'Eat me, Drink me' by Marilyn Manson (Ignore the video / lyrics... They can be quite... vulgar .-.)
At the line, is 'Panorama' by the Yoshida Brothers (Massive change in mood and music style, but I like this song XD Traditional Japanese music ftw!)
Chapter Thirty - Seven
Shine was kneeling over Knuckles the Echidna, who was still unconscious on the ground inside the smoldering forest. She heard a noise behind her, like something was in pain. She turned and watched brother hunch over, holding his hands over his head, his eye closed tightly.
"Shadow?" Shine got to her feet, leaving Knuckles' side momentarily. "What's wrong? What's going on, Shadow?"
Shadow's whole body was shaking, his fingers tightening on his head. His breaths came in short, shallow gasps.
"... Shadow?" Shine took another step towards her brother.
Suddenly Shadow stopped moving all-together; He stopped gasping and shaking, and his fingers relaxed. He collapsed onto his side.
"Shadow!" Shine got to her knees and pressed her ear to Shadow's scarred chest, checking for some sign he was still alright. Sure enough, she found his heart-beat, but seemed to be something was missing from it.
Shine lifted her head at the sound of footsteps beside her. Knuckles, Kat, and Amy were standing at the sides of the twins. Amy and Kat were keeping Knuckles up on his feet, his arms wrapped around their shoulders. He was now conscious.
"Is he alright?" Amy asked. Her voice was quiet, like she was baffled.
"He's alive," Shine answered softly "But I still don't know what happened." She looked at Knuckles. "Are you OK?"
"I'm fine," He grunted. "But something is happening to the Master Emerald, and we need to get to it right now."
Shine picked up Shadow, holding his legs and under his head. "Jesus Christ," She muttered "What could be happening now?"
The Master Emerald's light was throbbing when the tired group arrived. Tails must have seen the Emerald's reaction, too, because he, Cosmo, Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla were there.
Tails gasped at the sight of the unconscious Shadow. "What happened to him?" He rushed over to where Shine laid Shadow down. "What happened?" He repeated.
"I would tell you if I could Tails." Shine murmured, watching her brothers chest rise and fall ever-so-slightly as Tails got to his knees beside the unconscious hedgehog.
What's going on, Shadow? What did you do to yourself?
"Look!" Amy exclaimed, suddenly. She was pointing at the fluctuating Emerald.
Tails slowly looked up as a dark, blurry image protruded from the Emerald. His widened. "Is that...?"
"Chris..." Knuckles breathed as Christopher Thorndyke emerged from the light of the crystal.
"It- it worked!" Chris exclaimed. "I did it! I did it!"
Shine looked at the kid. "Pfft, ha ha ha ha!" He was wearing the baggiest clothes ever - Which he tripped over.
"Why am I so short... What's..." He looked up, his eyes watering. "Shine?" Then he noticed Shadow on the ground. "What happened?"
As Knuckles helped Chris to his feet and explained there was a battle, Cosmo inched towards Shine and whispered "Who is that?"
Shine took a breath from laughing. "That's Chris, one of Sonic's friends from the other world."
"Chris?" Cosmo murmured. "...Why are you laughing? He tripped and fell."
"I know..." Shine snorted "But look at him!" Chris was wearing a large lab-coat, the sleeves reaching way past the length of his arms. He had men's jeans on, for someone in their early twenties, and a strangling sweater that hung off his body.
Chris was looking down at Knuckles as the Echidna explained everything. Tails got to his feet, but remained where he stood, staring at Chris.
"Chris? How did you get here?" Tails blinked.
Chris looked at him, and grinned from ear-to-ear. "I created a machine to bring me here!" He exclaimed. "It was similar to the one used to bring you here, but it didn't use Chaos Emeralds. It took me six years to make, but I did it!"
Everyone exchanged glances. Tails shifted uncomfortably. "Uuuh... Chris... It's only been six months. Have you checked you calender lately?"
Chris blinked back at him. "I-... It... I'm confused."
"Pffft!" Shine snorted and faced the other way, taking another deep breath before turning back to Chris, who had one eye-brow arched in confusion, his mouth agape. Shine cracked a smile, but managed to smooth herself out. "It's only been six months since we got back, Chris. Why would you think been six years?"
Chris blinked again. "I... seem to have shrunk... But, back in my world it's been six years!"
Knuckles looked up at him. "Damn, and you're still taller than me."
Chris laughed, then stopped. "I hate being twelve again. Being eighteen was great. I was able to drive, and cook, and create, an-" He cut off, and blushed. "You get what I mean."
"I do," Shine said suddenly, finally able to stop laughing. "I myself am actually nineteen."
Everyone was silent. Cream blinked at Shine. "I thought you and Shadow were twins?"
"We are."
"... Then how are you older than him?" Vanilla inquired.
"I was released from my escape pod five years before Shadow was - That's when I was fourteen." She picked invisible lint off her leather coat. "When Shadow was released, he was sixteen."
Chris watched her. "So... You're one year older than me?" He cursed under his breath. "I wanted to be one of the few people in our group of friends that was eighteen and over." He let out a sheepish laugh.
Vanilla smiled at him. "Come with me, Cream and Shine, here, and we'll get you some new clothes - I'm pretty sure I remember they layout of your old outfit..."
Shine blinked. "Wait, why me? I've got to get Shadow...back...to... Oh, goddamnit." She knelt down, and picked Shadow up again, muttering under her breath. "This is just splendid..."
Chris rolled his sleeves and pant legs up so he could follow them back.
"I want to come, too." Cosmo announced. "Maybe I can help make the clothes."
"I'm coming too." Tails walked on Shine's side. "I'm sure there's something I can do for Shadow."
Shine looked down at Shadow's scarred face as they walked down the temple's stairs.
What's happening, Shadow? When will things start making sense?