Sonic Hill 2: DX
Pianissimo Epilogue
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As long as he lived, he'd always miss this place.
Even as he stood, atop the withered abandoned observation deck of the Rosewater Park, the memories—both great and tragic—of his experiences in Sonic Hill remained with him. They'd always be with him, as long as he lived, and even in death. His hopes and wishes may not have come true, or perhaps they have, he was in too distant a state of mind to really think about it clearly. He wasn't even sure how he'd gotten here now—maybe it was a dream, maybe it was all too real. Both his recent past and near future seemed not to matter. All that mattered was that he had some time to himself, to really look deeply upon what had happened over the course of the past few years.
This time, in his little emotional bubble, was also uncertain. Sonic's warm, benign smile was one of the few things he felt he had left, though even that was no longer fully there. It only remained, entrapped within the crumpled and moist photograph he'd carried along in his pocket. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but Miles felt Sonic's was worth well over a hundred million.
"Sonikku…"
Considering the scars and injuries coating his body, he was still a bit stunned at how much his own ragged whisper made his heart pulse with shock. It was just like when he stared into his reflection a long time ago – he felt strange just imagining that all this had really happened to the fox he'd once been. Sure, he wasn't quite as happy go-lucky as Sonic had been before the disease, but he was still close enough to seem like a whole new being now. It was amazing what could happen over time. The town alone was proof of that, if not himself.
"People die here all the time, you know."
"Yeah…"
He knew who it was, but he couldn't help but glance anyway. Shadow's divine figure stood, partially shrouded in the fog, not too far to the right. Even more so than the weary kitsune, he was leaning casually on the rusty guard railing, staring down at the peaceful waves in deep thought. Saying it was a surprise to him was an overstatement.
"But I think you're a special case." The black hedgehog said, a friendly crack of a smile forming on the side of his lips. "I can feel it."
"Heh…" Miles tried not to laugh at that. It wasn't really that funny, but he really did need to laugh. He hadn't in a long time. Right now though, he did have more concerns than that. There was really only one more question he had left before his understanding of his adventure was complete. "What really did happen in this town, anyway? That's the only thing I still don't get…"
It took a while for the other male to reply, for he seemed almost lost in thought too. Placing his chin in his clean white-gloved palm, he let out a soft sigh. "Not even I know that one…whatever it was though, it must have been big. Their powers are way off balance now, which is probably why this place is still here."
A single, barely noticeable chuckle was the fox's reply. He couldn't help it this time. Not even Shadow had a full answer, but at least it was something. Probably the best he'd ever get. He attempted to not lose himself in thought again—staring off into the gray fog surrounding the duo, giving both of them a ghostly and abstract appearance—but it wasn't easy. That is, until the hedgehog broke his concentration—not so much to his disappointment—and said something that warmed his lonely heart.
"I really did love you, you know." The sincerity Miles heard in the hedgehog's dark baritone voice shined true, and that comforted him. It really did seem to come from the heart. "No god can change that, not even Chaos."
What followed was a collective, compassionate silence between the two, neither one of them knowing what exactly to say next. There really wasn't anything left to say.
The surreal waters of Lake Toluca were eternal. Somehow, Miles felt that they'd last forever, or at least as long as the town did. At this rate, its own end didn't seem to be anytime soon, and perhaps things were the best that way. Besides, the thoughts of his life before he came here were too dark and distant for him to even want to remember, though his current situation wasn't much better. At least here though, he felt there was an end in sight. Maybe not a good end for him, maybe not a bad one, but at least there was something. Thinking about that gave him a faint, barely visible flicker of hope.
"Shadow…"
"Yeah, Miles?"
Miles "Tails" Prower slowly turned his head and stared back into the crimson red orbs on the hedgehog's face, cracking a bit of a smile before finally speaking again. "Thank you Shadow."
Relieved far past belief to hear it, Shadow smiled back.
That comforted him even more. Knowing what he knew now, he felt a strange sense of peace. Sonic Hill was an amazing place, its power beyond unnatural. And though his wishes may or may not have come true, he felt fortunate just to have a chance of a future, unlike many who suffered there for their sins. That peaceful feeling was faint, but it was enough for him. Just enough.
With that in mind, Miles could finally rest easy as the fog of Sonic Hill swallowed him up once again.
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"You hold the answers deep within your own mind.
Consciously, you've forgotten it. That's how the human mind works.
