Chapter 1

Drowned Ones

Authoress: Yes some very strange things are going to happen... some things will possibly (most probably) start freaking Sonic and the gang out. :)

Sonic: Help us please! Don't review her story! You'll only encourage her!

Shadow: You're just unhappy because once again, you are not the main character.

Sonic: At least I don't look like a emo and act like a goth.

Shadow: FAKER!!!!!!!

Authoress: SONIC!!

Disclaimer: Wee! Someone else is getting beat up this time!

Authoress: DISCLAIMER!!!!

Disclaimer: *dodges* WHAT DID I DOO....?!

Shadow: You should have kept your mouth shut.

Previous morning...

Rouge opened a crimson envelope sitting on top of her mail. "What's this?" She opened it, two dice fell out, they were red with black dots. She read the letter (it was the same as Shadow's). As soon as she rolled the dice and saw the dots turn to letters she freaked and stuffed everything back into the envelope, then tossed it into the fire. A black substance pooled from the fire as if it was blood, it rose into the air and became words.

You have chosen to hide

Very well

The game of life shall find you

And playing will be more painful

For those who refuse to play

Rouge barracaded herself in her room, then thought. "If Shadow's received this then I'll probably be safer with him, after all, even though I hate to admit it, he IS stronger than me." So she quickly packed her bags and left.

***

"Hey Sonic! There's a letter for the two of us!" "From who?" "Doesn't say." "It's probably Amy again, let's see what it says this time." They had received a crimson envelope. "Crimson? Amy usually sends a blue the colour of my fur." "Yeah, USUALLY. What if she has changed her tactics?" "Amy? Change tactics? That's a little impossible." Tails sighed, "Sonic, why do you think she won't change?"

"I dunno, 'cause I've never seen her do that?" Tails rolled his eyes, "Sonic, she changed for you." "Wot?" "SONIKUU!" Tails screeched in a passable imitation of Amy's voice, Sonic whipped around, eyes wide. Then saw no one, he looked back at Tails, "Oh Sonikuu, can we go on a date?" Sonic blinked. "Tails... are you alri..." "I am not Tails! I am Amy!" Sonic was about to run when Tails grabbed him. "Sonic, I was first using ventroloquism, then I just mimicked her voice. You seriously believed I was her?"

Sonic grinned sheepishly, "Um... yeah." "Seriously Sonic, you are almost as gullible as Knuckles when it comes to Amy." "Hey!" "Quit it, let's just open the letter already." "Sure!" Sonic opened it, the two dice tumbled onto the table, one was midnight blue with white spots, the other was dark orange with dark grey spots. "What the heck is up with Ames this time?" Asked Sonic, picking up a die, Tails read the letter aloud.

"Sonic, this doesn't sound like Amy..." "Meh, let's just try it anyway." Sonic tossed his, it formed a Y. "Cool! Toss yours Tails!" The fox sighed and complied, it formed a D. The note shimmered, then said simply.

You die.

"What?!" Tails grabbed Sonic and rushed upstairs, "What are you doing Tails?" "We're packing! We'll go stay with Shadow!" "I thought you were scared of him? And would I be allowed to race?" "I'm more scared of that letter than of Shadow, and no you may not! We'll have to stay inside where we're safe!"

Tails whisked them both out the door. The letter burst into flame then crumpled and became a pile of ash. The dice gleamed in the light of the lamp Tails had left on.

Afternoon the previous day...

Rouge was tired, "Flying the whole day to reach Shadow's mansion, why did he decide to live on a mountain?!" Someone, or something, crashed into her. She shrieked, "I don't want to die!" "Rouge?!" Rouge uncovered her face, "Sonic? Tails? What are you two doing here?" They hesitantly explained, "You got one too?!" "What, you mean you got a letter?" "Yes! Did yours say that it would be more painful to play the game of life if you refused?" "Nope it said 'you die'." Rouge shuddered.

"Let's get to Shadow's."

Evening at Shadow's house the previous day, thunderstorm....

Shadow's eyes opened and he sighed, someone was knocking on his door. Again. He got up and opened it, there were Rouge, Tails, and Sonic, soaked through, standing outside in a thunder storm. "What are you doing here Rouge? Tails?" Shadow took almost no notice of Sonic. "C...C....Can we come inside?" Rouge's teeth were chattering.

