Author's note:
Violence and blood warning - faint of heart beware
Death had tugged your hand before, now it pulled
The gray fog wasn't getting thinner. That realization had come across him a long time ago, as the mist hung in the air. It gave him zero visibility, it made everywhere look the same and he swore the air was getting thinner as well. The last part he had started to doubt, and instead blamed the heaviness he felt in his chest on his earlier fall.
He instead concentrated on walking forward, letting out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment. It didn't make the headache go away, the aching parts in his body and the wound on his side were still sending small surges of pain through him with every step.
When the darkness made him dizzier than he already was, he opened his eyes again, as he made sure Sonic didn't look through him. The last thing he wanted was his opinion, as he was fine. They just needed to get out of here.
"Wherever this damn place goes," he thought frustrated to himself as he pushed a branch out of his face.
His steps were heavy and slow as he kept pace with the other two as the overgrown forest was slowing them down considerably. He could see it bothered the hedgehog, as the pick pocketer glanced at him, walking in the front. He could see his quills were straightened in frustration, his arms doing random erratic movements and almost spelunking in place. Humming and whistling, the hedgehog was tired of their predicament, as he was trying to occupy himself.
Always in motion, he'd noticed that his azure friend couldn't stand still and either talked with himself or the others or resorted to making some other noises. He was a walking radio compared to the silent fan next to him.
The fox took a glance at Silver to his right, though the hedgehog had remained oddly quiet. He'd only mumbled answers to Sonic's questions, asked a question himself, or sighed tiredly. The pick pocketer had observed him making anxious looks over his shoulders as he looked from left to right in what had meant to be unforeseen by them. He knew it was because of his earlier stunt, as someone had been watching them.
Tails furrowed his brow from the thought. He was still unsure of when they had been followed and for how long. What kind of conversations the stalker had overheard and what information Sonic and he might've unintentionally leaked. He was sure no one had been around yesterday, given he would've heard it then. Yet, what bothered him the most had been the odd behavior. Other criminals which had intercepted them had attacked immediately. If it was criminals from the street or criminals, they had intentionally fought hadn't mattered. The eavesdropper hadn't fought to get what they wanted. Part of him was concluding it had been because the stalker had been outnumbered, while another part of him was wondering if it had been a criminal from the beginning.
Maybe someone else had been lost out here and had been scared when he'd started chasing them? He wasn't sure and he'd missed his chance to figure it out now, considering they were far gone. For the moment, they were the only ones here.
"Alright, we've definitely seen that tree before!" Tails' musings were interrupted by Sonic's confident comment. The fox turned his head at the fir tree the blue hedgehog had pointed to. To him, it looked exactly the same as its neighbor.
"I'm… not sure," Silver disagreed hesitantly, which made Sonic look at him. The latter blinked in confusion as he looked at the tree they had passed by now and scratched the back of his head.
"Maybe you're right," he agreed. Tails couldn't stop the sigh he'd been holding back, running a hand down his face.
His action made his ears perk, as he heard the familiar sound of flapping wings. He looked up as he observed Chao. He moved away from on top of Silver's head and flopped down on his own. He then yawned and went back to sleep. Why he wanted to switch position Tails wasn't going to question, he instead ignored Sonic's continuing rambling of the fir trees definitely being distinguishable amongst each other and Silver's timid disagreements.
The pick pocketer shook his head, as he wasn't in the mood to try and convince Sonic otherwise nor wanted to waste his time in such an argument. There were more important questions at hand, more important matters they could be talking about. He wanted to initiate but then his headache reminded him why he couldn't, which led him to instead let his words be unsaid.
He would tackle one question at a time. Such as how he suddenly could feel Chao out of nowhere.
Tails glanced up at the creature, though he couldn't see him; could only feel his weight and hear his snores. The feeling had been clear in his mind, the sudden surge of energy had swirled in him, his fingers had tingled from the familiar power. He'd only experienced it with the Chaos Emeralds, yet when he was holding them, it was only a faint sensation.
This had been different. Different in the amount of energy and the timing. Why here? Why now? And how? When the chao was resting on him, he couldn't feel anything. But when he'd been alone and unable to find the others, Chao had been a beacon of light in the dark. It made the Chaos Keeper frown, wondering if perhaps himself wasn't the answer to the question he was seeking. But the flying creature who'd attached himself to Sonic and him ever since he had been rescued. As if there were more to him than met the eye.
"Alright, I think we're lost," Tails looked up from the blue hedgehog's sudden comment as he stopped.
It made the fox halt as well as he briefly looked around, yet the forest indeed looked the same. Fir trees all around them, mushrooms and large leafed plants in the undergrowth, moss and tree trunks decorated the ground around them. If someone told him this was the place, they had slept last night he would believe them.
"Any ideas?" Sonic turned around on his heel, as he placed his hands on his hips.
Tails felt annoyed by the goofy grin on his lips; his headache increased by looking at that alone. How he could remain carefree at a moment like this would remain a mystery forever. The pick pocketer saw Silver looking at him in his peripheral vision making him rub the bridge of his nose. From the lack of response, Sonic let out a curious hum as he looked up.
"There's not a chance you could fly up there and take a look around?" He asked as he looked at Tails. The pick pocketer send him an immediate sharp glare which made a confused brow appear on Sonic. Apparently, he'd forgotten his flying wasn't exactly something he liked to tell everybody.
"Me?" From the hesitant question, Tails, confused, looked over at Silver. He looked back and forth at them, with a mildly puzzled expression.
"Dude, no. Can you fly?" Sonic's question was lathered in sarcasm, a grin fastened on his lips.
Silver blinked without answering, as if he didn't understand the joke. It made the pick pocketer look at him weirdly and had been in the moment of trying to gauge his expression when another surge of pain went through his skull. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple in the same moment whilst he silently cursed his predicament.
"You okay?" Sonic's earlier sarcasm had disappeared in his next set of words, which made Tails look at him. The hedgehog blinked at him with a mildly worried expression as he placed his hands on his hips.
"I'm fine," was his generic answer despite what his body was telling him. Pounding headache, feeling tired, his side thumping in pain and a general achiness residing everywhere. Resting was preferable, yet he didn't want to waste any more time here.
"Kiddo you don't look too good. We can take a break if ya want?"
