I cannot explain how truly sorry I am for such a long disappearance. I've made a promise though, and I'm going to keep it.

This also means that my other story "Mood Swings?" will not be updated until this story is fully finished. Two stories for someone like me is too much of a hassle, so I apologize for that. That story will also be finished though, just after this one.

I hope that you guys see improvement in my writing from my earlier chapters. Everything from you guys is greatly cherished and appreciated. Now, on with the story. :3

A Sonadow Story:

Hero's Heart Corrupted

Chapter Ten: Wandering Thoughts

The sun had risen high in the beautiful blue sky by now as it shined radiantly, despite how gruesome and tragic-filled the morning has been. A wind picked up through the air of the moorland. It was gentle as it drifted by the lone, scattered trees and prairie-green grass that spanned across the plains for what looked like many miles. At the curve of one of the numerous hills scaling the grassy plains, two familiar figures appear from the crest, peacefully walking in a slow stride side-by-side.

The famous blue hedgehog and his equally as famous yellow pal stroll in the direction of their old, recently burnt down house that had caught fire the previous day, Sonic still refusing to confess to his buddy about the actual cause of the fire. It was still very embarrassing (and extremely reckless) that he had let that happen. Many other scenarios of the fire that have involved different outcomes have plagued his thoughts ever since Tails had mentioned going back to their old house and he's had to refrain from letting those pained looks show in his expressions to not worry the yellow fox. Now that they've left the crime scene of Amy's murder and have returned to the tranquil grassland, the hero of Mobius has relaxed.

Having a glance around, Sonic carried a soft grin across his peach muzzle. This place never failed to calm him and he was thankful that this was nearby where he lived (or where he used to live, the blue hero added with a sad note). The gorgeous nature and the graceful winds have made him adore the outside, nothing else like it. He felt said wind ruffle his fur and spines slightly as a gust of wind blew. If only he was running right now, loving the feeling of the wind pull at his fur as he ran, but he was just as content with walking. Besides, it has been a while since him and Tails had some quality time together. Sure, they see each other all the time, considering that they live together, but this was different.

Back when the house was intact and not burnt to near-rubble, the two pals mainly did their own thing, Tails busy clinking and banging in his workshop basement while Sonic relaxed in either the living room or his own room, binging on junk food either on the TV or playing video games. Occasionally they went outside for some outdoor fun for fresh air or out adventuring on a mission or just for fun, but moments like these were hard to come by. They mainly came after a successful mission to celebrate, though it usually involved all their friends and not just the two of them, or after having to force one-another to a day/night out from their usual homely routines, so it was good that this could come naturally for once.

The blue speedster's grin changed to a gentle smile as he shifted his emerald-green gaze to his fox brother, the young genius fiddling with the signal tracker that Sonic had given back to him after using it. His beady nose slightly wrinkled in mild disgust as he held the device, sticky in some places from apple juice after Sonic had held it following his little snack break from earlier. The hedgehog couldn't help snickering at the reaction, Tails directing his attention towards him with a playful smirk.

"Geez, what did you get on this thing? I'm gonna have to start restricting you from my inventions if you keep bringing them back damaged, destroyed, or sticky," he teased as he held up the device for emphasis, his light blue eyes twinkling with amusement. The blue hedgehog beside him smirked and gave him a joking wink.

"What can I say? A hero needs to eat, even when holding valuable equipment," Sonic laughed as the twin-tailed fox gave him a small push on his arm, him pretending to slightly stumble from the force. He guesses it is just a big brother thing, to make the younger one feel better about himself, even though a push like that wouldn't have affected him at all.

"At least keep your mouth closed next time!" Tails chuckles as well as Sonic. As the humor dies down, the blue hero plasters a bright smile across his lips. He reaches out a gloved hand and ruffles the fox's head fur and bangs, taking the little one by surprise as he looks up at his big brother. The look of surprise soon turns to a smile as bright as The Blue Blur's, mirroring it almost perfectly. Tails was glad that Sonic seemed to be better after that terrible night two nights ago.

