Chapter 80; the three maps, part 1
Sonic sat at the table with the remaining council members, his eyes fixated on buff Knuckles. The latter felt Sonic's cold stare but didn't say anything. Amy spoke first.
"Before we start today I would like for you all, to officially meet our newest ally" she said motioning to buff Knuckles to introduce himself.
"I'm Knuckles the echidna from dimension 541. Thank you for saving from that hellhole" he said.
"How did you end up there?" Tails 616 asked him.
"And how exactly did you become an entertainer executioner?" Sonic asked him suspiciously.
Knuckles 541 continued.
"In my dimension dueling and fighting merged after an illegal underground arena where this kind of contest was first born was shut down. People liked the idea so they created a new format for the game. Alongside the normal version they took the old format from the dawn of the game and made the duelists duke it out alongside playing their cards right. I became the duel king in both formats in my dimension. The game had developed like that before I was born. I admired the pure macho way duel fighting was played so I got into the game while training my body. After acquiring the power of the lunar dragon, my body was enhanced, hence my buffer form compared to other variants of myself. I trained my mind as well by dominating the normal dueling format, and after that I joined the duel fighting format. My enhanced body alongside my skill as the duel king of the normal format easily made the champion of the duel fighting format. And 10 years later the warlord arrived to conquer my dimension. The duel fighters tried to fight back and we were able to hold him off for a few days but eventually he subjugated us. Fearing what we could do if left unchecked, he slaughtered us and destroyed the format. He took me captive and made me his clown, having me specifically to execute the opponents by beating them up and having them lose to despair in the face of my strength. I spent this whole war there killing more variants from the multiverse, variants of me included, than I could ever count. All of them either captives of the war or people who spoke against the warlord's regime. I had begun surrendering myself to this destiny and simply mercilessly killing everyone I was pitted against just to stay alive. If I refused they would simply execute me. I had no reason to live but was not weak enough to let myself die. That was until you came along" he said to Sonic "and overpowered me. The only other one who was able to do this was the warlord when he fought me for dominion of my dimension. How were you able to?"
"After the warlord insulted me and left, I felt a surge of power in my body. It wasn't the power of the lunar dragon. I can't explain it" Sonic explained.
"Interesting indeed" Amy commented "and what do you wish to do now that you're free?" she asked Knuckles 541.
"To avenge my dimension and get payback for all the time I spent trapped in that cage".
"Good. You will be a valuable ally" she said smiling.
"And if I may ask" Shadow said "I'd like to spar with you one day in this duel fighting format. You seem like a powerful opponent".
"Anytime" Knuckles 541 said.
The two smiled and shook hands. Sonic watched this exchange with suspicion. It was probably just his survival instinct but he couldn't bring himself to trust Knuckles 541.
"Now let's get to the main reason we're holding this meeting. Silver if you please" Amy said.
Silver nodded and pressed a button on his wristwatch revealing the map the rebellion had found while Sonic was dealing with the incident in his dimension.
"I was able to completely clean it. It seems to be a map of the multiverse".
"A map of the multiverse?" Tails said in surprise.
"Yes" Silver continued explaining "it is very hard to read because there are thousands of dimensions. The warlord has barely conquered a small bit of it. Which explains why he needs the true form of the lunar dragon. In such a vast multiverse it is impossible to conquer all of the dimensions with an army, even one as big and powerful as his army. I was also able to deduce that the center of the multiverse isn't just the space that separates the dimensions. It is also what I would call the space between spaces. A place which our mind cannot comprehend and explain since our dimensions are merely spheres like planets that house entire universes each. However there is also something else. The map shows which dimension is which. Sonic's dimension, the 999, is at the edge of the known multiverse. Beyond it are dimensions no one has ever gone to, whose inhabitants probably have no idea about the war. I was also able to pinpoint the warlord's dimension on the map. However there is little more we can learn from it. And also something else in the center of the map. A small round dot. It is not a dimension. But if I had to guess… I would say that is where the lunar dragon is waiting. Currently though we have no way to enter that space, let alone navigate through it. So we need to just keep following the list".
