THE NEED FOR SPEED
The Voice of Reason
--------------------
I opened the door I had just walked through, letting the hall light shine into my apartment. There in front of me was a face I hadn't seen since I left the A.R.K.
"Shadow?" I asked quietly. Could this be real? Was it just another dream?
One way or the other, my composure broke down and I couldn't help but shed a few tears. "Oh God. Shadow, thank goodness you're okay. You can't believe what's been happening to me."
The black hedgehog cocked an eyebrow and sneered at me. "Have you really become so pathetic?"
I should have expected such a gruff response. But for some reason, his words cut me to the core. "Shadow, you don't understand. You don't know what happened."
A burning rage consumed his crimson eyes.
You have to be fast, I mean REALLY fast for me to not be able to see your movement. Shadow was that quick.
All of the sudden, he had closed the gap between us and delivered a powerful right hook to my cheek.
I smashed into the wall opposite my door. Stunned more by what happened rather than the punch itself.
"Fool." He spat at me for emphasis. "I DO know. I know that you slowed down. I know you hid like a coward as you regained your strength. And I know you continue to hide the truth from your friends."
I stood up, taking a moment to figure everything out. Then I realized. "Of course," I thought aloud. "You. It's happening to you too. You became Super too."
He just came into the hall and shut the door behind him. "Come." He commanded as he turned to head outside the building. "We have much to discuss."
We stepped out into the night, and without warning, Shadow turned and ran.
I followed.
After a few seconds, I caught up to him and paced myself to match his speed. I was grateful to be able to move so quickly again. But there was still something wrong.
"You're breathing rather hard." He said. "We haven't even hit the speed of sound yet."
I scowled as he quickened the pace and pulled away from me. I knew he was right. I knew I should have just stopped there and gone home.
But I couldn't.
This was Shadow. The only other being I knew who had attained the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. The only one who had even the slightest idea what I was going though.
I wasn't going to let him get away.
I pushed myself, accelerating towards the reddish-black blur ahead of me.
The city streets zoomed by. As if the world were flying around us, and we were running in place.
Again I pulled alongside the ultimate life form. He merely shot me a sidelong glance and burst ahead even faster.
Then it hit me.
He was testing me. The pompous punk was gauging my speed, seeing if I could keep up.
I began to grow more than a little angry, and let my anger fuel me. I charged full speed, ignoring the fact I was now sweating bullets and gasping for air.
Seeing I was giving it my all, Shadow paced himself to stay next to me. I glanced over at him, and though I could count on one hand the number of times I had been moving faster than this, he wasn't showing any sign of fatigue.
He noticed my look, and observed me for a moment. "Sonic, stop."
I wanted to so bad, I couldn't keep pushing myself like this. But I saw no reason to stop ahead, and my rival wasn't slowing at all.
So I merely laughed and kept going.
"Sonic. Stop. NOW!"
I turned to make a snide remark, but I never got the chance.
My chest seemed to explode, and my limbs instantly went limp.
My body fell to the grassy earth, thankful we had at least left the hard city roads.
The world spun around me as I tumbled end over end for who knows how far, finally coming to a stop face-down on the grass. I gasped furiously, straining to fill my rushing blood with oxygen. My whole body felt numb, yet it burned like I was on fire.
Shadow chuckled evilly next to me. "Not only are you a faker and a coward, but an idiot as well."
I begged him to help me up, to go get an ambulance, but it all came out like raspy groans.
He lay on his back next to me. "Don't be such a weakling, you'll live. Wake me when you can get up again."
I felt dizzy and weak. "Not again," I managed to say between gasps. Through immense pain and effort I forced myself up onto all fours. "How, can, this, happen? I, didn't, even,"
"Stay down fool," Shadow growled at me. "Your body's been through enough."
Again I felt my anger boiling in my blood. How dare he talk to me, TREAT me like this! "Shut, up," My arms and legs began to shake with the strain of holding me up, but I continued trying to stand.
