Act II: DESCENT

Chapter XVII: Wake Me Up

The Day After:

"Dear Shadow…"

Rouge had hesitated to open this letter – for fear that this would be something she could never share with Shadow.

But – the day had passed, and once the news of Sonia's death began to make their rounds, Rouge knew that someone, anyone, needed to read this letter.

The morning never felt so cold. The clouds never felt so grey. The sun refused to show its face.

But Rouge read on. She had to.

"I need to be clear, and honest with you. I'm going to marry Ken Khan. I love him, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

Ken Khan had been rushed to the hospital. The rag that hung on his face was soaked in blood – the breathing mask situated neatly over the fabric. Ken was conscious – and at this point? He had no idea if Sonia had made it out alive.

They rushed the bed into the surgical room – and the gruesome reality of Khan's new face hadn't been revealed to them yet.

No surgery could save what Eclipse had broken inside Ken Khan.

"When I told you that if Central City no longer needed a mob, or a vigilante, or anything with you – that we could be together? I meant it."

The fire department had spent hours upon hours hosing down the wreckage of the warehouse. Inside were piles of ash, destroyed metal, shards of glass, leftover oil stains – it was a true hellhole.

And behind some of the wreckage, Shadow sat – his muzzle soaked in tears as he held up Ken Khan's dice.

Turning it around, all four sides were charred from the blast.

"But now? I'm not sure the day will come when 'you' no longer need those things. I hope it does."

Sonic sat on the staircase of the other warehouse, as firemen moved around quickly. Rushing up to him was Manic, who's eyes were peeled wide across his head, and tears soaking his muzzle.

Sonic rushed up, launching himself into his brother's arms. They held each other close, their jackets wet with tears.

Sonic squeezed tighter around his brother's frames, his entire body wracking with sobs.

They had failed to protect their sister.

They failed their family…again.

It felt as if their parents were cursing them from above. How could they let their sister die?

"And if that day comes, Shadow? I will be there…but as your friend."

Shadow set the dice next to Khan's hospital bed, setting it down carefully as he stared at the monkey.

Shadow felt one fresh tear trickle down his face and land on the floor. Khan's condition was bad – but he made it out with his life.

Sonia didn't.

"I'm sorry, Ken."

Khan wasn't conscious, and Shadow knew that. In all honesty, Shadow wasn't sure if he would be able to say that to him if he was conscious.

The hedgehog grabbed the monkey's hand, squeezing it as he allowed one more tear to roll down his cheek.

"I'm sorry if I let you down. If you lose your faith in me – please don't lose your faith in people. Please don't ever give up on them. Love, now and always…"

Rouge let out a shaken sigh.

"Sonia."

Closing the note, she set it carefully on the table, covering her mouth with her gloved hand as he shut her eyes tight – blinking back any tears that may begin to form.

Later that morning, Shadow sat desolate in their dining area. He was still in his suit from last night. His quills were a mess, his muzzle was pale, his eyes were bloodshot. He felt a husk of himself.

Rouge and Bark approached him carefully, setting down a tray of breakfast in front of him.

"Prepared you breakfast," Bark said. Shadow didn't respond, staring off into space.

"Shadow…" Rouge began, earning a sharp sigh from the hedgehog.

"Did I bring this on her?" He asked, staring down at his fists as they clenched tightly in his lap.

"I wanted to inspire good. Not death, or madness, or destruction…"

"You have inspired good," A voice spoke, causing them to turn around as the source of the voice was Silver, as he approached with Blaze hand in hand.

"But we spit in the face of this city's criminals. Things will always get worse before they get better, Shadow," Blaze finished for him.

"Did you not think there may be casualties?" Bark stated, staring at the black and red hedgehog.

"But it was Sonia," Shadow spat, his lip trembling as tears began to form again.

"Sonia believed in what we stood for…what we stand for," Silver said, as he bent down and grabbed one of Shadow's daggers – placing it in his lap.

"This city needs you. It needs us."

Shadow sighed, shaking his head. "No – it needs it's true hero, and we let that murdering psychopath blow him to hell."

Rouge stepped behind Shadow, putting her hand on his shoulder, "Which is why for now? It'll have to make do with us – and you."

Shadow finally looked up at Rouge, two tears spilling down his face. "She was going to wait for me, Rouge. Ken doesn't know…"

He returned his gaze ahead of him, Silver and Blaze sharing a solemn look.

"Ken can never know."

Rouge tilted her head, bending over as she grabbed the letter from the breakfast tray, Shadow cocking an eyebrow.

"What is that?"

Rouge smiled, shrugging. "It can wait."

Bark went to take the food, seeing as Shadow wouldn't be eating anytime soon. Before he picked it up, Shadow stopped him.

"Bark – that bandit in the woods outside your village, the one stealing the gems – did you catch him?"

Bark paused for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, we did."

"How?"

The bear sighed, picking up the tray before turning his gaze to Shadow.

"We burned down the forest."

Hedgehog Penthouse: 9:05 AM

Sonic stared at the table, the grey clouds outside plunging through the large windows.

Knuckles, Vector, Sally, the D'Coolette's – everyone told him that they would be there if they needed him. Sonic was going to take some time off – as much as he needed.