Meanwhile, Sonic's heart swelled for the yellow kitsune. Despite having to lie to him earlier with having Shadow escape, Tails meant the absolute world to him, nothing could change that. They've always watched their backs, looked out for each other, and helped them up when the other was down. Though, as he thought about that, his thoughts moved to Shadow.

Him and Shadow have done the exact same, he realized. They may not go as far back as Tails and him do, but they surely had their own set of memories to hold in their hearts and minds. Although they did have a very rough start (mainly the fact that Shadow had framed him for multiple crimes, got him thrown in jail, and tried to destroy the human race due to a dead girl's misunderstood message), the blue hero never held much spite against his dark copy. When they had teamed up to fight against the Biolizard together, Sonic had felt something deep down, a strange bond, but not unwelcomed. He also began to think that he was going crazy, but that's beside the point.

Throughout all the struggle they had caused each other, when Sonic had been hit by the space lizard, Shadow had protected him. When Sonic was pushing in for a hit, Shadow had called out warnings of incoming attacks from the beast. When Sonic was running out of rings to keep up his super form, Shadow took over to allow him time to search for more. They've always been in sync with each other, in that fight and the many more after. It was odd that they were so alike, but yet so different. They knew each other well.

When Shadow had sacrificed himself for the world against the Biolizard, Sonic had truly been devastated, although he had hidden it. He had just seen past the irritable, gloomy hedgehog everyone viewed him as and saw more to him, only for it to be taken away right when he had seen it. Hell, that side showed when the black hedgehog had nearly given up his life to save the world he had tried to destroy. Sonic had felt that a part of him had been lost.

The day Shadow returned had that part return to him. The Fastest Thing Alive had his rival back, and he loved every bit of it, though he would never admit to it. Since then, the blue hero had seen the dark one differently, even if Shadow had made some bad choices later, but he understood his reasons. Even so, Shadow has changed in the end and has been considered in Sonic's friend circle, though the antihero would disagree. Sonic has always admired the bionic hedgehog.

That's why he had helped Shadow in the end at the city, even if his thoughts had screamed that Shadow could be using him. The dark double could be infuriating, vengeful, cold and plain mean, but he had a good heart. Sonic just couldn't believe that he would do any of this, let alone kill one of his close friends. After his strange shock of pain (that he still can't explain) had happened, the blue speedster had taken a shortcut through the city and bailed Shadow out of the car chase, then helped him get away using their little impromptu plan. Shadow had helped him in the past, and now he has returned the favor.

The speedy hedgehog cracked a smile as he wandered through his thoughts of the black hedgie. He was snapped out of said thoughts as he heard the sound of his name and a blur enter his vision, the hedgehog blinking his eyes back to reality. He sees Tails flying in front of him now, a look of concern on the fox.

"Sonic?" he repeats, waving his small gloved hand in front of his big brother. Sonic blinks.

"Uh, yeah? Something up?" he speaks a little quickly, referring to the concerned look from his buddy. Tails continued to fly in front of him as the concern grows.

"You seemed spaced-out and dazed, I began to get a little worried. Are you sure you're okay?"

Sonic can very well sense that worry within his little bro, halting his steps. Tails stops as well and lowers himself to the ground to stand in front of him, still much shorter than the blue hero. He can't let the kitsune know that he had been thinking about Shadow, so he forces a chuckle and kneels down by the little fox, placing a gloved hand on the small yellow shoulder.

"Yes, I'm sure I'm okay. I'd let you know if anything was bothering me, you know that," he flashes a grin, the two-tail listening intently. "We've been through a lot already, this isn't going to change me. I'm your big brother, nothing in this world can change that either."

Tails gains a smile across his fluffy white muzzle as Sonic gives him a thumbs-up, something he has never dropped for as long as he's known the blue daredevil. He gives Sonic a nod in return.

"Thanks, Sonic. Now, as I was saying before you dazed off, would you have any idea where Shadow went?"

"Oh."

Sonic abruptly takes his hand off the kitsune's shoulder and stands up again. Truthfully, he has absolutely NO idea where the black hedgehog teleported to and has kinda been wondering himself. Even if he did know, he certainly wouldn't tell when the little fox still held the belief that Shadow has killed these people. Still, he had to say something, maybe even lead him away from any possible places the antihero could be.

