Burning Slowly
"It's a beautiful morning, ain't it?"
She does not acknowledge this sarcastic remark; perhaps she never heard it. Perhaps she just chose not to reply.
The heat burns their skin, slowly. The smoke fills their lungs even slower; as they practically gasp for breath. It's been this way for days, but they appear already adapted to it.
They've survived similar things, maybe even worse things.
"Every day, the atmosphere is getting darker- I fear that soon it will collapse on us…"
"As much as I've heard the phrase 'sky falling' I don't think it will really happen, Blaze."
"Perhaps not. But something's going to fall on us, someday. I've been sensing this peculiar…feeling for awhile now. Do you feel it?"
He closes his eyes and lets the world around him burn for a moment, and stronger than ever feels the heat on his face. He realizes that he feels it, too- a dark, collapsing force that was otherwise indescribable.
"Yes, though I have yet to understand it."
She nods, solemnly.
His eyes now open, he watches the world- once filled with the familiar scent of blossoming flowers, the firm sway of oak trees, the coasts with glittering oceans, and the open, blue skies- now burning, smoldering, fading away. All into ashes of a world they once knew.
The smoke veils the once-blue skies, killing those who breathed it in too long. The flames-unquenchable- burn throughout the forests, throughout the cities, throughout the streets, burning with anguish and rage. Millions slain. Millions of acres ruined. Millions of hearts no longer hoping.
"It reminds me of my times with Silver."
"Your times with Silver?"
She remains staring out towards the broken land, unfeeling almost.
"I forgot that you cannot remember it all."
He watches her, and knows deep in his soul that she was born into these times. All this time- all her life- she had been fighting for this world and others. He knows that she's lived through timelines and paradoxes that he cannot fathom or recall- if he ever lived through them.
She is a wonder- she knows and remembers all these things but remains unhindered.
She is a force of nature. A war heroine. A soldier.
So many things more, he knows. But she'd never tell the whole story.
She knows that he is nothing to underestimate as well- he's survived almost as much as her, yet still lives with a smile on his face in the darkest times. Lives and not just survives as she does. It's almost like he's just a child, still naïve to the world. Like Silver was, she thinks, but it pains her to do so. She bears her scars strongly. Sonic- he bears them like an award, if not that than as evidence. Evidence of this life he has lived- he calls it an adventure. She calls it a battle.
He doesn't know it, but in her mind he is a marvel.
Not only that, but a companion. A sun beam in a storm-filled world.
They don't know it, but they keep each other going- each of them always mistaken that the other could do without them.
"I wonder how long this will go on?"
"It will be too long, that's for sure. But I'm not going down without a fight."
She raises her eyes, always unexpecting of his strong remarks. "A fight with nature…pfft, look at us, trying to conquer the world's forces."
He notices quickly the way her face has hardened, become more and more like a storm.
He brings his hand to her face, and turns it to face his. He smiles at her; hope that she had run out of suddenly supplied. She could carry on.
"Here." She drops the charred corpse onto the cave floor. "This is what I could find."
He laughs, the strangest noise she'd ever heard in all the apocalypses she'd ever lived.
"Aww, you even cooked it for me."
She for a moment is unsure of whether to roll her eyes or laugh, but she finally does the latter.
"In all my years, I have never seen anyone as unfitting as you."
"That's okay, right?"
He takes a make-shift fork and cuts the flesh as best he can. "Never thought I'd be a cannibal, either," he adds.
But as she sits down to eat, she pays no mind to this remark- drifting elsewhere. The fight with nature that they were both losing. The hope that they could survive the worst.
"Blaze."
She looks up at him, his cheeks full, shamelessly.
"We'll be okay."
She wishes that she could believe it- wishes she could tell him the same. But all in her mind is doubt. She almost tells him it won't be okay. She almost tells him that she can't believe his hopeful words anymore. She's lived a thousand lives- maybe died a thousand deaths. She knows more than this- but she remembers that he has, too. He's lived just as hard, just as rough as she has. It came down to two views- and she couldn't find which she would take.
