"No, you're not in a different dimension, nor a separate universe. This is still Mobius, just about a century into the future. Don't ask me how it turned out like this, because I'm not so sure myself. Of course it was an apocalypse of a massive scale, but no one knows exactly what happened. I guess we're just lucky to have survivors." Shadow sighed as he put his arms behind him, interlocking his hands on the nape of his neck. "Okay, questions. Go ahead and throw them out."
"Umm, well my first question is...Eggman. Before I woke up," Sonic saw Shadow's look of confusion, knowing he probably had questions as well. "I'll explain later. Anyway, before I woke up out of that tank, I remember Eggman coming to us one day and announcing a new plan; one that he said was different. As for the week after that, though, everything is vague and blurry. I mostly just remember destruction and screams, but definitely not stuff of this caliber."
The black hedgehog looked up at the gray sky, thinking for a moment. "Hmm...I..kind of remember that week. Not very well though. It's almost as if...it's blocked. Or at least that's what it feels like. As you very well know, I have a lot of practice trying to regain memories, so this is new for me."
"Well, damn. There go my hopes for an explanation." Sonic blew raspberries in minor frustration. "Okay, next question. Where is everyone? And why did I wake up in a cryogenic tank?"
"Oh, but this is where you cross over into my questions. But let me explain first. I, too, woke from a cryogenic tank, but I think I woke at least a few years before you did. I'm not sure though, seeing as I can't exactly determine time as well as I could before all this."
Sonic glanced at Shadow in surprise. A few years? Damn, now I see why he was so happy to see me. The black hedgehog caught Sonic's look and, almost as if he had read his mind, nodded in pensiveness.
"But anyway, through those years, the only thing I was set on doing was finding you guys. That, and figuring out what happened to make the world like this. I traveled to many cities asking around, hoping for some scrap of news. But it seems that everyone else was doing the same. It looks like no one really remembers what happened a century ago, and I only know it was a century ago from a document I happened upon one day. Unfortunately, it didn't go into detail. But yeah, that's been my mission recently, just finding documents or any kind of knowledge wherever I could."
"The whole time though, I was always afraid that...somehow you guys had died. Because whenever I talked to locals about us, they would either not know what I was talking about, say that we were all dead, or speak of us as if we were some kind of legend. That's why they treated you like that in the square, and why I always keep my hood up now. Though I guess that's to be expected. We haven't really been around for at least a good century. Or at least that's what I'm assuming, since you're the only one I've found so far."
"Makes sense, I guess." Sonic laid his hand on Shadow's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Shads, we'll find them. Remember, you have me now." Hearing that, the black hedgehog smiled slightly. "Ok, now onto my story." Sonic launched into his story of the past events leading up until Shadow had grabbed him in the street.
"So you're telling me that you broke out also? Hmm. There seems to be a pattern here."
"What, you broke out too?"
"Yes, and I think I now know why we did. I have a theory that somehow the machinery in the tanks malfunctioned, maybe that's why we broke out instead of just being released. And it also explains why I broke out before you. It was just chance really."
"So...do you think the others might also be in tanks as well?"
"It depends. They might not have been placed in a cryogenic state like we were, but I'm hoping they were."
Sonic frowned, thinking of all the possibilities. God, they might not have even...they might not even be alive now. He saw a look from Shadow, saying that he understood the pain of uncertainty. The blue hedgehog swallowed down a lump in his throat. No use getting worked up if we're not even sure yet. Just ask another question. "Hm. Well, if we broke out early, then how long do you think those machines were built for?"
"Who knows. But we've got to collect some evidence to back up my theory. Let's go back to your location and look around, see if we can find anything pertaining to the situation."
"Okay, but I've still got one more question." Sonic stated as he and Shadow got to their feet, Sonic picking loose rubble out of his fur. The black hedgehog nodded in his direction, indicating he was ready to answer.
"Why do you think we were in tanks in the first place?"
Shadow paused, thinking. "Well, obviously someone wanted us to last for a very long time. I'm just not sure how long, or who." He sighed. "Let's not worry about it now when we have no information. Focus on the task at hand."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Okay, let's go, I'll lead the way. I just hope I can remember where it is."
