-Amy-

"Um... Amy?"

I look up from where I'm sitting, on a chair by Shadow's bed, thinking about a future I've started to believe in again. Thinking that maybe one day, all of this will be over, that maybe one day we can all live normal lives again, even imagining how that life might be... but she's broken the spell, and the dream is gone.

"What is it, Chess?" She looks uncertain, a little worried. What's bothering her? Nothing much should have been happening – we're all just lying low now, trying to remain undetected until Shadow recovers. Nobody should be doing anything, beyond keeping watch. Has something gone wrong?

"Well, you said nobody should go out, right? Did you change your mind?"

What? No, of course I didn't! But why would Chess want to go out there anyway? She knows we're not ready to take Eggman on again just yet, and there's nothing else to do – we don't need supplies or anything...

"No... why?" I ask her.

"Well, Sonic ran past me a little while ago, and I'm pretty sure he went out. At first I just figured maybe you'd told him to go do something, but then Blaze just walked up to me and said 'She didn't'. I never said anything to him – I swear he's getting even more strange than he used to be!"

Sonic? Gone out! No way! We're supposed to be lying low, for goodness' sake! I made sure I told him that! Doesn't he get it? This isn't like it used to be, it's not a game any more! Robotnik rules the world now, and there's nowhere left to run to! He could get himself killed, or worse, all of us! I don't really listen to what she's saying about Blaze. He's always been more than a little strange, and with Sonic run off, that's hardly my primary concern right now.

"Uh... Amy?"

I shake my head and look back at her.

"No, I told him to stay here, like everyone else."

"Well, we've gotta go after him, right?"

It's a difficult thing for me to say... but I have to. I don't see what other choice we have. All we'll do if we start looking for him now is make it easier for us to be found and captured.

"No, Chess. He could be anywhere by now. We'll just have to trust he can get himself out of whatever he gets into... the more of us there are out there, the more of us can get caught."

Next to me, Shadow opens his eyes. Our voices must have woken him up. Shadow doesn't always sleep easily... I feel a little guilty for waking him.

"Amy... what's happened?"

"Sonic's left. We don't know where he's gone... but he'll be fine. No doubt he'll come back soon enough." I hope... and Shadow looks worried. "He can take care of himself, Shadow. I can't endanger everyone else... we don't even know where he is."

Shadow nods, slowly. I know he understands, he just doesn't have to like it any more than I do. What did Sonic have to go and run off for? Doesn't he realise that things have changed since he woke up? Doesn't he realise how serious this is? Doesn't he know that this isn't the world he remembers...?