Okay, so apparently people forgot about Detective Shadow. Whoops. Sorry if this was NOT the moment you had been waiting for.
So this chapter is a little confusing because it starts WAAAAAAAAY back at 'Calling in Favors'. Remember when Shadow decides he didn't want to stay and watch the drama unfold with Sonia and Manic randomly showing up at Rouge's apartment? Well, there is the starting point. So we will be covering an entire month of 'Shadowy' actions and thoughts. Long Chapter. Lots of typing. Yay.
Anyway, comments on reviews!
StarlightSparks: Thanks! We missed writing it.
IcyPinkFlower: I am so glad you enjoyed it that much. The scene with Tails dropping his toolbox is a scene Halo and I planned almost an entire year ago so to finally write it is going to be fun. Rouge's background story is something Halo and I have also worked on for quite sometime and… we have it kind of laid out, but I don't think we are ever going to map it out. Maybe we will include it as a headcannon at the end of a chapter or something. CLIFFHANGERS MUST DIE. But at the same time, I love them! We will be updating more often, as my ban has been lifted (however it is frowned upon…)
NeckBreak: Thanks. Amy is one of those characters that I always thought needs a better backstory or explanation. So we gave her one.
Autumn: Thanks! I am glad you are still enjoying it, even after this giant break.
Shapeshifter 14: Who said they were not going to make the connection? Then again, it is kind of hard to tell.
felixthecat123: I love your username! I am now singing the theme song and trying to steal your magic bag of tricks. Thanks!
Gabiola652: *blushes* Aw, thanks! Y'all are so kind.
TheOneTrueBlue: We are glad to be back and very happy you enjoyed the chapter! UPDATE AWAY!
ultimateCCC: Oh boy, where do we start on that. Halo, you want to explain or do you want me too? Or we can just add it as a headcannon at the bottom.
sonicforlife: *tilts head slightly* I suppose that is one way to say it…. Thank you for using the asterisks.
UMMMIDONTKNOW: That is a wonderful username! (; Your review made me laugh so hard. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. "Consistent updates? Someone not being an idiot?" That was wonderful! We will do our best to keep the updates regular, but school can be a little hectic.
MeowthKitty: Yep! We ended it there. And the cliffhanger is still not resolved! (; You're welcome!
astorytellerbook: No comment. (; Hope you like this chapter and can hang on for a little while longer until we get to Tails.
Faso: *reads review five times before grabbing a giant box of fireworks* Halo! Let's go celebrate! I am so sorry you checked everyday and found nothing. "Merlin's pants!" is right! Here is your 'MORE'. And I want to be a published author! Still working on it, but eh. It takes time and practice (this is my practice).
juancastri11: Hola, amigo! It has been too long. Glad you're still here and that you enjoy the story! Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Mygrane: *falls on the ground laughing* I. CAN'T. BREATH. BEST. REVIEW. EVER.
MelGamingPlays: Here's your update! I hope it was on time. Hope you enjoy this chapter's surprises.
That Speedhunter: *gets new pitchers with lids on them that seal* There. That should help your lemonade problem. To be honest, I kind of forgot as well. I was too focused on the next part. Get ready for a Shadow update! Sonic… well, you'll just have to see. Let the entertainment comense!
Zosonils: Wait, don't have a seizure! It's bad for you health! And if you die, then you can't finish this story! LOL. Yep! We are back and happy to be back and glad you're back as well! I should try reading a chapter with a bag of candy and in the dark… Sounds like fun. *tilts head* Wait, how do you "drink school"? LOL. Aw, thanks for your support. The ban is kinda a long story… Let's keep it short: my Mother doesn't like me talking to strangers online, the actual fanfiction is okay with her… I don't get it either.
Hawkfeather: Whoops! I've done that before. That is a lot of chili dogs. Havoc is unfortunately unavailable. Eh, I think the whole thing is Knuckles is bias against his ex at the moment and Tails is very much a science guy. So… super powers is just one of those things that they know exist, but you better prove it. Manic is a show stealer… or just a thief in general.
Megaman07: How is Manic creepy? I suppose he has a death wish and acts like an idiot, but I don't see him as a 'creeper'. Personal opinion though so whatever floats your boat! Um… sorry you feel that way, friendo. Hope you change your mind. Halo, I'm pretty sure he is just making a point on the cliffhanger.
mlargent3: Sorry for the wait. This is a long chapter and Halo and I have been kinda busy. Hope you like the update!
Shadow's POV:
The night was warm and still, but I paid no mind to it. Rouge's apartment was long behind me, along with the strange hedgehogs. I had a mission and nothing was going to distract me from it.
Sonic the Hedgehog was more of a mystery than ever before. Even before racing on the ARK, he had already proven himself as an interest to keep an eye on. Achieving Chaos control with a fake emerald only increased my interest. Of course, my fall into the atmosphere and my brief bout of amnesia rendered the interest irellevant, but recent events had stirred my old curiosities.
Who was Sonic the Hedgehog?
From my previous conversation with the General, I determined he would be utterly useless to my case; ergo, I skipped straight to the GUN database, of which I had free access to from anywhere in the building. However, I determined my best course of action would be to approach Hope about the matter- she was usually willing to help in matters of this nature.
She was a little less than enthusiastic about the objective, but seemed to determine that providing me with further knowledge of the hedgehog would cause no harm in the long run.
"Alright, Sonic the Hedgehog. Hang on a second…" Hope typed something in her laptop as I moved behind to her to see the screen.