"No," was his immediate answer. He knew he sounded frustrated and felt the part as well as both tails whipped in agitation.
"I would rather get out of here," "C'mon, we're not in any hurry we can pause for a second, right Silver?" Sonic wanted support for his decision for one reason or another, turning a smirking smile toward the gray hedgehog.
A smirk which displayed the same relaxed and nonchalant expression, the same carelessness and idiotic behavior he'd seen throughout their travel. No worry, no regard for their surroundings. Frustration made him frown.
"We're not in any hurry? Sonic, we know we've been followed. And even you said you had a bad feeling about this place. I don't know where we're going either, but standing isn't safe," he argued, and knew he was arguing too.
He wasn't in the mood to debate and therefore prolong their stay in this fog forest. If you lived on the street, you were always moving or you were dead. No matter how hungry or sick you might've felt.
"We can take a moment, it'll be fine," the blue hedgehog continued, dismissing the entire situation at the same moment.
"It's fine with me," Silver chimed in, although the reassurance made the pick pocketer sigh deeply instead. The headache was pounding at him in response, resisting the urge to wince from the pain shooting through his body.
"I would rather we left."
"What's with you man? We're fine."
"No, we're not!" He knew he had yelled at Sonic.
The cry had made the blue hedgehog blink in confusion as he merely stood and looked at the fox up and down. The pick pocketer could read it, as he saw that same worry, the same thoughts which swirled in the hedgehog's mind, as he was trying to figure out what was wrong with him without having to ask. But there wasn't anything wrong.
"Uhm-" the hesitant tone from Silver made both fox and hedgehog turn to him. The pick pocketer could read the immediate awkwardness in his expression as he scratched the back of his head.
"I'm gonna check something really quick," was a lame excuse to leave the conversation because he felt uncomfortable, though it made him turn and walk away. Tails watched him briefly as the silver hedgehog disappeared into the fog, though supposedly not out of reach.
"We'll be fine Tails, there's no need to worry," The fox turned to Sonic as he continued the conversation. His response to his earlier outburst made the pick pocketer guess he was thinking Tails was anxious about their situation. It wasn't a lie, though not the entire truth either.
"We'll be fine when we get out of here," Tails decided then, as he walked. Not being in the mood for a useless argument, nothing of value.
"Alright, we'll continue on one condition," Sonic stepped in front of him.
The fox was only a foot away from him, being surprised by the sudden determination. A frown had appeared on his brow, one which was critical and wondered, yet there was something else which hid underneath. Frustration, or an underlying anger. "If you can tell me you're really fine, then we'll go."
"I'm fine," the pick pocketer spat without further thought. He resisted the urge to sigh again, instead noticed the ex-prisoner's change of behavior. The frown deepened a little, as if he was giving Tails another chance to change his statement. When he didn't, it was Sonic's turn to sigh.
"Dude," he began, as he scratched the back of his head, "why are you lying to me?"
The pick pocketer narrowed his eyes slightly, as he wasn't in the mood to be reprimanded or lectured. Not in the mood to be told what to do when he felt safer somewhere else. He opened his mouth to protest.
"If you hate people lying to you, then why are you doing it to me?"
The words rang through his mind as if he'd been hit by a brick wall. The sentence burned as he stared at Sonic's face. The frustration was still there, although it was covering everything underneath it.
A worry, a wondering, and the expression he was still getting used to. It wasn't often he had seen the face of care on many people. Although Sonic wore it without question, without judgment nor wanted something in return for it. He gave it away willingly. Why – he still didn't know.
He blinked, being stunned from the question as he hadn't realized what he'd been saying. Lying was his way for survival as much as it was for other people. But observing someone being hurt from him lying to them was… new.
The hypocrisy was only emphasized as Chao began flying and looked at him, a saddened expression on his face. If it came from disappointment or worry, he couldn't tell. He sighed from the guilt crawling up from his chest as he rubbed the bridge of his nose as the headache wasn't getting better.
"Sonic-" he began, without knowing how to continue.
An apology was the easiest solution; however, he didn't know how to say it properly. Say it in a manner which could make the large amount of hurt showing on Sonic's expression go away.
A rustling made his ears turn.
Adrenaline shot through his system in the same moment, he twisted around and stared at the fog.
"What is it?" Sonic's voice changed in the same second.
Tails concentrated as he could hear the footsteps trudging through the undergrowth. A twig stepped on, a rock kicked, feet moved calculated through the forest ground. Multiple of them.
The pick pocketer turned around, though he could tell Sonic could hear it too. Tails looked at his eyes, could see as they widened a little, could see how his quills straightened. The small frown on his brow was almost invisible as the hedgehog walked closer to him and stood beside the pick pocketer.
The fox could feel and see his determination, one which made his fur slightly puff. He looked at the fog again as the steps came closer. Slowly and carefully.
A threatening atmosphere started to loom, crawl up from the depths of the forest and overwhelmed him. It made his fingers start shaking. Chao squeaked a 'chao' before he hid behind Tails' head. The pick pocketer didn't pay attention to his actions as they emerged.
From the fog, silhouettes appeared, their dark gray matter getting darker as they walked closer. One was clear, one he hadn't seen before nor knew what was. Others were sleeker.
It wasn't until they stepped forward, he could see.
A wall of trepidation hit him in his chest at the same moment as his eyes widened. They stopped a few feet away from them.
Six wolves were standing, wearing a black cloak. It didn't hide their features, as the hood was down, the fabric pushed back which allowed him to see their bodies in full. Varying in fur colors from black to dark green, the lack of curvatures giving away their male identities, their tails bushy and long. Their stances were tall, hands relaxing at their sides, breathing slowly and calmly.
Their faces gave away age, being older than he would have expected some of them having gray fur around their noises, wrinkles in their cheeks and around their eyes. Various scars gave history to their pasts as one ear was clipped, a crusted scar across the eye, on their chin, past their lip, they had endured more than one fight.
Their stance radiated a confidence even Sonic felt, judging from his quills which straightened a little more. Their faces were screwed into a neutral expression, though they were determined and calm. It made the fox want to stick his tails between his legs.
He knew they were criminals. And he knew they were experienced. They haven't been on the streets alone for ten years – they were a part of gangs or a larger organization. They would be working together in groups for many years of their lives. Some of them might be fifty years old.
