Shadow now reached for the emeralds. They flared once and Shadow flinched back, a second flare turning the world a violent white.
Shadow opened his eyes in a very different place, even if the heat of the desert was still felt. There’s ground beneath his feet but Shadow can’t tell what it is or if it’s floating or not.
He looks around, seeing people he knows.
Rouge rubs her eyes, Amy loosens her hold on a blue wrapped box, Eggman coughs up some fumes while setting the fiery tip of his mustache out, and Silver rubs his eyes absently.
“What is this?” Tails asks, tails whipping anxiously.
“It must be because of Solaris,” Rouge said aloud as Silver and Amy hastily caught up.
“It seems we were all caught by the spatial distortion,” Eggman hummed, sounding majorly unbothered. “Looks like Iblis' seal has been broken, due to Mephiles' manipulation.”
“What do you-” Shadow starts before Tails screams, pointing to the side. Shadow follows his point.
Sally, eyes wide and absent, cradles Sonic in her arms, a visible hole in the hedgehog’s body.
Shadow felt something inside him crack, Tails and Knuckles both running over to the ruined princess and her dead best friend.
Sonic was… dead? No. That wasn’t- no!
“Not a very thought out plan,” Eggman snorted. “Considering if your fair furred friend over there had killed Sonic any sooner, the Duchess most likely wouldn’t have fallen into despair and cried, but it worked in the end.”
Silver looked up, horrified. Shadow crossed his arms and looked away, if only so he didn’t kill Eggman here and now.
A siren’s wail echoes off the walls and Eggman finally looks like he has the correct amount of fear.
“Solaris!” Silver calls out, meeting Shadow’s gaze. They had both seen the dormant once peaceful god that Iblis and Mephiles were halves of. Would the two recombining make a more vengeful creature?
“It’s going to consume every timeline!” Eggman panicked. “And time will collapse into nothingness, us along with it!”
“The instability… it must’ve caused this pocket,” Tails says, clinging to Sally’s side as he motions above and around them. “It probably won’t last long…”
“Then we gotta kick this thing’s ass!” Knuckles snarls, burying his sadness with rage. “While we still can.”
“It’s a god of time, Echidna,” Eggman scoffs, sitting down on a rock and pouting. “A transcendent life form that exists in the past, present and future. Defeating it here, now, would do nothing.”
“There… there has to be a way!” Silver says, his voice desperate with loss. Shadow subconsciously notes the lack of his purple feline companion. “It exists in the past, present, and future? Why not destroy them all at once?!”
“It might have been possible,” Shadow says, eyes drifting over to the mourning friends. “...if he was still alive.”
Sonic had had (oh God, he’s already shifting to past tense, no,) a way of making the impossible possible. It had been one of his best qualities.
Amy hiccups, dropping her wrapped present to the ground. This is how it ends. Sonic dead and then they’re all consumed in the timeline by Solaris.
Shadow crosses his arms and turns away, closing his eyes. It doesn’t seem real but… it is…
A heartbeat pounds in Shadow’s chest and Shadow’s eyes fly open.
Shadow reaches his hand to his chest, an uneven secondary heartbeat alongside his own even pattern.
Could it be?
“Wait,” Shadow says, the others turning to look at him. “Sonic’s not gone.”
“What?” Silver asks, leaning forward. Shadow turns around, one hand still pressed to his chest. The princess’ eyes finally move, landing on Shadow’s hand.
“...You can still feel him,” Sally says, blinking owlishly. Shadow nods. “We’re going to need the Chaos Emeralds, if we’re going to bring him back.”
“Leave it to me!” Tails jumps up, pulling out a bunch of small familiar radars. “They’re on the far reaches of this pocket!”
“Hmph,” Eggman grumbles, standing up. “I suppose I can’t finally find your quaint little village and raze it to the ground if none of us even exist.”
“Tails, stay with Knuckles and Amy,” Sally orders. “I’ll go with Shadow.”
Those under her command nodded. Sally carefully lowered Sonic’s body on the de-saturated cobblestones of Soleanna. She pressed her forehead to his, slowly standing up.
Tails hurried over Knuckles and Amy, the trio running off.
Sally hurries over to Shadow.
“I’ll go with Eggman,” Silver says, eyeing the megalomaniac warily.
Rouge hopped onto Omega’s shoulders, relaxing. Shadow knew it was all an act.
“You two stay safe,” Rouge said casually. “Tata!”
“Let’s go,” Sally said, moving towards the pinging on her radar.
They traveled in silence, Shadow avoiding gazing at her blood stained attire.
“I wish I could feel him like you can,” Sally said as Shadow raised a hand to his chest to reassure himself of the struggling heartbeat. “You two have something really… special.”
Shadow blinked. There was something about the way she said that…
“You two share something infinitely more special,” Shadow said out loud. “We’re merely acquaintances.”
“That’s not how Sonic sees you,” Sally shakes her head. “And I don’t think you see him that way either.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Princess,” Shadow frowns. He hates how people dance around just saying things.
“...Sonic doesn’t realize it yet but he’s falling in love with you,” Sally finally straight up says. Her tone is… Shadow wants to say bitter. “Everytime he talks about you, he’s beaming. He stares at you like you single handedly painted every sunset that ever existed. His races with you are the highlights of his days and he memorizes every little detail about you, no matter how inane.”