She clicked on the file and the window opened up. Hope read aloud, "Alright, Sonic the Hedgehog. Age: Seventeen, Birthplace-" Hope cut off and frowned.
I raised an eyebrow at the locked content. I quickly scanned through the remainder of the file, my frustration growing with every word.
Name: Sonic the Hedgehog Authorized Access Required
Age: 17
Birthplace: Authorized Access Required
Birthday: July 23, year 3220
Known Relations: Authorized Access Required, Miles Prower (adopted sibling)
Personality Profile: Authorized Access Required
Bio: Authorized Access Required
Current Status: MIA
Current Affiliations: Team Sonic, Team Dark, GUN, Dr. Ivo Robotnik
"Can you access the locked files?" I asked.
Hope gave a small shrug, "Maybe. It would take me a while and I don't know if I could do it without setting off any alarms." She frowned, "Someone doesn't want this information made public."
I scowled. Quickly thanking Hope for her assistance, I left the facility. Time to talk to someone who I didn't need a password for.
XXX
Doctor Robotnik was tinkering in his workshop when I found him two days. He hadn't been too difficult to find, although his numerous abandoned or ruined hideouts and factories made the search longer and more frustrating. He didn't appear surprised to see me. "Ah, Shadow! Can you pass me that wrench?" He pointed at the nearby workbench. I chose to ignore the comment and moved across the table to face him.
Robotnik gave a shrug before grabbing the wrench he had requested and began fiddling with his toy. "Is GUN following you? An ambush, perhaps? Dear me, Shadow, I thought you'd know better than to use such predictable tactics."
I shook my head, "You know why I am here, Doctor."
"Perhaps," Robotnik wiped his tool with a grease covered rag, nodding thoughtfully, "It has something to do with the whereabouts of the blue rat, correct?" I nodded.
He placed the tool down. "So sorry, but I can't help you."
"You have known him for longer than anyone," I crossed my arms, "GUN will tell me nothing. Miles knows nothing. I need answers and you are the only way I will get them."
Robotnik put his hands in the air, his grin widening, "All information has its price."
"What do you want?" I gritted my teeth together.
Robotnik thought for a moment, "You wouldn't happen to have a Chaos Emerald on you, would you?"
My scowl grew. I did have an emerald, but it was the only one I currently possessed. I needed it for my investigation, which made it more important than information. "No," I said, keeping my face stoic and expressionless.
"It's not nice to lie, Shadow, but for now, I'll let you keep it," Robotnik's face grew slightly pale, "I remember all too well the last time your temper was tested." His face grew thoughtful again. "I will have to think about the payment… perhaps I'll have an errand for you in the future."
"I want the information now." I growled.
"Well, your word is as good as payment." Robotnik thought for a moment. "I want you to be… unavailable to GUN for the next month."
"Unavailable?"
"Disappear. Vanish. MIA. Whatever you wish. I have some, er... business I would like to attend to without having to worry about you interrupting."
"What kind of business?" I asked, growing suspicious.
"Never you mind. Just some personal errands, things to clear off the to-do list..." Robotnik shrugged. "I have the blueprints right here, if you're curious."
That settled the decision, "No. That will be fine."
"Excellent!" Robotnik grinned, his eyes lighting up. He cleared off the work table and pulled up a stool. "Sonic the Hedgehog… what do you want to know?"
"How long have you known him?"
Robotnik gave a cruel smile, "Eleven years since last June."
The amount had caught my attention before on the public challenge from the past battle, and again, it surprised me. "Sonic began to thwart your plans at the age of six?"
"No…" Robotnik tapped his chin, "I simply attacked him. Our first official fight was roughly four years later."
"Why did you attack him?"
"Now that..." Robotnik nodded slowly, his leer growing wider, "Is a complicated story."
I mentally groaned. "The short version is all I need."
"Let's just say a member of Sonic's family was causing me to suffer large migraines on a daily basis. I decided to terminate the migraines… quite literally." He said it in a way someone would check something off on their daily checklist.
I found my heart picked up slightly and a small wave of shock passed through my body. "You… killed them."
"What else would you have me do?" Robotnik shrugged again, smirking. "I terminated the annoyance, and as for his family… I wanted to make certain I didn't have some brat coming to avenge his death in the future. Unfortunately, I seemed to have missed one of the brats…"
"Sonic." I concluded, my swirling emotions hidden beneath my stoic expression.
Robotnik made a dismissive wave. "The anniversary of that event was our most recent battle, which you probably already concluded based on the information given then, and of course, this conversation."
I felt my blood go cold, but hid the sudden desire to maim the Doctor where he stood. "Thank you for the information, Doctor…" I hissed through my teeth, my clenched fists shaking in fury. "Now tell me… where exactly did Sonic live when you first… met him?"
Robotnik scribbled something down on a scrap of paper, handing it to me, "These are the coordinates of an old base of mine. His house wasn't far from it… if you can find the remains."
I tucked the paper away and turned to leave, before pausing and turning back, "One more question, Doctor."
"Hmm?"
"Why are you telling me this willingly? I expected a struggle."
Robotnik gave another smile that almost sent a chill down my spine, "It appears to me that Sonic has kept this a secret from everyone, including his, eh, 'brother', or whatever he thinks he is. I always enjoy bringing dark secrets into the open." Robotnik raised an eyebrow, "And playing with my arch-rival's mind is something I do best. Good day, Shadow."
I took one last look at his smug leer and turned away in disgust. I could suddenly understand more than ever why Sonic hated this man.