His eyes read all of these signals in the matter of seconds, before he averted his gaze to the one standing in front. They were also male, also a criminal and radiated an authority so thick you knew he was in charge. However, he was vastly different from the others.
He was a hedgehog, his quills bent in unorganized directions black fur covering his body apart from some red on his quills, wrists, and ankles. His shoes were fascinating, being bigger and bore some sort of technical design he didn't know what was. A black cloak adorned his shoulders as he stared at Sonic.
His eyes were the color of blood, deep and threatening, his entire body emitting a warning Tails could feel. Calm and confident, he wasn't new to the life of a criminal either. Rather, the pick pocketer had a feeling he was the most experienced.
They stood in silence for another moment as they regarded each other. The six wolf criminals weren't chuckling or whispering amongst themselves like excited teenagers but were rather standing and waiting for a command.
Tails glanced at Sonic. The hedgehog was rigid, his entire posture changed into protective mode, his hands fisted at his sides, his brow slightly furrowed.
Whatever he was feeling the fox could feel it too. His heart was pounding.
"Sonic the hedgehog," Tails jumped from the voice.
He looked at the criminal. It had been the black hedgehog who had spoken, his voice had been deep and slow, as if he had all the time in the world. Something about it made his hands shake a little more.
"That's me," Sonic sounded confident and nonchalant, though his body language told another story, "can we help you with anything?"
The black hedgehog didn't react to the question. He merely looked the blue one up and down.
"I'm Shadow the hedgehog. And I've been looking for you all over the world."
Tails hitched for a breath from the name, something which made the blue hedgehog glance at him.
Shadow. The name which the thugs in Plumouth had talked about. The one individual who was willing to give anything to have Sonic's head pierced on a stick. And was looking for the Chaos Emeralds.
"How do you know who I am?" Sonic had returned his attention to the high ranked criminal; the question made the pick pocketer pay attention too.
Shadow's scarlet eyes stared at the elephant in the room whilst he slowly crossed his arms over his chest.
"I run a criminal web larger than you can imagine. I've had people trying to intercept and trap you for weeks. Your name was mentioned to me when I searched for you in Shita. Criminals crawl in every city on the planet, and every single one of them will do anything for money," was his mere answer.
No heat, no emotion visible in his tone. As if he was telling him how the weather was. Surprise swam in the pick pocketer in the same moment. His eyes ran back and forth on Shadow's face as he tried to read him.
"So, you're the one who's been trying to kill me all this time?" Sonic's voice was neutral as well, though his guard was still up, his quills straight. Shadow shrugged his shoulders.
"I've had people trying to kill you for a long time. I had an assassin who failed her mission considerably. And even when your head is valued more than the price of a mansion in Croford, nobody has been able to get rid of you. Which means I need to take matters into my own hands," he answered calmly.
Was willingly giving away his entire plan about Sonic. Tails' blue eyes were searching, his fingers trembling when he was trying to find something in his expression. Trying to gauge what he was saying, what he might be hiding behind his words.
Nothing came up. No twitches at the lip, no wrinkles at the brow or eye. Not switching his weight between feet, no fingers tapping on his arm, quills moving or head moving. He was completely still. He couldn't read him.
'"Why?" The plea was clear in Sonic's question as he wanted answers for the predicament, he hadn't wanted to be a part of for a long time.
Shadow frowned, though it was meant to be seen by everyone, as his arms fell by his sides again.
"You're not a criminal hedgehog. You've never experienced the life of someone who never got the chance to live. People on the street don't live, they survive. Every day we are forced to crawl our way through the masses. We reach forward and stretch every part of our body to get food and water while others just grab it. Every day we could die," he began, his voice a bit more forceful, "what I seek is a world of peace. Unfairness and greed make the foundation of every Mobian life on this planet. It's a game we're playing. Others are exploiting and cheating their way through. I want to erase the rules of this world and make a new one."
The words rang through Tails' mind as if he was being stabbed again. His eyes widened. He felt his heart pound in his chest. He knew exactly what Shadow was talking about. The world was unfair, a mere game you played where the low lives couldn't win. He agreed.
"What does that have to do with me?" Sonic continued.
His voice was shaking a little and as Tails glanced at his hands it revealed them to be shaking too. Shadow moved his head up and down at the hedgehog's body.
"You are Chaos touched," he paused as he stared at Sonic, "I know what your capabilities with the Chaos Emeralds are. And I know what you can do. You are in my way."
He narrowed his eyes.
"I know about the vision."
Chills ran up and down Tails' body from the words, his heart beating a little faster. He saw Sonic whip his head at him, and he met his gaze. He saw a wave of surprise overwhelm him. The pieces clicked together. The puzzle was finished.
"You're-" Sonic paused, stared at Shadow again. "You're it? You're the one I'm supposed to save the world from?!"
Tails didn't hear him as his eyes fastened on the criminal again. He was immovable, nothing which indicated any emotion, his face neutral as he stood still as a stone. Not even moving a bit if his feet or hands were getting tired, he was still.
"Tails, tell me he's lying! Tell me he's saying all kinds of crap!"
The curse word which spat out of Sonic's mouth was unexpected, though it brought with it the disbelief and frustration he felt. He could feel pools of emerald staring at him yet the pick pocketer tried to look at Shadow. But nothing appeared. He could see nothing.
He shook his head.
"I can't read him," he whispered, his hands shaking.
His headache was screaming at him, a fear deep within him starting to grab his beating heart. One he usually hid; one he usually didn't have since he always had the upper hand in a fight. But he was powerless – he couldn't see his weaknesses, he couldn't see his lies or read his expressions. He was a blank slate. The pick pocketer had already been defeated.
"I know who you are," Shadow's gaze suddenly switched to him, one which made Tails' heart pound a little faster.
"I often heard about a young two tailed fox running around in the alleyways of Croford. Many of my criminals ran into you and escaped with bruises they hadn't expected. You were sly and fast, impressive from someone as young as you," he stated.
He couldn't hear or see the praise if it was there, or if he was being toyed with.
"But don't think you're special. I've met countless other criminals who've learned the skill you have. Being able to read your lies and use it to your advantage is something people did to me back in the day. But I've learned to avoid people like you. You will not read me," he said.
Neutral, with no emotion. Tails' fur puffed from the threat which hid behind the words, as he clenched his hands to avoid others seeing them shake.