Deciding not to go through the city again, the pair ran a half circle around the outskirts of the city until they reached a road that Sonic faintly recognized. Snow dusted the sand so that the road underneath was barely recognizable. Sonic looked in the direction the road led, remembering the faint outline of mountains in the far distance.
"Yep, that's where we're going. The mountains. Looks really snowy from here. Wish I had a coat with me, I'm getting shivers just looking at them." Looking in the distance, he also noticed that the sun was sitting low in the sky.
"Uhh, Shadow, it's going to get dark soon."
"So?"
"We don't have anywhere to stay..."
"Oh, I forgot, you just got here. Yeah, in the wasteland, we make camps."
"But..." Sonic gestured to the city, mouthing the word 'civilization'.
"Hmph, you don't want to take your chances with other people, trust me. In a world like this, you take care of yourself." Shadow remarked with a blank expression as he started walking off the gravel and into the snow, then stopped and looked back at Sonic. "Come on, we can't linger here. There's too much to be done."
Taking one last look at the sky and fixing his belt, Sonic ran up to Shadow, walking backwards so he could face him. "Sooo...wanna race?" He asked with an innocent little grin.
Shadow stared at Sonic as if he had just asked him to eat a moose. Then suddenly he broke out into a smile. "Oh what the hell. Why not." He said gallantly as he picked up his speed, skating past Sonic and trailing melted snow in his wake.
Sonic spread his arms and adopted a face of mock surprise. "This is what I get as a homecoming present?" The hedgehog shouted into the air as he picked up his feet and ran. He caught up to Shadow in 3 seconds flat, sticking out his tongue at the other, who smirked and picked up his speed. Tongue lolling down his chin, he pouted momentarily then picked up his speed until he caught up with Shadow again. "You gonna actually try? You're making me yawn."
"Sonic, I've had all the time in the world to run around. You want speed? You got it." With his shoes actually trailing fire, Shadow zipped through the snow, leaving Sonic drenched in the freezing water.
"Oh, now that's just rude." He shook himself off as best he could, not expecting the onslaught. "That's..actually much faster than usual. Wow. Okay. Still can't touch this though." Giving a small battle cry, he yanked out his inner speed demon and darted down the road after Shadow.
Sonic was nearly caught up with him, just a few yards behind. In a couple seconds he was right behind him. He looked up from watching his feet and was shocked to see the mountains so close. They were going faster than he originally thought. "Hey Shads, we're almost there! Let's see who's the better man!"
They were nose to nose, glancing at each other every few seconds. The mountains loomed ever closer, and soon they were close to a mock finish line; a space between two clusters of rocks. They thundered through the space in a cloud of snow, dust, and God knows what else. They eventually came to a stop, Shadow cleanly making a 180 and digging his skates into the snow. Sonic toppled head over heels, his body not used to going at that speed.
"Heh, guess there's a first for everything." Shadow smirked as he saw Sonic attempt to pull his head out of the snow. "I'm sure I won."
"It's not my fault I've been sleeping for the past 100 years. Even I don't run in my sleep." He said smartly after he finally pulled his head out. "And no, I'm pretty sure I won."
"Uhh, Sonic."
"You may have gotten more practice than me, but I'm still the fastest damn thing on earth." He said, ignoring Shadow and going off on a tangent while wiping the snow out of his face.
"Sonic, listen to me."
"Besides, you never really had a chance anyway, I always-"
"SONIC. SHUT UP. LOOK."
"Hm?" Sonic turned his head and looked in the direction of Shadow's pointy finger.
His face froze into a face of shock. "What..." He suddenly couldn't find his voice.
In front of the metal building that housed Sonic's broken tank, stood an ominous, black mass with no discernible features. Its fingers curved into talons that reached to the ground, and its...feet, ended in two sharp points. The only thing that stood out on the creature were its neon purple eyes. Wisps of shadow curled off of it and settled on the ground, vanishing.
"You can hold hands if you want, for it will be the last thing you ever feel, hedgehogs."
So the creature had a sense of humor. How delightful.