Manic sat across from him, his mouth hung and dry as he shook his head. "What – what happened?" The green hedgehog asked, his throat thick with tears.

"Eclipse happened," Sonic spat, his eyes not moving from the table. He had no more energy to cry, sob, or yell. He was empty, and he was hollow.

Manic shook his head with a scoff, standing up as he began to pace. Clearly, the green hedgehog was still processing – in whatever way he could.

Amy was in the kitchen with Tails and Cosmo. They were there if Sonic needed – but they didn't know what to do, nor what to say.

"So – he – he rigged them to bombs and just…"

"Khan was rescued. We didn't make it in time for Sonia. Eclipse switched the addresses – he knew Shadow would go after Sonia - he just knew." Sonic spat, banging his fist onto the table.

Manic jumped slightly, crossing his arms over his chest as he plopped back down, tapping his foot at an anxious rate.

"How is Shadow?" Manic asked, earning a shake of the head from Sonic.

"I don't know – I'm sure he's as miserable as we are."

There was silence for a moment, before Sonic scoffed another sigh – a fresh tear spilling down his muzzle.

"What do we do, Manic? Where the hell are we going wrong!?"

Manic bit his lip, closing his eyes tight, "This guy clearly isn't in this for any other reason but to have fun – and his idea of fun is murdering our sister. What the hell is he making us pay for?! What did we do to deserve this?" The green hedgehog's voice cracked, as he grabbed his leg to silence its thudding.

"Does it make you rethink line of work?" Sonic asked – a dry chuckle sounding from his lips.

"It absolutely does."

Sonic sighed, tapping his fingers absentmindedly on the table. "They told me – they told me to take time off…as much as I needed."

Manic looked at him, his eyes glazing over. "How much time are you gonna take?"

"That's the thing – I don't know if I should…"

"Sonic…" Manic begun, sighing, "You've been working nonstop for this city, and now we just lost Sonia. You need this time for yourself, you just do…"

Sonic shook his head rapidly, "No – no. Just sit in here while that psychopath who murdered our sister is still out there?! I couldn't – no, I can't just let him!"

Manic scooted closer to Sonic from the other couch, leaning over as he smiled. "Hey – look at me."

Sonic looked up, his eyes wet with unspilled tears.

"Three years ago, you took the family fortune that Sonia and I didn't have the balls to touch – and you started bringing this city back up. Crime went down, cleanups got done – I mean, Sonic – you did so much for this place. Now – we just lost. A big loss, and I know you wanna get on that saddle and blaze back into battle – but when was the last time you let yourself grieve?"

Sonic stared at the ground, considering his words closely.

"I mean – you've been through so much – we all have! And I know – sometimes I don't wanna stop fighting. If something happens to me, I'm gonna get up and kick some ass and win. But – then what do I do with all this grief inside? Winning isn't going to make it go away. Winning will get your payback – but at the end of the day? You'll go home – and you'll still feel empty. You have to let yourself mourn, Sonic."

Manic grabbed his brother's wrist, squeezing it tight.

"We all have to let ourselves mourn."

Sonic smiled,, before wrapping his brother into a hug.

Manic squeezed tight, whispering. "And don't worry – I know she's watching over us. I can still feel her hardcore, judgmental eyes on my neck."

Sonic chuckled, pulling away as he wiped away a tear with the back of his hand.

"She's always gonna be there, man. She's never gonna leave forever…" Manic said, earning a nod from Sonic.

"Then we better win for her," Sonic stated, his gaze turning determined for a moment as Manic gave him a nod.

"You're goddamn right we better win."

First, it was for Tikal.

Then, it was for Mayor Mogul, Chief Mordred Hood, Spike the Porcupine, Geoffrey St. John, Petunia – the countless lives lost in the flood.

It was for the entire city.

It was for Judge Nephthys, Chief Rotor – it was for the countless people Eclipse has killed in his wake.

It was for Sonia now.

It would always be for Sonia – they wouldn't rest.

Not until justice for their sister was served.

Central City General Hospital: 1:04 PM

Khan woke up with a gasp, his eye darting around the room.

Most of his face was covered, but one eye peeked through the gauze over his head, as did the far edge of his mouth.

Khan attempted to move his head slightly, yet everything felt heavy. Swallowing, Khan pieced together the events of what had transpired.

He woke up wired to oil drums, Sonia was in a similar predicament, he was rescued, bombs went off, caught on fire-

Sonia.

Where was she? Had she made it out alive?

Suddenly, his eye landed upon the dice. Shadow had delivered it to him when he was asleep. He reached forward, his aching hand shaking as he grabbed a hold of it.

Turning it around, he saw that each side had one dot.

It was the dice he gave to Sonia the night they were kidnapped.

And every side was charred.

She didn't make it.

She didn't make it.

Khan clutched the dice tightly, pressing it to his face as tears began pouring from his eyes.

The monkey screamed, an angry roar escaping his mouth as he thrashed his arms around in the bed, shaking and convulsing violently as sobs racked his entire body.

He grabbed onto his face, shaking violently once again before he let out a guttural cry.

His ears began ringing louder and louder, before all he could hear was an eerie piercing in his ears, as it drowned out the sound of his own cries.