Earthquake
Author's Note-ShadAmy (Shadow and Amy) was requested by Guest.
Panic-striken screams and ear-piercing squeals filled the air, as millions of startled anthropomorphic animals hurtled in all directions, desperate to uncover any kind of protective shelter.
An extremely unexpected earthquake had suddenly occurred, and as precipitous blocks of flats helplessly collapsed to produce steaming mountains of crooked bricks, and bulking lorries were sent whizzing through the air, forming towering flames upon impact with the ground. Detestable corpses were scattered throughout the tense atmosphere, and the suffocating survivors mourned over them to eventually join them.
"AMY!" shrieked a petrified voice. It was a scar-faced ebony hedgehog with slick red streaks along his five quills, torn white-gloved hands with rusty gold rings around his shivering wrists, and filthy red and white hover skates for shoes: Shadow.
Sprinting through the bloody streets, Shadow's crimson eyes hastily scanned the grief-striken area for one particular individual he had spared the previous several minutes searching for: Amy.
Never before had Shadow felt so frightened, so sorrowful, or so anxious in all his life. Forever, he had been the brooding loner, who showed no one even the slightest bit of mercy, and always desired time on his own. This sickening earthquake had altered all of that.
Waiting impatiently at a trembling shelter were Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Cream, Vector, Espio and Charmy, all looking rather downcast.
"Why the heck are we STILL here? We should be out there helping people!" bellowed Knuckles, smashing his spiked fists together in fury. Rouge shot him a death glare.
"What, and end up killing ourselves as well in the process, before we can even get them into a shelter!" argued Rouge, turning her back to everyone in disgust.
"I agree with Knuckles, and what's even worse about this situation, is that we just let Shadow go out there all on his own to search for someone who's probably dead by now…infact, Shadow might be dead now!" shrilled Vector. Sonic evil-eyed him.
"Shut up! Amy's NOT dead, and neither is Shadow! You and Knuckles are the ones who are making all of this worse by biting our heads off, perhaps if you two would calm down, everyone would feel better!" wailed Sonic.
Espio nodded. "I agree with Sonic, though we may feel useless and depressed, it is best to contain our emotions, instead of letting them escape and causing large amounts of doubt among ourselves."
"Plus, Shadow is an immortal, so there's no way in a million squillion years he could die…right guys?" affirmed Charmy, sounding quite uncertain.
"Shadow is a reliable person, who won't quit until he achieves his mission! I'm sure he will find Amy!" confirmed Tails. Everyone, minus Sonic, nodded their heads in agreement.
"I hope you're right…" sighed Sonic, staring with watery eyes into the misty distance.
"Where IS she? I hope I'm too late!" panted Shadow, dodging lightning-shaped cracks, which were forming across the ground. Even though he was immortal, the chances of surviving this horrific catastrophe were slim, even immortals perish during earthquakes.
Although Shadow had been requested by Sonic and the others to abandon their shelter and search the vandalised streets for Amy, he had willed to do so in the first place.
Believe it or not, he admired Amy, as it was she who convinced him to join Sonic and his friends to fight against Doctor Eggman to protect the Earth, when he had worked alongside the latter. Without her, he would never have become the heroic hedgehog he was known as at the moment…and he would have betrayed his deceased best friend: Maria.
For some odd reason, every time he noticed Sonic and Amy deeply embracing in a loving hug or a passionate kiss, he always felt severe pain and blazing frustration consuming his heart…like he felt madly jealous of the two being star-crossed lovers…maybe he was.
Firstly, he had always imagined Rouge to be the one he truly cherished in his black heart…but she was already dating Knuckles, despite past fights between the two. The only other person he could ever think about or bother protecting was Amy, but why? Why was he so attracted to this young hedgehog? Does she just turn him on? Shadow would never know, since she had always expressed romantic feelings for Sonic…how Shadow loathed that hedgehog and his cockiness!
Returning to the present, Shadow felt the atmosphere testifying by the second, as he entered the dizzying heart of the earthquake. Now he was terrified. Suddenly, to his ultimate relief, he heard a familiar voice squeal his name.
"SHADOW!"
"AMY?" called Shadow back, glancing desperately around him. Amy sounded as if she was in shocking pain.
"OVER HERE!" barked Amy, waving from a scarlet mini car, which had landed on top of her, crushing her legs.
Speeding over to her, Shadow gasped in terror, as he saw ocean-deep cuts sliced across her stained-with-blood face, and swollen bruises threatening to cover up her eyes.
"Amy…" fretted Shadow, his heart sinking into the depths of his turning stomach. Amy smiled ever so weakly, each inch of her body was quivering in fear.
Kneeling down, Shadow carefully took her outstretched hands in his, stoking his fingers along her own…and kissing them, (not caring that they were dripping with blood).
"I-I…I can't believe you're here!" gurgled Amy. Shadow smiled warmly at her.
"I could never leave you to die, never!" he acknowledged, stroking her hands against his furry face. He couldn't believe he was acting like this.
"Sh-Shadow…thank you for looking for me, but you must go! You won't be able to move this car off my legs, and even if you do, my legs will have broken, so you'll have to carry me and that would just slow you down! You must save yourself!" advised Amy, her head dropping to the floor.
