Sorry for the delay. Hello to all my new followers, very nice to see people adding this story to their watch list.
We finally finish the "flashback" portion of the story. Obviously certain moments and events are only known to the characters in the 'other' universe, but as they are integral to the story I have written them even though Shadow/the current world crew is unaware of them.
All will become clear as we go on from here. Hopefully
Sonic et al belong to Sega and Archie crew. Brant, Orla and Nula are my creations.
The debate about how well she would handle the events in public was decided for her when Orla wrapped her up in a hood before she left the castle. Amy had protested at first, but the pained look in the otters eye quiet her resolve. Deep down she was frightened of what might befall the Kingdom and her family if things remained as they were.
She would take the risk to meet the ex-King once more. She had read the cards that morning, and she could feel that he was close by. The distinction between he and the Shadow from the other universe was now much stronger, and she would know which she were conversing with. She knew for certain that nobody had seen her with either of them; that it was simply Chinese whispers and her history that had made those foxes presume what they did. All the same, she would hole up in the castle for a couple of months and make sure the subjects of her cousins Kingdom knew it. If anything were to happen to her loved ones, life would not be worth living. Rob would not exile her, even for their own safety, so she would have to take charge.
With drab, pedestrian clothing and a hood that covered her head well, Amy walked casually through the village surrounding the castle. Further away from the grounds itself, Knottingham was a far more modern affair, but the centre point remained as it had for centuries. It was symbolic rather than practical, but the people had rallied to their King and to the grounds of the castle in times of crisis so they did not change it's image.
She darted through the narrow streets and back alley ways she had played in as a young child until she found herself on the edge of the forest. She paused for a moment to see if she could sense eyes upon her, but all she felt was the lingering presence of the ex-King ahead of her. He was like a ghost that remained by her side but out of reach. The other Shadow did not linger in the same way, but she supposed when he was gone he was well and truly gone. The King, he was part of her world.
She walked for thirty minutes or more until she found a small clearing by the edge of the Never Lake. It was a vast expanse of water, and a beautiful spot as well as still being the spot where Little Planet appeared each year. For now, on a grey day in the middle of of May, it was simply a quiet and private location.
She sat on the bank by the water and looked down at her reflection. The years had been fair to her but she was not the young woman she was. She wondered if the Amy of the other Shadows world was still young and beautiful. He had mentioned they ran at different passes in time, though how many years below her this other Amy was she did not know. She believed in her heart that the other Amy was with their worlds Sonic, and she felt a warm connection to their love that was so far away.
How that Amy had managed to steal the heart of not only Sonic but Shadow too was a mystery. The King and the new Shadow were similar but certainly not the same, so perhaps the other her was a more pro-active woman. Perhaps she was sweeter, perhaps there was little in the way of competition.
Perhaps that was why she had kissed the new Shadow. If just for one moment she could escape from her world and imagine a life beyond it, she would take it. The need for excitement in her life quashed her logical thoughts, and it was how she had ended up in the company of the King so often.
The EX-King.
For a moment she believed the sight of him in the water was her minds eye, but as she gathered herself together she knew he stood beside her. It was certainly her Shadow, devoid of his cloak and his crown now. He looked no different to the hedgehog she knew growing up. Her heart skipped a beat, out of apprehension or affection it had grown hard to tell. He was not to blame for the attempt on her life, but she still felt an overwhelming need to detach from him.
"I saw what they did," he said, regarding her mirrored image as she did his.
"You were in the walls of the village?" she snapped, "you utter fool."
He dropped to his knees and wrapped an arm around her neck. By instinct she went to claw at him to free herself, when she realised he was not trying to harm her. He was embracing her.
"I've missed you, Amy," he whispered in to the back of her neck, "communication might be intercepted. I hid in plain sight."
She bit her lip, "the ones who attacked me, did you hear what they said?"
"I did."
"Then," she started, trying to hook a hand around his wrist to release his hold, "you will know why we cannot carry on like this."