"But as I said earlier, I am impressed by you. With my guidance, I could make you into something brilliant. If you join my side, I will make it worth your while," the invitation was so unexpected it made the fox sputter.
There was no smirk, no glint in his eyes, nothing which could make the pick pocketer either convinced it was a trap or an honest request.
He looked at Sonic. The blue hedgehog was staring at him with wide eyes. He was subtly shaking his head. Tails stared at his newfound friend for another second, before he looked back at Shadow. He sighed to steal his nerves.
"What are your plans?" He asked bravely and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Shadow didn't show any emotion as he said: "The simple answer: Wealth. The world speaks of money. With high enough value, the people living on the other side of the bridge can be overthrown. We will stop at nothing to gain what we deserve. If blood is the answer, then a sacrifice will be made. Whoever is against us will suffer from the consequences. The world will be changed anew."
His voice echoed between the trees. He silenced any noises created from life living in the undergrowth. The threat was clear. A warning melting into Tails' mind, as the words were ringing through. The pick pocketer could feel Sonic's stare on him, though he already knew what to say.
Tails shook his head.
"I agree with you. Criminals and other people living on the street don't have a chance to live the lives they deserve. Everything is just a game and the only one who's living is at the top. But you cannot fix the world by bloodshed. I may be young, but I have accepted that the world is unchangeable a long time ago. If you do this, it will be exactly the same, just the roles have been reversed. You'll be sitting at the top while everybody else is looking up at you," Tails said as he scoffed, "you're no peacekeeper. You're just a greedy thief."
He had hoped his words had created some sort of effect, yet the black hedgehog was still standing. Unmoving, unemotional. The only reaction he wanted to show was a huff.
"Fine. If you wish to die with the hedgehog then I'm not going to stop you," he said, then pointed calmly at Sonic, "hand over your emeralds now and I'll make it quick."
Tails felt a shiver going down his spine when the threat echoed in his mind. It was clear and to the point, nothing could change that fact. Once again, he looked at Sonic who looked back at him.
The look of surprise had vanished, showing the determination he had before, though the subtle question of if they should hand them over or not was visible too. Tails turned to say no.
When more shuffling could be heard.
His ears twisted backwards before his head followed suit, his hands shook at the prospect of an ambush, somebody who attacked from behind.
Instead, he felt his stomach drop from the sight of Silver. He quietly and confused stepped out from the fog. He blinked innocently.
"You!"
Tails jumped and twisted back at Shadow. His façade had broken, his walls demolished as surprise was clear in his features. Mouth agape, eyes wide, as he pointed at Silver.
"You shouldn't be here!" The tip of his finger was shaking, his expression screwed into anger. A wrench had been thrown into his plans. Something had gone wrong.
"M-me?" Tails turned around and watched Silver as he pointed at himself.
"What are you doing here?! Where have you been?!" The pick pocketer could hear the desperation in Shadow's voice as he looked back at him. This had been the least of his expectations.
"What do you mean? I don't know who-" the silver hedgehog was pausing, the pick pocketer didn't know why since he was still staring at the black hedgehog.
The surprise was still showing before it melted off him like ice on a hot summer's day. He took back his arm and focused on trying to remain neutral again. His dark red eyes seethed as he stared at Silver.
"No matter. I'll just have to get rid of you too," Tails could hear the gasp from behind as his mind was running a mile a minute.
He had no idea if Silver knew how to fight – nothing had indicated as such from their first encounter. He hadn't tried to protect his chest and his first instinct was to run away rather than fight. If Silver didn't know how to fight, then they were in trouble.
He was in the moment of trying to figure out what to do instead when a loud squeak of a war cry made his ears pin to his skull. His eyes widened as both hands frantically tried to swipe at Chao who'd apparently had enough and flew toward Shadow.
His stubby hand was pulled backwards as if he wanted to punch the criminal as he came close. He squeaked and choked when he was caught in Shadow's fist.
"Chao!" Sonic yelled, taking a step forward and one hand reaching for the creature.
He didn't move, and Tails stood still as well, afraid the black hedgehog was going to choke him.
Instead, the criminal looked at the Chao as if he was a rare artifact, as the chao was currently trying to kick and punch his way to victory. It wasn't working as Shadow hummed thoughtfully.
"Curious. A chao in the middle of nowhere. Living pockets of Chaos," he commented.
The comment made Tails narrow his eyes as he repeated the words in his mind. Living pockets of Chaos.
A part of him wanted to ask what he meant when Shadow moved instead.
He stiffened as he watched the black hedgehog reach behind his quills to fetch something. He glanced at Sonic. He saw the hedgehog readying himself to sprint forward in case it was a knife.
Instead, Tails' eyes widened, his hands shook as he saw Shadow clutch something familiar in his hands. A tingling, a surge of energy in his fingers. It was a Chaos Emerald.
It was purple, sitting in his hands as if it had always belonged there, key in a lock, hand in a glove. He could see the criminal looking at them, making sure they could see the emerald before he closed his eyes. And sighed.
The emerald glowed.
The pick pocketer felt an odd sense of threat worming its way into his chest as he looked at Shadow. The hedgehog opened his eyes as he looked at Chao. The hand holding the creature flicked.
Tails hitched for a breath, one hand resting on his heart when it began to hurt. His legs started shaking, his entire body shaking with a sense of dread he'd never felt before, breathing heavily.
"Tails! What-" Sonic had noticed his pain, though Tails could see him fastening his eyes onto the chao again.
The fox followed suit. His heart pounded faster as his eyes widened. A purple aura had appeared around his hand as he stared at the chao.
He was screaming in pain.
"Stop! Whatever you're doing, stop!" Sonic yelled, not moving in fear of hurting the chao further.
Tails' heart was writhing, his legs feeling more and more numb by the second, his hands shaking uncontrollably as he watched. Chao's bloodcurdling screams echoed in the trees, haunting his mind as he was staring at the flying creature in torture.
Then it stopped.
The purple aura surrounding the Chaos Emerald disappeared. Shadow sighed slowly.
Tails' chest calmed down; the pain he'd felt slowly dissipated as feeling returned to his legs. But he was staring at Chao. His bright turquoise body had dimmed, almost looking gray.
He was completely limp in Shadow's hand, his eyes barely being able to keep themselves open. Shadow threw him into the forest.