XXX
The cabin was nothing more than the remains of ashes and rotted logs, which littered the surrounding area. The sight made my heart stop for a few seconds.
Most people see me as a calm, collected, heartless creature who could watch the slaughter of the innocent and never even blink. I admit there was a time when that claim was true. But over the past years with the many interactions with humans and mobians, that claim died. Not unlike this house's previous owners.
What had happened all those years ago?
I examined the wreckage, but quickly abandoned my effort. The structure was too old and too burned to investigate anything. Instead, I scanned the clearing for any disturbances or unusual areas in the woods.
Due to my agreement with the Doctor, I had opted to travel on my motorcycle rather than teleport, if only to pass the time. The actual trip down south had been… pleasant. It felt odd to not have my partners accompanying me. GUN had attempted to call me twice so far, but they were left unanswered. I had long ago disabled the tracker on my bike, so they had virtually no way to find me other than an old-fashioned man hunt.
The forest was thick and shady, which helped with stealth but not with vision. My eyes finally adjusted to the light and I found what appeared to be an abandoned trail, which was overgrown and it took a good eye to find. I followed the old path, cutting away any branches or bushes that came in my way. It wasn't a long walk, perhaps a mile or two. What surprised me was that the path seemed to have been used relatively recently. It was not cleared out enough to have been used as a common road, but small branches had been broken off and grass had been flattened. When the path broke out of the density of leaves and shrubbery, I found yet another burnt skeleton of a cabin sitting near a hidden lake, a waterfall flowing behind it.
Before I could take in the scenery, my Chaotic sense blared so loudly my eyes watered. I winced at the impact before sprinting across the clearing, over the water, and behind the waterfall.
An open cave greeted me, lined with traps that appeared to have been tripped not long ago. I hesitated, but the "screeching" grew louder and I rushed in. I was shocked by the length of the tunnel. It seemed to go miles (which only took me a few seconds to clear) and any traps that were released were far behind.
I screeched to a halt in the dead end corridor. The walls were covered in carvings and the center held an empty pedestal. The screeching had finally stopped, but I could almost see the Chaotic energy in the air.
My frown grew. Something had been in the room that had practically been pure Chaos. I brushed the thin dust layer off the pedestal. The only way to describe the feeling that rushed through me was lightning. Painful but quick. My eyes turned towards the walls, quickly scanning any legible writing.
Although I was not fluent, I could make out a few words. They made no sense in the long run, but there was one thing I managed to understand. Something was wrong with this set up. There was supposed to be a guard nearby.
I frowned. Too much information was making my brain deviate from the original objective. I tucked the cave and it's contents into the back of my head before heading back out to the burned cabin.
XXX
It took me nearly three days to find the graves, and it was by pure accident. As far as I could tell, no one was around for miles, and those who had been were either chased away or suffered a fate not unlike Sonic's.
After yet another unproductive day of searching, I had headed back to the secret lake to try and sort out my hundreds of questions, only to find another one awaiting me there. Three headstones stood hidden in a small, inconspicuous clearing that I hadn't noticed before. It was charred and burnt; no plants had grown here for years. Three headstones, welded from metal, stood tall in the ground.
Here lies Julian "Jules" Hedgehog, a Heroic Father and Brother
Here lies Aleena Guinevere Hedgehog, a devoted Mother
In Memory of Maurice Julian Hedgehog, a beloved Brother
The date of death on all three was July 24th, year 3226.
I had previously thought my initial anger of the event that Robotnik had participated in had dissipated, but the headstones seemed to finally hammer the message in. Robotnik was a murderer. He had knowingly destroyed everything that Sonic ever cared about, at an age where he couldn't do a thing about it. That was unforgivable.
I whirled around and threw a chaos spear at the nearest tree, watching it shrivel and burst into splinters. That sick, twisted man had grinned at the memory of burning innocent people to a crisp. He had laughed.
All these years, Sonic was right.
I had never truly understood why Sonic was so obsessed with the destruction of this one man. He was a problem that needed to be controlled, that much was obvious- but I had never anticipated that he would have ever gone this far to eliminate his enemies.
No… what am I saying? Of course he would. He had attempted to blow up half the world. A family that stood in his way? There was no question as to what he would do. I suppose I should have known that from the beginning. Men like Robotnik were not afraid to do whatever it took to secure their regime. I learned that lesson a long time ago.
My anger dissipated, replaced with a nagging feeling of… sadness. I turned back to the headstones, brushing off the dust and leaves that had long ago settled. The headstones were carefully made of fused steel, the letters scratched in deeply. Someone had made sure they wouldn't fade for years to come. Rust had started to spread over the sides, but it would stand for several years to come.
Who had made these headstones? Sonic was not a welder. Not today, and certainly not when he was six years old. Miles, perhaps, but never Sonic.
That did not fit either… Miles had never been informed about Sonic's past- at least not to this extent. Perhaps an old family friend had done it as a favor… That did not add up either. Based on the house's remains in the surrounding area, no one else had lived here for years, if ever.
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Perhaps I could find out. The Chaos Energy within this area was stronger than most places. I reached out and touched the middle headstone, closing my eyes and focusing hard on its energy.
'Where did you come from?' I asked the stone in my head. An image of a mountain entered my mind. Not exactly what I meant.
I tried again. 'How were you made into a headstone?'
An image of a furnace flashed across my vision. I frowned, slightly frustrated. I was not aware that inanimate objects could be sarcastic.
