Chaos: Ok, this is a huge chapter, for the Mass Easter Update. Yay me! Five pages! Sorry about how mean Sonic is at the moment, we get to see more of his thoughts now. Don't kill me yet! (hides)
Flower: And thanks for all the reviews! I've got an average review count to rival Silver Lining… hooray! Now if I can just get added to one more favourites list I'll be on fifty… (laughs maniacally)… um, I mean, ignore that… review responses!
Super Metal Sonic – New reviewer! (glomp) Err, I mean… sorry, I'm prone to go crazy over getting new reviewers. I'm glad you like it so far!
Kirbs – Long time no see! I guess I haven't updated in a while… (shifty eyes) As for the story thingummy… the Five Stages, duh! I need to knooooow!
N.Harmonik – Ooh, ooh, I know… Greedy Useless Nitwits! Your turn again! (grin)
Tarem – Tan-tan-ta-raa! A five-page chapter! Come on, you can't complain to that… (pleading look)
Spawn – Did you change your name? Anyway… yay, glad you think so.
Yume Keki – Oh, it gets scarier. At the end. Which is about ten chapters away… (shifty eyes)
SonicRules12 – Oh, nonono, I wrote this about six months ago- (Had to think about that one… aargh, I wrote this ages ago!) -and I didn't mean to copy from you. If I did… did I? As for the plot… it gets better. In my opinion. (shifty eyes)
Rockchick1 – Yeah, I just love messing with Sonic's head! (grin)
Shade-the-Hedgehog – Well, I guess if it was all completely unpredictable people would get scared and forget stuff… still, you're right, this is a little predictable. For the moment. Not giving anything away, though! (I hope)
Celestial – (nervous laugh) Stop, you're embarrassing me! It isn't that great… but I'm glad you like it so much!
SoMe fan and dude – Am I a character sadist! Look at what I just wrote! (laugh) Anyway, I normally only do one story at a time, but I figured people would enjoy a wider choice. Most of the stories are finished already – it's finding time to update that's the problem. (sigh)
Kai the Tiger – Aaw, but cliff hangers are so much fun to write! They're my trademark. Along with the angst, the violence, the character torture…
SallytheRabbit – That's what I figured, but I wasn't sure if anybody else would agree, which is why I didn't post it for so long…
The Mouse of Anon – Nice name. Yeees, kill GUN! Well… not in this story. Not yet. Aargh! I'm giving away too much! (hides)
oracle apprentice – Aaw, thanks! You're the first person to say that! (grin) I'll try and update more.
Midnight – Yes, my Sonic is pretty violent… I wonder what he'd do if he found out what I'm going to do to him… (shudders)
Animefangirl – Well, I've updated both this and Silver Lining at once, and both bumper chapters! You should be happy… you are, right?
Chaos: So… many… reviews… I'm so happy! Thanks, and Happy Easter to you all!
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Far off, sitting on a flat rock, Sonic hid his face in his hands, elbows resting on his knees, and sobbed quietly.
He almost couldn't bear to hurt his friends, but what they had done to him...why oh why did they try to kill him? Why, why, why! The anger had left, for the moment, leaving him feeling hollow inside.
He had no friends, suddenly many more enemies, and nothing to do.
No, wait.
He had something to do. He had to find the others... they had all wanted to kill him. They would know he was alive now... why did they suddenly turn on him? What did he DO to make them so angry! He couldn't remember the events beforehand, could barely even remember the cliff now.
His desolation overcame him and he wept harder.
An hour later he ran out of tears. He got up stiffly; he would find the others, and deal with them. THEN he would decide what to do next. He knew already that Angel Island was nearby; it passed over every couple of months. He cast around the sky hopefully and, sure enough, saw a small black dot in the distance.
He stretched, took a deep breath, and then raced towards it.
Shadow had been journeying for a while, from place to place, endlessly surprised by what he saw. Earth was so...big. But, he had decided to return to Station Square now, and see what was happening to the others. Sonic would no doubt be off on another adventure – which he would prefer, as the blue hedgehog seemed to love taunting him whenever he got the chance – but he could drop by at Club Rouge and see how the bat was doing.
He was rounding one of the last hills at a steady 105 miles an hour, grass swishing past in a streak of green, when he saw the blue blur that was Sonic. He moved to the side, intending to breeze past; he did not intend to get dragged into an argument, though it looked as though Sonic was pretty focused – from the straight course he was travelling – and he might be able to slip past.