"And we shall" Amy said "next dimension is 912. It hasn't been tampered with before meaning that we'll probably walk into a normal version of the world. Since it is a relatively safe place we'll send two teams this time. Sonic, Tails and our new ally Knuckles 541 will go to 912 to seek the singed ones there to have them help and possibly recruited. Shadow I want you to go to the next dimension on the list, 673. Take someone with you but go just the 2 of you. That dimension was attacked in the beginning of the war so it's subjugated. Try the same thing, find the singed ones and gather info. If anything goes south on either team, press your emergency button in your duel disc. Silver will pick up the transmission and we'll come to your aid immediately. I and the rouges will be here on standby. Any questions?" she asked them.
"I have one general" Sonic said while Knuckles looked at him worried thinking he would call him out as an untrustworthy person due to the circumstances. However he was proven wrong.
"Do we have a spare deck? I lost mine. The warlord gifted it to his now deceased wife".
"No need" she said taking it inside the deckbox off her belt and giving it back to him "I got it off her corpse after I planted those bullets in her body".
Sonic was filled with gratitude that she had save him from her 111 variant "thank you general".
"Alright. You have your missions. So get a move on. Meeting dismissed" she said as she and the rogues went to the strategy room. From the window she saw Sonic, Tails Knuckles and Shadow discussing before the first 3 opened portals. She then saw Sonia approach them and hug Sonic as she hadn't seen him ever since he was saved. Amy felt a small inexplicable heartbreak at that moment that she couldn't explain. Or rather she didn't admit to herself. She got to work with the rogues to analyze the map further in order to distract herself.
On the grounds Sonic, Tails and Knuckles bid Shadow and Sonia goodbye as they walked through the portal which closed.
"Are you sure they're gonna be ok?" she asked him.
"Yes. The dimension they're going to isn't yet plagued by the war. It's an easy mission unlike mine".
"What's yours?" she asked him.
"I have to take someone with me to a conquered dimension to find the clue there. I don't have a problem but it just feels a little unfair that 999 goes on an easy mission. The general is sometimes too lenient with him".
"Well… think about what he just went through. Manipulated, captured, forced to fight someone like that buff Knuckles… and staying unconscious for a week."
"Yeah… well anyway I need to get on with the mission".
"I can tag along".
"Don't get me wrong but it's gonna be dangerous. I should pick someone.."
However he never got to finish the sentence. Sonia had her face an inch from his staring daggers at him.
"Choose your next words wisely" she said coldly.
"I uhh.. I meant someone more…"
"Male? Physically stronger?"
"N-no… I just…"
"You think I can't take care of myself because I'm a woman? I'm a duel queen. I can survive out there. My days as a freedom fighter should be enough".
"I… I was just… you know what you can come if you want".
"Good" she said with a sweet smile "I'll go pick up my deck and let my men know I'll be gone for a while. Don't go anywhere I'll be right back" she said and left. Shadow looked at her leaving with his heart racing.
"Wow" he said in awe.
Meanwhile Sonic, Tails and Knuckles had arrived at dimension 912 in an alleyway. Quickly getting into disguises so they could go unnoticed they got out to the street and started looking for any sign of the singed ones. They found themselves in a big square seeing the acropolis from far away on the rock.
"Guys we're in my city" Sonic said "Athens".
"Good indeed but what if we are in the wrong city? What if the singed ones of this dimension live somewhere else?" Tails asked while looking around.
"The wristwatches sent us to a close vicinity of the singed ones in the dimension destination. Which means we shouldn't be in the wrong city" Sonic reminded him.
"We're not" Knuckles said "look" he exclaimed as he pointed at a big billboard.
On the billboard was an announcement for a title match. The contestants were Tails and Sonic. However the defending champion was Tails. In both or their arms the marks of the dragon disguised as tattoos could be seen.
"Whoa. I'm the duel king here?" he said in awe.
"Looks like it" Sonic said "now how are we gonna meet those variants?"
"Well we could go to that title match and then improvise to meet them?" Knuckles suggested.
"No definitely not" Sonic countered "it's too risky to go in a big crowd so close to our variants".
"Well truth be told I think that's our best bet Sonic" Tails said.
"You agree with him?" he asked Tails in surprise.
"Think about it. The best way to meet our variants is to introduce ourselves in a private environment. So what better way than get to be close to them first sideways?"
Sonic gritted his teeth. It was indeed a promising idea but after it was Knuckles 541 who suggested it he felt it wasn't anymore.
"Fine" he agreed in the end "let's go" he said as they walked to the bus stop to go to the stadium.