'Who made you into a headstone?' I specified.
This time, I received a positive answer. The blurry image of an older hedgehog, with light blue fur and hard eyes flashed across my mind.
'Can you show me more?'
The world seemed to drop at my feet and I almost passed out from the sudden drain of Chaotic energy.
What happened next is... difficult to describe.
It was as I had been transported to another world, another time. I stood in the same forest, but the world seemed blurred, like a washed out photograph. The ash surrounding the many burnt patches seemed more recent now, curls of smoke still rising over the tops of the trees.
The headstone I had been holding onto was no longer rusting; it looked almost new. Next to me, an older blue hedgehog with a bushy white mustache and a bitter, grieving expression was finishing setting up the final headstone, the one belonging to Maurice. His hands shook and he bit his lip, looking as though he were about to break down in tears.
Behind him were two children who had already done so. The first, a pink hedgehog with two limp pigtails and wearing a sweater that was far too big for her, was quietly sniffling next to a tree, drying her streaming eyes with her sweater sleeves. The other, a green hedgehog with untidy hair and red sneakers, seemed almost too stunned to cry at all. He sat on the ground, rocking back and forth and mumbling something I couldn't hear; his breaths were short and shallow, as if he had to force his lungs to work. They both looked about the same age.
The older man finished his work and took a moment to look at the three headstones, although he did not seem to take any notice of me. Silent tears dripped down his face and he turned away, refusing to let the children see him.
I studied the man's features, startled to find how similar he looked to Sonic. Come to think of it… the other two seemed to resemble the hedgehog as well. I hadn't seen any photographs of when Sonic was a child, but I could imagine him being about their height and build.
A chill wind blew and the man stood up, wiping away any trace of his tears. He turned back to the children, a blank and unreadable expression on his face.
"Come… come on, kids," he blurted out gruffly, his voice trembling. "We gotta… we gotta go now." A fresh wave of tears erupted from the pink hedgehog, and the green one's expression hardened.
"Uncle Chuck, why we gotta leave 'em here?" he asked quietly, staring fixedly at the graves.
"Because we just do, Mani- Matthews. Come on," he said, a little harder this time. "Matthews" shook his head, refusing to take his eyes off the graves. The pink hedgehog remained in the shade of the tree, her sobs quieting down a bit but still going strong.
The older hedgehog grew frustrated. "Matthews, come on, get up! We don't have time for this kinda' nonsense!.. You too, Sofia, we gotta hit the road, and fast."
Sofia moved to stand up, but Matthews stayed silent for a moment before blurting out simply, "I don't like that name. I like my old name better."
"For pete's sake, Mani- Matthews! This ain't the time!" the man shouted suddenly, causing the two children to flinch. Sofia's sniffles increased dangerously, warning that she was about to start wailing.
"Y-you two- we need to go," the man said, a bit softer this time. "It… it ain't safe here." His eyes darted around skittishly, afraid of some invisible predator- and I had a good guess of which one.
Slowly, the two young hedgehogs got up and followed their Uncle out of the clearing; as they walked farther away, though, Sofia's sobs grew louder and louder until it was almost deafening. As the noise increased, the scene grew darker; my eyelids felt heavy, and I could vaguely feel myself falling backwards…
I gasped for breath, my eyes bursting open and my heartbeat going a mile a minute. I was back in the first clearing; the headstones were rusting once again, and most of the ash had been cleared away over time. I gulped down deep breaths of air; I felt as if I had been drowning. My head was spinning, and it took a few minutes before I could think straight again. When I was able to recollect my thoughts, I found myself on my knees leaning against the headstone.
Note to self: Never do that again.
These people were obviously connected to Sonic, somehow. Most likely a familial relation of some sort. There was still the possibility that they were only friends or neighbors, but I was beginning to doubt that.
Someone had survived the attack other than Sonic. But where was the hedgehog? It was as if he had not existed to the mourners. Or more likely, I had not seen the entire story. Perhaps the other survivors would have the answers.
There was only one way to find out.
XXX
According to the results of my investigation thus far, this town was a likely place that the man and children would have hidden. It was well-hidden from the world; the town was so small that it did not even appear on the map. There was a single school, a post office, a bar, a few dozen houses scattered around, a grocery store and a gas station. A place I would normally drive through without a second thought.
I had no way of knowing that this was for sure the place that the man I had seen in the vision had went, but I could take an educated guess based off the faded remnants of chaotic energy I tracked. All the signs pointed south, and this was the farthest town in that direction. Beyond here was an uninhabitable expanse of wild desert and mountain, a near impossible area in which to raise two small hedgehogs.
I noticed the gas meter of my motorcycle was running low, so I pulled into the gas station to fill up. It was getting late; the sun had already set and the sounds of crickets chirping rang out softly in the background. This town had no street lamps; the only lights in sight were glowing dimly from the insides of the houses and buildings. The night was silent, with the exception of the crickets and some raucous shouts from inside the bar across the street.
Out of nowhere, I suddenly realized that I hadn't eaten in four days. Unlike most mobians, I do not require three meals a day to sustain myself. However, the feeling of hunger does tend to overtake me once in awhile. Besides, I had time.
I thought briefly of checking to see if the bar had any sort of food services, but decided against it. I had no desire to deal with drunks. Instead, I opted to investigate the gas station.
It was larger on the inside than it initially looked. To one side was a cash machine, presumably where I would have to pay for my gas. A few shelves of dusty magazines and snack foods lined the walls; the store looked entirely deserted except for a few noises in a back room.
