It surrounds him. It's all around him. It obscures his vision, even though his eyes are wide open.
Darkness.
There's only one light over him, and it barely breaks through the thick veil. He can only make a few outlines, like the table to his left which holds a chessboard, a hand holding a piece, the queen he was told, and a television playing something he knows by heart now.
Shadow. Behind a desk. Or on a mission. Shadow as he's being monitored by his captor.
He tries to move. Pointless. He's been held onto the wall for longer than he can remember, and the cuffs holding him in place are stronger than anything he could break through.
He's also getting weaker. He's been injected with something earlier, and it's making him drowsy, making him lax. And he doesn't like it.
"I told you, Sonic. My plan is perfect, and you can't stop me," he hears for what seems like the hundredth time, but it still fires him up.
"And I told you I will. I will find you again, and I will stop you," he snarls, earning a laugh. A laugh that makes him flatten his ears and growl.
"My, my. The queen is trying to be brave right until the end, isn't it? Well, I can assure, you, Sonic the Hedgehog, you will not be standing in my way any longer," he's told before his heart gives a thud. One that tells him something is wrong as his vision seems to slowly disintegrate. It has something to do with the chemicals he was injected with, he is sure.
"All I need is time. And once I eliminate you, it won't be long until I get to the king," is said as the screen is pointed. The screen that still shows Shadow working his hardest. The screen that still shows someone he hasn't seen in seven years.
"Because once the queen dies, the pawns will scatter, leaving me access to the king. To the only person who could actually cause any harm to my plans," the person he can't see says as his vision gets worse. It's warping now, looking as if he's underwater.
He tries to breathe, "What are you trying to do? And how am I a queen?"
He flinches at the laugh, feeling his body sink as he struggles to stay awake. He has too. If he doesn't, he'll lose important information. He knows that. He can feel it.
"Haven't you been listening to anything I have told you? It would be useless to tell you since you won't be around for its execution, and as for your last question, I've told you this three times already. You are his queen," he hears before his world goes black, and one thought runs through his mind. He has to tell Shadow. He has to tell Shadow that someone is plotting to destroy him. He has to tell or the whole world will fall. He has to tell Shadow.
Shadow has to know. Even if he can't remember, Shadow has to know.
Shadow has to – Shadow has – Shadow…
-XXX-
"Shadow!" was forced out of Sonic's throat as he shot straight up, eyes wide. Before the headache. The pounding headache that made his head swim.
"Ugh," he groaned as he put a hand on his forehead, trying to hold onto his dream. It felt familiar, like it was something he'd personally been through. But it didn't make any sense. He'd never been in such a situation, even less gotten himself in trouble in his entire life.
And Shadow – Shadow looked nothing like the one he'd seen in his dream. Sure, the head quills were in the right position, but they looked nothing similar. The Shadow he knew looked – calmer, he guessed. Not nearly as devastated as the one he'd seen on that screen. Not nearly as close to breaking as the one in that dream.
And what was that dream all about, anyway? He wasn't one for dreams like this. Usually, they limited themselves to games he'd recently played, or random things that simply didn't match together. They usually weren't this lifelike, this clear.
Nor did they fade away this fast.
"Dang it," he mumbled as he tried his best to remember, to recall the little details in the fog it was becoming. He couldn't let it go. He had to hold on to it. It might be important.
"Sonic, dude! Exclusive news from the Manic News Network! You gotta hear this, bro!"
He groaned in his pillow as the last bits of his dream flew out of his mind. Of course it would be impossible to do with an obnoxious brother.
"Morning Manic," he droned, an eye on the opened door. He'd locked that. He was sure.
"Oh, come on! Little more enthusiasm please. I got news from the underground!"
He turned to the green hedgehog who simply grinned wildly as he bouncily sat down, holding his Digetron up front. Knowing Manic, it was either a big robbery or an unexplained phenomenon that had just come up and he had a theory.
"What is it?" he asked, trying to sound enthusiastic. Hard to do when you'd just woken up from a dream that had basically faded away the moment he'd tried to get a hold of it.
"It struck," was all he heard, making him blink. Didn't go with anything he'd earlier stated. Unless they had already talked about this?
"Huh?" he mumbled with a raised eyebrow, earning a look that only confirmed his suspicions. Manic had already told Sonic the essentials of this, and the offense was enormous.
"Dude! Did you just wake up or what? It struck! The dude they never manage to catch struck again!"
Yup, they had definitely already gone through this before. Certainly with the way Manic was thrusting his Digetron into his face.
"Westopolis this time, though. Usually, it's in Central City, but I'm sure it's still our guy. No way anyone would be able to kill a world-renowned criminal and get away with it that easily."
Sonic blinked. Now he remembered. Now he remembered the way they had both gotten enthusiastic over the fact that there was someone out there who had decided to clear the city of its big criminals. And while he hadn't appreciated the way the person cleared them, for violence was never the answer, and Manic hadn't been all for it either, his brother had kept track of his "idol" throughout the years.
