The fire growled and even howled like some kind of feral monster, as if it were alive.
They gathered around the charred rubble, Knuckle's nose twitched smelling the thick smoke, it made him cough but he was looking for a certain smell, the smell of burning bodies, and to his disgust he smelled exactly that. Commander Towers had called in the fire department as he, Wave and Tails ran to the scene.
After a half an hour the fire department had unearthed from the damp steaming wreckage soot covered hedgehogs of blue, green and, all black.
Shadow had managed to snag Sonic from the blast and chaos control away from the start of the explosion, but unable to get far enough from things that had been on fire and flying through the air. Scourge had used the energy of the blast to propel himself in a ball in any direction as long as it was away from the heat, he'd been knocked unconscious.
After vomiting in a bucket with a shock blanket around his shoulders Sonic panted heavily looking out to the growing crowd of press and onlookers. Tails had wiggled passed police and the yellow tape that was being put around to keep people out.
"You're okay! You're alive!" Tails tackled Sonic in the back of the ambulance.
"Ow, yeah I'm okay.." Sonic grunted and smiled hugging around him.
"Things will be okay now." His kid brother assured.
"I-I dunno Tails..." Sonic seemed shaken as he recalled the events that went too fast for him to make sense of them all, "Eggman is..."
"It wasn't your fault Sonic." Tails told him, "I know you wouldn't do something like that."
"Where's Shadow?" He nodded still not set right with the feeling flipping his stomach inside out.
"Here..." Shadow grumbled behind him on the small single seat the ambulance had, his arms were bandaged and his fur was missing in burnt patches showing deep gouges of bloody scrapes. His eyes stared at the grey wall on the other side of the ambulance among the hanging tubes, bags, and wires a neutral frown on his dirty muzzle and his golden rings on his wrists were accompanied by silver handcuffs keeping him to the small chair.
In front of him on the bed was Scourge in worse condition than him, his ankles shackled to the bed as well. He regained consciousness with a jolt.
"WHOA!!" He jumped sitting up in the bed his ankle rattled the cuff as he frantically looked around and regained his surroundings. He looked at the handcuffs on his ankle and to Shadow still unmoved next to him and Sonic below sitting on the edge of the vehicle looking back at him with concern, his lungs burned from having breathing in the hot smoke, but he let out a raspy laugh, mixed with a fit of coughing he plopped himself back on the bed, "Why ain't he in handcuffs?" He asked turning to Shadow while pointing at Sonic.
"He's not a wanted criminal..." He answered with a slight smirk, "I've got a long record, recent charges and I'm around with the likes of you when the prez ends up being bombed. It might have been four years but nothin's changed all that much it seems."
"Oh hell ya! Stripes is gonna be my cellmate!! You'll look dazzling in a control collar Stripes. I'll show ya the trick to getting extra tater tots." Scourge said in sarcastic excitement.
"But you're innocent!" Sonic cut him off, "You were saving everyone!"
"Guilty until proven otherwise." Shadow answered dully, "That's how it works."
"Not this time." Rouge walked up to them with a key, "We have too many witnesses of your heroics to have you both locked away. As much as it burns me to say this, Scourge we have a portal for you to leave Mobius Prime, to wherever you'd rather be." She uncuffed the both of them. Sonic's friends slowly made it through as the crowd was being dispersed.
"SoNiC" Amy was a mess of tears and unable to be understood through her deep heavy sighs whines. Something along the lines of 'I'm so happy you're still here, and alive... and we'll finally get married?'
"What happens now?" Sonic asked as everyone had grouped together.
"Well, we'll need a leader now. Anyone want to run for president?" Towers teased.
"Why don't you run Commander?" Shadow looked up at him, "It'd be a laid back kind of job compared to the front lines you've been through."
"Eh, I don't know. M-maybe it wouldn't be impossible for me to... Sonic what about you?" He asked down to Sonic.
"Me? Oh no, I like running but not in that stuff. Besides I still have some things I have to get straight with myself, makeup for lost time with Tails, and do something with Amy to make her stop crying." He smiled looking at her as she giggled calming herself and wiping away tears.
"Hey!" Jet yelled pushing everyone aside, "You owe me a race, slow poke."
"Ugh Jet, I'm tired..." Sonic sighed, "Maybe tomorrow?"
"Fine, tomorrow. Don't you ditch me and blame your memory." He eyed him seriously.
"Promise, I'll remember, I'll be here." Sonic nodded.