In a flash, Shadow leapt up to his feet. "I said, STAY DOWN!" He then kicked me in the ribs, sending me rolling a good five yards.
Despite the blinding pain, the burning fear and the paralyzing weariness, I couldn't help but smile at the last sound I heard as I passed out.
Shadow's gasping for air.
--------------------
I awoke from my dreamless sleep. The sky was clear, and the sun was high. I could tell despite the fact that Shadow was standing in front of it looking down at me.
"Finally." He spoke with great exasperation. "Not only do you snore, but you sleep until it's practically noon." He stepped aside and the sun's bright rays forced me out of my half-asleep stupor.
I sat up and stretched, wondering what I was doing out in a field somewhere.
Then last night's run came right back to mind.
"What the heck happened to me?" I asked as I stood up, surprised that it was so easy and painless. "Did I have some kind of heart attack?"
"You were close," came the reply. "Fortunately, you stalled first."
I stopped looking around and turned to face him. "Stalled?"
"Later," his stoic reply. "Right now we're late."
More than a little confused, I followed him to the edge of a nearby forest.
We walked in silence for a few minutes, and I was just about to protest that we had the potential to go a little bit faster
But I felt it.
The same sensation from my dreams, that crackle of energy that crept into your body, tickling your very soul. It was still very weak, but hit me suddenly, distinctly. I leapt back from the sensation in surprise.
My action did not go unnoticed. "About fifty yards," Shadow seemed to say to himself. "You're definitely attuned."
I wanted to ask him, 'Fifty yards to what?' But deep down I not only knew the answer.
I feared it.
I forced myself to keep walking. And the energy seemed to grow stronger. Sure enough, about 50 yards later, we came to a large tree with a knothole in the side about the size of my head, illuminated by a soft, pulsing glow from within.
Deep in the recesses of my mind, panic began to seep in. "Why are we here Shadow?" I tried to ask calmly.
He looked up at the sky and pointed. I turned my eyes upward.
"Angel Island," he said. "It's a little tough to get to without the Chaos Emeralds."
I looked over at the glowing knothole. "Isn't, isn't there another way? Tails could fly us up in the Tornado." Then a thought hit me. "Hey, do the others know you're okay? They must still be worried and out looking for you."
His amber eyes glanced at me like I was crazy. "Just get up there."
I looked in the hiding spot. There was only one Emerald. "You're not coming?"
He leaned against a tree with a bored expression on his face. "This is for you." he said flatly. "You and you alone."
I cautiously picked up the gem. It was glowing a brilliant yellow, and yet.
"It seems kinda dim." I observed. "Is it the fake?"
"Wouldn't that be appropriate?" he muttered bitterly. "It's real, just go and hurry up already. Follow the pull and you'll know what to do."
My head slumped forward in aggravation. Things just seemed to get more and more complicated and confusing each day.
I raised the gem over my head and summoned the power inside it. As I closed my eyes, a warm, soothing sensation flowed down over me, filling my body.
"Chaos CONTROL!"
The world seemed to fall away beneath me, and in no time, I was up on the island.
I opened my eyes, and saw I was in the remains of the shrine. The seven towers encircling a massive altar.
Then the 'pull' Shadow mentioned hit me. Like a hook in my belly, I was almost physically pulled towards the center of the temple.
As I figured, I found myself looking at the giant green emerald. "The master Emerald."
A bolt of energy flew from the stone, and I was yanked forward to it. I reflexively threw out my right hand to catch my fall, but I never seemed to hit the ultimate crystal.
I opened my clenched eyes. The whole world was still and gray. Not a blade of grass moved in the suddenly halted breeze. A few particles of dust, falling from the structure hung in midair, about a foot off the ground.
"Hello Sonic," A gentle, female voice spoke behind me. I turned and saw two entities. An orange echidna with tribal markings and a green dress. Her protector and cohort, a vaguely humanoid collection of water with glowing eyes and a red, semi-solid brain.
"It's good to see you again Sonic," Tikal continued. "Though Chaos and I wish it were under better circumstances."