"On the contrary, I wish for it all the more," he purred, as she felt his lips connect with the side of her neck.
With a sudden burst of strength she prised herself out of his grip and twisted away from him. In her haste to get away she forgot her proximity to the waters edge and her heel slipped off the bank.
She didn't fall far. She was dipped backward so far the ends of her quills touched the waters surface, but his supportive hand at the small of her back stopped her crashing in to the lake. With a movement smooth as silk he eased her back in to an upright position and for a moment they stood nose to nose in silence.
"I'm sorry."
His words almost caused her to fall in to the water again. In his fierce red eyes she could see a melancholy she hadn't known for a couple of decades. He downcast his eyes and stepped away from her, looking at his hands as if they were detached from him.
"I didn't want to interfere, but for a moment I thought I was going to lose you," he mumbled, clasping his fingers together, "it was not my intention to kill him. I reacted without hindrance."
"It was...it was you?" she stuttered. It was a twisted moment to laugh, but she smiled in plain relief that she had not taken a life after all. There was no logical way it could have been her, but until that point she had to assume it had been. Shadow, of course, had plenty blood on his hands already.
"I could not reveal myself of course. If I were to be seen..."
"It would be bad," she nodded, "not that you don't deserve bad of course."
He frowned and shook his head, "I am aware. It has taken me a while to accept that my actions over the years were misguided. Out here," he said, turning to look in to the forest, "I have had the opportunity to take stock. I have been alive for so long...without living one day of it."
She stared hard at his back. In build he was so similar to Sonic, if an outsider were to hear of what he was capable of they may have dismissed it. He still looked young, but his fur was lacking it's velveteen sheen and his poise was slumped.
"You can change that still," she said.
He looked back toward her over his shoulder, "so can you."
She placed a hand on her heart, fearing to leave it open it would betray her. She was weak to her need to save him and to her dreams of a life beyond her royal blood. She dreamed of adventuring again, fighting by the side of the man she loved and saving her friends on a daily basis. The chance for all that was walking over to her and taking her hand. When he kissed her she fell in to the moment and her senses gave way to the taste of his lips and the sound of her heartbeat in her ears. His strong arms enveloped her and for a second she was a teenager again.
The other Shadow flashed across her minds eye. She had accused him of using her to replace his Amy, but in truth she was willing that to happen. She broke away from the ex-King and rested her hands on the soft, snowy fur on his chest.
"This is something you will have to do alone," she croaked, "I will not reveal you Shadow, but you must leave this place."
He gripped on to her shoulders, "I am no threat to you Rose. I am no threat to anyone any more. Let's go erase the past and start a new life. I want you with me!"
She shook her head and let a sob escape her throat, "I can't pretend I don't want to Shadow. But if we were seen, if we were caught...I fear for my family."
He swallowed hard, "you have a duty to your King."
She didn't know which King he referred to. His voice was too quiet to tell if he was telling her to fulfil his desires, or to protect her cousin, or to run to Sonic and tell him of her treason. She did not answer him, and he turned to leave without anything else to say. With his exit she bid a silent farewell to him and to the wonderful dream she was giving up.
He disappeared in to the darkness and her heart fell in to shadow.
They were stood face to face, staring at each other as if they were a reflection in a mirror. The ex-King did not react surprised, and Shadow knew at that moment his presence must have been detected before hand.
"You're taller than me," the ex-King sneered.
"I'm older than you," Shadow replied.
His twin raised an eyebrow, "Being ageless, it doesn't really matter if you've existed longer."
Silence fell between them, with nothing but the sound of the breeze through the leaves rustling overhead. They were stood at the foot of a grand tree, and high above them was the remains of the old Freedom Fighters headquarters, abandoned long ago when King Rob returned and Eggman had been defeated.
"What is it you want with Amy Rose?" Shadow inquired.
"I could ask you the same," was his answer, "given this is my world and my Amy."
Shadow snorted, "she is not property."
"Then why are you trying to steal her away?"