Shadow stepped to the side. They quickly staggered into the living room and collapsed in chairs. Shadow turned up the heat with a wicked smirk on his face, he left it there until they begged him to turn it down so it was comfortable. He complied with a grin. "So why are you here?" He asked. He was in the armchair closest to the fire, it also looked like it was the most comfortable.

"We... we.... we received....." Through the noise of the chattering teeth he could hardly hear anything, "Tell me tomorrow then." They were shown to their rooms and they collapsed, resolving to tell Shadow the entire story in the morning.

The next morning, around 10:00 in the morning...

"GONE?! What do you mean gone?!" Yelled Rouge frantically, Tails showed her the note Shadow had left.

I am guessing that you guys also received crimson envelopes with shifting letters in them, as well as a pair of dice. Mine were black with red dots if you are wondering, which you probably aren't. Mine told me to go to the Drowned Ones. The Drowned Ones is what the ruins of a town hidden in a forest is called. No one remembers it's original name. Apparently there is a statue of children in the middle of the town centre, and the fountain is always spouting water, even in intense cold it never freezes. I have gone to investigate. And for the love of the lord Rouge don't follow me! I'm sure there aren't any gems around.

Rouge sat, dazed, looking at the note. "No no no no no...." "Oh yes yes yes yes yes." "Shut it hedgehog!" Shouted Rouge. "Ouch." "We have to figure out what to do..." At that moment there was a knock on the door. Rouge cautiously went forward to answer it. "Knuckles! Chaotix! What are you guys doing here?"

"Um..." "Where's Shadow?" Vector asked. "Gone since this morning." "Oh um..." "You got letters too." "You mean we weren't imagining that funny red envelope that burst into flame?" Asked Charmy. "No, we obviously weren't, let's get inside and barricade the door!" Vector sounded panicked. "What about Shadow?" "He can just Chaos Control inside."

"And if something prevents that...?" "Good question, we'll figure that out when it happens." "Shadow where are you?"

***

At that moment Shadow was...

Authoress: FREEZE!

Disclaimer: WHAT NOW?! This is getting terribly long!

Authoress: Before all you people start to think he has a scimitar and is hacking through jungles in the same outfit Mr. Wonka was in in the Johnny Depp version of Charlie and the Chocolate factory, let me assure you Shadow was not.

Disclaimer: Did it even cross your mind they might not be thinking of that?

Authoress: *gasp* True! But now I have to wallop you for pointing that out!

Disclaimer: WHY ME...........?!

... quickly skating through a forest, the one he suspected Drowned Ones was located in. He'd come across quite a few ruins, but none that matched the description. Another ghost town appeared ahead, "Time to see if this is it." Shadow skated in and quickly stopped. This one was different, only doors and windows were askew, but there were no bodies, no blood, nothing else was ruined. There were small neatly built fires in the backyard of each house, and sparks still flickered in them. Shadow felt a tingling sensation, he looked, there was the fountain. The children looked like they were in pain, pleading to be given relief, their hands were raised. From their hands spouted water, as if someone had struck holes through their hands.

Shadow stepped closer, "So this is what Drowned Ones is." The children's faces were covered in water, were their mouths were open water pooled. Shadow looked at the letter.

Touch one.

Shadow blinked, "Touch one?" Uncertainly he reached forward. White exploded all around him, his eyes hurt, and his head felt like it was splitting open. He did not yell out though, he just fell to his knees holding his head, teeth clenched, seconds later he passed out.

The village is so sad... I wish Tommy and the others were still alive.... "We are alive Ivy, just.... not physically." "I want you to be physically alive again." A pale form of a fox ran towards her, "Ivy, Ivy, there's a hedgehog in the village. Who is he Ivy?" "I don't know, let's check it out." They found Shadow, collapsed in front of the fountain.

Ivy knelt, she touched his eyes then recoiled, "What's wrong Ivy?" Her spirit friends sounded alarmed. "He... his eyes burn. Quick, let's get him away from here." The spirits passed through Shadow enough times to make them solid enough to help carry Shadow to Ivy's hideout, it would last long enough only for that.

Shadow woke up feeling very bruised, his head was one big throbbing mass. "No I don't think he is awake." "When will he wake up Ivy?" "I have no idea Tommy." Shadow sat up abruptly and backed away as best he could. A female green hedgehog sat on a chair near the bed he was on, she had a look of surprise on her face. "Oh, you woke up sooner than expected." "Told you Ivy." Shadow stared at the see through hedgehog floating beside Ivy. "Who is that." He asked, his voice sounded calm.

