Chapter 16

First, Silver felt the collision of Amy's soft, warm lips with his own. Then, Silver felt the cold hard force of Shadow's fist blast though his cheek. Ouch. Silver flew back into the dirt and hit it hard, obviously. His nose was bleeding.

"What, the hell, were you thinking?" Shadow had to ask. Amy spaced out for a moment, then she snapped back into reality.

"Hey, did you have to hit him that hard?" She complained, then turned her reckless manner at Silver. "Yeah, what is wrong with you? Silver, I thought we were friends…"

"We are friends," Silver wheezed as he stood back up, "I didn't do that because I love you." Shadow and Amy stared at him blankly. "I did it to show how much Shadow cared about you."

"Wait, you knew he was gonna hit you?!"

"In some ways more than one; yes I did."

"Then, why'd you let him hit you?"

"So I could feel the damage Shadow could cause when he wanted to protect you."

"Why would you want to know that?" Silver paused at the question. Amy had to think too. Of course Shadow would protect me, because he wants to.

"To show you two that Shadow will do what it takes to protect you." A glare was settled between Shadow and Silver. "But, what if there was something he couldn't protect you from?" Shadow smirked, realizing what Silver was getting at.

"You don't have to worry, Silver. I can handle any monster, you know; even if you can't."

"Amy, can you leave me and Shadow to talk, please?" Silver asked suddenly.

"What? No way! I'm not gonna let you two fight again!" She retorted.

"I promise we'll only be talking."

"Oh yeah-!?"

"Amy, leave." Shadow ordered flatly. She glared at him; she was scared for him.

"Humph, fine!" She felt that she was beginning to sound a bit like Shadow; just more feminine. "But you might wanna do it someplace else." She pointed at the fire circling them. Shadow picked Amy up and ran and Silver followed. They dashed through the forest and away from the crowd and scorching flames. When all was calm, Shadow tried to put Amy down, but she clutched his shoulders.

"Please don't do something stupid." She whispered. Silver landed beside them.

"I won't." He answered, then he could finally put her down. She stepped back a little to let them talk, but they both had other plans. They sped off deeper into the forest without her! Amy gasped when the wind from their speed blew across her face.

"You promised!" She screamed out, even though she was pretty sure at this point they probably couldn't hear her now. She stood for a moment, unsure about what she was gonna do now, so she thought. The first thing that popped into her head: I'll show you why. She shook her head, trying to ignore the echoing voice in her mind that was Silvers. She had never kissed anyone on the lips before! Even worse, it was Silver who was her first kiss, not Shadow… It felt strange to her that she was having mixed emotions thinking about it…

000000000000

Shadow and Silver stopped running when they knew they were clear from Amy being able to hear them. "It's not monstrous, Shadow; it's sickness." Silver said abruptly, like he was starting where he had left off. Shadow grabbed Silver by the throat.

"Listen to me, you time-traveling worm," Shadow's fury almost scared Silver, "You better tell me, right now, what's going to happen to her." Silver pushed him away before glaring at him more intently than he ever had before.

"Don't you get it? It would be better for both of you, and the rest of the world, if you just die now!"

"Why?"

"Because whether you're dead or alive, she's going to die, Shadow!" Shadow froze. That wasn't exactly what he was hoping for Silver to have said. His body felt weak for the first time.

"What do you mean? Wha-?" Silver closed his eyes and sighed to relieve the nauseous pain in his stomach.

"I didn't want to tell you this," He said honestly, "But I have no choice. I would rather not have to kill you in front of Amy, but something still must be done." Shadow waited for Silver's long pause to end.

"In a few years from now, a disease will spread through out this land; this world." Shadow seemed baffled by that enough. "I have gone back in time as many times as I can count, and I still don't know the sickness' source. There are two sides to this disease: One, the disease will kill you by emerging through the body, making it weak and unable to function, until it can't function at all. Or two, it brings supernatural strength to the body, like my psycho kinesis."

"If this disease was so dangerous, then why didn't you tell us before?"

"It didn't matter when the fiery inferno took over the world." He ventured on. "The disease couldn't kill an organism like the Iblis, and there wasn't anyone left for it to consume, even when it went airborne. But since Sonic defeated the Iblis, the disease is what's wiping out everyone." Shadow stood in thought. "Amy; she gets the first case of the disease, Shadow." Shadow perked. His eyes were wide and for once he looked terrified. "Her body becomes too weak and eventually she dies from it. After that you lose your mind and start destroying the world that destroyed your long lost love." The worst case possible; something Shadow couldn't save her from.

"I won't let her get the disease." He answered firmly.

"It's a lot harder than it sounds." He retorted.

"How long were you planning on hiding all this?" Shadow snarled, although he could see Silver was very upset.

"I didn't want to have to tell her." He choked. Shadow was irritated by Silver's quiet attitude.

"I don't have time for you." Shadow turned away from him.

"No, Shadow! You can't just tell her!"

"I'm not going to tell her. I'm going to find out where the disease starts and I'm going to stop it."

"Didn't you hear me before?" Silver scoffed. "I told you; I looked a dozen times! A lot more times than I should have! I still can't find it!"

"Humph, then I'll look a dozen and ten times more." He sped off.

"Damn his stubbornness." Silver cursed. While he was upset about failing to get through to Shadow, more than anything for some reason, he wanted him to be able to change the future; Amy's future.

BC737: And Now, A poem:

Yucky yucky school;

I'd rather be in my bed snoring with a bit of drool

Yucky yucky school

Who was it that created such a place?

I pity the fool

-by: a poem that I just made up 

Thanks again SOOOOO much for reading and the reviews!! I'm glad y'all like this story and while school has forcefully become part of my schedule again, I will do my best to update ASAP! Thanks again!