I walked over and pushed open the door; inside was what appeared to be a diner of some kind. One or two customer sat quietly in the booths, sipping coffee or reading newspapers. A sandy-haired coyote stood wiping the counter, perking up when he heard the bell on the door jingle.
"Well, hey there, Levi! You's a lil' early toni- Oh," he stopped, slightly taken aback at the sight of me. He chuckled nervously, his eyes skitting around the diner but refusing to meet mine. I noticed how he backed away slightly, and wondered for a moment if he had been watching the news during the Black Arm's infamous attack on Westopolis.
No matter. I selected an empty booth and sat down, picking up a menu, opting to order whatever came first on the list.
Hamburger.
I could live with that.
I cleared my throat loudly; the coyote jumped slightly, but grabbed a notepad and walked over to my table.
"Er… what 'kin I do ya fer, stranger?" he asked, clearly uncomfortable.
"Hamburger," I said simply.
"Hrmpf… Well, yer 'n awfully direct one, ain't 'cha?" he muttered, scribbling down my order in his notes. "Hey! Hey, Milo!" he yelled over his shoulder. "Gimme a bessie 'n make 'er cry!"
...What?
"Milo" seemed to understand, at least; in a matter of minutes, a steaming hamburger with onions had been set in front of me. The coyote (whose name tag read "Bobby") seemed to want to distance himself from me as much as possible, taking the opportunity to inform his other customers of my presence. They seemed equally unnerved, mumbling suspiciously about me under their breath; to my surprise, however, their concern seemed to center around me being a new face in town, rather than my now-notorious affiliation with the Black Arms. Odd.
I finished quickly and threw some cash on the table, all too eager to get out of here. Right as I was about to exit the diner, a thought occurred to me.
"You," I said pointedly at the coyote. He perked up, clearly annoyed that I had interrupted his conversation with the other patron.
"Yeah, what?"
"I am looking for an older hedgehog with two children in his care. Is there anyone currently living here that fits that description?"
The coyote raised an eyebrow. "Ya mean 'ol Charlie?" he sneered. "Sounds like him. Ain't left that dump 'a his in years."
"And where is this… 'dump' located?"
"Edge 'a town, 'bout two miles west 'a here. Erm… how da' you know 'im?"
I did not bother to answer him, instead moving to leave. Before I made it to the door, however, a hand clapped on my shoulder; I turned slowly to face my aggressor, the smug-faced coyote.
"Listen here, stranger," he snarled. "I dunno how things work where you from, but 'round here, you answer when I talk, geddit? Now ima ask you one more time: how da' you know- GAACK!"
Before he had the opportunity to finish, I had seized him by the throat and lifted him in the air, forcing him to look me in the eye. He clawed at my fingers, trying to pry them apart, but my grip never loosened.
"My private dealings are none of your concern," I said simply, watching as his face started turning blue. "Will that suffice?" He nodded his head quickly.
"Good," I dropped him; He laid on the ground, gasping for breath and backing away in horror. The customer he had been previously talking to only stared at me, slack-jawed with shock.
"This never happened." And before he could even open his mouth, I turned around and exited without a word.
XXX
The sun was long gone by the time I located the junkyard my informant had spoken of. Upon closer investigation I discovered that the sign's lights had been smashed, making the words indistinguishable in the dark, but there was no mistaking the piles and piles of trash scattered around the lot.
I wandered around for several minutes, trying to find the main office, assuming the owner was even here or if he had returned home for the day. The night was quiet, which helped when I heard a very soft 'click'. A 'click' I knew all too well.
"Guess ya can't read, stranger. We closed."
I turned around to face the light blue hedgehog who currently had a rifle pointed at my face. Most people either quiver in fear or freeze when a gun is held anywhere in their general direction. I am not most people.
"Are you Charlie?"
The question caught the man off guard, causing his aim to sway for a moment, but it steadied quickly, "Who wants 'ta know?"
"Shadow the Hedgehog. Agent of GUN," I said, pulling out my ID.
The man didn't even flinch. "GUN, eh? Nice try, they ain't been down here in over ten years." Charlie motioned with his rifle, "But that's besides the point. Git offa my property 'n come back in the mornin'."
"I am here to ask you some questions, and I do not have time to waste." I took a step forward and Charlie tensed slightly, repositioning his gun.
"Ain't my problem. I know my rights. Get off my property or I'll shoot you dead, don't make no mistake about it."
I allowed a cold smile to spread across my face. "I would very much like to see you try." Charlie snarled; I was moving before he even pulled the trigger. Being equipped with skates that can move at nearly the speed of sound can be very useful. I ran in a circle around the man and came to a halt directly behind him.
Charlie stared at the spot where I had previously stood and where a bullet had been lodged in the ground, more than a little confused.
"If I were you," I growled softly. The man jumped, startled; he whirled around and backed up quickly, "I would not try that again."
Charlie blinked a few times before firing again. I simply sidestepped it took two steps forward and slammed my fist into his stomach, sending him clattering to the ground and making him drop the gun. I kicked the rifle away and glared at the hedgehog. "Allow me to clarify: Do not do that again."
Charlie stared at me with a mixture of horror and a dawning understanding. "Y-you… I know what you are, ya… Ya freak! Git away from me!"
"I am not here to hurt you," I said patiently. "But unless you would prefer it to come to force, you will answer my questions. Have I made myself clear?"
Charlie coughed softly, "I suppose I don't have a choice."
