Chapter 1
Hear the Sound, Feel the Pain, Take a Breath
I was alone with no substance, everything was black, to the walls, floor, and ceiling. I couldn't tell if I was sitting, standing, or laying down.
Nor could I distinguish up from down to left from right and all around.
The only thing my senses could pick up was the constant beating of something alive and a tugging sensation all over my body.
The noise had been quite at first, but as the feeling withdrew, the sound became shrill as if a time bomb was place next to my ear, counting down.
I began to squirm uncomfortably, placing my gloved hands over my highly sensitive ears.
I found myself whining as I became aware of pain shooting up my spine. My body's temperature suddenly shot up, feeling as if I was placed in a oven.
The feelings and sounds soon became unbearable and I opened my mouth to cry out when a heavy weight suddenly crashed down on my body.
After that, I felt tired, a creeping numbness crawling all over as I relaxed from the trauma that had taken place.
"Shadow." I twitched at the name, unable to understand who's it was, but it seemed so familiar.
The girl called out again using the same address as before, this time I shuddered, feeling something cold touch my shoulder.
I flinched away when I felt something caress my cheek, the coldness leaving my shoulder and warmth filling me inside and out.
As I became fond of the touch I began to recognize the feeling of the material. A glove? A breath of warm air hit my ear, making it twitch from the sensation.
It soon became apparent to me that the air was forming into a word. I listened carefully trying to pick up the soft sound of the whisper passing into my ear.
The name came again, however this time, realization hit me like a rock smashing into my face, I am Shadow, Shadow the Hedgehog. The sound came again, only this time it was accompanied by another sound. This other noise was the beeping of a machine, evenly beeping with the beats of a heart. Suddenly something moist washed over me, the other sensations retreating leaving me with the new sounds and soaking feeling of a watery substance.
At first I felt as if I was floating, but as my fur soaked up the liquid, weight was added on and I began to feel as if I was sinking.
Soon I found myself surrounded in the feeling of being swallowed by the drenching substance. At first I felt relaxed and calm, the feeling of weightlessness soothing my panic from before.
But I soon became aware of the lack of oxygen in my lungs and opened my mouth to breathe.
Instead of the expected relief of needed air flowing down my wind pipe, a rush of liquid crashed down my throat making me choke.
My eyes flashed open for the first time in a long time to soon be stung by the substance surround me.
Closing my eyes in pain, I tried to open my mouth again but found myself clamping it shut to only have it burst apart again trying to suck in air.
Once again my eyes flickered open, everything a blur of deep blue and…
Bubbles?
The first thought flashed past my mind like a memory.
A cylinder tank, filled with liquid and something or someone inside it, cords and other similar equipment attached to it's form with a breathing mask over it's mouth.
As if on instinct I moved my arms out to try and feel for glass but only felt more liquid.
Water, a body of water, a lake, a ocean.
I burning feeling erupted in my thought, casing me to hunch over and again gasp for air that wasn't there.
Drowning.
Realization hit and I found myself thrashing in attempt to swim up, hoping there was a surface to break.
I soon remembered how to properly swim, sending myself rushing upwards faster then before.
It all hit me like a hurricane, knocking the breath out of me when I had finally emerged from the surface of a huge ocean.
Images began to flash rapidly through my mind fast enough to confuse anyone but the one who truly saw them for what they where.
Memories.
The ARK, Maria, Earth, G.U.N, Eggman, Sonic…
I looked up into the night sky and found myself gazing in shock.
Hundreds flakes of light drifted down from the sky like snow in winter.
Voices whispered passed my ear as I bobbed in the vast body of water, matching memories recently made.
"Maria.", I whispered her name softly as if the name itself was fragile enough to break if spoken to loudly.
A feeling of lethargic swept over my brittle body as sleep began to pass over me. The only thought left in my mind before passing out was, I survived.
I survived…
I survived…
…
…
"Don't worry Shadow. Everything is going to be O.K.", I felt something tightly grip my hand.
'Where am I?' I opened my eyes slowly to only have them tightly shut again when light pierced my pupils and something seeped into my right eye.
"Don't worry, They'll fix you up in no time." came the voice again.
'They?' I could feel wind pass through my quills and over my form.
I was laying down.
I used my other hand that wasn't enabled to feel around.
A cloth, blanket?
I gripped the material, furrowing my eyebrows.
I then felt myself being turned rapidly and pushed forwards through from what I could tell some doors, hearing the noise most doors made when swung open.
Once I became aware that I had stopped moving, I opened my eyes to the dim lighting of a room with no color, taking notice that I could only see half of what I should be really seeing. The only thing that stood out from the bland coloring of the room was the vase full of roses and the form of a blue hedgehog hunched over on a seat nearby.
I could feel air pressing lightly on my lips, finally noticing the oxygen mask over my mussel.
A hospital…
I glanced over to my left to see the tank pumping oxygen, giving off the sound of compacted air being pumped into my mask and a grey pole holding up an I-v.
My ears switched at a beeping sound coming from the machine on the right side of the bed I resided in.
Slowing turning my head in the direction of the noise, more so then I did before having only one eye to look through.
I caught a glimpse of a red line flicker on the screen, doing so at a constant pace.
I felt heavy and tired to the point of passing out, however I forced myself to stay awake.
The eyelid dozily opened moved it's attention onto the resting form of the world's renown hero, Sonic himself.
I focused my tired gaze as much as I could to get a good look at his condition.