With motions that matched perfectly they folded their arms defensively across their chests. There was the subtlest crackle in the air as power charged underneath the surface. They stared each other down like wild males during a rut.
"I have no plans to remove her from this world, but I am here to ascertain what threat you pose to the outer universes, and to this world."
The ex-King gave a flicker of amusement, "Are you the hero of your world?"
Shadow narrowed his eyes, "I will protect what I need to."
The ex-King let his arms fall and nodded his head, "I felt that was my duty to. I fear Amy has told you of my exploits over the years. They were the actions of a hedgehog trying to protect his world. The way I conducted myself was...misguided."
Shadow listened for sincerity in his voice, but he knew from his own it was hard to detect.
"I burned my anger out," he carried on, "I seethed and raged when I was beaten by Sonic's children, and when my thoughts went dark with how I might exact my revenge on them, I hit my lowest. That was how I ended up hear, near the one being on this forsaken blot of soil who might sooth my inner demons."
Shadow flicked an ear, "you are very candid about this."
"I've been waiting for you. No point in wasting time hiding anything. You want to protect your world from me, and I am here to tell you I never wanted to harm this one."
The ex-King sighed deeply and turned around, exposing his back to show he was no longer on the defensive. Shadow let his arms fall too.
"The Master Emerald is far from here, the Chaos Emeralds are scattered and guarded. My crown was taken from me, I have no heirs to claim right to the throne. As for Amy...I know her heart is true, but it belongs to her family before it could ever belong to me. I will bother her no more."
Shadow walked over to stand by his reflections side. The ex-King looked tired of the fight, of his very existence. But he would live forever if he so wished, and would need to find a place in the world.
"In the decades that lay before you it is possible to slowly gain their trust. The world will always fear us, but we must still exist within it, so we shall do what we can to save them."
With a small nod from the ex-King, Shadow felt it was time to leave before he pushed his luck. He would return the following night to thank Amy for her help, then leave this place of hurt behind him.
The royal armoury was well equipped, but ill prepared for the onslaught of a temperamental female with a Piko hammer. She had settled upon smashing her weapon against a thick oak trunk that was used to practice sword fighting, splintering it to nothing wider than pencils in a matter of minutes. When she finally stopped swinging she let out a wail of despair and fell to her knees amongst the ruin.
Orla fell next to her and tired to hoist her out of the dagger sharp shards of wood, but Amy was dead weight. Defeated, the otter wrapped an arm around her ward.
"My Lady, please be careful, you have already reopened your wound," she urged, "I do not wish to see you hurt any longer."
"The hurt is INSIDE Orla," Amy cried, tears clouding her angry eyes, "how can...after I...what I gave..."
She screamed again and fell in to the bosom of her old friend and wept. What little strength she had within her seeped out within her salty tears, and she cried until her body was spent and her spirit was quiet. Not once did she feel the pain in her bleeding knees.
"Lady Rose," Orla sighed after an eternity, "you are a woman of reason. The King has come up with an idea that will keep your reputation clear and the kingdom protected."
"By marrying me off. By using patriarchal, outdated, ideals from ancient times," the pink hedgehog sighed.
"Bow Sparrow will make an excellent husband," Orla soothed.
Amy got to her feet suddenly, brushing off the broken wood from her bloody limbs.
"You are right Orla. He is a noble man, of good blood. The Kingdom sees him as a mighty protector, the Kings most trusted ally. He will become a Lord and I shall be his dutiful until my dying day."
Orla shook her head, "Sparrow marries you to protect you and his King. He does not demand your love, and he will not. But as far as the subjects of this Kingdom will be concerned, you are betrothed to your beloved and most certainly not in the arms of a traitor such as Shadow!"
Amy laughed, a bitter husky laugh from the back of her throat, "my engagement will be announced in a few days. I am still Amy Rose until then, and I shall live as such."
