Chapter 26: A merry gang of five

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"Relationship drama?" Asked a new voice, clearly amused with the situation. Sonic looked up helplessly, and noted with slight horror that Rouge and Knuckles were both standing in the doorway, staring at… at whatever this could be called. Sonic, laying trapped in his bed in the middle of Shadow's and Amy's highly embarrassing screaming-match…

…and they were now shouting about him, oh great.

"You don't KNOW him like I do! You don't NEED him like I do!" Shouted Amy, fists clenching violently in her covers.

And Shadow glared back, replying with, "And he doesn't need YOU! Which was kind of the goddamn point, wasn't it?!"

"Well you're just a-a FAKER! He-"

"He what?! Compared to YOU, I'm actually helping him in his battles!"

"SHUT UP!" Knuckles shouted, and both Amy and Shadow startled and whipped around to look at him and Rouge. Amy's face went white, and then red, and then she just ignored the previous argument altogether, and said loudly,

"Knuckles?"

"Yes, quite," the echidna grit out. He then looked at Sonic, which of course had everyone else looking at him too. A mumbled, looks like you were telling the truth, came out, but only Rouge heard it (of course) and then the Guardian stomped up to Sonic's bedside. The blue hedgehog grinned at him sheepishly, and looked pretty surprised when Knuckles then said, "How are you feeling, hedgehog?"

He blinked at Knuckles, and then his face lit up again, emeralds glinting. "Peachy, buddy, just fine… Though it is real nice of you to visit."

Knuckles huffed, but looked amused. "Whatever. Well, I'm certainly not here to visit you, with Eggman going on a rampage back in the city."

"Heh. Didn't know you cared about the Square," said Sonic, and Knuckles glared at him.

"We have an emerald, hedgehog, so you better shut up and let us help you." He grit out, and stabbed an index finger into Sonic's chest. To that the blue hedgehog held up his hand and waved slightly, quickly saying,

"Yes, yes! Just chill, man, and- wait," he looked up again. "You said you had an emerald?"

As if on a cue Rouge then stepped forward, smirking a bit at him as she produced one of the mythical gemstones from behind her back. "Et voilà," she said with flourish, and dropped the emerald into Sonic's hands. She then stepped back as Sonic stared at the emerald, a grin slowly appearing once again.

"Wow, guys," he looked up again, beaming. "This is awesome! Now we need only two emeralds, and then we're all set!"

Knuckles blinked. "Wait," he then said. "Are you guys planning on turning Super?"

And Sonic opened his mouth to answer, just as sirens began wailing. They all looked up, startled, as some kind of speaker system sparked to life, a tired and elderly voice curtly announcing, "Stay calm. This is an emergency – the madman Robotnik has taken to attacking the hospital. GUN will soon arrive to fight the robots off. Now I repeat: Stay calm – we will soon begin evacuating-"

The line crackled. And died. Sonic glanced up and shared a look with Knuckles, who then whipped around and said loudly, "Eggman's here! We have to move!"

Shadow and Amy, who had went from screaming profanities at one another to dead silence, now shared a look. It was hate and burning passion – the same, really – a cold which could make even chili-dogs freeze over, and also a promise. Sonic suddenly felt very, very uneasy.

"Shadow the Hedgehog," Amy spat. "If you dare to hurt Sonic, then I w-will have your head on a platter! Is that clear?"

He smirked. "Clear as day, Miss Rose."

And Knuckles threw up his hands again, annoyed at the interruption, and barked, "We still have to get out of-"

And now Rouge interjected. "Children, children," she said easily, but with something akin to a worried crease to her forehead as she glanced at the door. "What he meant to say," she then said turning back to the hedgehogs. "Is that we can solve any drama after we've beat the Doctor into next Tuesday. Okay?"

"Fine by me," Sonic said. "But-" he gestured towards his legs. "-I'm not sure I can run. Or if my ribs are healed yet."

"AND-" Knuckles said. "-We still have to get out of here!"

"Why don't we use Chaos control?" Amy piped out. "I could take us away from here, no problem."