"Refreshing," the black hedgehog twisted his shoulders around his sockets as he stared back at the trio.
Tails watched Chao in the undergrowth, being able to see him still breathing, though slowly.
He looked back at Shadow, his fingers shaking. He swallowed something in his throat. The black hedgehog narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger at them.
"Finish them."
The fox watched in horror as the six criminals behind him who had stood idly by drew weapons.
And ran toward them.
Sonic ran, a blue blur passing his vision directly toward Chao as Tails saw two criminals heading straight for him. He barely heard Silver turn around and run as two of them chased after the gray hedgehog, and the last two went for the blue one.
The pick pocketer barely had a chance to take a breath when he dodged the first attack from a black wolf. Knives flung from side to side. He stepped backwards and jumped; eyes searched for an opening to punch back.
They weren't small criminals – they were used to fighting. Protecting their chests, leaning back to avoid getting hit in the face, foot work perfect, they were legendary. The unspoken rules say you don't bring a gun to a knife fight, though he figured they didn't care. That meant when he went down, he wouldn't be able to get back up.
Those warnings were blaring in his mind as he was ducking another swipe attempt at his neck, walking backwards. He rammed into a tree he hadn't seen, moving his head, lifting his leg to kick. Successful hit made one walk away though he was replaced with another dark green wolf. He swung at the fox. Tails ducked and jumped away from the tree as he noticed the criminal's movements were flawless. They were used to work and attack in the forest. Another disadvantage for him.
He sidestepped another punch though didn't see the kick in the same moment. He exhaled sharply as he was pushed back, arms around his stomach. He knew he needed to use the one thing the other two didn't have. He looked up at the knife about to slice his face and swiped both tails at the criminal.
The wolf stumbled in place and Tails avoided a punch from the returning black wolf. He swung his arm around and attempted a punch himself. The criminal avoided it. The knife swung at him. He avoided just in time as he saw a few fox hairs fall to the ground.
He yelped when the dark green criminal returned and sidestepped a punch. He was kicked in the hip from the black wolf, making the pick pocketer stumble to his knees. The green criminal spent no time jumping on him, forcing him into the ground with his body weight, one arm around his neck. Tails was determined not to give him the opportunity to choke him, swiping his tails at the wolf, making him roll off.
Tails scrambled to his feet only to be kicked in the back from the black wolf. He turned around and hissed from a burning pain emitting from his arm. A glance revealed it was only a surface cut. He jumped back several steps to avoid another swipe at his skin. He avoided a punch but hit the wolf in the chin, making him twist his head.
Tails kicked at the black wolf, making him stumble backwards. The pick pocketer looked toward Sonic.
The hedgehog was in a tumble with both criminals as well, twisting, punching. Shadow merely stood and watched. Immovable, emotionless.
He only had a second to look before the fox concentrated back on his fight when the green wolf swiped at him. Tails' expectations had been for them to have uncalculated attacks by now.
Desperation and frustration usually fueled their systems when they were realizing they were being beaten by a kid. Either they were patient, or the black hedgehog had told them he was good. The criminals kept being as calculated in their movements as Tails avoided another swipe at a knife from the black wolf.
He sidestepped a punch, only saw the dark criminal swing his leg around and the fox was thrusted forward from a kick in his back. The green wolf grabbed his head and slammed it into his knee.
Tails' vision blurred, a sharp pain emitting from his forehead, collaborating with the already beating headache. He fell backwards. He took a deep breath, looked up and reached out his hands when the black wolf was on top of him again.
The fox narrowed his eyes as he caught the hand with the knife in one of his palms, while the other clawed at the ground. He tightened his fist around some dirt and threw it at the wolf. He cried and covered his eyes, the pick pocketer swung his tails at him. It made him tumble to the ground.
Tails scrambled to his knees, flattened his hand, and rammed the side of it into his neck. He didn't have time to check if he was unconscious as the green wolf was already at him.
The fox fell onto his back and kicked, making the wolf cover one arm around his stomach as the pick pocketer got to his feet. One down.
He swallowed something in his throat, noting the metallic taste in his mouth. Sweat dripped from his brow and his heart was beating wildly in his chest. He could feel a newfound adrenaline rush in his body from one of them going down.
Tails sidestepped a punch, retaliated with another punch, and stepped back to swing his tails at him. The wolf kicked him in his side.
He cried and stumbled from the rush of pain in his side. His vision blurred momentarily. He swung his tails in the general direction the criminal was in and heard him tumble but he couldn't see past the pain.
One hand covered the wound to try and soothe it. He shook his head and blinked. His vision returned, he looked at the green criminal as he was getting to his feet again. He raised the knife into the air.
"Nobody moves or he gets it!"
Tails froze from the sudden yell as it silenced the fight completely. He twisted around, his eyes widened, his hands shook upon the sight.
One criminal was unhealthily bending Silver's arms onto his back as they were walking into the fight. The gray hedgehog's body was suffering scrapes, winching in pain from something. The other criminal was pointing the knife at the hedgehog as he was forced onto the ground on his stomach, the criminal holding him climbing on top, making sure he wouldn't let go.
"Hey, easy!"
"Shut up!" The wolf with the knife yelled at Sonic, though it made Tails look at the hedgehog.
He was panting just as hard as he was, emerald eyes stared wide at the scene before them. His knuckles had a bit of blood on them.
"Now," the pick pocketer noticed the voice, and looked at Shadow.
His voice alone had calmed the standing criminals, panting to themselves but standing guard in case somebody moved.
"If you don't want your friend to lose his neck, I recommend you hand over your emeralds," Tails looked back at Shadow and observed as the hedgehog calmly reached out a hand toward Sonic.
The fox could feel the adrenaline in his body still pumping, heart beating, fingers shaking as the pick pocketer was observing. The azure hedgehog had an angry expression visible, one Tails hadn't seen before. It made a shiver go down his spine.
"The only thing you're going to use those emeralds for is to do something cruel. I can't let that happen," was his words.
Tails could see the hesitation clear in his expression, could see him glancing at Silver who was remaining still and quiet, too afraid to move. The pick pocketer stared at Shadow as he scoffed.
"I can use the emeralds however I like hedgehog. Let me show you just what I can do," he said.
And slowly reached his hand behind his quills again.
Tails felt his heart skip a bit, a coldness emanating from his inner being.