I chose not to reply. He already knew my answer.
XXX
We sat across from each other at the scuffed and worn out kitchen table, him lightly petting his scruffy yellow dog. The inside of the house was no more impressive than the outside; the walls were constructed of a mismatched combination of rusty tin pallet and peeling, whitewashed scrap wood, the floor made up of cracked and disintegrating concrete. The furniture was scarce, to say the least; shoved against the wall was a broken, second-hand couch that might've been blue in earlier years; the television had been left on, now showing nothing but static. A few dusty photographs had been pinned on the walls and a makeshift bookshelf had been pushed in the corner, holding what looked like a photo album and a handful of crumbling paperbacks.
The kitchen was no better. The pantry door had been left open, revealing a crusty loaf of bread and several cans of beans and spam furnishing the otherwise barren shelves. There was no oven; in its place was a cheap camp stove on the wooden countertop and a single saucepan cooking something that smelled like rotting socks. A humming refrigerator was plugged into the wall; it clearly used to be white, but the spreading rust covered it in an ugly reddish brown.
A staircase led to an upstairs, where I concluded his children were- assuming they were still around. Obviously, this man did not live in the lap of luxury; I had the feeling that he had salvaged most of his furniture from the junkyard out back. If his children had opted to strike out on their own, I wouldn't have blamed them.
"Awright, Muttski, you git' on outta here," Charlie pushed the dog away. It obediently trotted outside, pushing open the ratty screen door with his nose. Charlie turned to me, no trace of humor in his slate blue eyes. "How 'bout we git to the point, huh? Whaddaya want from me?"
Despite getting shot at by this man, I could not help but feel some respect. He was to the point and did not waste words. I couldn't help but smile.
"Answers, Mr. Hedgehog. Starting with the story about what happened to the two cabins several miles north of here."
Charlie raised an eyebrow, "An' what exactly makes you think I know anythin' 'bout that? Far as you know, I've lived 'round these parts all my life."
"You and I both know that is not true." I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes.
"An' why do ya want ta know?"
"GUN investigation."
Charlie glared at me for a moment, before his gaze softened slightly. "Sho's a late investigation fer a murder that happened eleven years ago."
I did not make a sound, but motioned for him to continue.
Charlie sighed. "Look, I didn't see the whole thing, but I'll tell ya all I know," He pressed his fingertips to his forehead and took a deep breath. "Les' see… I was sittin' in the kitchen, makin' me some dinner when I… I heard some explosions. I figgered a new miner moved into the area or somethin'. Couldn't think 'a any other explanation, an' I didn't pay much 'tension ta tell ya th' truth. Lil' while after that, I heard my niece and nephew yelling fer me," He gave a sad smile that quickly faded. "I wasn't 'spectin them, so I figgered they was coming by fer a surprise visit. Then I saw..." He swallowed hard, unable to meet my gaze. "What they was runnin' from."
Charlie paused, collecting his thoughts, "See, ever since I knew Julian started this savin' people thing, I knew somethin' bad was bound ta happen. An' just in case that ever did happen, I… made precautions, so ta speak. Tunnels," he added, answering the question I had not yet verbalized. "The three of us got out through the basement and hid in the lakeside caves. We hunkered down there fer a few days 'fore I thought the coast was clear enough for me to go see if I could find the rest of the family." His face grew pale, "I found my brother an' sister-in-law's bodies. Th-they… they were…" he shuddered and closed his eyes, his shoulders shaking hard with silent tears.
I nodded slowly, "You do not need to describe it."
Charlie didn't answer, but looked down at his hands. "Maurice… I never found him, but I… I assume he died th' same way. He was so small… prolly' carried off by some wild animal." His voice was choked with sobs bursting to come out; I hesitated to press any further, but this interview would be better finished sooner rather than later.
"Do you know who did it?" I asked after a while, careful to keep my tone quiet.
Charlie shrugged, seeming to have retaken control of his emotions; his voice had once again returned to its flat and gruff state he had first greeted me with. "I knew my brother was doing some hero work in the surrounding area. He never told me much, but from what I could gather, some lunatic was trying to take over the country with 'a buncha robots. Burnin' down villages. Nabbin' folks left an' right. Well, Julian sure wasn't th' type to stand by an' let that happen, so he got ta work organizing some troops ta fight 'im off. Our pop was once a commander in th' military, so he taught us a few things 'fore he passed. Julian was always the heroic type, even when we were children. And even a mad man couldn't rid him of that virtuous trait."
That sounded familiar. Very familiar. "You mentioned a niece and nephew. What of… what of their fate?"
"Them?" Charlie raised an eyebrow and sighed gruffly. "They're gone, been gone fer more than a year now. Matthews- the boy- me an' him had a bit of a spat a couple a' years ago… gone by mornin'. Ungrateful lil' punk, never knew how good he had it. Sofia left to find 'im an' hasn't been back since."
My heart skipped a pace at the names, but my face remained blank. That was impossible… unless it was not. "Who else survived?"
Charlie frowned, "No one. Jus' us."
That did not fit. Sonic was still unaccounted for. "Are you sure?"
"Don't 'cha think I know my own family?" Charlie demanded heatedly.
I did not respond, thinking for a moment. "Do you have a picture of your brother?"
Charlie glared daggers, but he did not object. He stood and walked over to the bookshelf, then removed the photo album. He placed it on the table in front of me. "This was all I was able to save before my house was burned to the ground." His voice was tense and obviously guarded. He did not want me to look through it, let alone touch it. Understandable, but acknowledging personal sentiment was not a priority at the moment.
