Amy blinked. It was as though the robots had never been. Then she looked down, saw the still-smoking parts littering the floor, the red stains beneath. Her brain didn't seem to be working properly...too slow.
She could hear someone screaming. She looked round; who was it? Knuckles, Tails? Rouge?! Oh, wait...
She was screaming. And she couldn't stop.
Tails dropped to his knees in the wreckage, cradling Sonic. The hedgehog's head was twisted to one side, and the spines were badly dented. Blood was staining everything.
Knuckles snapped out of his shock. Eggman was gone...and Sonic was...was...
He dropped down beside the fox, and ripped off one of his gloves. He gently placed his hand on the hedgehog's wrist...there was no pulse.
Wait...there! Faint, but there. A hope.
He jumped up, with surprising speed considering his fatigue. He thought quickly. Hospital? No, there was no way to get Sonic there... There had to be something!
No. Outside, the rain was beginning to pour down in torrents. There was no way they could get anywhere...
Tails looked up, and said quietly, "Are we...going to watch him...die?"
Rouge left the house, quietly. She didn't want to watch. She'd had enough adventure for one day.
Knuckles had no answer.
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Outside the hole where the door had been, Shadow peered in, fur damp. He was too late...now Sonic was going to die.
He shook his head and turned away. Then he realised; he didn't really want to let Sonic die. Despite the hedgehog's annoying attitude, he wasn't all that bad. After all, he had saved the world a few times.
And...though he hated to admit it...Sonic was his friend. Like when they had teamed up against Emerl. When they fought the biolizard. And he didn't want him to die.
He stepped into the room.
.............................................
Tails looked up as the hedgehog stepped in. "Shadow?" he said in surprise. Shadow lifted one hand, revealing the shiny gem within.
"Oh! A Chaos emerald!" he exclaimed, "But ...what's wrong with it?!" The gem was glowing only dimly, deep inside, almost hiding its true colour.
Shadow shrugged briefly, and said, "Regaining energy after Emerl absorbed it, I suppose. Where's the nearest hospital?" He sounded more confident than he felt...the emerald wouldn't Chaos Control very well...
Tails thought for a moment, and said, "Station Square Hospital, on the other side of Central City." Shadow gritted his teeth. He had never been there before...he would have to warp to an area nearby.
"Stand up." He commanded. Tails staggered up, holding Sonic. Shadow touched him lightly on the arm, and called out, "Chaos-"
Then they disappeared from the room in a green flash, leaving Knuckles to try and repair the laboratory, and Amy's scream dying in her throat.
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"-Control!" They reappeared, and Tails was almost swept off his feet. They were on a slope, and the rainwater was rushing down in a wave. Thunder crashed again overhead, and for a moment Tails was falling backwards, grip on Sonic loosening.The city was far worse than either of them had imagined. Because of the cement and concrete, the water couldn't drain away, and was surging around at ankle height. Tails' arm was suddenly grabbed, yanking him upright.
Shadow was clinging to a lamppost with one arm, squinting through the rain, holding the fox with the other. "Don't let go!" he yelled over the howling wind, and Tails nodded desperately, rain sheeting down over his fur, making it slippery.
Then the thunder was booming overhead, shaking the ground under them, drowning out their words. "Wher...pital?!" Shadow yelled, words swept away. Tails yelled back, "Over there!" Shadow shook his head, and Tails repeated it, pointing.
Shadow peered through the grey haze, and saw the lit sign. He looked down at the emerald. It was barely glowing. Not enough for three people.
Then the thunder died, and in the brief silence that followed, Shadow's words cut through the air. "Chaos Control!" He shoved the Chaos Emerald into Tails' arms, and snatched his hand away.
.............................................
When Tails next looked, blinking away the flash, he was in the hospital lobby, still clutching Sonic tightly, wet fur dripping on the carpet. Shadow was nowhere to be seen...............................................
In her flat, Cream hugged Cheese and Chocola to her, and said, "Shhh...it's ok..." She looked out of the window at the raging storm.The city was on a slope, and the pouring rain was surging down like an animal. She shuddered, and was glad her apartment was on the high end of town. A flash of lightening...then thunder crashed deafeningly, even through her window.
Then...a small green flash. It looked like...
...............................................
...Chaos Control? Yes, it was definitely Chaos Control, Rouge thought. She crossed to the window of Club Rouge, peering through the sheeting rain. Shadow? What was he doing downtown?Then a second green flash, far smaller this time. The white bat found herself uncannily worried...Chaos Control was never that small. She looked over her shoulder at the dimly-glowing chaos emerald that she herself had found the other day.
Something was wrong. The rain would be like a flood down there...if Shadow was there, then...but surely that second flash was him Chaos Controlling away?
No. Some instinct told her. She went to the door, heaving it open.
The moment she stepped outside the howling wind slammed it shut, driving rain into her eyes. She immediately regretted her decision, but...hadn't she wanted adventure?
How ironic. Here it was, in front of her, and all she wanted was the quiet boredom of the morning.
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Chaos: (waves fingers) Oooh...now Shadow's big part begins!
Flower: I bet no one saw this coming!