"Forget it, I'm not leaving you here! I am releasing you from this car and carrying you to the closest shelter I can find, if you don't want me to, it's just tough!" scolded Shadow, releasing her hands and pressing his flat hands against the side of the car.
With as much strength he could muster, Shadow pushed the car…but most of his energy had already been drained from his attempts to save himself, and he was weak. The car never budged.
Backing away, he charged towards it at full speed, ramming into the side of it…and to his delight, it toppled over on to its side, freeing a relieved Amy. However, when he went to lift her up, he yelped in pain and collapsed to the ground…he had broken his arm.
Scrambling to his feet, Shadow grabbed Amy by her dress collar with his other arm, and tossed her over his shoulder as someone would with a sack.
Hearing Amy hiss his name numerous times into his ear, Shadow zoomed back along the street, praying it wouldn't take him long to reach Sonic and the others. He had to get Amy back to them.
Shadow felt overjoyed that he had found Amy still alive, though she was in severe pain. He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if she had died; that would have caused him too much grief.
Just then, the ground shattered beneath his feet and he fell on to his front, dropping Amy next to him and sending the air out of her lungs.
As he reached out to touch her arm in comfort, something unbelievably heavy landed on his back, and he screamed in agony as he felt his spine snap in half. This was it, he was trapped. There was no way either of them could get to safety now.
Sobbing bitterly at his defeat, Shadow smashed his fists into the ground and bawled out the most impolite curse words at the top of his voice. He had failed everyone, especially Amy.
Feeling his legs start to turn numb, he flinched when he felt something gently touch his hand. Peering over, he saw that Amy had used the last of her strength to shuffle over to him, so she could place her hand on his.
"Shadow…if we're gonna die…we die together."
Tears streaming down his emotional face, Shadow wrapped his trembling fingers around Amy's, treasuring each second which passed. He had never felt so happy in all his life, even though he was on the brink of death.
Breathing her final breaths, Amy gasped, "I never got to say…but…I love you…". Then her head hit the floor and her eyes gazed ahead, unblinking…she was dead.
Feeling his heart tear, Shadow screamed into the roaring skies above, feeling his skin heat up and his muscles expand tremendously. All this time, Amy had not loved Sonic, but in truth loved Shadow, and he had always thought it had been the other way round. At least he had spent his last moments with the one person who loves him. This was how he intended his life to end.
Picking up a bent metal pole, which happened to be lying in his reach, Shadow thrashed the latter against his head, feeling his skull smash into a million pieces, and then he did it once more…the result, his head hitting the ground and his arms dropping at his sides.
A beautiful world…where flowers blossom to unleash their fragrances beneath the golden sun, and the creatures scurry happily in freedom. Where the soothing air brushes skin like the slightest touch of the most delicate finger, and the grass perform so many mexican waves in harmony.
"Shadow…". Ruby eyes opened to behold a tall girl with short blonde hair, aqua eyes, a blue dress with matching slippers, and the silkiest white skin imaginable. "Maria…". The girl rushed up to Shadow and threw her skinny arms around him, pressing him against her warm body in a loving embrace.
"Oh god…I thought I'd never see you again, thank the lord!" she cried. Shadow nuzzled his head into her chest like a pony.
"My beautiful sister, how I have missed you all these years! Being immortal is a curse, when you are forced to live while the ones you love die in front of your eyes!" complained Shadow. Maria placed her finger under Shadow's chin and tipped his head back so he could look into her eyes.
"I love you…" she whimpered.
"Love you more…" he gasped, feeling her hands stroke his waist. He leant back and allowed her to raise him off the ground, moaning softly as she sent kisses down his neck.
"Shadow?" asked a puzzled voice. Shadow turned his head to the side to see a tearful Amy.
"Amy!" he exclaimed, springing out of Maria's arms and running up to her. But before he could hug her, she held out a hand to him, indicating for him to stop.
"You…love her?" weeped Amy. Shadow felt broken.
"Of course I do! She's my sister, but I love you too, as my girlfriend!" said Shadow.
"Girlfriend?!" she spat. "In your dreams, you lying scum!", running off in revolt.
"No! Please! Wait! Amy!" yelled Shadow, following her.
Amy slumped down on a tree stump and cried her heart out. How could Shadow ever fall in love with Maria, when she had told him that she herself loved him? It made no sense.
"Amy…" breathed Shadow, walking up towards her. Amy narrowed her eyes at him.
"Stay away from me!" she warned, coldly. Shadow payed no attention and knelt beside her, stroking her quills.
"I…I love you, and you just go and have an affair with HER? You're evil!" she sobbed.
"Shh, it's okay, Amy. Maria is my sister, I've not seen her for over fifty years…do you know how much that stings? I'm so glad to see her at long last, we were just having a loving moment to celebrate us being back together, that's all! Please Amy, I love you too…you are my girlfriend, after all!" explained Shadow. Amy smiled at him.
"Alright, I'm sorry, Shadow. I-I don't know what came over me! I'm sorry!" apologized Amy. Shadow shook his head.
"Don't apologize when you've done nothing wrong!" he said.
Amy was about to speak, when he pressed his lips on her's and wrapped his arms around her body, embracing her. Amy closed her eyes and forced her tongue into his mouth to meet his.
As the sun rises every morning and sets each night, they are still kissing till this day.