S: This one was so difficult... characterisation is bloody hard! I never meant for the story to go so much in this direction (the direction revealed in this chapter). I had only intended a little bit to get in, but the chapter ran away from me. I think it works anyway though.
Please, sit back, and enjoy!
The pain… argh!
My teeth press into my gums, I'm clenching them so hard. It causes even more pain, curling me up into a tight ball.
The cold floor burns me, the air slashes at my throat, my fur hurts so much…
Then the pain disappeared.
I take a long gulp of air, feeling it flow through my starving bloodstream. I take another, and another, revelling in the simple pleasure. My muscles shudder and relax, and I embrace the now only cool floor.
This feels perfect. A pulse of energy travels through me, healing me of any injuries. It seems my plan had worked, but I had to check on the others.
I opened my eyes. Blue sky greeted me, a bird was singing in a tree off to the left. The wind caressed my eyes, and the air was so incredibly fresh.
I sat up. I was on the Emerald Altar of Angel Island. A grin came to my face, I was rather proud of myself. The Chaos Control had worked well, barring a few unpleasant side effects. Fortunately my natural energy was helped by the Master Emerald to heal me exceptionally quickly.
But the others didn't have that advantage!
I leapt up, staring everywhere. The world barrelled to the sky, and before I knew it I hit the floor hard.
Healed exceptionally quickly, but not that quickly…
I felt fine. My body obviously disagreed with me. After some experimentation I managed to crawl forward. This seemed the most efficient method of movement, even if it was rather humiliating.
Slowly the Altar meadow came into view, seasonal flowers blooming on the ripe green grass. I had not visited this place often, but it was strange how I never noticed its beauty. I couldn't understand how I could miss such obvious natural splendour.
Admire later, Shadow, Knuckles may need you. I wonder where he ended up…
Suddenly a hand wrapped around my throat. My heart leapt, and I tugged at the glove. It came off my neck easily, to my surprise.
My small action made Knuckles overbalance, and he fell over me, tumbling about five feet away. He jumped up instantly, only to fall again just as fast.
I gaped at him, my stomach tightening in revulsion. He was not in good shape. Blood was oozing from his head, dripping over his eyes and staining his red fur a deep crimson. There was a horrible wound in his side, and the very sight of it made me want to turn away.
The teleport had not been kind to him. His injuries were probably worsened if Amy landed on top of him.
Amy! Where was she? If she died because of this I would never forgive myself. Another face, fading into memory… I couldn't bear it.
"Amy! Where are you? Speak to me!"
There was no answer.
Had I just killed Amy…?
"What… the hell… did you do?!" The voice was quiet yet forceful. I jerked my head to Knuckles.
He rose to his feet, swaying violently. I could see a dark emotion in his eyes, and his face was twisting in pain and anger. He stumbled towards me and swung his fist.
The punch shocked my system and wrenched my head to the side. My jaw exploded with pain, he was still damn strong. My hand held it instinctively, scratching at it in an effort to deaden the pain.
I gritted my teeth and glared at him. That ungrateful…
"What did you do, Shadow?!"
"I just saved our lives, you fool! If I hadn't done that, we would be dead by now!"
"You could have said so first!" I notice his eyes flick to the Master Emerald. He can't be…
"Are you concerned about that damn rock again, guardian? You think I'm going to steal it or something?" Of all the things he could be angry about! "Would you prefer it if I hadn't used it to save us?"
"What did you do to it?"
"I simply concentrated on your connection with it and pushed us along it to end up here! You should be grateful, it was far more difficult than it looked!"
Knuckles twitched. "You seem to be alright! Why am I so beaten up then? Was I not important enough to merit such treatment?"
"It was hard enough to make sure we all got here in one piece! Did you expect a lounge on the way? Maybe a quick massage?"
The guardian bridled at my sarcasm. I was insulting him, it seemed. He dived towards me, coming face to face. I could smell the blood on his breath.
"What I was expecting was for the Master Emerald to survive!" he hissed.
What?!
I got a sudden sinking feeling in my chest. I turned to look at the Master Emerald on its shrine.
It was barely glowing; just a very faint green tinge was surrounding what was otherwise a grey rock.
Oh no…
I regretted my harsh words to Knuckles now. He had saved my life when I lost all hope, and what did I do? Destroy the Master Emerald.
I felt sick. How could I ever make up for this?
"Uh, Shadow…"
How can he bring himself to speak to me? I don't deserve it…
"Shadow!"
"Yes?"
"Could you stop, uh, hugging me please?"
Oops. I reared back, letting him go from my embrace. I didn't remember even doing it.
Knuckles blinked. He rubbed his arms, and touched his chest. He stared into space for a moment. Eventually his eyes found me again.
"Uh, it's not that bad. It'll just take time to recover, that's all." He got up shakily, and limped over to the Master Emerald. He put his palm onto it, and if I strained my hearing, I could hear him whistling to it gently.
Could he communicate with the jewel? Or was he just eccentric? I decided it would be wise not to ask.
A quick test proved I could now stand. My strength had returned.
"Knuckles, I'll go find Amy."
He nodded distractedly, still stroking the Master Emerald. I felt lightweight all of a sudden, remembering where I had seen that before. Maria used to do that to me when I was little, after a bad dream I had…
The backs of my eyes became hot, and I turned away, unable to bear it anymore.
Think of Amy, think of Amy, think of Amy.