"Um, I dunno really, probably was stupid enough to go back to his house with the feeling that he was out of danger." He secretly wished that he wasn't actually stupid enough to do something like that. Tails simply nods, a thoughtful look crossing his face.

"I guess that makes sense, it wouldn't hurt to check sometime."

Sonic breathes out a sigh of relief, though not making it noticeable. Just as long as he doesn't question further, he muses to himself. To be sure, he replies with his own question.

"So little buddy, why exactly are we heading back to the house again?"

Tails doesn't seem to mind the subject change and grins excitedly, glad that he had asked.

"Oh, that's because I wanted to go back and get that disk! You know, the one you got from that weird package?"

Dread hits Sonic's stomach like a sinking weight. He had completely forgotten about that thing for the time being, and now that it's brought back up to him, new terror fills his being. He tries to keep his voice even as he struggles to respond.

"Oh, err, really? Must we really worry about that thing?" he tries some way to curve around the idea, but Tails seems to be set on it as he explains.

"Of course we do! I have a feeling that the disk could have some reason for all these events occurring and possibly some answers. If I can get any hint towards this case, we'll surely be closer to fixing this chaos." Determination swims in those light blue eyes of the kitsune's as he continues down the grassy hill, a reluctant Sonic following behind him. A lump forms in his throat.

There was no way he could let Tails see the horrors that he had saw, NO way. If it had that kind of effect on him, he can only wonder what it would do to his little brother. He can already imagine the shivering form of the two-tail, huddled in a corner and hugging his tails against his chest with his arms. He shakes his head to clear the horrid image from his mind. But… what could he do?

Tails can be quite as stubborn as him when his mind was set on something, especially to this degree. With that in mind, there was no way to convince the little fox unless he told him what was on the disk anyway and he didn't want to have to resort to that (not to mention that he broke his supercomputer). Still, he had to try though, quickening his speed to walk at Tails' side again.

"You know, I'm actually starting to believe that Shadow could have been right when he said that junk was useless," he nonchalantly slipped his words into conversation, placing his hands on his hips naturally. He sees the young one roll his eyes as he continues to mess with the signal tracker in his hands. What follows is an unamused glance at Sonic.

"Sonic, I already know what you're doing and I'm going to tell you right now that it isn't working."

Sonic, now taken aback, has his peach arms flop back to his sides again as he lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Ugh, come on! Can we please just forget about that thing and get something to eat instead!? I feel that's a much better idea, plus I'm starving!"

As Sonic continues to bother the poor two-tail as they go, their voices soon fade off behind the crest of the hill, nothing left but the sound of the wind breezing through the silent air.

xxXxx

An unforgiving gloominess drifts in the condensed air like a heavy fog as it inhabits the darkness. Cold metal walls all around, a reminder of the clinging tragedy, in the distance a flickering light through a hallway of dreadful silence. Broken and smashed equipment surrounded the area, the floor full of the shattered glass of screens and devices that had once buzzed and hummed with life. Dried blood of many years was seen streaked across some places. Dust was at a surplus, covering the tops of many surfaces to add to the feeling of abandonment.

Lone steps echoed through the room, metal on metal floor as they proceeded down the hallway of the one flickering light. A figure was illuminated briefly from the overhead shine before plunging into darkness once more. A chill had settled in the air from the unwelcoming silence accompanying the metal steps down the hallway, but the lone figure was unaffected from it due to many visits. It stopped as the hall ended and opened to a new area entirely, not a thing to be seen in the thick darkness.

Crimson eyes that looked of ruby in the dark scanned the new room despite the utter blackness, though it wasn't new to them. The thumping of a hand on metal walls sounded through the silence. It weaved around in a search, the steel a lonesome cold to chill anyone's spine, except this one. The pain has long since faded from coming here, yet never made it any easier. Finding its target, a click brought the lights to life and filled the room with its shine. The owner of the eyes felt the atmosphere change from the simple action.

