I Don't own anything Sonic/Sega related, so there!
Enjoy!
I'm Here For You.
Four long weeks after Fortress attack...
The moonlight rained down on the group of travellers, they were journeying through the vast wilderness, to meet up with one of their contacts. Men, women and children wore protective cloaks and head wraps to stop the sand from getting into their faces and eyes. A small group of children walked along with their newest member, he was about their height, dressed in a grey cloak and purple head scarf. His green eyes held sadness but he wouldn't let it surface, he was strong, he was... with people like himself, who had lost everything and were trying to find a purpose in life.
The group stopped as the elder of the tribe held up his hand. They rested on the ground, family and friends gathered around instant fires that they had bargained for earlier. The children sat with the new member and past food and water around the circle. The new member nodded his thanks and drank heartily. A shadow loomed over head, the children greeted the elder of the tribe warmly and offered him some of their share of supplies, he refused kindly and said he needed a word with their guest.
Once they were far enough away the elder drew back his hood, he was old but his eyes held wisdom. He turned his head to the young one next to him and smiled.
" Are you feeling any better today ? "
The younger unwrapped his head scarf, he shook his head to free the many blue quills that had gone flat under the heat. He looked up at him.
" A bit, thank you for taking me in like you did. "
" It was no problem, we are always expanding in numbers. One more wouldn't of hurt. Besides, you looked alittle lost back there."
" I was, I still am. I don't know what to do now. If I go back to them, they're going to blame me...Do you blame me?"
" No, from what you told me, this darker hedgehog is to blame for taking your beloved away from you. I'm pretty sure if you explain that to your friends, I'm sure they'll forgive you."
" Do you think I'm ready?"
The elder nodded and shielded his eyes from the rising sun. He grinned.
" Station Square is about a five day trek from here, but I'm certain you can get there in a few hours, right Sonic?"
Sonic nodded, took off his cloak and head scarf, he handed them to the elder. He bent and adjusted the straps of his shoes. He stood and shook the elder's free hand.
" Thank you , I won't forget you or your teachings. You've helped me a lot these past months. Thank you."
"Just remember Sonic, when you relive the past do not loose yourself. You could get stuck there forever, and your friends may never be able to break you out. It takes a great deal of strenght to penerate the past, you will remember that, won't you?"
Sonic nodded, and disappeared over the sand dunes, back towards Station Square, back home.
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Station Square.
The weather was dissmal, rain soaked the ground to a muddy pulp. The new's agents by the station was just recovering its delivery of newspapers and magazines, when a wind came rushing towards them, the owner screamed and huddled on the ground. When the wind had gone, they looked at the pile of papers. They were mostly dry and a single sliver coin lay on the top paper. They looked up, just in time to see a blue blur shoot up the side of the bank and land on the roof top.
" Oh. My. Gosh ! He's back! " They hissed. They looked down and read the paper's headline, they looked at the roof again and bowed their head. " I'm so sorry, Sonic."
High above the city, sitting on the roof top of the bank. Sonic re-read the headline of the paper in his hands, the ink smudged and ran onto his clean gloves. He swallowed painfully and wiped his eyes. He stood, folded the paper, placed it under his arm and ran to Mystic Ruins.
Suddenly he felt like he was back to square one, there was no way his friends would believe him now. If it was here in black and white, they were bound to take the Goverment's side over his. Hanging his head, he made his way back to Tails's workshop.
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Tails's Workshop...( Two days later.)
Tails awoke to Carla making breakfast, he patted her on the arm softly,she gave him a small smile and continued to lay the table. Though Carla didn't really understand about Amy's disappearance, she was there for him when she found him alone at night. She slept with him, comforting him as he cried. Carla moved past him to place a third plate on the table.
" Carla? You don't need to eat, why the extra plates?"
" We have guests , papa."
She pointed over her shoulder. Knuckles stood at the window, as he stared out of it, his shoulders slumped slightly. Tails joined him, and frowned.
" How long has he been like this?" He asked the fox.
Tails scratched his head and then shrugged.
" I don't know. After the accident he just left. I found him like that three days ago, I came back here after I went looking for him, and there he was. He just sits there Knuckles, he doesn't talk, doesn't eat or sleep. Heck, I can't get close enough to him to drag him indoors. It's like there's something stopping me."