As gently as possible I opened the cracked and peeling leather book. The first page was an older picture, perhaps thirty years old. Three hedgehogs stood, all male. The oldest, a light green hedgehog with streaks of gray in his quills was wearing a military uniform. His hands were on the shoulders of the other two, and a large smile on his worn face. I identified one of the younger hedgehogs as Charlie. He was perhaps twelve years old, but the fur color hadn't changed much. His eyes seemed brighter. Happier. The second hedgehog nearly made me do a double take. A miniature Sonic stood, perhaps seven years old. Maybe younger. I reminded myself that this was not Sonic, but perhaps a family member or even his father. The caption read, "The Hedgehog Family: Father and sons, Charles (Chuck) and Julian (Jules)."
I turned several pages, flipping through the pages of the two brothers. The book fell open to a page, many years later. Julian was holding hands with a purple hedgehog. The two were dressed elegantly and the title above read, "Jules and Aleena's Wedding Day."
Only a few pages later I found the answer. The family portrait was simple. Two parents smiling proudly at their three children, even when the three clearly couldn't hold still. A pink hedgehog was being held by Aleena, while a green hedgehog and Sonic struggled to free themselves from Julian's arms. Julian himself looked a little exasperated, but was laughing nonetheless. The caption read, "Maurice, Manic, and Sonia's First Birthday."
"Who is who?" I pointed at the three children.
Charlie frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he answered. "Pink one is Sofia. Green is Matt. Blue is Maurice."
I nodded slowly, "And what was Maurice's fate?"
Charlie pursed his lips, but answered anyway. "I told you, he's dead."
"Of course." I shut the book, my frown deepening slightly. Nothing from that sentence made me believe he was lying. Perhaps he did not know that 'Maurice' was alive. Which brought another question forward: Did Sonic know part of his family- any of his family- was alive? Did Robotnik know he had not only missed one child, but all of them? Everything I had seen lead me to believe that the answer was a definite no.
I needed to think about this.
"Thank you for your compliance," I said, moving to get up. Charlie nodded curtly, picking up a broken radio on the floor and fiddling with it.
I perked up. It was small… very small, but it was there, and growing… Chaos energy.
"Wait," I said sharply; Charlie jumped, straightening his spectacles. I took a deep breath and concentrated, trying to get my bearings. The source of the energy seemed to be coming from Charlie's direction.
"Wassamatter with you?" asked Charlie gruffly, setting down the radio. Immediately the signal evaporated.
This was new. "Have you…" I struggled to find the words. "Have you ever heard of the Chaos Emeralds?"
"Can't say I have."
"Have you heard of Chaos Energy?"
"...Can't say I have."
"Have you heard of Chaos-"
"Look, th' only thing I know about Chaos is what I learned in church," he said, his voice growing frustrated.
Hmm. "So you are religious."
"Ha! Not anymore."
I could understand that. Perhaps a different approach was needed. "Do you have any knowledge of… supernatural abilities?"
He stiffened,."Ya mean like what you got? The freaks?" I nodded. "No."
I did not believe him for a moment, although to his right, he was an excellent liar. "We both know that is a lie."
"Um, no it ain't."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it ai-"
I banged my fist against the wall, sending a shudder through the house and cutting him off. "I will ask one more time, and once only: Do you know anything about supernatural abilities?... And if you even attempt to lie to me, I will burn your house to the ground." I summoned a Chaos spear in my hand and glared. Charlie gulped, his fingers twitching for the rifle he had set aside.
"Awright… fine," he said after a moment, clearly shaken. "Yeah, I know 'bout them powers. My… my niece had 'em. An' they were nothin' but trouble."
"The niece or the powers?"
"Both. Sofia had this… thing about her. She used ta have these seizures an' faintin' spells an' told me she had… visions durin' 'em. I remember her waking up screaming and goin' on an' on about whatever wacky fantasy she dreamed up."
Interesting. "Is that all?"
Charlie hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking over to my Chaos spear. He shook his head. "...No. Sofi… Sofi wasn't like other kids. She was sharp- always knew when somethin' was comin' at 'er. You could hock a load 'a pebbles at her head and she'd catch 'em all with her eyes closed. I seen it happen. I… I can't explain it," he finished, dropping his gaze and sounding ashamed.
"And the boy?" I asked. "Did he express anything similar?"
Charlie snarled. "That good fer nothin'? Naw, he never had anythin' like what Sofi had, thank goodness. He was enough trouble by himself. I always figgered he had ta have somethin', though. But he never showed any signs."
"Why would you think he had something? Do these… abilities run in your family?"
Charlie glared. "I ain't no freak, if that's what you're wonderin'. But my brother… he was the fastest runner I ever saw. Always thought Maurice would turn out the same way, that squirt never could sit still."
That explained a few things. I allowed the new facts to be processed before a new question came to mind, "Were there any… ruins near your old house?"
"Ruins? None that I'm aware of."
"Then ancient cave systems. Or a place that was regarded with secrecy? Or danger?"
Charlie scratched his head, his face furrowed in deep thought. "The only thing that comes to mind is something my father told me when I was younger."
"Which is…?"
He looked away. "I… I shouldn't say. Old family tradition."
I glared, tightening my grip on the Chaos spear. "Tell me."
"Geez louise, boy, you don't have no respect fer your elders, do ya?" he grumbled, crossing his arms.