The lights revealed a laboratory any scientist could only ever dream of, powerless stations and machines lining the majority of the wall. What took up the rest of the wall were cylinder test tanks of dusty, yet clean glass that were big enough to hold an average-sized human inside. Above all the machinery was a wide expanse of glass window to show the shimmering stars of space, the view getting more beautiful with each visit. Though sparse amounts of bullet holes were afflicted on some of the machines, they remained in somewhat good condition unlike what was of the other machines in the previous room.

A small huff of breath exited out of tan lips of what was slight exhaustion, a tiredness settling within the dark form as he strode to the wide window, eyes gazing out at the stars in the realm of black space. Black-furred arms crossed themselves over a familiar fluffy snow-white chest. The sleek gold-like material of inhibitor rings gleamed from the industrial lights above. The head consisting of upturned black and red-striped quills still throbbed painfully from the kick it had received not too long ago.

In his gloved hand was his familiar neon green Chaos Emerald that he had grown fond to, since it was the one he had held when he first met Sonic the Hedgehog. It glimmered a dazzling green in his hand as it cooled down from the recent Chaos Control it had casted. He still remembers when he had first used the move against the blue counterpart; the look on his face had been priceless. A small, deep chuckle of amusement sounded from him at that.

Shadow shifted to lean his arms against one of the machines, slightly bending his back and resting one foot behind the heel of the other. His usual serious expression relaxed with thought as he stared out at the large expanse of space. Shoulders slacked, quills flattened, an unseen spectacle to almost anyone. Even though this place carried a painful memory, it was the only place where he could truly relax because he knew it was secure and safe. He was the only one ever here, he was alone.

The elder hedgehog released a heavy sigh as his head bows and burrows itself in the empty space between his chest and arms. He wishes that his aching head would stop thinking about that blue imbecile. He hasn't left his mind ever since he came here. He didn't even know why.

There was just something about that hedgehog that has always intrigued Shadow, even right at the moment of first meeting. Maybe it was the way he was always ready to help someone in need, how he had always been friendly with Shadow despite the insults and curses he would return, how he annoyed the living shit out of him with his arrogant ego and cocky grin of challenge, or how his cobalt blue spines looked of glistening, sleek sapphire in the sunshine, the way his lean and built muscles stretched beneath his blue fur, the way his legs- No, this is just getting to the point of insanity.

Shadow lifts and shakes his head to escape the obscene thoughts trying to take over his mind. He's always had his suspicions of possibly liking guys, but why him of all people?!

The Ultimate Lifeform feels a warmth rise in his cheeks and stomach. Why him? Why Sonic? Shadow, you're an idiot, he groans to himself, standing up straight again from the lifeless machine. Just the thought of those shining emerald eyes or that gorgeous smile of his sent flutters in his stomach and lightning bolts to his heart. He thought Professor Gerald wouldn't have made him capable of love, but here he is now, his mind in disarray and body reaction like a teenage girl around her crush. Alright, let's not call this love yet, hopefully it will fade away within a couple days. It could be because we've been hanging around each other more than usual.

It was also why the day after the duo had went to the first murder scene, Shadow had tried to exclude himself from the blue hero. He was aware of how close they were getting and tried to block it out, wanted things to go back to how they used to be, but that ultimately failed. He had noticed how crestfallen Sonic had looked and sounded at his refusal to come along, as well as with what he had said before departing that had left the bionic hedgehog baffled.

I guess we're even, in a way.

Those unexplained words still ringed in his head clear as day, ominous yet solemn. Even over what? What did they mean? Such a simple and perplexing sentence had led him to chase after his blue doppelganger anyway and then get chased by police cars. Sonic was never one for getting even unless it was playful, like their races that he constantly challenges and pesters the dark one to participate in. They were never too serious though (sometimes they did get in a tussle, depending on the circumstances), so where did this come from?

Okay, maybe going through thoughts right now wasn't such a good idea, his head more of a hammering ache than it was before. With an intelligible grumble, the genetically-engineered hedgehog trudges out of the laboratory for a much-needed shower, more for the relaxation of the hot water he would use than the cleanliness.