Knuckles frowned.
" What's the matter ? "
" I sense... something, something around Sonic. It's getting stronger whatever it is."
" Magicks? Like Chaos Emerald magicks? You were teaching Sonic about the Chaos Emeralds, did you use them to meditate?"
" Of course ! A Mind Shield ! Sonic is connected to the Chaos Emeralds, they in turn, are connected to every living thing on the planet. As you know, Tails, the Chaos Emeralds can turn our thoughts into power, but if that power is used wrongly... Sonic has gone into a deep state of meditation . He's stuck in a loop, replaying his greatest defeat, when his heart was broken in two."
" Greatest defeat...? B- but..."
Knuckles tapped on the newpaper Sonic brought, Tails sniffed sadly and wiped his eyes. He read the headline and sub-headlines:
" ' Eggman's Lastest Attack Casualties Accounted For.
Amy Rose's Name Is Found Amongst The Dead !!
Prime Suspect, Sonic The Hedgehog Is Missing !
Has ' Hero ' Got Something To Hide? ' "
Tails wept into his hands as Knuckles put a comforting arm around his shoulders.
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Sonic sat on his favourite tree stump. He stared out to sea , letting the sounds of the waves soothe his troubled mind. He looked blankly at the waves, wondering why they came all this way, only to be beaten so roughly against the rocks below. He closed his eyes and sighed.
Flash!
He was standing back in Eggman's Fortress, staring at the glowing yellow light. He knew it. The power... unlimited power. The Fortress shook apart, Amy stood there, she was blue but alive! He rushed towards her, only to be knocked down by a weird looking green hedgehog, it's face was masked in black.
" I want what's mine. You've had her long enough, vessel. Give me back what's MINE!! "
Flash!
He was standing by the Master Emerald shrine, the gem was broken. The same weird looking hedgehog was standing infront of it, it raised their hands, muttered a prayer in some old tongue. The gem glowed brightly as it was restored.
" You must go back to the very beginning. Right what is wrong, the Guardian can help you. You must go all the way to the beginning."
Flash!
Sonic shook himself awake from his visions, he wasn't suprised to feel tears running down his cheeks.
" Sonic...?"
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" How the heck did Rouge manage to get past the Mind Shield? It's powerful old magicks full of negative energy. Only a real powerful connection of good between two people can break it, when did Rouge become one of the good guys?"
Carla rolled up her blouse sleeves to the elbows, she joined the two by the window as they watched the bat and hedgehog.
" Maybe something happened between them in the past? Something that has rooted deep down in their souls. Like a pact or something?"
" I - I think you might be right Carla. If anyone can reach Sonic, Rouge can . She has been trained in this kinda of thing, and well... she is the best of the best. "
" Talking from personal experience Knuckles?" Teased Tails.
Knuckles smacked him on the back of the head.
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" S-Sonic, please come inside. You look really bad."
" I don't care. If I don't care, why should you care?"
" I- I care, because I'm your friend."
He scoffed, " FRIENDS !? I HAVE NO FRIENDS ! " He yelled at her, " You all blame me for what happened to Amy. You and your Goverment. Nobody thought to ask me, did they? Your Goverment didn't care about my side of the story. ' Ooohh Sonic ran away from the crime, there for he must be guilty. ' I didn't do it ! But I know who did, and when I find him, if I find him . I will be responsible for a death... HIS ! "
" Sonic, I don't blame you for Amy's death. If you must know, I quit working for the Goverment when they printed that story. I didn't want to see my friend's name dragged through the mud, I didn't want to be a part of that. So I quit."
" I hear you say it, but you don't mean it. You're just trying to get me indoors, it won't work. I'm just so tired of running from my problems, why can't they leave me alone?"
" Sonic, please! Come back to me ! Not Tails, not Carla and not Knuckles, But me, " She knelt infront of him and gently placed her hand on his cheek to make him look at her. " Come back to the people who love and care about you. Who are always here for you, no matter what anyone says,what lies they cook up. Sonic... please ."
He blinked , his eyes slowly going back to their normal green colour. He sniffed and his cheek twitched, his shoulders slumped.
" R- Rouge..."
" I'm here, Sonic. I'm here..."