The Voice of Reason
--------------------
I opened the door I had just walked through, letting the hall light shine into my apartment. There in front of me was a face I hadn't seen since I left the A.R.K.
"Shadow?" I asked quietly. Could this be real? Was it just another dream?
One way or the other, my composure broke down and I couldn't help but shed a few tears. "Oh God. Shadow, thank goodness you're okay. You can't believe what's been happening to me."
The black hedgehog cocked an eyebrow and sneered at me. "Have you really become so pathetic?"
I should have expected such a gruff response. But for some reason, his words cut me to the core. "Shadow, you don't understand. You don't know what happened."
A burning rage consumed his crimson eyes.
You have to be fast, I mean REALLY fast for me to not be able to see your movement. Shadow was that quick.
All of the sudden, he had closed the gap between us and delivered a powerful right hook to my cheek.
I smashed into the wall opposite my door. Stunned more by what happened rather than the punch itself.
"Fool." He spat at me for emphasis. "I DO know. I know that you slowed down. I know you hid like a coward as you regained your strength. And I know you continue to hide the truth from your friends."
I stood up, taking a moment to figure everything out. Then I realized. "Of course," I thought aloud. "You. It's happening to you too. You became Super too."
He just came into the hall and shut the door behind him. "Come." He commanded as he turned to head outside the building. "We have much to discuss."
We stepped out into the night, and without warning, Shadow turned and ran.
I followed.
After a few seconds, I caught up to him and paced myself to match his speed. I was grateful to be able to move so quickly again. But there was still something wrong.
"You're breathing rather hard." He said. "We haven't even hit the speed of sound yet."
I scowled as he quickened the pace and pulled away from me. I knew he was right. I knew I should have just stopped there and gone home.
But I couldn't.
This was Shadow. The only other being I knew who had attained the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. The only one who had even the slightest idea what I was going though.
I wasn't going to let him get away.
I pushed myself, accelerating towards the reddish-black blur ahead of me.
The city streets zoomed by. As if the world were flying around us, and we were running in place.
Again I pulled alongside the ultimate life form. He merely shot me a sidelong glance and burst ahead even faster.
Then it hit me.
He was testing me. The pompous punk was gauging my speed, seeing if I could keep up.
I began to grow more than a little angry, and let my anger fuel me. I charged full speed, ignoring the fact I was now sweating bullets and gasping for air.
Seeing I was giving it my all, Shadow paced himself to stay next to me. I glanced over at him, and though I could count on one hand the number of times I had been moving faster than this, he wasn't showing any sign of fatigue.
He noticed my look, and observed me for a moment. "Sonic, stop."
I wanted to so bad, I couldn't keep pushing myself like this. But I saw no reason to stop ahead, and my rival wasn't slowing at all.
So I merely laughed and kept going.
"Sonic. Stop. NOW!"
I turned to make a snide remark, but I never got the chance.
My chest seemed to explode, and my limbs instantly went limp.
My body fell to the grassy earth, thankful we had at least left the hard city roads.
The world spun around me as I tumbled end over end for who knows how far, finally coming to a stop face-down on the grass. I gasped furiously, straining to fill my rushing blood with oxygen. My whole body felt numb, yet it burned like I was on fire.
Shadow chuckled evilly next to me. "Not only are you a faker and a coward, but an idiot as well."
I begged him to help me up, to go get an ambulance, but it all came out like raspy groans.
He lay on his back next to me. "Don't be such a weakling, you'll live. Wake me when you can get up again."
I felt dizzy and weak. "Not again," I managed to say between gasps. Through immense pain and effort I forced myself up onto all fours. "How, can, this, happen? I, didn't, even,"
"Stay down fool," Shadow growled at me. "Your body's been through enough."
Again I felt my anger boiling in my blood. How dare he talk to me, TREAT me like this! "Shut, up," My arms and legs began to shake with the strain of holding me up, but I continued trying to stand.
