//Shadow's POV//
I released my grip on Sonic the moment the 'Fox' had disappeared. We watched as Sonic quickly ran toward the letter that was neatly folded in half scrambling to pick it off the ground crumbling it in the process.
"Sonic..?" Tails stepped forward, the earlier scene truly unsettled him.
Sonic ignored his calls as he quickly opened the letter with shaky hands,
"Sonic." I calmly and slowly walked toward him so as to not startle him, "What's in the letter..?" I asked, attempting to rest a hand on his shoulder before he jerked back fearfully making me quickly retract my hand as I watched him struggle to straighten the letter.
The letter was written in a language I'd never seen before, yet Sonic seemed to perfectly understand it. Without hesitation, he recrumbled up the letter and ran up the stairs on the side of the beach house that I could only assume led up to his bedroom.
I quickly followed in pursuit while everyone else stayed behind,
Prior to this Sonic and I never got along. Everything seemed to be a game to him and it frustrated me then but now all I ever wanted was to see him happy even if it was at my expense.
Sonic tried so hard to be my friend but all I ever did was push him away.
The least I could do is make it up to him by saving him from whatever god-awful mess he's in.
Once I reached the top of the stairs I knocked on the glass door watching as he hurriedly and frantically searched his bedroom for something. I quitely opened the door, I figured he wasn't going to open the door anytime soon so I'd might as well walk in after him seeing as he hadn't even taken the time to lock the door.
"Sonic-" I started before he abruptly cut me off,
"Shadow I can't- I can't find it!" He instantly turned toward me upon hearing my voice.
"Sonic," I called out to him as I slowly walked toward him
I watched as tears flowed down his cheeks like a never-ending river, the sight seemed so unnatural and would have been horrifying if I hadn't seen him in such a state before.
// 3rd Person POV //
Sonic continued to frantically open boxes, drawers, and cabinets but couldn't seem to find what he was looking for.
"No, no, no... chaos no.." he whispered to himself violently shaking completely forgetting about Shadow's presence as he desperately searched for something.
"Sonic." Shadow stood right behind Sonic causing him to bump into him when he turned around upon hearing his voice.
Sonic took a few steps back, violently shaking as he gripped the dresser behind him tightly while still keeping his eyes on the Ebony figure in front of him.
Shadow calmly and a bit reluctantly took a few steps forward putting both his hands on Sonic's face to force him to make eye contact. He stroked his cheeks in hopes of calming him down and he eventually did.
"Now.." Shadow spoke quietly so as to not startle him, "What are you looking for?"
Sonic looked around him then reluctantly pulled Shadow's jacket toward him, their noses almost touching as he stood on his toes to whisper in his ears,
"I'm looking for my emerald... It's pink and yellow.." he stood there for a few moments before releasing Shadow's jacket,
Shadow's face though a bit red nodded though Sonic didn't seem to notice.
// Shadow's POV //
"I'll.. I'll look for it don't worry." I reassured him, gently grabbing his hand as I led him toward his bed.
His grip tightened on my hand as he reluctantly climbed into bed, his eyes frantically searching for something. I gently stroked his quills as I pulled the covers over him. I lingered for a few moments before reluctantly standing up seeing as he had curled himself up against me, fast asleep, whist trying to find some comfort in his now empty bed.
"Rest, I promise I'm not going anywhere.." I whispered in an attempt to ease his mind as I took a few steps back.
"Shadow.." I heard him whisper though it was barely audible.
"We will find it together just try to get some sleep." I encouraged him as I walked back to him, running my hands through his quills in a soothing mannerism.
• Later that night •
As Sonic slept I quietly searched through his belongings, careful as to not disturb his sleep. His room was filled with pictures, he had a bulletin board on his wall I hadn't seen before, there were 5 sections, each filled with pictures of him and each of his friends. The last section though noticeably less than the rest had pictures with just him and I.
After some time, hidden in a secret compartment I found in the back of one of his drawers was his strangely colored Emerald. It's vibrant colors shining in the dimly lit room.
Never have I seen an Emerald of this color, it'd be identical to the other chaos emeralds if it weren't such a strange gradient. I've held all 7 Chaos Emeralds never have I seen one of such an odd color?
I slowly walked up to Sonic, cautious of the creaky floorboards before finally reaching him. His face illuminated as the emerald shined brightly.
I put the emerald down on his bed before gently waking him up and sitting him up on his bed. His eyes, heavy with sleep widened in relief when I handed him the Chaos Emerald.
"You found it!" he whispered excitedly as he held the emerald tightly in his hands as if it were a baby.
"I wouldn't want to disappoint." I smiled,
He practically threw the emerald to the side before tugging on my jacket to pull me into a tight hug, I could feel my cheeks grow warm as he nuzzled his face in between my neck.
Sadly it didn't last long before a knock came to the door.
I could hear Sonic chuckling his mussel still in between my neck, "did you just growl?" I heard him say in-between laughter, I hadn't even noticed I was growling until he started laughing.