The blue streak moved to intercept him and he gritted his teeth in annoyance, but slowed down. There was no use trying to run now; Sonic would follow him for hours, just for the fun of it, matching his speed, racing ahead and trying to trip him up.
Perhaps he could just get it over with quickly.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Sonic almost shuddered to himself, and thought, do it quickly. Get it over with, and everything'll be ok. The anger was rising, though at the same time he felt miserable. It was almost as though the anger wasn't his... no, but that was stupid.
Shadow was slowing down. Good, he could finish it quickly. He sped up, trying to pick up on Shadow's emotions. Angry? Surprised? Worried? No, he just looked mildly annoyed. It was almost as if he thought he and Sonic were merely associates, still. It was like he had never grinned in the background as they swung him over the edge...
That part of the flashback was suddenly very clear, and the anger flooded him, drowning out all other feeling. He hurtled forward; saw realisation dawn on Shadow's face, just before he leaped forward, foot outstretched in a sliding kick.
In a second Shadow was gone, and he cursed. Damn, he was fast... why did he have to make it so difficult! He spun round in mid-air, struggling to change direction at the high speed he was travelling.
Fortunately surprise was still on his side, as Shadow paused to stare disbelievingly at him; the kick had been a deliberate attempt to harm, not just another attempt at annoying him. Sonic managed to skid to a stop and hurtled towards the hedgehog in the same movement.
With a crack his foot shot into Shadow's chest. He grimaced as pain shot up to his knee, but swung a fist round the second he landed. This double-attack was more than Shadow could handle, and he crashed to the floor.
Sonic leapt forward, hands outstretched, to have Shadow grab onto them in mid-air. He dropped, his feet on either side of Shadow's chest, as he pushed down and Shadow pushed away, their hands interlocked.
"Sonic, what on earth are you doing!" Shadow yelled, eyes slanting into an offended glare. Sonic ignored him, trying to push down harder. The anger gave him strength, and he was crushing Shadow to the floor.
He pushed down as hard as he could, driving his and Shadow's fists onto the black hedgehog's neck. Shadow began gasping for breath, still trying push him away. Sudden anger flared in his eyes; was Sonic trying to kill him? What was wrong with him? This wasn't just a match; Sonic was truly trying to hurt him.
Then he managed to swing his legs under, and kicked up hard into Sonic's stomach. Sonic was thrown back, hands still entwined with Shadow's, pulling them both to their feet. Shadow leaned forward, trying to stop Sonic from pushing him over again, and they were face-to-face.
"Sonic," he ground out, "What's gotten into you?" For the first time, Sonic replied, and spat,
"You tried to kill me!"
"What?" Shadow said, surprise flooding him and throwing off his focus. Sonic took advantage of the moment to press forward, and Shadow stumbled. As he lost his balance, Sonic placed one foot forward and swung back.
The black hedgehog went sailing over his shoulders with a cry of surprise. He landed with a thud on the grass, breath knocked away and too surprised to retaliate, and then something smashed hard into the back of his head and the world spun away into darkness...
Sonic held the rock over the unconscious Shadow's head again. It would be so easy... so why couldn't he kill him! Something he had said... and Tails and Amy... they had been so surprised... but the memory was so clear... but... but...
"Auuuuuugh!" he yelled in frustration, trying desperately to clear his mind. He dropped to his knees by Shadow's side, tugging his ears in frustration. His thoughts were too scrambled; something was seriously wrong here, with him... that anger was so unnatural...
Somebody's voice echoed in his head suddenly, as though by a godsend, "You've been here three days now..." The GUN officer had said. He knew that GUN did those strange experiments... suddenly everything started to click.
"Oh... God..." he whispered, suddenly recalling what Tails had said once. The vulpine was explaining about how Shadow's memory had been damaged when he was unfrozen, and he thought that perhaps GUN had meddled with it. He started talking about new technology and advances in science and Sonic had grown bored... but the thoughts remained.
But which of his memories were real! And what on earth was that anger that kept overriding his senses? He couldn't tell... had his friends really tried to kill him? The memory was so vivid, and all the other memories were fading... and he had the scars...
He was hyperventilating without realising, shock taking over. Then a shadow fell across him and he looked up automatically. The huge bulk of Angel Island was passing, far overhead.
He jumped up suddenly; Knuckles could help him! The anger was gone, but it would be back... he had to reach him quickly! But... how could he get up there? The island was passing incredibly quickly for something so large.