In a flash, Shadow leapt up to his feet. "I said, STAY DOWN!" He then kicked me in the ribs, sending me rolling a good five yards.
Despite the blinding pain, the burning fear and the paralyzing weariness, I couldn't help but smile at the last sound I heard as I passed out.
Shadow's gasping for air.
--------------------
I awoke from my dreamless sleep. The sky was clear, and the sun was high. I could tell despite the fact that Shadow was standing in front of it looking down at me.
"Finally." He spoke with great exasperation. "Not only do you snore, but you sleep until it's practically noon." He stepped aside and the sun's bright rays forced me out of my half-asleep stupor.
I sat up and stretched, wondering what I was doing out in a field somewhere.
Then last night's run came right back to mind.
"What the heck happened to me?" I asked as I stood up, surprised that it was so easy and painless. "Did I have some kind of heart attack?"
"You were close," came the reply. "Fortunately, you stalled first."
I stopped looking around and turned to face him. "Stalled?"
"Later," his stoic reply. "Right now we're late."
More than a little confused, I followed him to the edge of a nearby forest.
We walked in silence for a few minutes, and I was just about to protest that we had the potential to go a little bit faster
But I felt it.
The same sensation from my dreams, that crackle of energy that crept into your body, tickling your very soul. It was still very weak, but hit me suddenly, distinctly. I leapt back from the sensation in surprise.
My action did not go unnoticed. "About fifty yards," Shadow seemed to say to himself. "You're definitely attuned."
I wanted to ask him, 'Fifty yards to what?' But deep down I not only knew the answer.
I feared it.
I forced myself to keep walking. And the energy seemed to grow stronger. Sure enough, about 50 yards later, we came to a large tree with a knothole in the side about the size of my head, illuminated by a soft, pulsing glow from within.
Deep in the recesses of my mind, panic began to seep in. "Why are we here Shadow?" I tried to ask calmly.
He looked up at the sky and pointed. I turned my eyes upward.
"Angel Island," he said. "It's a little tough to get to without the Chaos Emeralds."
I looked over at the glowing knothole. "Isn't, isn't there another way? Tails could fly us up in the Tornado." Then a thought hit me. "Hey, do the others know you're okay? They must still be worried and out looking for you."
His amber eyes glanced at me like I was crazy. "Just get up there."
I looked in the hiding spot. There was only one Emerald. "You're not coming?"
He leaned against a tree with a bored expression on his face. "This is for you." he said flatly. "You and you alone."
I cautiously picked up the gem. It was glowing a brilliant yellow, and yet.
"It seems kinda dim." I observed. "Is it the fake?"
"Wouldn't that be appropriate?" he muttered bitterly. "It's real, just go and hurry up already. Follow the pull and you'll know what to do."
My head slumped forward in aggravation. Things just seemed to get more and more complicated and confusing each day.
I raised the gem over my head and summoned the power inside it. As I closed my eyes, a warm, soothing sensation flowed down over me, filling my body.
"Chaos CONTROL!"
The world seemed to fall away beneath me, and in no time, I was up on the island.
I opened my eyes, and saw I was in the remains of the shrine. The seven towers encircling a massive altar.
Then the 'pull' Shadow mentioned hit me. Like a hook in my belly, I was almost physically pulled towards the center of the temple.
As I figured, I found myself looking at the giant green emerald. "The master Emerald."
A bolt of energy flew from the stone, and I was yanked forward to it. I reflexively threw out my right hand to catch my fall, but I never seemed to hit the ultimate crystal.
I opened my clenched eyes. The whole world was still and gray. Not a blade of grass moved in the suddenly halted breeze. A few particles of dust, falling from the structure hung in midair, about a foot off the ground.
"Hello Sonic," A gentle, female voice spoke behind me. I turned and saw two entities. An orange echidna with tribal markings and a green dress. Her protector and cohort, a vaguely humanoid collection of water with glowing eyes and a red, semi-solid brain.
"It's good to see you again Sonic," Tikal continued. "Though Chaos and I wish it were under better circumstances."