"What? Who?" She looked. "You can see Tommy?" "Yes... why is that surprising?" "Well... he's a spirit and there aren't many people born with that power, you don't look like you've seen one before. You just got the power?" Shadow slowly nodded, "I guess so." "That explains it then. We'll leave you to clean yourself up, if you like. We'll be in the dining room." The fox ghost followed her out, the hedgehog one stayed. "I think I've seen you before." His voice echoed a little. "I don't think I've seen you."

"You look... you look like my Dad." "Oh?" "Are you married?" "No. I never have been." Tommy fell silent, he guided Shadow to the bathroom and Shadow quickly washed up while Tommy floated on the water, chin in hand. "You act like my father too." Shadow looked at him, "What?" "You act like my father, you look like him, you sound like him... but... you aren't him. You say that at least." "Well I'm not! I have never had a relationship with anyone but...." "Maria from the ARK?" Shadow stood stock still, "How do you know about Maria?" "My Dad talked about her a lot, always drove my Mom nuts. She kept on asking if he loved her or not, he would always say yes, but say he still missed Maria. So Mom left and then They attacked..."

"They? They who?" "Those black and red monsters. Dad told me to run but I couldn't, Dad had blood pouring out of him, I tried to stop it but I was hurting a lot, then I noticed my body falling over Dad's... his spirit flashed and dove into mine... I think that's why I'm a ghost, he didn't want me to die so he gave me the choice of when I wanted to leave this world. Ivy is the only one who wasn't killed. She was out picking flowers for us all."

"But I didn't see blood anywhere." "Ivy cleaned it up. She cried for two days straight then became herself again, just a little more mature. She seems so lonely these days. I wish I was still physical so that I could comfort her the way I used to." Shadow then took a close look at Tommy, he had dark blue fur, black hair, pale grey eyes, and he had freckles. Unusual.

"Tommy? Shadow? Are you two in there?" Ivy was knocking on the door. Fitz floated through the door. "They're here Ivy." "What are they doing?" "Having a chat by the looks of it." "Oh shut up Fritz." A ghost rock appeared in Tommy's hand and he tossed it at Fritz. Shadow blinked, "Ghost rocks? That's lame." "No it isn't, rocks have lives too. Fritz didn't believe it at first, but I did easily. I had a pet rock before I died. It's name was Orvo." "Hmm... well let's go before Ivy investigates further." Said Shadow.

During the middle of brunch Shadow realized something, his hand flew to his quills, "I have your letter here." Ivy handed it to him. It now said;

Good, you have gained the power to see and hear spirits

As well as talk to them.

The next platform will be reached by finding the other receivers

And making them go to the locations their dice will reveal to them

They need to see spirits too

Shadow blinked. "Rouge was pretty scared. So was that Faker Sonic. Tails was too..." "Who's Rouge?" "Hmm?" "Is she your girlfriend?" "HELL NO! We're just allies. That's all. THERE ISN'T ANYTHING ELSE." Ivy blinked innocently then smiled, "Okay Shadow."

"Hey, I never told you my name, how do you know it?" "I guessed your name was the same as my Dad's." Said Tommy, raising a hand, the chair back was facing the table and Tommy was sitting on it that way, chin rested on the top and hands loosely holding the two knobs at the top. "Your Dad's name was Shadow too?" "Yeah, but Mom said he had anger management problems. I don't think you do." "That would be Knuckles." Said Shadow before he could stop himself. "Knuckles the Echidna? You know Knuckles?"

"Yeah why?" "Knuckles used to visit all the time, then he stopped and crimson letters started appearing. A girl called Amy Rose received the first apparently. She died." Said Fritz. Shadow was suddenly on his feet, "WHAT?!" "Do you know her Shadow." "I damn well do! She doesn't deserve to die, even though she can be a little annoying."

"Shadow? Would you try something for us?" "What?" "Would you... try to become a spirit for a little while?" "What do you mean a little while?! I'd be a spirit forever if that happened, and I'm immortal." "No no no, what they are referring to is the fact that some spirit viewers are able to transform into spirit for a short while." "They want me to try that?" "Ivy can't. She tried." Shadow sighed, "Alright then."

Authoress: YAYYYYYY!

Shadow: I don't see what's to laugh about.

Disclaimer: She has successfully made us all look ridiculous.

Shadow: True.

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.