He reenters the dark hallway, with the exception of the flickering light, that he had emerged from before, not needing sight when he knew the place like the back of his hand. Going down the hall, he ran a gloved hand down the left wall as he went. A new feeling of a door handle much like one of a car door runs beneath his hand and he stops, opening the door and proceeding to walk inside. Automated sensor lights flick on to reveal a small bathroom, not too small, but big enough to clutter in a shower with glass panes, a toilet, and a sink paired with a mirror overhead. It possibly was the only room in the whole space station of ARK that didn't have steel walls and flooring, but off-white and oak tree brown square tiles covering all walls and the floor.

The hiss of hot water streams from the dinky showerhead as the rushing droplets hit the tile floor, steam beginning to cloud the small bathroom. Shutting the door behind him, Shadow begins to remove his hover skates from his feet. He didn't wear socks so the Chaos energy could easily travel to the blasters below. His cuffs follow his skates after and he sets them on the toilet seat. Without the cuffs, the inhibitor rings loosely hang on his wrists and ankles. Last but not least were his soft white fabric gloves. They slipped off with ease and were placed with his other clothing accessories.

Knowing the water should be warmed up by now, especially when the steam from it was beginning to cloud his vision, the Ultimate Lifeform opened up the shower door and stuck his now ungloved hand to feel the water. It was perfect, the slightly-too-hot water relaxing his tense self. The dark antihero removes his hand again and instead enters the water entirely.

He lets out a hiss as the steamy water hits his back, though knowing that he will adjust to it soon. The water runs down his upturned, but now scarcely drooping head spines while he closes his eyes, absorbing the calming heat. His head pain seems to have calmed down already from the shower, thank Chaos. Thanks, Sonic, you could have at least held back somewhat.

With a heavy sigh, Shadow surrenders his alertness to the warm water, silencing his hyperactive thoughts for just this one moment.

xxXxx

A startled yelp cuts through the tense air as a very surprised hedgehog trips over a piece of fallen board on the ashen carpet, his fox buddy scoffing as he easily steps over the trickster board. They were now at their dwelling of destroyed rubble, and Tails was annoyed to all hell from the pestering of Sonic as he had tried to convince the two-tail to not retrieve the disk. Even though they considered themselves as close as brothers, the blue hedgehog could still get on his nerves if he wanted to and he surely did want to. Tails had tried to ignore him during the rest of the walk, but that didn't deter the speedster one bit. Now that they were finally here, Sonic was as silent as a spooked rabbit.

Sonic stumbles up from the floor with an ashy sheepish expression as he cleans off his face. The ash tickles his nose as he wipes it off with his gloved hands, adding their dark gray color to the white fabric. With a groan, Sonic realizes that that's the second pair of gloves he has ruined this week, though he's sure these can be washed clean again. Speaking of that, what had happened to his first pair that had been tainted by the smoke of that one night? Had Shadow taken them off or something? The more he thinks of it, the foggier that night becomes in his mind… Oh well, it's not that big of a deal when he can just buy more.

Cautious with his steps now, the blue hero gazes around solemnly at their poor house that they had once called home. It was merely a shadow of its former self now, charred from the flames that had engulfed every square inch. He could have winced from the fact that it had still been his fault. It was still a huge burden to him that this had happened, and now actually looking at all the destruction made the hollow feeling in his stomach worsen (from both guilt and hunger, he really was hungry!). The only thing that had survived this disaster had been them, thank Chaos, and the cobalt blue couch that still sat outside beside all this rubble.

Sonic's thoughts are cut short by a nudge on his shoulder, Blue looking down at Yellow and into those pretty, but saddened light blue eyes.

"Do you think it would have survived something like this?" The question was quiet, but clear to Sonic's cat-like ears. He loses his nervousness and becomes nothing but serious.

Tails still thought that the disk had been left on his bedside table before the house had caught fire. With that in mind, he could easily just say no and have them leave like what he wanted in the first place… right? No, the rational side of his mind butted in bluntly. Tails could truly be onto something when he said the disk could have something to do with all these murders popping up. He did want to protect his little brother from the horrors on that wicked disk, but if lives of innocent people were on the line, it probably was something that he would have to drop this once. Plus, he would be there to help comfort the frightened fox. A second time of seeing it shouldn't be that scary, hmm? He had also been lying to Tails a lot recently, and that can't become a normal thing, not to his good-natured heart…

"No, it wouldn't have."