Sonic fell forward into her waiting arms, the bat had to steady herself with the increased weight. Sonic clung to her as he let it out, all of it . His body shook with grief, but also relief that his friends didn't blame him and he was not alone.
They wept together, Rouge rubbing his back was he cried against her neck.
" I'm here, sugar. " She felt him squeeze her tighter, " I'm not going anywhere, promise."
They stayed like that untill Sonic finally fell asleep from exhaustion. With the Mind Shield broken, Knuckles was able to help Rouge carry Sonic back to the workshop. Tails made up a bed and the two treasure hunters gently laid Sonic onto it.
Rouge waited for Knuckles and Tails to leave to room. She smoothed the bedsheets around the sleeping hedgehog. He had been through so much over the last month or so, he had completely burnt out. As she gazed at him ,she suddenly felt a kind of sisterly love for him, which was odd even for her, she knelt by the bed and stroked his damp cheek lightly. She smiled as he murmered something in his sleep, she reached up and kissed his forehead softly.
She got up to leave, when Sonic lightly grabbed her hand . She looked back, her eye brow raised.
" Please... don't go..."
She nodded , he smiled and drifted back to sleep. His hand dropped , letting go of hers. Rouge closed the bedroom door and walked over to a messy armchair, she pushed the contents to the floor, curled up into it and stayed there. Keeping watch over Sonic as he slept.
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He came with a hiss of pain, his body slammed into the ground, his head pounded.
It never gets any easier.
He groggily got to his feet and checked the watch-like device on his wrist. The jewel pendent around his neck dimmed slightly, he had arrived on time.
" Well, I guess I should go and explain myself."
Shadow the Hedgehog gathered the black rucksack and sliver box he'd taken with him through the diamensional bleed. He made his way to the station on foot, too drained to use Chaos Control.
Sonic wasn't going to be pleased to see him, none of them were. But he had a mission to complete, and Sonic was part of it. Shadow had the answers, but he wasn't just going hand them over freely.
Sonic was going to pay the price, maybe not now, but someday soon. As he climbed the steps leading into the station, he remembered the Doctor's words;
" Sonic is very weak at the moment. Ashura, at this time is growing stronger by the second. He will seek out an opening, however small. If he escapes in their diamension all is lost. Shadow, you must not let this happen."
" I won't Doc, you can count on me."
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Sonic woke sometime later, he yawned and rolled onto his side. He smiled at the sight infront of him.
Rouge was sleeping in the armchair, her arms were pillowing her head . She snuggled into herself and mumbled in her sleep.
The blue hedgehog quietly got off the bed taking a thin sheet with him, he drapped it over the bat's shoulders. Rouge stirred, she blinked twice before lifting her head, she smiled at him.
" Feeling better ?"
He nodded as she sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
" Thank you for staying with me."
" It's okay. Remember what you said at the City Ball ? " If you ever feel low and need a friend, I'm here for you." You gave me strenght that night, I hope I returned the favour ?"
" You did, thanks."
As he helped her to her feet, he surprised her by giving her a quick hug. She returned it, smiling.
" Thank you, again."
" Any time, sugar."
The moment was broken by Tails shouting from the next room.
" Guys !? Guys quick !! "
Together, they raced into the main computer area. Tails was pointing to the large screen that showed the Master Emerald , some time ago Knuckles had asked Tails to come up with something that protected the Emerald while he was away on missions. Tails had designed a force field that domed over it. But that wasn't the problem, the real problem was something else... or should that be, someone else.
" Son of a..."
The group didn't have time to stop Sonic, the blue hedgehog was out the door faster then they could say, " Chllidogs."
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Sonic screeched to a halt, kicking up dust and dirt. He clenched his fists as he walked around the shrine.
" I know you're here! You can't hide from me."
" Hello again, blue hedgehog."
Sonic span on the spot, a black hedgehog came out from behind one of the broken pillars. He smiled as he painfully folded his arms across his chest.
" Come now Sonic, " Shadow pouted at him, " at least say you're happy to see me. After all, I have all the answers you seek."
Sonic frowned at him.
" What answers?"
Shadow just smiled.
Shadow's back! ( Dances around with glee.)
Next chapt, an old friend of Sonic's makes an appearance.
Shadow brakes his promise. Causing the BIG BAD, Ashura, to make his entrance.