Meanwhile Shadow and Sonia opened a portal and entered dimension 673. They too found themselves in an alleyway. After changing into disguises, which included Shadow turning around so Sonia could change, while he blushed as his imagination made unnerving images of her. Once they were ready they walked outside and strolled around the city they were in. Everywhere they went there were enemy patrols giving them weird looks. Eventually they got hungry and sat at a restaurant to eat something while pondering where they would find the singed ones.
"This is so depressing" she said looking outside "how can people live like this, being watched everywhere they go?"
"From what the general said Sonic told her, the warlord enforces good behavior. And he also said that because others don't make bad choices the world is a utopia".
"This doesn't look like a utopia" she said "how can it be when no one can live happily?"
"Indeed. Making others' choices for them is exactly what tyranny is".
"I can sympathize with Sonic for falling for this. All the problems a society faces when everyone is free to make their own choices…"
"And so many of those choices in the name of personal gain. It makes you fill that the warlord is right but he really isn't any better".
"Shadow?"
"Hm?"
"Do you think that what the warlord told Sonic is true? That the true power of the dragon can restore life? That we could use it to revert my dimension to what it was?"
"I don't know" he said looking at his mark "these powers sure can make a lot of impossible things possible… but creating or rather recreating life… that seems like something only a god could do".
"But the lunar dragon is a godly being right?"
"Fair point. But you need to also consider the chance it still won't be possible. Believe me I know what it feels like to lose everything".
"You do?" she asked looking in his eyes.
Several seconds went by in silence as Shadow hesitated to reveal his past. And Sonia's beautiful green eyes didn't make it any easier to decide.
Suddenly a patrol invaded the restaurant and approached them. One of them fired his gun in the air and yelled "everybody out" which caused everyone to run away in panic. They pointed their guns at Shadow and Sonia.
"Hold still you scums. Report dimension number".
Shadow found himself petrified for the first time not understanding how they were discovered. Sonia on the other hand was perfectly calm.
"I'm Sonia the hedgehog from the xyz dimension".
"Aha, a rebel scum. Get up, you're under arrest!"
"Sure" she said while Shadow looked at her in obvious disbelief in the face of her calmness "wait is that a grenade?" she said pointing at the feet of the enemy soldier.
The latter looked down and saw an actual grenade with the pin removed right next to it.
"GRENADE!" he screamed as they ducked using tables as shields. Sonia took the chance and pushed Shadow out of the restaurant through the window. Having only minor cuts on their hands they made a break for it while the grenade went off.
At the same time Sonic Tails and Knuckles had arrived at the stadium and took their seats waiting for the match to begin. Their plan was to see where the contestants would go after the duel and follow them.
"It feels weird that I'm about to see myself duel. And defending the title as well… it sounds so awesome but it just feels like you should be the one defending it" he said referring to Sonic.
"Honestly the Tails of my universe would probably say the same thing" Sonic said "I wonder if this Sonic was jealous of him once".
"Jealous?" Knuckles 541 asked him.
Sonic gave him a suspicious look then continued.
"When we were young in my dimension Tails was jealous of my invincibility. He turned against us and blasted me with a real blast from his then ace monster red nova dragon. I was able to eventually redeem him though".
"Could this universe's variants be the same just with roles switched?" Tails wondered as the match began.
"One way to find out" Sonic said as they stopped talking and observed the duel.
Meanwhile Shadow and Sonia escaped from the warlord's soldiers by turning on an empty street, opening a sewer grate and jumping in. For some weird reason there was no dirty water. The tunnel was empty. Shadow jumped inside first and Sonic followed putting the grate back in place. They stood there in absolute silence as the warlord's soldiers ran past the grate and kept going. Sonia took out a flashlight.
"So now what do we do? How do we find the singed ones? Hell how do we know they're still alive?"
"Relax. Don't ask yourself how. Assume they are alive and ask yourself where would we find them?"
"That depends on whether they joined the warlord or not. So either they are enemies, in hiding or six feet under".
"As I said… assume they are alive. So they must be in hiding. I doubt the place would look like a part of a fascist government if its top duelists joined the enemy. So the next question is where would they hide?" Sonia explained as they walked down the dark tunnels.
"Ok so assuming they are in hiding then.." Shadow said thinking "they will probably be hiding in plain sight. At least that's what I figure. If you're actively hiding it's a matter of time until you are found. If you are hiding in plain sight then it will make the search a lot harder".