Tails' ears droop at the straight-forward answer. He did expect that answer because he had personally felt the vicious bite of the flames, but it was still bad news nonetheless. Hearing it from his usually optimistic big brother cut it down more. With sulking twin tails, he tries to lead them back out of the crumbled house, but a hand gripping his yellow shoulder stops him as Sonic speaks up again.

"That's because it wasn't left where you think it was," he finishes with a sigh, the kitsune now confused. He had left it on his bedside table for him to check in the morning, where could it possibly be? What baffled him even more was how exhausted Sonic looked after he said that, peach shoulders sagging and blue head spines drooping downwards.

"Listen, Tails, buddy," the blue hero breathed out with some effort and kneeled down to level with the younger one. Those emerald green eyes still carried heavy seriousness that Tails rarely ever saw. "That night, I had taken the disk and looked into it myself."

Ah…

He should have known something like that would have happened. The curious and mischievous blue hedgehog can't resist something shiny when he sees it. Tails could have almost chuckled.

Sonic didn't though. Usually he would be trying to laugh it off and mockingly beg for forgiveness from the yellow fox, but he remained stone-faced. He even seemed to grip his shoulder tighter from where his stained gloved hand rested, almost as if he was holding back something that desperately wanted to come out. All of this was very worrying to the little fox. What happened to his big brother?

Sonic draws in a shaky breath as he continues, his peach chest silently heaving as he did so.

"What I saw on that thing was terrible, Tails. More terrible than you could ever imagine. Whoever had made or sent it was cruel and evil for sure."

Tails tensed up when his face began to twist with anger to the unknown. The grip on his shoulder started to hurt at this point, in which the two-tail began squirming under the dangerous touch. He hated to see Sonic angry and was fortunate to be on the blue hedgehog's side rather than the one he directed his rage to. Anyone against the supersonic hedgie certainly had a death wish (although Sonic didn't usually kill unless it was necessary).

In Sonic's mind, that whole night of playing that game flashed back to him in seconds. The image of the pixelated Tails' terrified form brought him anger to no end. If he ever found out who made it, he would surely teach them a lesson for making such a creation. Knuckles' bloodied and exhausted form had also struck his thoughts and made his anger even worse. Worse of all, it had been some imposter of him that had done it and that's just not cool!

Tails' voice breaks through his anger-filled thoughts like butter. He didn't hear what he had said, but it was unimportant when his emerald green eyes met the nervous light blue ones of his little buddy. The blue hedgehog immediately lessened his grip on the small shoulder and relaxed himself, forcing his quills to lose the bristle they had gained during the episode. Relaxing his features, Sonic put on a calming, small smile.

"I'm sorry, little pal. I guess I got a bit carried away there." A tint of pink flushes on his cheeks in embarrassment at letting the horrifying memory get to him so easily and at letting Tails notice his rage. He earns a very small nod at the apology from the two-tailed kitsune, still a little nervous despite it.

"As I was saying, what's on there is very disturbing, but I'm not gonna brush it off because like you said, it could be related to the killings going on. If you want to see it, I'm not going to stop you."

"But Sonic, what was on it?"

The question made the speedster's blood freeze on the dime. He was afraid that Tails would ask that and knew that he could not answer. That cursed lump formed in his throat; there was no way he could retell all those graphic details. He turns his blue-quilled head away.

"I-I can't tell you, bud. It was too much," he choked out in response. Tails seemed to understand as he steps forward and wraps his arms around Sonic's neck in a hug, surprising the blue hero. Peach lips spread into a smile as he returns the hug, enveloping the little fox in his arms. Man, if only things could be simpler again…

Warm thoughts bring Sonic back to when Tails was years younger, hugging him just like how he was now. Their only main enemy had been Eggman and despite not really having a home until much later when they had both decided on it, it had been the adventure of a lifetime. No giant water monsters, evil metal Sonic knockoffs, huge space lizards, crazy genies, none of that. But yet, he liked those times and will enjoy much more as long as people were safe and that his friends were at his side, including the most important one that has helped him from simplest all the way to the most difficult of enemies.