Shadow goes quiet, face red. Sonic does all of that?
“That could mean nothing,” Shadow tries to say. Sally stares at him as if he’s sprouting yet another eye.
“...Maybe,” Sally finally says after a minute. “C’mon, we’re close.”
Sally folds Sonic’s hands over his chest, emeralds neatly placed around his now cool corpse. Sally squeezes the hands as she puts them in place. She wishes for them to squeeze back.
This has to work, or even if they do survive being time vored, Sally is going to lose so much of herself, she won’t be able to recover.
The emeralds gleam as she steps back. The group (minus Eggman and Omega) fold their hands, Shadow and Silver leading the plea.
Oh Chaos Emeralds, gems of miracles,” Silver starts, folded hands brought up to his nose. “Please heed my call.”
The Chaos Emeralds start glowing brighter, as if heeding Silver’s pleas.
“We wish to save this world, we wish to undo the wrongs done to Solaris,” Shadow goes on and hesitates before adding on his own selfish desire. “And, I wish to race against Sonic one last time.”
The emeralds lift into the air, Sonic rising with them. They swirl around Sonic’s lifeless body, the coat on his body fluttering in the breeze around him. Shadow can feel the second heartbeat in his chest quicken and steady.
There’s a sense of power rising in Shadow and he wonders if Silver can feel it too.
Sonic turns blinding, the emeralds vanishing inside of him. Shadow and Silver are struck with what Shadow wants to call lightning.
And then Sonic’s staring at him, golden and resplendent, a stupid grin on his face as if he’d never died, never left.
“Sonic,” Sally breathes, relieved, and Sonic’s eyes turn to her, softening.
“Hey, Sal,” Sonic says, smiling softly. “It’s okay. I’ve got it.”
“ We ’ve got it, hedgehog,” Shadow speaks up. He realizes he’s super as well, as he approaches Sonic. He turns, watching Silver wordlessly examining his almost bronze like appearance. “You wanted to defeat Solaris all at once, didn’t you?”
Silver startles and flies forward.
“Then let’s get to work!”
This is the second god Sonic’s beaten, Sally realizes, as Sonic lays the final blow, the angelic god wailing as the place turned a blinding white once more. Sure hope that doesn’t cause many problems.
“Elise!” Sally says as things clear up, becoming herself, Sonic, and Elise in a dark room.
Elise startles, turning to them.
“You’re here,” Elise says, looking at them. “Both of you.”
“Can’t keep a good ‘hog down,” is Sonic’s only explanation of his miraculous revival.
“Did we win?” Sally asks.
“Not yet,” Elise sighs, turning around. The two walk up beside her. She’s staring at a small flame, flickering in a glass case, fueled by a well shined oil lamp.
“That’s… Solaris,” Sonic says, astonished as Elise opens the case and holds the flame out. “The Flame of Hope.”
“I always thought it was beautiful,” Elise said sadly. “But now all I can think about is how it burned me.”
Sally sympathetically placed her hand on the older girl’s shoulder.
“If we put it out,” Sally asked. “All of this, it’ll never happen. You’ll have to think about how you were burned ever again.”
“But I won’t remember you,” Elise responded. She turned to them, tears flowing down her cheeks unbidden. “I… I don’t want to lose you. You’re my first friends.”
“Sometimes… things end,” Sonic said softly. “Whether we want to or not.”
“I’m sure we’ll meet again, even if it’s for the first time again,” Sally said. “I’m sorry it had to happen to you.”
“Just don’t forget, Elise,” Sonic smiled weakly at her. “Keep your spirits up. Smile.”
Elise smiled weakly back and raised the oil lamp to eye level. She took a deep breath and blew, gently, the flame weakly flickering before vanishing.
The oil lamp dropped to the floor in the Duke’s castle, the smoke left floating in the empty hall.
As the sun set and the festival truly began, Sonic found himself climbing up a building to get a better view.
It was a parade of boats, women in beautiful and flowing dresses dancing and twirling, looking almost like flowers blowing in the wind.
Across the waterways and the city, lanterns were lit and placed on every surface, the sun emblem on them casting shadows across various walls.
With the flickering and moving light of the lanterns’ candles, it almost looked like the city was on fire. Sonic paused at that. This was all… familiar.
Too familiar.
Sonic’s eyes scanned the boats more closely, finally landing on Sally. Oh.
Sonic sharply inhaled and pressed a hand to his chest. It… it worked.
Sonic shuddered and decided to think about the implications of that on a day not his birthday.
“Sonic!” Amy cried out and Sonic startled, looking down. Amy waved up to him, holding her gift to Sonic.
With a grunt, Sonic jumped down, standing up.
“I got you a present!” Amy said cheerfully, offering it to him. “Happy birthday.”
Sonic took it curiously, opening it.
It was a collection of King Arthur Mythos, with beautiful art to accompany it.
“I love it!” Sonic said cheerfully, hugging it close. He paused, looking at Amy properly. “Say, Amy… do you know where Silver is?”
“Silver?” Amy asked, tilting her head. “Is that a friend of yours?”
“Ah, kind of,” Sonic laughs anxiously. She doesn’t remember. There’s not a hint of recognition in her eyes. Sonic glances back at the boat parade. He watches Duchess Elise stand just behind her father as he offers a prayer to Solaris. “Just forget it, it’s nothing.”