Whenever something is too unpleasant, too shameful for us to entertain, we reject it.
We erase it from our memory, but the imprint is always there…"
The pain that grips you
The fear that binds you
Releases life in me
In our mutual shame, we hide our eyes
To blind them from the truth that finds a way from who we are
Please don't be afraid
When the darkness fades away
The dawn will break the silence screaming in our hearts
My love for you still grows
This I do believe
Before I try to fight the truth my final time…
"We're supposed to try and be real…but I'm still alone, we're not together, and that is real."
Can't wash it all away
Can't wish it all away
Can't cry it all away
Can't scratch it all away
Lying beside you, listening to you breathe
The light that flows inside of you burns inside of me
Hold and speak to me of love without a sound
Tell me you will live through this, and I will die for you
Cast me not away
Say you'll be with me
For I know I cannot bear it all alone…
"You're not alone, are you? Never…never…"
Can't fight it all away
Can't hope it all away
Can't scream it all away
It just won't fade away…
-inst.-
Ooh, can't wash it all away
Can't wish it all away
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Can't cry it all away
Can't scratch it all away!
Can't cry it all away…
Can't hope it all away…
Can't scream it all away…
Ooh, it all away!
Ooh, it all away!
"But the imprint is always there, nothing is ever really forgotten…"
"Please don't hate me…"
"Because I'll die if you do…"
"Because I'll die if you do…"
"Because I'll die if you do…"
"Because I'll die if you do…"
"…Because I'll die if you do…"
"Understanding" – Evanescence
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A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for their support on this project! This version of the fic turned out a billion times better than the original, and I do believe that it's by far my best serious long fic (okay, it's my only serious long fic at the moment…haha). Was a major writing milestone for meh, and alsothe most consecutively I've written and posted at once, ever. It's come along way, and I've had a ton of fun writing this. I hope you have enjoyed it too! Thanks for reading!
Now time for the really hammed up and cheesy—
Credits:
-insert cool music here-
Cast of Characters:
Miles "Tails" Prower – James Sunderland
Sonic Hedgehog-Prower– Mary Shepherd-Sunderland
Shadow – Maria
Rouge Bat – Angela Orosco
Eggman Robotnik – Eddie Donbrowski
Amy – Laura
Pyramid Head – Pyramid Head
Chaos – Samael/God/Devil
Musicness:
Ending I: "The Promise"
Music & Lyrics by: The Cure (from The Cure - Geffen Records)
Ending II: "Even In Death"
Music & Lyrics by: Evanescence (from Origin – BigWig Enterprises)
Ending III: "Comalies"
Music & Lyrics by: Lacuna Coil (from Comalies – Century Media Records)
Ending IV: Inspired by the song "Promise"
Music by: Akira Yamaoka (from the Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtrack)
Ending V: "Cosmic Castaway"
Music & Lyrics by: Electracy (no idea, but the Titan A.E. soundtrack, I think)
Ending VI: "Goodnight, Demon Slayer"
Music & Lyrics by: Voltaire (from Projekt: The New Face of Goth – Projekt Records)
Ending VII: "Understanding"
Music & Lyrics by: Evanescence (from Evanescence EP – BigWig Enterprises)
Special Thanks To:
Ztarlight: (For being an uber awesome girlfriend, givin' meh tons of support, and proofreading the story for me.)
Tybo341: (For being my uber awesome best friend, and giving me tons of support and sorta proofreading as I was writing this)
RogueKyne: (For many ideas and references to the Silent Hill series here and there)
Luigi the Echidna: (For helping me plot the idea for the "Chao" ending)
The Allies: (For deleting the old, crappy version of this fic, and giving me a reason to rewrite it. Fuck you, and thank you. )
Evanescence, The Cure, A Perfect Circle, And A Buncha Other Cool Bands: (cuz I said so)
Sonic Team: (Well…this one's obvious. For giving me characters to use and abuse. :P)
Konami: (For making the awesome game, Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams, for Playstation 2 and X-Box, and giving me something to mooch off of, use, and add my own crap onto – AKA this fic)
You Guys, the Readers and Reviewers!: (For reading this far, being (hopefully) supportive, and, well, reviewing)
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-shows an old, faded photograph of Sonic and Tails Hedgehog-Prower when they were happy, before the darkness and the disease destroyed their lives. they are holding hands together lovingly in front of a large, resplendent, lakeside background…-
Fin.