"KNUCKLES!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, knowing it was useless. Suddenly he remembered soaring up to the island, on the wings of a blue plane...
Within seconds he had reached Station Square again... he had even managed to break the sound barrier in his desperation; his thoughts were starting to scramble again. He ran straight to Tails' Laboratory, and managed to wrench open the plane hanger doors.
In seconds he had leaped into the main seat of the Tornado 2. A huge array of controls spread before him; Tails had changed the design a lot since the Tornado had been destroyed.
Frantically he jabbed at the controls, and the plane suddenly rocketed forward, sending him head-over-tail into the back seat. He scrambled forward quickly and grabbed at the only lever, yanking it down.
In a second the plane shot into the air, engines screaming at the harsh treatment. He jabbed at several more buttons, and managed to get the plane straightened out, and pointed towards the fast-approaching island.
Knuckles was pacing around the shrine, on the lookout. He was nearing Station Square and sometimes that bat girl would sneak onto the island, after the Emerald, just for old times sake. This was not amusing.
So, it was that he immediately saw the thick plume of black smoke that was the Tornado. It shot over the north edge of the island, engines howling in deafening protest, and he almost didn't recognise it. It curved forward, and then suddenly down to crash into the forest in a burst of flame.
With a yell of surprise and anger he vaulted down the steps and jumped into a glide towards the forest. The land blurred by beneath him, the wind on his side, and soon he broke off and dropped elegantly through the treetops into a leafy clearing.
No sooner had he landed then a rush of blue fur crashed into him. He fell backwards in surprise, cursing his forgetfulness in entering without checking the area, and then was suddenly hauled upwards by his shoulders. Sonic's fur was ruffled the wrong way, full of soot, and his eyes were wild.
Knuckles was more than a little shocked.
"Knuckles, when was the last time you came down to land!" Sonic asked desperately. Knuckles managed to stutter through his amazement,
"F-four months ago. At Christmas." He was completely unnerved by the blue hedgehog, who was normally so composed, and he barely knew what to do. Sonic eyes were rolling slightly, pupils far too dilated.
"No... no...," he muttered, "Not now... not here," Then his gaze switched back to the echidna, "Knuckles, you gotta help me! It's GUN, t-they've done something to me...for god's sake HELP ME!" He yelled suddenly, shaking Knuckles by the shoulders.
"SONIC!" Knuckles thundered, suddenly finding his feet and towering over the hedgehog. Sonic dropped to hands and knees, panting as he tried to pull himself together.
"S-Sorry...it's GUN...I dunno, they've done something...I keep getting so angry. My m-memory's going...Knuckles, help me!" he looked up pleadingly.
Knuckles tried vainly to hide his horror, and backed away a step, letting his judgement take over...a healing plant of some kind, that was what was needed. He muttered, "Stay here." and then dashed away.
His thoughts were in turmoil. What was so bad that Sonic would have piloted the Tornado, all by himself, up to island, to beg for his help? Sonic rarely willingly asked Knuckles for help, and never begged him for anything! He had enough pride to do something stupid, rather than that.
Knuckles quickly found the right plant, and dashed back. Sonic was kneeling right where he'd left him, shuddering and hugging himself. His eyes were glazed over slightly, and when Knuckles approached he didn't look up.
"Eat this," Knuckles said, proffering the green-and-white plant, "It'll make you better...I hope."
Sonic's head snapped up and he glared straight at Knuckles, eyes filled with hate. "Why should I! You tried to kill me!" he suddenly yelled, pupils staring straight past the echidna.
Calm, Knuckles thought to himself, be calm, it's just whatever drug GUN gave him, that's not really Sonic talking, he's- his thoughts were cut off suddenly as Sonic dived forward with a scream of rage, trying to get his hands around Knuckles' throat.
Knuckles let out a choked gargle as Sonic's hands locked round his neck, cutting off his air supply. Sonic's eyes blazed unnaturally into Knuckles' own as the echidna struggled.
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" the hedgehog screamed, attempting to bash Knuckles' head against the floor. Knuckles lost his temper and lashed out at the hedgehog, spiked knuckles creating a large gash diagonally across his face.
Sonic took no notice, bashing his head harder and harder against the earth, and his vision was swimming dizzyingly. His hands dropped to his sides, no longer responding, and just as he knew he would pass out he saw Sonic's eyes widen in sudden realisation...