Sonic glanced at her, once again just… she can use chaos control? While Shadow frowned back in his bed, looking at Amy almost… wistfully. And unfortunately Sonic noticed. He always did, didn't he? He was so considerate. And now he glanced at Shadow, and by the look in his eyes, he must've known how much it hurt when you didn't even have control of your signature power anymore. Or when someone comes in and steals the show, using your powers.

Shadow scoffed. That foolish girl surely couldn't even cast a proper spear! –and why did he care anyway? Because what if Sonic starts to – to love her powers instead because what if she does it better than me? But as long as they got out of here, then it was alright.

And if the girl fell unconscious… well, you know who would be standing beside and smirking at her demise.

"Okay. Right," Knuckles said. Sonic wordlessly handed the emerald over to Amy, glancing at Shadow – you okay – and then everyone looked at Amy. She looked both proud and nervous as she then held up all five emeralds, which started to soar around her head like a glowing halo. Only two missing.

She took a deep breath, and Sonic reached out and put a hand on her arm, linking his other hand with Shadow's. Knuckles and Rouge both stepped forward and placed a hand on Amy's arm, and then she said, "Chaos control!"

A moment later…

With a thud and a several clanks and ever more clatter they all then reappeared on Main Street. And the first thing they all realised, was that they somehow had taken the beds with them. And that said beds were all balancing on a pile of destroyed robots and other scrap metal, and that a skyscraper was burning in the distance, smoke welling out over the city in thick black clouds…

"Guys," Sonic began almost too calmly, staring at the building in question. "Why. The heck. Haven't anyone told me, that Station Square looked like this?"

Amy looked away with flaming cheeks, Knuckles crossed his arms, Shadow frowned, and even Rouge managed to pull off a slightly sheepish look. And then Knuckles said, "No, Sonic. You are not going to go out there-"

"But the people!" Sonic interrupted. "They could be – and probably are – dying out there!"

"To be fair," Rouge interjected. "Then the worst battle has already passed – he attacked the hospitals instead-"

"Because of us!" Sonic said loudly, clenching his fists. "He was probably just coming for the emeralds, but – he doesn't care how many dies in the process!"

"We all know that already!" Shadow said. "But now the best thing we can do, is to get the last two emeralds!"

"Shadow's right, you know," murmured Rouge, and then Knuckles threw up his hands and exclaimed,

"Well get up then! We have to get moving!"

"But still-!" Sonic almost shouted, a pained expression settling over his face. "This city needs a hero. I'm the hero. Five's good enough-"

"They damn well aren't!" Shouted Shadow, just as Knuckles said firmly, "No."

"No," and Knuckles glared at Sonic, "You're injured. INJURED! Getting the last two emeralds isn't just some happy bonus – it is a necessity!"

"But-"

"Shut it." Everyone looked over to Shadow with slight surprise after his sudden exclamation, while he only looked at Sonic. Amy swallowed at that, maybe, and Shadow said swiftly, "We'll split into two groups – one to look for the emerald, and one to fight the Doctor for the last emerald."

They all opened their mouths again, but Shadow silenced them, holding up a hand. "I, the Guardian and faker will be on the fighting team. And I think Rouge can handle the searching?"

"You bet," she said, smirking once again. And then she turned to Amy, who almost squirmed under her glare. Almost. "And you, you come with me and Tails. There's no way in hell I'll be looking for an emerald with only fox-boy as a company." Amy was pretty sure that was a secret code for 'we need to talk'. She didn't care.

"No! I'll have to go and fight for Sonic! With Sonic!"

"Not a chance," said Rouge.

"I… agree with Rouge," mumbled Sonic, and quickly looked away when Amy sent him a betrayed glare which quickly would melt into even more pity-

"It's settled then," said Knuckles, interrupting everything else. "Now get out of those beds – we have to get moving!"

And then Shadow coughed. They all glanced at him, and he said with an irritated hint, "If anyone hasn't noticed this yet… but we forgot Tails back at the hospital."

To be continued…

A/N: I did barely edit this so if there's some typos or whatever then sorry :/