"Good you're finally racking your brain" Sonia teased him playfully "and this is where what I saw in that restaurant comes in".
"What did you see?"
"An advertisement. About a cleaning business. Its head is someone named Nicos T. Hodgeheg".
"And what does he have to do with the war?"
"I assume you never had to use coded messages since the rebellion is so well hidden right?"
"That's true how did you…?"
"That name is an anagram. I had to use a lot of anagram codes during my time as a freedom fighter. If you play with the letters Nicos T. Hodgeheg becomes…"
"Sonic the hedgehog!" Shadow said in realization.
"Exactly. They must be trying to destabilize the regime in an indirect way. All we have to do is meet this Sonic variant and his allies".
"Incredible" Shadow said looking at her in awe.
"Thank you" she said smiling "but as nice as it is to be complimented and bit of stared at we have to get moving" she said as winked and moved forward down the tunnel. Shadow stood there for a second unaware he was blushing and then followed.
Back in 912 Sonic, Tails and Knuckles had just finished observing the duel which ended in 5 turns with Tails 912 emerging victorious. They sneaked into the waiting lobby where Tails 912 and Sonic 912 were supposed to be after the duel but they had already left. They split up and tried to search the stadium to find them. Sonic eventually found them arguing in next to their duel runners in the garage and messaged Tails 616 and Knuckles 541 to rendezvous with him immediately. However before they arrived the variants left. Sonic thinking fast threw a small tracking pod which stuck on Tails 912's duel runner right when he ignited the engine to make sure he wouldn't hear it stick. Then he met with Tails 616 and Knuckles 541.
"Where are the variants?" Tails asked them.
"They were arguing for about 5 minutes and then left. I thought about walking up to them and introducing myself at first but that would be stupid. I placed a tracking pod on Tails' runner. We'll follow it to him and introduce ourselves together".
"They were arguing? That's strange. So in this universe they are enemies?"
"One way to find out. Let's go before anyone sees us".
They exited the stadium and Sonic tracked Tails 912' duel runner to the rich suburb of the city. Him Tails and Knuckles once again took the bus disguised. While riding Knuckles decided to address the matter.
"Why are you so unwilling to trust me?" he asked Sonic "I know you were against me joining the mission from the start but I hoped that I'd proven I'm no enemy".
Sonic turned to answer but for a moment he saw the background around Knuckles changing. They were back in the cage and Knuckles' fists were wet in his blood. He grabbed his head and tried to take deep breaths to calm down.
"You ok?" Tails asked him.
"I see…" Knuckles said looking down "you are afraid I will attack you again. I don't blame you for that. The beating I gave you would be enough to tear apart an elephant. And yet you took it all and survived".
"All I saw in front of me that night…" Sonic said breathing heavily "was an executioner".
"You're not wrong. But I wasn't doing this wholeheartedly. As I explained… I was just not weak enough to stop and let myself get killed. If you don't believe me… then read my mind".
"Excuse me?"
"Read my mind."
"How?"
"You can't do that? Strange. It's a power I've had ever since accepting the powers of the lunar dragon in my dimension".
"You can read minds?"
"Or open my mind to others. If you can't we can do it this way… but I don't think the strongest variant in the multiverse would not be able to".
Sonic looked at him in question.
"Ok… so how do I read your mind?"
"We need to touch each other's marks. Give me your hand" Knuckles said.
They grabbed each other's hands, Sonic with a little hesitation.
"Alright. Close your eyes. Now let your powers navigate you to my mind" he heard Knuckles' voice.
Sonic obeyed and suddenly memories started playing in front of his eyes. But they were not his. They were Knuckles'. He saw 2 people he recognized as Knuckles' parents, variants of people he knew, himself included, in his dimension forming the singed ones with Knuckles, duel fighting matches. Then the war arriving, a brutal conflict between the warlord and Knuckles. He saw Knuckles' dark thoughts of suicide or fixed loss to end the suffering while he was trapped. And then Knuckles officially meeting Amy 616 and explaining his backstory to her as well as his regrets of almost killing Sonic 999. Sonic opened his eyes and looked at Knuckles.
"You saw it all, right? All I want from what is left of my life is a chance to pulverize my former master into a pulp".