But why was this sounding familiar?
"Yup, that "Shadow" dude is definitely all class," he heard his brother say as the latter looked at his Digetron with an admirative smile. "Wish I could meet him."
"Shadow?" he asked, feeling the sweat starting to line his back. No. No, no, no, no, no. It couldn't be. This couldn't be the reason it felt familiar. Don't tell him that –
"Am I gonna have to shake you awake? Yeah, Shadow. No one's gotta clue what he looks like, though. Says he only shows up at night, so it'd be kinda pointless to give a picture. I still wish they did," Manic said with a sigh as Sonic slipped even deeper under the covers.
He didn't need to wish. He didn't even need to imagine. He'd seen Shadow. He'd met Shadow. He'd been saved by Shadow. He'd even given a gift to Shadow.
When had his life decided to mess with him, again?
"You okay, bro?" he heard Manic say as the latter tried to peel back the blankets, forcing him to hold them firmly.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Can you give me a minute?" he asked before breathing in relief as the extra weight finally lifted and he heard the door close.
Shoot.
"Wait!" he shouted, catching his brother a second before the door closed. That was close.
He swallowed, "Who did he kill this time?"
The usual grin on Manic's face reappeared.
"A big shot called Dr. Finitevus. Strange, 'cause as far as I'm concerned, the guy hadn't caused any trouble so far," he said with a thoughtful look. This was sure to occupy Manic for a while.
And lead him outside again tonight. Not mentioning the fact that it had only been three days since the last trip. This wasn't going to go well on the long run. He could feel it.
-XXX-
"Ow!"
The shout resonated through the entire room, making ears flatten and teeth clench. Shadow hadn't forgotten how pain felt like. He just wished his body would develop a better resistance to it.
"I told you not to go to Westopolis, didn't I?"
And that his "caretaker" would stop patronizing him every time he got hurt.
"Have I asked for your opinion?" he snapped before clenching his teeth as a needle pierced the skin on his arm to sew shut the gap where a knife had taken a plunge. He didn't mind the stitches, in all honesty. It was the fact that his body needed them while he clearly remembered that they would a have been healed in no time a few years ago that was grating on his nerves.
Damn drugs and the fact that they slowed his healing process along with dulling his senses.
Not enough for him not to feel the pain, though.
"Ow!" he shouted as he grabbed the armrest, nearly destroying it. He was lucky his caretaker didn't get after him if he did.
"Doesn't matter if you have, Shadow. Every time you head to Westopolis and come back, you're a wreck. And I'm the one who has to patch you back up," was said sternly as the needle was put aside, and a knot was made. How many did that make? Four?
"Not my fault if Scourge," he started as he watched another needle nearing his skin. The leg, this time. Oh great. "Wanted me to take out one of his opponents that happened to reside in Westopolis at that moment."
He hissed as the needle pierced his skin once more. This one wasn't as deep, but nearly reached his hipbone. And would probably leave a mark for a while.
"Please tell me it's the last time you go there."
The request had him looking at pleading aquamarines as gloved hands went about their task, and doing their best to hold down his jerking leg.
He bit his inner cheek, and looked away as he began, "Rouge…"
And she cut him off, "Each time you go out there, you come back worse than the last. I know you tell me not to worry, Shadow, and that you can live through practically anything, but I still do. I can't help but to. I'm your friend, aren't I?"
He reached for his left shoulder, still unable to face her.
"I know," he whispered, flinching as the needle dove right back into his skin. It still hurt, but he had to control it. He had to.
"If you go back, then, let me come with you. I'm sure we'll pull out better together. I'm sure we'd do amazingly as a team," she said with an encouraging smile as she made the knot, and Shadow looked at her pointedly.
"No."
And she turned her gaze to him as he got up, clearly outraged.
"You need the help, Shadow!" she shouted, crossing her arms as he grabbed a set of loose clothes. To wear anything to close to skin would only cause trouble, he knew.
"You get yourself in trouble more than anyone should. You're followed by bounty hunters, cops and criminals alike for reasons specific to them. And while you heal perfectly on your own, your healing process has been slow! You need a partner!"
"And I won't take you!" he shouted, unable to help the glare before guilt grabbed him. Grabbed him like a vice as she backed up. Damn, him and his… Shit.
"I can't, Rouge. I know you want to, but I can't. I…" he trailed off, feeling his ears flatten. Could he? Could he really?
He put on the sleeveless shirt, and turned to her.
"I lost you once, Rouge. I can't lose you again," he whispered as he neared her before gently, awkwardly taking her into his arms.
Yes, he had lost her once. He had lost everyone once. To his own emotions.
^^' Unfortunately, I am currently on a break from writing, and, after this, I am going to be concentrating my efforts on one of my bigger stories, "The Three Posts". If you wish to have a look, it's on DA.
^^' Unfortunately, I am currently on a break from writing, and, after this, I am going to be concent
