It was dark. The atmosphere chocked with the smoke and dust of devastation that had transpired around them.

Tom coughed into the sleeve of his jacket, scanning the skies above for any sign of Sonic and Shadow.

...

"Shadow! Shadow please! You have to hang on!"

Sonic was desperately trying to pull Shadow back from the gravitational pull of Earth that was beckoning the red and black hedgehog closer and closer.

"I've already used up my power, Sonic", Shadow rasped; so quietly Sonic almost didn't hear him through the panic ringing through his ears.

"I'm tired..."

"NO! Please, Shadow! You can't give up!", Sonic cried. Tears already seeping out.

"Your Super Form won't last much longer", said Shadow. "You need to get back"

"NOT WITHOUT YOU!", Sonic growled. The tears came before he could stop them. Some even splashed on Shadow's face.

"Sonic", Shadow rasped again, this time with more pained effort. "I think I've discovered what the Ultimate Life Form is. It might be you!"

Sonic gasped in shock.

"Gerald thought that the Ultimate Lifeform was about power", Shadow continued. He stared back at Sonic with a knowing smile.

"But he was wrong. The Ultimate Lifeform values life and freedom above all else. Sonic, that's you"

Shadow didn't even hear Sonic's scream as he slipped out of his grip and plummeted to the blue planet below.

...

A bright light suddenly forced Tom, Maddie, and the Mobians to cover their eyes.

"Sonic!", Tom gasped with joy, after the light faded, revealing the blue hedgehog safe and well.

But Tom's joy quickly drained when he noticed Sonic was hunched over, his shoulders trembling, and clutching something small in his hands.

"Sonic?", Tom asked, as he crouched over and put his hand on his son's back.

Sonic looked up, startled, but quickly relaxed when he saw it was just Tom. His face was stained with tears, and he struggled to get words out as he chocked out more sobs that seemed never-ending.

"I...couldn't save him", Sonic whimpered.

He opened up his hands a little, and Tom could see a golden ring; the right size to fit as a bracelet.

"I...I FAILED HIM, TOM", Sonic cried.

Tom didn't need to say anything back. He would do that later. For now, he pulled his son tightly into his arms. Sonic dropped the ring weakly to the ground, and he clung onto his Dad like a lifeline.

The world seemingly stood still for a moment; only the silence shattered by the anguished wail of a blue hedgehog.

...

...

AUTHOR'S NOTE

So this is an idea I had based on a possible ending for Sonic Movie 3

I know the movies wouldn't kill Shadow off permanently (he could be revealed as alive in a post credit scene or something); but damn, imagine if the movie had the guts to end on such a downer!

- By 'mobians' I mean Tails, Knuckles, Amy and/or Rouge. You can all decide for yourselves who is there.

- Fun fact: the line Shadow says about Sonic possibly being the ultimate lifeform is actually in SA2, during the final fight with the biolizard (which has caused many a theory on the matter)