Sonic didn't know what to answer. Clearly this Knuckles was an ally but he couldn't get the vision of him ready to take his life out of his head. Before he could answer though the bus stopped.
"We're here" Tails said.
They disembarked and started wandering the neighborhood. The residents there gave them weird looks because they were not dressed fancy. One of them even called them bums and threw his cup of coffee at them which Sonic caught effortlessly using his powers to make it land in his hand before the coffee was spilled on him. After a while they found Tails 912's house. Seeing there was security guarding the place, they resorted to knocking them out temporarily then entering and Knuckles using his own singed ones' powers to reawaken them and alter their recent memories so they would forget being knocked out. Afterwards they walked through a big garden and reached the door. A maid answered the door.
"Can I help you gentlemen?"
"We would like to see Tails" Knuckles said.
"Who's asking?" she asked.
"Just some people who have a business proposal for him?"
"Mister prower doesn't do business on match days! You would know that!" she said in terror and attempted to press a button next to the door to call security. Knuckles grabbed her before she was able to.
"Tell us where your boss is and we will meet him ourselves. Then go home for the day".
The maid entered a state of trance for a moment and then looked at them with an emotionless face.
"Mister prower is in his private dueling arena at the back of the mansion. I will go home for the day now" she said and got back inside closing the door. Sonic and Tails 616 looked at Knuckles.
"You can mind control?!" Tails asked in amazement.
"Yeah. I can try teaching you one day if you want".
"I'd love that!" Tails said in excitement. Sonic however who still hadn't come to trust Knuckles brought them back to the mission.
"Come on. Let's go meet the variant".
They walked around the mansion and when they got to the back they entered through a side door into a dueling arena. Tails 912 was there dueling against an AI. They waited for him to launch the final attack not wanting to disrupt a duel. Once Tails 912 won Sonic got his attention.
"Nice victory today".
Tails turned around in surprise.
"S-Sonic? What are you doing here? And where did you get these clothes?"
"We came here to find you. We need your help".
"And who's we?"
Tails 616 and Knuckles removed their facial disguises.
"Woah! Who are those guys?! You brought a double of me and Knuckles here? What do you want?"
"Calm down. We will explain everything. We just need to you to listen to us for a while because there is a lot to unpack".
Tails contemplated calling security but eventually nodded his head.
"Ok then start talking Sonic. Where did you find those guys? You hired some mercenaries to come kill me all because I don't want violence anymore?"
Sonic was not expecting this answer. After they explained they would have to also listen to a lot of explanation. He decided to stay in the present for now.
"I am not the Sonic you know. And this guys here aren't doubles of you or the Knuckles you know".
"I am another version of you" Tails said.
"And I am another version of the Knuckles you probably know" Knuckles added.
Tails looked at them in surprise and disbelief at first but then his eyes widened as if he remembered something.
"Wait a minute" he said speaking to himself "that weird of wave of particles tracked earlier this year… it was like tachyons… but they were different… if tachyons are supposed to be associated with time travel… does that mean… there is a multiverse?!"
"Yes" Sonic said.
"Oh my god. I knew it! String theory, multidimensional reality and matter displacement! All of it is real!"
"Yes and no. These theories explain the multiverse as a tree of the timeline with branches each signifying a universe. That's not the case with the multiverse that exists" Tails 616 said.
"So wait… if there really is a multiverse… then you are a variant of me. But if you aren't from another timeline… where are you from?"
"Another dimension".
"Dimension? The multiverse consists of dimensions?"
"Yes. Each one with its own singular changeable timeline".
Tails 912 grabbed his head in disbelief.
"But that's not the point. We will gladly explain everything that has to do with the multiverse another time. Right now we need your help".
"Yeah indeed I forgot… why are you here? Why are you not in your dimension?"
"We are not from the same dimension" Knuckles answered.
"Huh?"
"I know it will sound crazy, but there is a multiversal war going on" Sonic said " a variant of me has amassed an army of singed one variants and is slowly but steadily conquering the multiverse".
"What?! A war?"
"Yes".
"And he is conquering the multiverse?!"
"Indeed".
"But.. that means he will come for us one day!"
"Yes. I think we need to take this from the beginning" Sonic stopped him.
"O-ok. Let's go back to my house. You can tell me everything there".
They got back into the mansion and went to living room. Tails 912 got a glass of wine for himself and asked the visitors if they also wanted some. Afterwards he sat down opposite of them.