Sonic pulled away, still laughing as he told me to go open the door.
I reluctantly got up and walked toward the door, the room still a complete mess. I opened the door to see Rouge with a smug smile on her face, I'm not at all ready to deal with whatever stupid suggestions and remarks she has planned. She opened her mouth and I quickly slammed the door shut.
I could hear Sonic laughing in the background, I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I looked outside through the glass doors that I had entered his room through not so long ago,
I spotted a figure through the window, in the forest below, it must've spotted me too because it quickly disappeared.
// 3rd Person POV //
"Shadow?" Sonic called out to him, he stood up and closed the 2nd door to cover the glass doors to keep him from looking outside. He liked looking out the open doors late at night which is why he installed glass doors so he'd be able to look outside without insects getting in.
Shadow shifted his gaze to Sonic as he watched him close the 2nd door over the glass ones, he smiled, not really sure what to say since explaining that he saw the 2 tailed ink fox outside was definitely not the best idea considering how shaken up he was not even a few hours ago.
"Hm?"
"You were staring out my 'window'" Sonic chuckled as he stood in front of him with his arms crossed,
Shadow took a step toward him, "We need to talk."
The sudden shift in his tone surprised the blue blur though he knew this conversation was inevitable it was still something he'd rather not talk about.
He sighed, Sonic knew he had to explain the situation to him whether he liked it or not, "I don't even know where to start."
Shadow took his hand and sat him down on one of the bean bags Sonic had lying around.
"Take your time, I'm not in a rush to know," Shadow said as he calmly began to reorganize Sonic's bedroom.
"I'm not from here if you haven't already noticed, I don't have parents and have been living here since..." It took him a little bit to recall when he first escaped and arrived at Mobius, "since I was 10."
Shadow nodded his head in acknowledgment having already known this part from Sonic's files. He shuffled back and forth as he neatly organized Sonic's belongings back into the boxes they were originally in.
"I was raised in a facility," He started, "they'd artificially create children with powers of all kinds of sorts to serve the state." His breathing became rigid but despite that, he continued, "I happened to be one of the unlucky few that wasn't created but brought to the facility and tested on."
Shadow, against his better judgment continued to sort and store boxes, he knew that if he interrupted Sonic now he may stop talking about the situation as a whole.
"The organization was abusive, I was constantly covered in bruises, cuts, and blood which was.." Sonic looked like he was mere seconds away from throwing up before continuing, "was often not my own."
Shadow kept quiet as he began to sweep Sonic's bedroom refraining from making eye contact.
"The night I escaped.." he paused trying to remember exactly how it went, time was bliss to him as he eventually forgot all about his childhood up and until the topic was brought up by Rouge causing memories he'd much rather forget to resurface. "I was laid back on an operating table, I remember waiting knowing better than to run away recklessly."
Shadow briefly turned around to face him, watching as Sonic had his eyes closed while trying to remember.
"I still remember the building's layout.. ironic isn't it?" He chuckled, "I remember where the vents were and lead, what and where their power source was but in the end I never really needed it."
Shadow turned around to face him, having finished cleaning with nothing to do but listen.
"This Emerald, its power is similar to a Chaos Emerald but it is completely artificial. Its functions are similar but it's weaker," he sighed, gripping the emerald in his hands while looking up at Shadow who now stood in front of him. "They made dozens of these but they were all weaker than the first, this is the second of its kind if I remember correctly!" He smiled, "A doctor brought it in to test me, they forgot the restraints, and the moment they turned their back I snatched the emerald, kicked them down quickly took their key card, and ran out the door."
Sonic made some space beside him and Shadow reluctantly sat down beside him.
"I swiped every door in search of the right exit while also opening other "subjects" doors, I hoped they knew the way out because I knew there'd be no way I'd be able to take them with me without getting caught." He sighed but continued, "I eventually found the exit and before leaving I smashed the keypad keeping the door open, and ran out leaving the keycard on the ground hoping that maybe somebody else would manage to escape like I did. And with that, I was gone. I ran and ran until I couldn't run anymore. And now I'm here, the mayor gave me a fully furnished home and a check to spend on all of my other necessities in exchange for the town's protection after having seen my abnormal abilities."
Sonic smiled, it seemed genuine. Shadow stared into his eyes contemplating what to say next, and after a moment of silence, he finally spoke.
"Why would they create Emeralds when they could've just searched for one?" Shadow asked, his story made sense but he couldn't help but wonder.
Sonic looked down at the Emerald in his hands,
"I don't know.."
• - • - • - •
Hey! I changed the ink fox's name from the last chapter to Zeno! I realized while writing this chapter that I gave the character my name as a placeholder but never actually replaced it. On another note, I sadly don't have a drawing for this chapter. I was considering delaying this chapter to draw a panel or two but eventually decided against it since I didn't want to delay this chapter any longer than I already had- :,D
- Zee