He feels the hug release and he stands up again, a lot more refreshed. The nervousness that had grown on Tails' expression was now nonexistent, replaced with eagerness to continue their quest.

"So where is it now? I'm guessing you took it down to my workshop to see to it on my computer?"

"Yeeaaa, there's only one teensy weensy weensy problem with that," Sonic's voice seems to grow a few octaves higher as he emphasizes the "tininess" of the situation. Clearing his throat out of sheer embarrassment, he sheepishly scratches the back of his blue-quilled head, something he has always unconsciously done when he was in an awkward position. "I kinda-sorta-maybe broke your supercomputer…"

"You did what!?" the yellow fox squeaked out, his large ears in disbelief. Without another word, Tails took off into the destroyed kitchen of melted appliances, effortlessly pushing the melted hunk of metal that used to be the fridge out of the way of the basement entrance and used his two helicopter-like tails to fly down the stone staircase. Sonic rounded the corner and tried to call down to his flying pal to wait, but no answer ever followed. Now he was left staring down the yawning, dark stairway.

Just looking at it now made the Fastest Thing Alive's blood run cold. This very stairway led down to the area of that dreadful night, the one that haunted him down to his core. The demented computer that had spontaneously came on when unplugged, the two hazy red dots that had peered out from the smoke, the haunting static that had plagued his sensitive ears, it all flooded back to him. His soft ears pressed back against his skull at the terrible recollection.

Squaring up his tense shoulders, the blue hero forced himself down the steps at a tentative pace, on the lookout as the darkness surrounded him and the narrow stone walls caged him in down his path. He could see the lights on at the bottom of the endless steps while he pursued towards it. His sneakered steps echoed down the steps as the sounds bounced off the stone walls. He thought he could also hear a faint whispering…

Sonic's steps ceased when the sound of distant static teased his now pointed ears, him immediately recovering his paralytic-like limbs and beginning to quicken his pace. The static grew more louder and distorted with the faster he went until it was buzzing in his ears. The petrified hedgehog tried once again to fold back his trembling ears to block out the noise, but to no such avail. The whispers in the distance began to grow discernible.

Sonic…

His heart raced against his chest and his veins pumped blood of fire. Emerald green eyes had pea-sized pupils as they focused on nothing but the light shining out of the darkness. The voice growled in his ears, like someone had their muzzle right up to his pressed-back ears. It was one that he hadn't heard before, but it was so familiar. He swears there had been one time where he has heard it.

I…

His throat was dry as the light got closer and closer, his lean legs practically jogging down the steps to not fall from going too fast. The static still blared in his ears and he could feel himself slowly drift into panic.

am…

His breathing was hitched as his chest clenched with terror. The nearing light gave him persistence though, knowing he would soon be safe in the light and with Tails. The voice chuckled with gruesome lust as it gurgled its snarl.

GOD…

Sonic didn't care anymore. He leaped down those steps like prey in a deadly chase. He was finally at the light that he had been longing for for what seemed like forever, throwing himself into the lit room as the static ceased and the lingering voice in his ears dissipated. Crashing into a shelf of lab equipment (luckily having nothing fall off), the spooked blue speedster winced from the impact of the unsafe landing. Laying on the ground, he looked up to see Tails staring back at him with shocked eyes, his current movement of digging a thin screwdriver into the side of the broken monitor halted.

Sonic could almost hear the thoughts running through his head and was soon proven right when his little brother nearly had his tiny head explode.

"Have you gone MAD?!" The question had not been mean, more of startled. The blue one knew that it hadn't had meant to hurt, but he felt the sting deep now. Standing up from the floor, his eyes avert to stare at the ground, not bothering to respond to the question. Tails stared at him for a bit longer with an odd expression before turning back to his work on trying to get the disk out without damaging it.

Sonic's gaze lifted when the attention was no longer on him. Chaos, what is happening to him? It's enough that he notices how strange he's been acting, but when his friends start noticing too, it's just horrible. To think things could have been fine if he hadn't had decided to sneak a look at that stupid disk…

That's when something catches the Blue Blur's attention at the corner of his eye, something very shiny indeed. The item in question could help with something that's been on his mind for a while and he's glad that they've kept it after all this time. Sneaking a quick glance at the busy fox, who was too preoccupied with getting the disk out from the monitor, the stealthy speedster took tiny steps over to the end of the shelf he had crashed into and with a lightning-fast hand grabbed the item from its perch, hiding it within his head spines.