The purple Chaos Emerald appeared in his hand again. The energy swirling within seemed chaotic, as if banging on the crystal barrier, thrashing to get out. Tails could feel the same familiar tingle, though he failed to notice it at full when he saw Shadow look at him.
The scarlet irises pierced into his soul. He sucked in a breath. The black hedgehog narrowed his eyes and lifted the emerald toward him. It glowed menacingly.
Before the Chaos Keeper could move, the other hand flicked at him. And he screamed.
A sharp pain thrusting through his heart, his being shaking as he clutched at his chest. Falling to the ground, curling into a ball without his own doing, feeling his heart writhing.
Stretching and breaking into pieces, reaching towards the burning sensation of the emerald as his legs pinwheeled. He cried out again, tried to breathe, as he could only see water forming in his eyes. Someone yelled his name.
Clutching tighter at his heart yielded nothing. It was burning, piercing, writhing, and twisting to release from the clutches of the emerald.
He wasn't succeeding and the pick pocketer kept screaming.
Sonic stared at Tails. He couldn't move, didn't move, in fear Shadow would make it worse. Every scream in pure pain made his heart beat faster. His fingers shaking, his being crying out at him to do something than only watching it happen. Yet he was immovable.
Tails' body was writhing on the ground, both hands clutching at his heart. Sonic watched in horror as blood began to pool from under him.
"Do you feel it, Sonic?!" The hedgehog twisted his head at Shadow.
His voice had changed, a manic smirk had appeared on his lips, a row of white teeth showing, "this is the energy we can take! We can use it however we like! We can fight!"
He was yelling, his eyes glowing a darker shade of red.
Sonic stared back at Tails. Hearing him breathing deeply, crying out again, being more and more still on the ground.
He could feel it. His body was vibrating, there was a power, an energy in the air. If he reached out his hand, he could touch it and grab it like a firefly in the night.
It was there to take, and a part of his heart was yearning for it…
"No!" In the same moment, he sped toward Shadow.
He swung his leg and kicked the emerald out of his hand. Immediately he felt as the power dissipated, the energy halted, the screaming stopped.
Mere inches apart, Sonic stared into Shadow's eyes. He didn't seem disappointed or mad the emerald was gone from his grasp, didn't even reach out to grab it.
"You can't take someone's Chaos like that! You're killing them!" The azure hedgehog yelled into his face.
He didn't flinch, didn't move to swipe the spit away from his face. Sonic moved both ears backwards and could hear Tails breathe deeply as he hissed to himself in pain.
"You don't understand hedgehog," the mentioned stared back at Shadow. He shook his head, as if he was disappointed.
"This is what you're made of. This is what you're supposed to do. Chaos Keepers are below us. They serve us as well as every other being of Chaos. We have the power to control everything."
Shadow's words rang through his mind, his heart skipped an extra beat from the words. His hands shook, his mind yelled and screamed it couldn't be true.
He kept staring at Shadow's eyes. Knuckles' words echoed, repeated, made him remember what the echidna had told him on the island. Sonic shook his head.
"No Shadow. That was a long time ago. History changes, and Chaos Keepers are not below us and they serve nobody. They're just like you and me," he said.
If only to convince himself, if only to try and dismiss what this criminal was telling him. He wasn't like this and wouldn't become it. Shadow scoffed and opened his mouth to answer when his eyes moved past Sonic's shoulder.
Alarmed, the azure hedgehog turned around. Only to have his eyes widened a little.
Tails was getting up, one hand clutching at where the bandages were soaking in crimson, the stab wound having opened in the midst of the fight. He was panting heavily, shakily standing on his feet as he stared back at Shadow. Sonic watched the blood trickling down from his side.
"You're strong," Sonic turned around at the black hedgehog, though knew the words had been targeted at Tails, "much stronger than the little runt."
Sonic felt his fingers shaking more violently, clenching his hands into fists to try and keep his composure.
"Who?" He asked immediately, making Shadow's eyes switch to him.
No emotion was visible, merely looking back and forth on the hedgehog's face. As if he was deciding whether or not he should say anything. He smirked in the end.
"Let's just say I ran into two friends of yours." Sonic blinked. Once. Twice.
He let the words echo in his mind again. His thoughts swirled back and recollected in milliseconds the people he'd met and interacted with, the people who had helped him in one way or another on their journey.
"Mighty and Ray," he looked over his shoulder when Tails whispered their names.
He was still clutching at his side, his body visibly shaking from the transpired events, his blue eyes wide. When their eyes met, Sonic could see the fright.
He'd only seen it once. On a dark night, with a campfire separating them, the young fox told the tale of a toddler who had tried to survive on the streets by himself. In that moment he'd seen the tough exterior crack, the hard walls melt in front of him. Back then it had been for a second. Now it was at full display.
His stomach became warm, his body fueling and vibrating as Sonic could feel the rage starting to emerge. He turned around, stared at Shadow's eyes.
He rammed into him.
Movements from all around, yelling and feet shuffling. He avoided a punch which was headed for his chin. He jumped back and sidestepped a kick. He looked over his shoulder as he saw practically every criminal head for him.
He saw Tails sprinting at Silver with the singular criminal on top of him. Keeping in mind he had Chao saved unconscious in the cushioning of his quills, Sonic turned around and sidestepped another punch from Shadow.
"Get the fox and the other hedgehog! Sonic's mine!" Shadow suddenly yelled, as he punched Sonic again.
He was hit in the stomach. He stepped back, heard Tails yell something at Silver as four criminals were headed for them. Sonic was unable to help when he was kicked on the hip, suddenly realizing Shadow was much faster than first anticipated.
Sonic twisted his head and could hear fighting happening behind him as he kicked at the black hedgehog. He avoided elegantly, as if he'd tried it before, retaliating by trying to punch back. Sonic sidestepped, winced at the pain traveling up his leg, every step he took being a fiery electricity shooting its way to his chest.
He jumped back from a calculated kick and watched as Shadow reeled back his arm to punch.
When he paused. His eyes widened as he looked past Sonic's shoulder. Sonic did the same.
His jaw fell to the ground. He wasn't sure what he was looking at, wasn't sure what was happening, though one thing was for certain: Silver was flying.
Levitating above the ground, a turquoise aura surrounding his entire being as both hands were stretching into the air. Sweat was dripping from his brow, his expression screwed into pain and concentration as he was doing something.