When Shadow appeared to say his goodbye the following night, Amy told him nothing of her news. She knew he loved his Amy, she knew she loved her Shadow, but for one night they could play make believe that they were both with the ones they truly wanted. When she woke the following morning he was gone and she donned her royal gowns and her royal demeanour, ready to become Lady Sparrow and leave her dreams in the dust. She would never read the cards again.
Present Day
Sonic was walking in a giant circle. With each step he took, Nula would run between his legs, giggling to her hearts content. Brant watched from his vantage point on his Fathers knees, making the odd small coo of approval.
"Okay so to be clear, your lingering feelings for my wife lead you in to the arms of...another Amy who you believe was in love with another Shadow because another Sonic is married to a squirrel," Sonic stammered angrily.
"I believe Queen Sally was a chipmunk, but..."
"Ah yes," Sonic butted in, "Sonic is KING. Shadow WAS King but after trying to destroy the world with...gem stones and water...he was banished. YOU went to challenge HIM because you work for a Government Agency in ANOTHER universe and they suspected he might be trouble."
"You are simplifying it a little..."
"As it turns out your one night of impulse has given you a son. A son who is here somehow, while his Mother who isn't my wife but somehow is kind of my wife..."
"WIFE has a NAME"
They all turned to look at the voice approaching them through the trees. Amy strolled in to the clearing, her eyes visibly tear stained but her face beaming as her daughter ran to her. Amy scooped Nula up and tickled her belly, causing the child to squeal in delight, breaking the tension in the air.
"Amy, I'm sorry," Sonic started, walking over to her, "it's a lot to take in."
Amy shook her head and passed Nula over to her Father, "Sonic if you think this is hard why don't you think about what the hedgehog you've just been yelling at is going through."
She walked over to Shadow and took the baby of his knees and cradled him in her arms. Shadow stood slowly as well, not wanting to get too close to her out of shame and out of respect. The night that Brant was conceived was a mistake, but it happened out of love, and now he would fix the broken bonds.
"You didn't get round to telling us how you ended up wounded," Sonic said quietly as he walked over to them. Nula reached her arms out to Shadow, and with a quick glance of permission from Sonic, he cradled the little girl close to him.
"I went back." he started, "Though we had established the ex-King was no longer a threat, I did wonder what he was doing with the eternal life stretched out before him. I wanted to know Lady Rose was well too of course, but I had no intention of meeting with her. I had interrupted her life enough, and she would not forget the ex-King while I was there reminding her of him."
He held Nula forward so she could tickle Brants cheeks, while the male hoglet snuggled further in to Amy's arms.
"This was a month ago. I teleported to the place in the forest I had met with the ex-King, but I had barely materialised when an arrow shot through my shoulder, just missing my heart. My body was then frozen, not something easily done, but my senses were jumbled and I could not tell who was around me. The arrow was left in me and I could not heal. I know I was moved, in to a jail as it turned out, but the passage of time was lost on me. Then out of nowhere the powers holding me broke, and as well as I could I removed the arrow and teleported back here. That was when Nula found me."
She looked up at him at the sound of her name, and lifted a hand so it rested on Shadows cheek. He nuzzled her palm with his nose and she beamed.
"We need to go back there then!" Sonic declared, making a heroic pose.
"You will help me?" Shadow inquired.
The blue hedgehog took in a deep breath, "We...have a lot to discuss, but that can come after we have rescued the Princess locked away in a castle."
"What do you plan to do?" Amy asked, with a raise of her eyebrows, "or is this a good old fashioned 'all guns blazing' type plan where we hope for the best?"
"Is there any other kind of plan?"
"Yes Sonic," Amy sung, "but with Shadows permission I think we should bring our friends up to speed, just with what they need to know. Rouge especially. Reuniting this little one with his Mother is top priority, but it sounds like there could be danger."
Shadow nodded slowly, "she isn't going to like me very much after this, but I will tell Rouge myself. Tell the rest of your troops what you must. I feel they shall not approve either."
Amy placed a hand carefully on his shoulder, "then you need to start to try and get to know them better."