I sighed. "How old are you?"
"Fifty-two this April."
"I am about your age."
Charlie raised an eyebrow. "You are not."
I chose to ignore the comment, setting my spear on the table and pointing it at his heart. "Tell me."
"Fine." He said, leaning back on his couch, "My family's lived in that valley fer generations. Most 'a my relatives left after they grew up, but someone always stays. No matter what," He paused, and I motioned for him to go on. "Anyone else sort of stays away from us. We, uh… We ain't social people. Julian built his cabin close to mine because that valley was his home an' he didn't wanna ever leave. Wanted ta raise a family there. I stayed 'cuz I liked it. But my father, and his father, and his father… you get the idea. Anyway, they stayed 'cuz they had to."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Charlie shrugged, "Wasn't ever told the specifics. My mother hit the road when I was a kid an' my father died in the Great War when I was fourteen. He always said he had somethin' special ta tell me when I turned sixteen, but..." He shrugged. "What's done is done. Ain't no use dwellin' on someone who ain't comin' back."
Not good enough. "Are you sure he did not tell you anything? Anything at all?"
"Something about that valley… it ain't natural," he said, his voice lower as if afraid to talk about it. "Anyone who pays attention can feel it. An' fer some reason, my dad-blamed family seems drawn to it like bugs to a light. At least the oldest kid in th' family. I never wanted to leave until I was in charge of my niece and nephew an' the valley wasn't safe no more. I thought it was the best for them. Now that I'm gone, I never want to go back… just… just in case."
This man was a walking paradox. "Get to the point."
"Hold yer horses, sonny boy, I'm gettin' there," he replied gruffly. "All I knows is that there's somethin' there my family is supposed to protect. An' we did, fer who knows how long."
"Now that it is unguarded, whatever it is?"
Charlie shrugged, "Listen, I don't even know where it is. How in the world could I guard it?"
… He had a good point. "That will be all, Mr. Hedgehog. Thank you for your cooperation." I turned to leave and was almost out the door when I heard the click. I spun around just in time as the bullet was fired. I reached out my hand and summoned a small burst of chaotic energy, catching the bullet in midair. My fist closed around it and with another surge of energy, melted it and molded it into a flat piece of lead. "Do not," I dropped the lump on the floor, "do that again."
The hedgehog shrugged before placing the gun back down on the table and picking up the broken radio. "Eh. Worth a shot."
I closed the door behind me, stepping out into the still night. I had found all available answers. Now all that was left was to piece them together.
The only problem was I had a feeling I was missing a few pieces. And one of those pieces was very obvious: If Sonic was not here or at his old home… Where was he?
XXX
Sonic's POV:
Nothing wakes you up in the morning like meeting your evil self. If you think I'm joking, I'm not.
It's happened before. Heads up, a green me looks really weird. It was kind of like if I fought Manic- which was impossible since he was… well, dead, and not too fond of leather jackets- but this… this was different. For the past who knew how long, I'd been trying to get my head on straight. Problem was, that was kinda difficult because of the voice in my head that never left me alone.
"It's not worth it."
At first I just thought it was stress. I had been alone in the forest for way too long. But as time passed… I began to think something was up.
"Don't worry. You can trust me."
I wanted to go home, but at this point I was too disoriented to even begin to make my way out of the forest. The Voice didn't make things any easier; every time he talked- which was often- I felt a chill down my spine and instinctively ran deeper in the forest, trying desperately to get away. When I ran, things were better. It stayed quiet. But even I can't run forever.
"You can't run from yourself, Maurice. Why try?"
Sleep. I needed sleep- but with sleep came the nightmares. I was scared to close my eyes- bad things happened in those dreams, darkness and shadows and laughter- that horrible, maniac laughter that I couldn't escape, no matter how far or how fast I ran. But my eyelids were growing heavier with every step I took; Finally, I gave in.
I thought that maybe I'd be lucky tonight. The voice had stayed quiet for a few hours. While I was drifting off, things felt almost… peaceful.
"Mau-rice..."
My eyes snapped open- or at least they did in dreamland. The Voice was back.
I blinked a few times to adjust to the lighting; I was sitting in a bright white spotlight, with nothing but darkness around me. I squinted hard, but couldn't find anything outside the circle of light but endless shadows. Something rustled past my ear; A cold laugh sent a chill up my spine. Immediately, I jumped back, but nothing was there.
"Expecting someone?"
Oh no. No, no, no, no… "W-who's there?" I asked shakily, feeling stupid because I already knew the answer.
"Oh, Maurice…" I bite back a gasp as a shadowy figure stepped out of the darkness, stopping just in front of the circle. "Don't you recognize me?"
Even though he was still obscured in black, I was able to make out some of his features. I backed away, startled; he looked just like me. Same height, same face… Was I looking in a mirror?
"I know what you're thinking, Maurice…" I flinched at the name. "And you're right." He took a step into the spotlight; I froze, paralyzed.
Everything about him, down to the slightest detail… it was me. Everything but the color. His fur was still blue, but so dark it was almost black; a mist of inky smoke radiated from him; I recognized the scent of fresh blood.
"Aw... you poor kid… Don't you understand?" He stepped closer, his cold smile widening; I couldn't move or even look away. I was hypnotized. The spotlight was growing smaller and smaller, dimming my surroundings but somehow keeping him in sharp focus. He smirked, and suddenly, all that I was aware of was his low, cold voice, penetrating me like a knife.
"I'm you... the real you."