Four of the criminals were floating in the air, having the same turquoise aura surrounding them. They were yelling and kicking to try and get free, confused, and panicked as to how this was happening.
Sonic was on the same page, yet the only words which came out of his mouth were: "You can fly?!"
Silver twisted his head at him, panted heavily as more sweat dropped from his brow. His hands were shaking, his arms began to do the same. The blue hedgehog only managed to watch Tails attack the last standing criminal. He was yelling a battle cry, one hand clutching at his side.
Dark spots appeared in his eyes; a sharp pain shot through the side of his head as he stumbled. Sonic landed on the ground, shook his head, and twisted at the black hedgehog landing on top of him. Their hands interlocked; Shadow's eyes were wide, red, desperate.
Something hadn't gone according to plan. They could win this.
Sonic frowned, as he pushed back with all of his might. He got one leg free and kicked. The black hedgehog flew off unexpectedly, which made Sonic scramble to his feet and ran to try and knock him out.
Shadow rammed his elbow into the blue hedgehog's chin. He yelled and whipped his head back. A sharp pain made him scream, both hands clutched at his bandaged leg as he fell to the ground from the kick.
He inhaled sharply as he tried to make the pain go away. Throbbing and burning he was twisting his head. He rolled away from Shadow.
He was seeing his hands trying to grab him, seeing the hands trying to choke him. Sonic was staring unmovable, both hands clutching at his hurting leg, knowing he couldn't get up even if he wanted to.
He lifted one hand to try and deflect the black hedgehog's attack when a golden blur interrupted.
Sonic watched with wide eyes as Shadow scrambled to his feet. Tails stood and panted, both tails thrashed as their eyes met. The black hedgehog said nothing, merely reeled back his arm to punch the fox.
He avoided it, swiped his leg at Shadow, the hedgehog sidestepped. The second punch hit the fox in the chin.
Sonic was unable to see what happened next when the air left his lungs from the criminal digging his knees into his stomach. He saw the knife, making Sonic clutch the wrist with the blade. He forced it away from his face. His eyes widened when he heard Tails cry out. Sonic kicked the criminal and sat up.
He only saw the fox with his knees in the ground. Shadow stepped closer and kicked. Tails landed on his back, cried out again as one hand clutched his bandaged side, his blue eyes wide.
Sonic saw them – saw how they shook. He saw an eight-year-old kid being caught in the middle; fear deeply visible in sapphire.
Sonic only stared for another moment, then one hand scrambled into his quills and picked up the first crystal exterior he felt for and whipped it out. He saw Shadow step on a single large fox tail, before the Chaos Wielder closed his eyes.
He felt the energy, power swirling from the emerald to his hand, felt the air around him electrifying and a light appeared from the direction of his hand. Quickly, the wind picked up.
Sonic opened his eyes, saw as Shadow stared at him, a harsh wind ruffled his quills. The canopies rustled, the undergrowth moved and shrieked from the hard blows as Sonic frowned. He didn't have to tell Tails to hide his face, the kid knew what was happening as both arms covered his eyes and nose.
The azure hedgehog stared at Shadow as he lifted his other hand toward him.
He could physically see it moving through the trees, as if a cart had gone loose from its brakes, rampaging through the forest toward them. The hedgehog was still as the barrel of wind rammed into Shadow.
The black hedgehog flew through the air. He choked back a yell as his head rammed into a tree. Sonic panted, as he watched the high ranked criminal glide down from the tree trunk and fell to the ground. And was still.
He could hear the blood pumping in his ears, the emerald still glowing in his hand as wind was spurting up around him, his heart beating fast in his chest. When Shadow didn't move, he sighed.
The Chaos Wielder let the energy seep out, the power in him slowly dissipating as he let it go. The emerald stopped glowing. He blinked, looked around.
The criminal who had tried to attack him had been thrown quite a way as well as he was moaning in pain into the ground. Sonic looked over his shoulder, saw Silver standing.
His amber eyes were wide with fright and adrenaline, both hands were shaking as all four criminals were still on the ground. He had no idea what had happened, yet it didn't look as if the silver hedgehog knew it either.
"We have to get out of here!" Sonic twisted his head at Tails' piercing words.
He didn't get to ask the fox not to get up when the pick pocketer was already running at him, without question pulling in Sonic's arm to get him to stand.
"Tails stop!" Sonic cried in pain, the pulling immediately stopping. He clutched at the leg again, piercing pain shooting through him like electricity. "My leg," was his response to the unasked question, hissing in pain and closing his eyes as he tried to move his foot.
"Silver!" The fox's words were filled with panic, adrenaline fueling every single one, "carry him! We need to go before they wake up!"
Sonic opened his eyes and mouth from the command as he wanted to protest. He didn't get the chance when Tails began flying by his behind appendages, the hedgehog seeing the pain in his expression as he levitated. And suddenly, he was flying too.
An odd sensation in his body, the pain easing just a bit when there was no pressure underneath him, only seeing a turquoise aura in his peripheral vision. His eyes widened as he looked down, as he could see the battle ground underneath them, the forest floor destroyed. And he saw Shadow moving.
He couldn't see anything else when Tails zoomed past him, and Silver turned him around and made him follow. Sonic blinked, tried to follow along, saw as Silver had one hand stretched out toward him, the gray hedgehog having the turquoise silhouette himself as he followed behind the fox.
They were moving fast, past the canopies, moving with difficulty close to the ground, moving around branches. Sonic looked over his shoulder, though the criminals became dots. And then they disappeared.
Sonic felt his heart beating in his chest, the pain shooting through his body from various locations. He turned his head toward the others. Silver's face was contorted into pain as well, some of his fur red from somewhere the hedgehog couldn't see, his hands shook, his entire body scraped. Looking at Tails told almost the same story, his fur being completely dirtied with dirt and blood, could hear him pant. The most worrying feature was the hand clutched at his side, as the wound was still dripping.
The blue hedgehog swallowed something in his throat, though remained quiet. He couldn't think or say anything for the moment, merely let the wind go through his quills as he saved the emerald again.
His hand felt around for a bit and his hand clutched around something soft. Carefully and gently, he extracted the still unconscious chao, placing him in his lap. His fur color had the same sickening grayish tint, though he was still breathing.
Slowly, painfully slow. But he was alive. They were all alive.