"Start explaining".
"Alright here goes. The lunar dragon of my dimension died about a year and a half ago when it was sacrificed to restore my life from being extinguished. The warlord, the Sonic variant who's the cause of the war absorbed a lot of the dead dragon's power and began his conquest".
"He wants to rule the multiverse right?" Tails 912 said a bit more calm now.
"Exactly".
"That's not possible. If our universes are considered infinite then the multiverse's size is incomprehensible. No matter how great his army is he will never conquer it all".
"Which is why we, the rebellion have risen to stop him" Tails 616 intervened "he has discovered a way to subjugate the entire multiverse".
"What?"
"You see the lunar dragon from each of our dimension was a fraction of the true lunar dragon. The true one lives in the center of the multiverse".
"Center of the multiverse?"
"There is a space that separates the dimensions. It's kind of like space but there are no stars only spheres of light and absolute darkness. In that space somewhere resides the true form of the lunar dragon. And scattered across the dimensions are clues of how to get there. Both the rebellion and the warlord are racing each other towards getting there first."
"And so you came here because there is a clue in this dimension?"
"Exactly. We do not know what it is but most of the clues we have found so far have been closely tied to the singed ones in that dimension. So we assumed your team also has something that you were told would be important but have never had any use for it".
Tails 912 sighed.
"You're not wrong. We have something. But the problem is I'm not the one who has it right now. And plus… if we just give it to you this doesn't change the fact that the war won't arrive here".
"We have a way to protect this dimension. I mean… Sonic here can".
"Really?"
"Yeah. I can place a barrier around the dimension to make sure that no one can enter it or exit it. You see the means we have of travelling across the dimensions is with these wristwatches. They open portals to other dimensions. But if I create the barrier I mentioned earlier, portals can be opened but can't be crossed".
"Wicked".
"So here's the proposal. If we could just meet your fellow singed ones and take the clue, we can shield the dimension. How does that sound?"
"I would agree… but I can't. I'm no longer in the team or its leader".
"Then who is?" Knuckles asked him.
"The Sonic of this dimension".
"Alright. Where's the problem then? If we could explain to him…"
"It's not that simple. He hates me. All of them do".
"Why?" Sonic asked him wondering if he was about to hear the story of the clash between himself and the Tails he knew just with roles reversed.
In dimension 673 Shadow and Sonia had stolen some clothes from someone's back yard and made their way to the shop of the Sonic variant of that dimension. They found it after 2 hours of searching right before closing time. They opened the door and entered. A soft voice spoke.
"We're closed" a very soft voice, coming from the person sitting behind a desk and completing paperwork.
Shadow and Sonia approached the desk.
"I said we're clo-" the Sonic variant tried to say but when he raised his eyes, saw Sonia and jumped backwards falling from his chair.
"You're the fugitives! The variants from the rebellion!"
"Word travels around fast" Shadow commented.
Sonic 673 then noticed his metal arm.
"You're the Shadow of war! What are you doing here?"
"We came here for a mission for the rebellion".
"You shouldn't have come. Your arrival has agitated lord Sonic's forces. They raid houses and businesses looking for you. Lord Sonic said that whoever is caught helping you will suffer the worst death imaginable. Everyone here is suffering because you came".
"We're sorry about that" Sonia said "but we have come because we are trying to end the warlord's reign".
"SHHHHH!" Sonic 673 shushed her "are you crazy variant?! You can't say such things out loud!"
"How is it possible you're the one we're looking for?" Shadow said in utter disappointment that this Sonic was so afraid.
"Go to the back room" Sonic 673 said getting up "I will come soon".
Shadow and Sonia got in the back room while Sonic 673 closed the store. They sat down opposite of each other and waited.
After about 10 minutes of silence, Sonia remembered their conversation at the restaurant.
"Hey. Earlier you said you knew what it meant to lose everything. What did the warlord take from you?"
Shadow raised his head and looked at her as the memories flooded his mind.
"Everything. Every last bit of my life".
"But your dimension still has life right?"
"Yes. But I have no place in it anymore".
"Why not? It's your home".
"Home for me isn't a place. It is the people I love and share my life with. So my only home now is the rebellion".
"Do you want to tell me about your previous home?" Sonia asked him.
Shadow sighed.