He seemed pretty beat up, showing scrapes and crusty patches of fur from dried up blood.
I couldn't help but smirk a bit, 'He came out of it pretty well'.
I found myself slowly shifting, scanning my own body to see the damage I was caused.
From what I could tell, I was completely bandaged up to my neck and down to my hips.
And from what little feeling I had left, I could guess that one of my eyes had a patch over it, explaining the reason why I could only see out of one eye.
I couldn't feel my legs or arms but from what I saw, they where still attached.
I could only sigh at the sight of my weak state, glancing back to Sonic once more.
"Why couldn't you let me go" I whispered through my mask as my activity began to take it's toll. I soon passed out, welcoming the darkness of sleep.
"Maria… This what you wanted, right?"
...
I found myself drifting away from the ARK as the power of chaos drain from my form.
The once golden coat of being Super trailing off, leaving only my normal black fur behind.
The tugging sensation became increasingly dangerous as I was pulled downwards towards earth faster.
I could feel myself getting cold to the point of freezing, the true temperatures of space taking affect.
Having no energy left to keep me from being dragged down by earth's gravitational force, I allowing space itself to swallow me whole.
My eyes began to close shut when suddenly someone called out my name. My eyes snapped open when I recognized the voice.
Sonic.
I could see his golden coat fading into azure as he reached his arm out for me to grab.
My eyes narrowed as I swiped his hand away, "Don't even try!" I yelled. "I have done my share of work here", I shouted, giving him a half hearted glare, "I have nothing left, however, for you it's quite the opposite ".
I saw his eyes widen in shock and sorrow, flinching away from my reasoning. But of course, that wasn't Sonic's true nature, bouncing back to his stubborn and hero-like nature.
"I can't leave you to die when I know I can still save you!" he barked back. "And what do you mean you have nothing left! What about everyone back at the ARK?" his next words had me wavering.
"What about us?" he choked out, not letting his emotions overwhelm him to the point of tears.
I closed my eyes as if irritated by his actions, but when I opened them again, I gave him the most sympatric look my weakened state would allow.
"You can't save me, your too weak." I stated out flatly, catching the other hedgehog off guard. "You only have enough energy to get yourself back to the ARK, you couldn't possibly drag me back with you in your state." I could see his eyes glisten with moisture.
The other began to open his mouth when I swiftly cut him off, taking notice the little amount of time left before the point of no return.
I grabbed his arm roughly, bringing him close, are noses rubbing light against each other.
"Leave me be." I whispered giving him one last hard look before using all of what energy I had left to blast him backwards, far enough away from the gravity pull that was insuring my crash to earth.
I could feel a burning sensation crawl up my back and the smell of smoke reaching my nostrils as I was shoved back towards the earth's atmosphere.
The fast rate I was going ripping at my body and burning my raven fur.
I smiled at the memories of Maria, the thought of her numbed the intensifying agony of physical pain.
I took one last look at the ARK before whispering my last words, "I did this… for you".
…..
I finally let go, letting the sorrow spill out as I had watch him fall to earth. However the thing that got me most was the fact that he was right, if I had tried saving him, I just would have been dragged down with him, just dead weight.
Weak.
My fist tightened to the point of it tearing at my glove. I yeaning for someone to reassured me that everything was going to be alright, that he might survive.
I self consciously smacked myself for letting my emotions get to me, I was a hero.
Hero's were supposed to be the supporters not the supported.
I then felt something smooth graze my shoulder, I turned my glassy emerald eyes to catch the glimpse of something dimly shine past my vision.
I squinted my eyes to focus on the object floating towards the blue planet below.
My eyes widened and I found myself shooting forward to grab it.
It was one of his power ring…
I had snatched it just before it began to drift towards the plant's gravitational force and begin it's plummet down to earth just like it's owner.
Gently, I brought it up to my chest, holding it tightly as though afraid it might slip away. "Shadow…" I whispered before turning, the ring held securely in my hand's grip.
Although giving off a look of determination, he let a tear slip down his cheek onto the ring's shining surface.
"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog".
…...
I clapped and cheered, letting tears of joy spill out of my shining eyes.
They did it.
They saved the planet.
I ran outside my apartment along with some other people who had also came out to celebrate the assurance of their safety.
I smiled as a little girl next to me began to jump up and down, trying to catch the descending spots of light.
Suddenly a flare of light flashed past my parental vision.
I swiftly turned my head to catch the sudden cause of bright light to see something like a falling star cross the sky.
My eyes locked onto it's path until it crashed into the ground, creating a loud explosion in the distance.
I turned to see if anyone else had noticed this occurrence, but everyone seemed oblivious except for the girl next to me who had suddenly stopped her childish actions and looked around, apparently also hearing the noise as well.
I quickly ran to my car, starting it and imminently sped off towards the crash.
When I arrived, I was in shock, staring at the sight of the enormous crater.
Flames were everywhere alighting the landscape, making the scene seem even more chaotic.
And there, in the middle of it all, a smoldering form lay curled up in the dirt.
…...
...To be continued...
Authors Note:
I know this is probably really confusing to you but bare with me… You'll see what I have in store. =) Also sorry about being so inactive, just got back from Comic-Con. It was really fun. 030 I dressed up as Shadow! Anyways, I will continue the other story, 'A Trip To Paradise' but for now, I might focus on working more for now. But I promise I will try and update more before I have to go back to school. BTW, this hasn't been checked so if you see any grammar mistakes or other errors in this, please let me know.
Review and Rate please. *w*