"Gotcha!"

The blue hedgehog nearly jumped out of his fur at the exclamation and whipped around, but relaxed quickly when it was just Tails holding the disk carefully in his hand with triumph. "About time you got out! Now to finally see what you hide."

The two-tail tosses the destroyed monitor to the side and approaches the shelf Sonic is currently by, reaching up to a high shelf (at least for him) and sliding out a convenient laptop tucked in the middle of two boxes of documents. He plops down to the floor with it, Sonic joining him at his side with mild nervousness. Remembering the hedgehog's words, Tails was a little nervous himself at what freaky things could be held on this disk that would freak his big brother out so much. It's what he had to do though, what they had to do.

Hesitantly, Tails slowly enters the disk within his laptop. The device begins to read it for what seems like ages, leaving the two anticipating heroes in cold sweat. Sonic was terrified most of all.

Here he was all over again, everything beginning to repeat themselves. Putting the disk in, watching the thing load, Tails was already downloading it into his laptop. He knew what was next, he didn't want it to come. This was it, time for it to ask them if they wanted to play the media on the file. He couldn't even look anymore as his heart pumped like a race horse in his chest. He shut his eyes tight and turned his head away when he heard the click of the mousepad hit "yes."

A few moments pass by with nothing happening. Sonic refuses to open his eyes to look and he eventually does hear something come from the yellow kitsune, but instead of the scream of terror the blue hedgie had expected, it was actually laughter.

"Darn it, Sonic! I should have known this was coming!" Tails giggled out between his laughter and the blue one's eyes shot open, turning his head back to see… a funny cat video of a kitten chasing a laser pointer.

Sonic was flabbergasted. Where was the look of his first game? The demon, the blood? How had what he had seen turn into this!? The color drained from his face as all this ran through his head, Tails just continuing to laugh at the silly kitten on the screen.

"I knew you had pulled a prank that day! I never knew that you would go to this extent just for a prank, but you sure got me good!" The fox grinned up at the blue hedgehog, not taking in the pure shock on the other's face. With a purr of amusement, he closed out the video and shut the lid of the laptop.

Suddenly, Sonic abruptly stood up from his sitting position, digging his ash-covered gloved hand into his head quills with intensity and pulled out the item of interest he had grabbed earlier. In his hand, he held the artificially-created yellow Chaos Emerald that Tails had made to disrupt the Eclipse Cannon those many years ago, a faint glow still to it as the speedster clutched it. Tails' eyes widened at seeing the seemingly fake jewel again before Sonic dashed out of the basement and up the stairway with his superior speed, the bewildered fox jumping up rapidly. Kicking his two tails into action, he chased after his supersonic brother as fast as he could.

"Sonic, wait! Where are you going with that?!" he called up the stairs after him as he flew. An answer didn't come at first, but a moment passed and one did.

"I'm going to find Shadow."

Tails was generally surprised from the response. He still had his suspicions that Shadow was somehow involved with these murders, but even Sonic was wanting to find the dark rival, though probably for a different reason. Why would Sonic want to find Shadow?

He lands at the top step of the stairs and peers out from the broken walls of their old home. Sonic stands out in the front lawn with a blank look directed at the blue sky. Urgently, the kitsune runs out to him and stops a few feet away out of caution.

"Wait, Sonic! I don't think the Emerald will have enough energy to bring you back from wherever you decide to go!" he yells out to him in warning, still completely confused on what the blue one's intentions could be. He feels his throat go dry when Sonic's blank gaze turns to him, an emotionless mask.

"I'm going to get some answers," he mutters steadily.

At that, Sonic casually raises the artificial Chaos Emerald into the air within his palm, the superjewel glowing its yellow glow radiantly as the holder puts on a small grin. There's a white flash of light and the next second is an empty space where the hedgehog had been just a second earlier.

~End of Chapter 10~