Sonic blinked, looked up as he clutched the Chao carefully to his chest in protection or warmth, he wasn't sure.
The only thing he was sure of was their victory.
Yet it didn't feel deserved.
Her amber eyes stared back at the person she stood before.
The reflective surface was clear and had been wiped clean this morning. A beam of sunlight hit the corner of the curved mirror; it made a single star shine at her. The silhouette was different, one she hadn't expected to see nor one she ever thought she would become. The face which stared back at her was anything but happy. Her eyes crinkled, a slight frown and face tense. It showcased the weight of her decision, the situation she had decided to create. For better or for worse she wasn't sure yet.
She sighed at the reflection, one which made it look more tired than concentrated. A dark red fabric fluttered down her body and covered her back, being big enough for her to wrap it around her form. The cloak had a hood attached to the back. She had asked her servant to go to the market and buy the piece of garment for her in secrecy. Of course, the chosen cloak was more refined and the fabric expensive. It was the opposite of its purpose and yet, it was the one piece which merged two worlds. One of royalty and one of feigned homelessness.
Blaze looked at her reflection again as she pulled over the hood and adjusted it enough for her face to be hidden in the fabric. She blinked at the hooded figure, observed as the guilt bled from her form. She could see the regret visible in her shaking eyes.
She sighed frustrated, pulled off the hood with a quick swipe of her hand as she looked away. She rubbed her eyes until she could only see dark spots and stars; she once again reconsidered. When her eyes started to hurt and she pulled away her hands, she had come to the same conclusion again. She needed to go.
Amber eyes scanned her room again as she made sure everything was set perfectly. The grand king-sized bed at the end of the room was made and stood silently in the bedroom. The grand and plush settee at the end of the bed had her nightgown neatly folded. Large, elegant, furniture pieces were pushed against the walls, a vanity, and a singular armchair in the corner.
She walked over to the vanity as she frowned at the missing sound of her clicking heels, knowing she would have to get used to walking in the flat red shoes on her feet. Scanning the table, she read the note she had left behind again, making sure she had worded herself correctly. Her handwriting was distinguishable, her servant would know it had been her and not a foreigner.
She had needed to tell the truth, needed to say she was going to be gone for an undetermined amount of time and left all her royalty decisions to her advisors and the king – wherever he was.
But telling them what was going to happen with her responsibilities and where she would go, was the only choice which would prevent the guards from hauling innocent people to the castle and charging them with kidnapping or murder. She knew there was going to be a ruckus anyway, searching parties all over Croford the moment people realized she was gone. They would realize at dinner, therefore, she had to go now.
Before she could regret her decision, she picked up the small sack hanging off the vanity chair as she walked toward the door. Filled with water and food and enough money to have her covered for a few days, but not enough to get mugged, she left her hand on the doorknob. She stared at the portal to another world for one more second before she sighed again and opened it slowly.
She stuck her head out and looked back and forth as she made sure no servants were walking to and from. Blaze walked out and quietly pushed the door back into frame before she hurried down the hall. The plush carpet sounded heavy and foreign, the people in the pictures looked at her with shame as she continued. She frowned and threw her sack over her shoulder as she walked down a set of stairs.
Looking around and making sure nobody was seeing her, she walked down another corridor and another set of stairs, being smaller and less grand. Sneaking out where her staff usually took their breaks was less conspicuous. She quietly made it into the kitchen, looking around though she knew Mel and the other cooks were at lunch, leaving the kitchen empty. She quietly walked through toward the open door at the other end of the room.
The sun was shining, inviting her outside, hiding the treason she was about to commit. She drew in a breath and held it as she walked out. The warmth of the day hit her immediately, the princess walking across the gravel and past the flower beds. One memory resurfaced, one of a young fox with two tails who had sat here and had smelled the flowers, innocently and curiously.
As quickly as it had come it disappeared as she walked through the next door and closed it behind her. The noises of the city immediately slammed into her as she could hear yells and talking from the place she was supposed to protect. She tried to shove the thoughts away as she pulled the hood over her head and walked toward the bridge.
She bent her head down low, making sure none of the guards could see her face as she hastily stepped toward the city. One step, two steps, three steps, four steps. The ball of guilt rose in her stomach with every foot, every part of her wanted to turn around again and forget the entire thing. Yet, she determinately frowned and lifted her head as she made it off the bridge.
People were walking, wearing dresses and their fur tied up in knots, wearing pristine shirts and long pants, talking amongst themselves. Someone carrying a barrel over there, two kids playing tag with each other, a group of women laughing at something she didn't know. This was the rich part of Croford.
She needed to continue to the other side of the bridge. And then past the gate. And then out. She had to.
Ever since Silver had left, she had been laying in her bed sleepless, a part of her had wondered what had urged him to go and then another part of her had answered he hadn't meant to be hidden forever. She had been the one to tell him he had been destined for something else, something much bigger than being stuck in a single room until she could decide what was going to happen to him.
He had leapt, had taken the chance filled with consequences and had left her behind in the dust as well – that was how important his mission had been. It had taken her too late to realize that. And even later to realize she had a mission as well.
She moved around a group of kids who didn't see where they were going, looked briefly at the woman who giggled at the man and another worker moved a box from the front of his store to the back. She needed to find Silver. Her stomach was filled with guilt and regret but inside the castle walls she knew he was important. In one way or another, he was a missing piece to the mystery laying underneath her.
The rotting tomato underneath the streets, the growing uneasiness, the concern from the high rates of criminality all over the town. She couldn't fix it, but she had a feeling he could. Something was calling to her, she had heard it in the middle of the night, knowing it wasn't dreams. She needed to find him and figure out what he had experienced. There was something, something more important than her title and her duty.
She would head out to Shita, she had some connections which might give her answers to some of her questions. The princess had traveled before, before she had been bestowed a royal title, one which had come out of nowhere in a seemingly blind panic. She had been adopted into a title she hadn't asked for, yet she had needed to step up and do what she could for these people.
Now, she was letting them down as she was chasing a mere feeling. But it was enough. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to the people she wanted to protect. This was needed.
Blaze nodded to herself from her thoughts as she continued to walk, the sound of wood echoed under her feet as she passed the bridge.
Leaving behind her grand title and becoming a refugee from her own home.
It was urgent, she knew.
She had to go.