So she smiles back- a façade to please him. He knows this.
The night was at its darkest moment- the moon being forsaken for days. She wakes up, hearing thunder rolling in the distance. In the lightning, she sees his form, standing outside in the burning air.
For a brief second, she fears he will throw himself over the edge of the cliff- where their cave was nearby- but then she hears him speaking to himself in a hushed voice-
"It will all be okay, someday. Someday these clouds will be just a memory. Someday we'll both be free again. Someday-" It was a reassurance. To himself, yes, but it reassures her- the way he says it confidently, no doubt in his voice.
She drifts to sleep again.
It's a heavy fight- fire falling around them, daring to consume them.
They run as fast as they can together- Blaze running through the fires, trying to clear them away from Sonic- Sonic running parallel to her, avoiding the flames.
"We're halfway through!" she shouts to him- reassuring him this time.
But this time something's different.
He is running out of breath- struggling to get enough air- and sweat pours down his body. Running any faster would be fatal- maybe even running any farther would be.
She comes to the realization that she might outlast him. She might have to be the last survivor.
In the midst of the flames, she stops. "Sonic- Sonic stop."
He immediately halts, heels digging into the burnt ground.
He pants, painfully. "I-"
"Sonic, you can't go any further."
He thinks for a moment, hoping the fire does not catch up.
"I think I can. Blaze, I can make it. Trust me."
She knows it is a lie.
"I'm not allowing it."
"But the fire-"
"I'll do my best to keep it away. Just walk."
He obeys, but even walking, he is dying.
They both know this, but only one of them acknowledges it.
The flames rage dangerously close- and Blaze can only keep them so far behind.
He can tell she is struggling, and he'll do anything to relieve her of the burden.
Even die from need of oxygen.
He runs, leaving her behind.
With a shout, she shoots forward, chasing after him.
It is easily done.
"Sonic, what are you doing?! You know you can't do this!"
"You know you can't hold back those flames forever."
She shakes her head at his persistence, knowing she can't stop him. "You are so stubborn."
"So are you," he coughs.
He can barely take two more miles. Deep within, he knows that his speed will kill him. And her flames will kill her.
The surroundings are bare, but the fire is long behind them.
He collapses onto the scorched earth.
"We made it," pants from his lips.
She kneels down beside him. "Will you be alright?"
She knows the answer, so he doesn't reply.
She sighs, greatly troubled.
"It's okay." Is all he can cough out, for a moment.
Unsure of what else to speak, she asks," You were talking to yourself a few nights ago, weren't you?"
"Yeah…you heard?"
"Yes. It encouraged me greatly, Sonic."
He smiles, weakly; barely musters the strength to do so. "I'm glad. Y-you believe it?"
She raises her eyes. A dying friend asked her to believe that someday everything would be okay?
"I-"
He pants," Don't answer if you don't want to."
She chooses not to, because she is still unsure.
He takes a heavy breath; she knows that the smoke is strangling him.
"Do not struggle with it, Sonic. Let go, I'll be alright."
"You….sure?" His face contorts.
"Yes." If it's best for you.
He gasps his last; soul fading from his body, going somewhere far off.
She watches his empty body for a few silent moments. Almost unable to bear herself.
She knows she couldn't have done anything- yet she wonders.
She knows its best for him- but she worries.
The fire that destroyed him, too much like the one inside of her. A curse with no cure.
She wants to scream, but keeps silent. Fearing she'll wake him from his sleep- away from her, from the battle, from the pain.
She wants to cry, but lets her emotions calm, dry. Because he's not coming back.
He's gone. Gone. He's gone.
She feels empty.
His words echo through her mind, and silent tears fall.
For Hieu Huynh ; a small gift.
I tried to write an angsty, Platonic Sonaze…I hope I did okay. This fanfic went through many phases….and I did try my best….I hope you like it, but tell me if you don't. :)