Her pink hair exploded into my minds eye, and I grabbed at it, wanting to keep it there. I remember when she used to wear a red dress. How times change, now she wore black trousers and a grey hooded top.
That's right, keep thinking like this, don't think of bad things. Rouge always said to try and think positive.
Rouge… sister…
No! Find Amy, find Amy!
She couldn't be far; I doubted my teleport would take her away from Knuckles. The two were together at the time.
I jumped from the altar, landing softly in the grass. I should be able to detect the dissipating chaos energy if I simply walked around the area.
My shoes sent soft pats through the air, landing in my ears with a quiet swoosh of sound. The flowers were full of colour, and that bird was still singing.
Then I saw her.
She was lying, unmoving, in a little circle of flowers. She was facing away from me. She looked so fragile surrounded by the flowers, her feminine shape winding around the stalks of the plants.
I suddenly came to, blinking in the sunlight. How long had I been standing there? I looked around to see if Knuckles had seen me, but he hadn't. I ran to Amy's side, lifting her into my arms to face me.
"Amy?" I said quietly. Did I not want to be heard? Speak louder, Shadow!
"Amy?" I felt as though the breeze was louder than me. I gently shook her. "Wake up, Amy."
Strangely enough, she seemed in much better condition than when I last saw her. Her leg had now healed, the only evidence of its existence being her ripped trouser leg, the pink fur visible.
Various other cuts I remembered being there were gone as well, and I brushed her hair away from her face to check her forehead.
For some reason, brushing her hair felt good. I did it again, taking off my glove to capture the sensation.
Snap out of it! What do you think will happen if she wakes up to this, huh?
I hefted her up, holding her in my arms as I turned to retrace my steps back to the shrine.
Amy groaned. My heart stopped. I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, and I could just sense the exact moment when she opened her eyes and realised where she was.
The girl tore herself away from me, and the lack of heat from her against me made the breeze seem that much colder.
Her face was one of disgust. "What are you doing, you pervert?"
I saved you! I helped you! "I, I was…" The words wouldn't come.
"I bet you were holding me like that for ages! You were always jealous of Sonic and me! You're pathetic!" She turned her face away from me, and closed her eyes.
I'm not pathetic, Rouge said I was a great person. I never wanted to hurt you, Amy. I want Rouge back. She would know what to do.
"Who are you to call him pathetic?"
Knuckles! My head shot up.
"Shadow protected the world. He defeated Black Doom, he helped stop Metal Sonic, he helped you find Cream when she was lost, and he sacrificed his life to stop the ARK from falling. You call such heroism pathetic?"
Amy mouthed at the echidna. She seemed horrified at his bloodied appearance.
"Not only has Shadow lost the ones he called family twice, and suffered from mental anguish and amnesia, but someone he should be calling friend thinks he's pathetic? How much would he have to do before he is considered a hero in your eyes, Amy?"
Knuckles had walked right up to her, staring her down. She wilted at his iron gaze. "And his only crime? To be a real hero. To be a selfless hero who would save lives without thinking about it, to whom the possibility of not saving lives is an impossible thought."
Knuckles grimaced. "But some blue hedgehog thought he was too much of a hero. Muscling in on his god-given right to be worshipped by a fawning population!"
Knuckles was slowly circling Amy now, still talking in that monotone. Amy pivoted, unable to stop following him.
"Sonic deliberately warped everyone's minds to believe Shadow was a bad guy, that he, Sonic, was the only hero, the strongest and the best. Jealousy," Knuckles stopped walking, "made him make sure we all conveniently forgot all the things he'd done. Sonic was the Faker all along, Amy."
I felt the tears in my eyes. I could think of no words to say. So this is the Knuckles that Rouge knew.
Amy's face kept moving, unable to settle on an expression. "Sonic… is…"
"Look at me, Amy!" Knuckles yelled, spreading his arms in front of him. "Is this what you thought being a hero was? Do I deserve this? Did Rouge deserve to die? Did anyone deserve to die? Did Tails deserve what he got?" Knuckles stood there, bleeding, his wounds obvious.
Amy mumbled something.
"What was that?"
"…No…"
"Who was the one giving the orders then? Who was the one who grinned all the time, who was the one who demanded to save the day because he was the hero? Who was the one who never showed you the tiniest bit of love, yet revelled in the cameras? Who is responsible?"
There was silence. Not even the wind was here anymore. The flowers had all turned away; even the grass seemed more dull. I did not dare to move.
Amy started to cry. I could sense it just before it happened, the world stopped for a moment and I just knew. The tears silently poured down her cheeks as she stared at Knuckles.
She opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again. She screwed her eyes shut, making the rivers of tears split and flow on the soft pink furred cheeks.
I carefully dried her tears with my ungloved hand. I didn't want to see her cry. She opened her eyes and looked at me in surprise.
What am I doing?! Amy was looking at me, watching me dry her tears. I made to pull away, but she took my hand and moved it back. I felt my own cheeks flush.
Knuckles spoke again. I had forgotten he was there. "Who's the real hero, Amy?"
I couldn't look away from her eyes. Those eyes, green as the grass around her. I never knew how long we stood there, not realising that Knuckles had left with his answer ages ago, satisfied.
S: I really hope this chapter didn't suck. Romance is something I've never done before, and the fact that it was mostly unintentionally written in really bugged me. Unfortunately this was the best way I could think of to approach the problem of convincing Amy.
The romance will not continue. This is not supposed to be a story about romance, so this will be the only time I mention it in the story, barring a few passing references.
Thanks for reading!