"Contrary to most singed ones I was born with my powers. For a long time my family was pursued around the globe because governments wanted to use me as whatever each of them wanted. Others wanted a living generator, others a weapon, the list goes on. When the first threat to my dimension arrived, which in my case was an alien invasion – laugh if you want but aliens exist in my universe, I don't know about other universes – I defended earth with my life. After I had destroyed the invaders, the governments of the world apologized and agreed to let me live as a normal person. But even after all that my life was a living hell. I was always alone. Everyone saw me either as a hero or a freak. No one was even trying to see the real me behind the mask of the hero or the freak. That changed about 3 years later. Another crisis went off this time on my earth. My dimension's version of Russia attempted to harness some of my powers after a setup".
"A setup?"
"When I had travelled there for a championship match, I foiled a robbery with my powers. But that robbery was an act. After the victim thanked me he used device to absorb particles of my powers from the air. That guy was a scientist. He tried to use my particles to enhance himself. The result was devastating. He became like the hulk. But unlike the hulk the guy was overcome with rage for me. Drunk with power he wanted to destroy me and absorb my power because he was jealous of it. That was when my comrades appeared. The remaining singed ones. A Sonic, a Tails, an Amy, a Rouge and a Jet. Together we overpowered the scientist, took the stolen power back and gave him to the authorities. I finally had friends but still felt lonely. They all had their lives outside our duty as the singed ones. At the place where we defeated the scientist a tree grew however because of the eruption of power in that area the tree grew to have pink leaves. I went there a lot to think… and that was when I met her".
"Who?" Sonia asked with what sounded like a bit of jealousy in her voice.
"Maria. She came to visit the tree because it had a great view of the city and a beautiful sunset horizon too. She recognized me and asked me what I was doing there. We hit it off immediately. She was the first person besides my friends who saw me for what I was. Not as the hero of my earth or as a freak with powers but as Shadow the hedgehog. We eventually fell in love and had even decided to get married right before our world was invaded by the warlord's army. We tried to resist but 6 of us and thousands of them… we were defeated. My friends went in hiding and tried to convince me to hide as well. I was on my way to get Maria and get her to my friends to keep her safe but the warlord captured and subdued me. He gave me the ultimatum to join him or suffer greatly. I refused so he took me to the tree I met Maria at. She was there too… tied to the tree…. And the warlord's son was standing right next to her with a lighter and matches in his hands".
"What?!"
"Exactly. With matches. They gave me the ultimatum again. Join them or watch my love burn alive like a witch. I was about to say yes when she insulted the warlord. She called him an evil bastard conqueror and that I would never join him in his insane and doomed conquest. That was the thing that drove him mad more than anything else. Calling his conquest doomed was like saying he is not almighty. The warlord ordered his son to torch the tree. My powers erupted around me when the fire started. I send everyone around me flying for a moment. I got to Maria but once I grabbed her bonds the warlord's son grabbed my left hand and nailed it with a spike on the tree right next to Maria" he said as his voice cracked. Sonia had now begun to tear up.
"The pain was excruciating. It was like my hand was being electrified from the inside. The fire also begun burning my flesh. Maria was screaming as she was roasted but managed to ask me to break free and run. Using whatever power I could harness I pulled and pulled until my arm was cut in half. Part of it remained on the tree while I fought my way out with my left arm dangling useless and edgeless. I ran to my comrades' hideout near death. The Rouge I knew was a prosthetics expert. She instructed the others to cut my hand from the shoulder down off and attach this metal one. Immediately after the warlord came knocking so my friends sent me away with the wristwatch I'm wearing while they held off the warlord. I saw them perish as the portal closed. I was living day by day struggling to survive travelling through the dimensions until I came across the general. And from there we reach the present" he said as he finally teared up himself from the emotional weight.
Sonia's cheeks were now wet from the tears. She had lost everything but didn't experience that much pain. She sat next to Shadow and hugged him trying to make him feel better. Shadow hugged her back.
"Now you know my story. And you probably understand my temptation as well".
"To use the power of the dragon or ask 999 to use to try and bring Maria and your friends back?" she asked knowing it was what he meant.
"Yes. But the logic in me doesn't believe it's possible. The lunar dragon itself may have that ability. But once 999 merges with it, when in essence he becomes the dragon's avatar… I don't believe he will be able to use the power to its fullest. Not because I doubt 999's power or heart… but because no mortal could ever use the power of a god. Which is why I'm fighting to free the multiverse from the warlord. That power must not fall into his hands".
"And what comes after for you?"
"I don't know. I never thought of that. I guess I will go back to my dimension and try to rebuild what the warlord destroyed".
"Alone?"
"Yes…"
Sonia wanted to say that he didn't have to do it alone but found herself fearing the consequences it would have to the fabric of reality. What would happen if a variant stayed in the wrong dimension after this war was over?
At that moment Sonic 673 returned.
"They are here. Come before they get to their senses and give you to the warlord to save our people".
Shadow and Sonia got up and followed him out of the room. They came face to face with an exact replica of the singed ones of Sonic 999's team. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Jet and Wave.
"Speak your purpose rebels" Tails said.
Shadow looked at Sonia. That would be an interesting conversation.
In dimension 912 Sonic 999, Tails 616 and Knuckles 541 were riding Tails 912's car going to the poor side of the town.
"So let me get this straight" Sonic 999 said "you're the duel king of a split city?"
"Yes. One city, two sides. Like through all of history. Rich and poor, masters and slaves. I was born there. All of the signed ones in this dimension were born there. We grew up wanting revenge against the rich, for the way we were treated, for the conditions of our life, for everything. That all changed for me when we acquired our powers and fought against the threats to our world. I saw how much catastrophe conflicts could cause. After our final battle against Nazo the hedgehog I got back into the championship and year by year I became more and more popular despite being born poor and at that same time that much richer. I started trying to change the views on our society, to destroy the inequality. The rich people, at least most of them, disagreed. But to my surprise the poor ones also disagreed to make peace. That was the breaking point of me and my friends. Sonic turned them against me saying that I had grown to care about the people who made our lives a living hell. He said that if I wasn't strong enough to make the rich pay for our mistreatment he would do it himself even if it meant going through me. Sonic isn't stupid though. He knows he won't win through open conflict. He plans to beat me eventually, take my title and dismantle society so that the rich suffer just like we once did".
"Damn. Thank god we came here before the war then. A Sonic this angry would definitely ally himself with the warlord if it meant revenge".
"I'm afraid you might be right. And worst of all I trusted him with that old map".
"Old map?"
"Yeah. During one of our adventures we had to travel to a temple in the Amazon jungle".
"Huh we had a similar experience in my dimension. At least my wife did we had to split to save the world at that time" Sonic 999 commented.
"Before we left after discovering the information we needed to save the world we also found an old map and a message that one day that map would be vital to save all of reality. But so long has gone by and it was never needed. This is the reason I believe you. All of reality must mean the whole multiverse".
"I mean didn't Knuckles using his ability to show you his memories convince you we're the good guys?" Tails 616 asked him.
"It did. But I had a feeling about you guys. You seemed good from the start. Anyway we're here. Wear your disguises".
Once they were ready they exited the car and started walking through the streets. Sonic felt uneasy. He wasn't one to judge others based on their status in society but the residents of the area didn't seem friendly. Once they entered an alley a familiar figure blocked their path.
"You have a lot of nerve showing up here" Sonic 912 said in cold anger.
At the same time from the shadows in front of them emerged Amy 912 and Shadow 912 both bearing marks of the dragon like Sonic 912. Sonic 999 and Tails 616 instinctively turned around only to find their path blocked by Knuckles 912 and Blaze 912. They backed up into Knuckles 541 who was calm.
"And who are those guys? You brought bodyguards with you? You really have become like those bastards up there haven't you?"
"I'm not here to fight you Sonic. I need the map".
"Hmph. What for? And what makes you think you can come back and ask for anything?"
"This is bigger than our disagreement. Please."
"Disagreement?!" Knuckles 912 said in rage "those rich fuckers have made our lives hell you support them and you call this a disagreement?!" he screamed as he tried to punch Tails 912 only to be blocked by Knuckles 541. However by blocking the attack he accidentally dropped his sunglasses so Knuckles 912 saw his face.
"What the…?!" he yelled as he stepped back and fell on his back with Blaze 912 rushing to his side.
Sonic 999 knowing there was no more point in wearing disguises removed his own sunglasses and hat and revealed himself to the 912 singed one team. They all gasped in shock as Tails copied him.
"W-Who are… who are you?"
"It's as your Tails said. This is bigger than your conflict. You will listen to us now".
To be continued…
