Hello again! My deepest apologies for the disappearing act over the last few months! A lot has been going on, but I've really missed this story and I'm so glad to be back! Things are going to start heating up! (Good heat or bad heat though? ;}) Shout-out to Careless Whispers who really helped with motivating me to get past some blockages that I had with this chapter! You rock!
Limitless thank yous to: Failsona, cheru, Random Dudette, Aura Creed, animelover5641, Mysterious Anon, Roasted Toast, Pbbbt, Guest, pikaruchi and jWatson-Holmes! I adored reading your comments!
Replies
Failsona - Gaaaaah, that makes me so happy to hear that! *squee-noises* (Apologies to your cat! xD) Thank YOU and I will endeavour to try and make you "aww" again! But don't entiiiiiiirely let go of your paranoia prediction...~!
cheru - Oh wow, really?! That's incredible, thank you ever so much! I'm squealing at the thought of my writing being gushed about! I hope a chapter falls on your birthday again! I love that you're enjoying my portrayal of Shadow - that's a perfect way to describe it! Gah, I'm so happy about people's reactions to the texting! Thank you and I really hope you enjoy this chapter!
Random Dudette - You honestly have no idea how ridiculously ecstatic I got when I read that! Aww, thank you - well, there'll be some ebbing and flowing of years to your lifespan, over these next few chapters, but then there'll be a steady increase ;D
Aura Creed - Thank you ever so much, that is astoundingly awesome to hear! I'm so flattered that you like my portrayal of Shadow! Aw, that's so sweet - then I shall do my best to update as often as I can! It'll only be a decade, this time, rather than a century! xD
animelover5641 - Awww, thank you ever so much! I'm so pleased that Shadow's progression is noticeable! Haha, weeeell, Silver is canonically younger! And ohhh yes, Rouge certainly has her suspicions (and is fully pushing for her OTP to become reality). THANK YOU! I shall definitely have to include some more de-thawing of Shadow in the texts!
Mysterious Anon - Gosh, that is so lovely, thank you! I very much hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry for the delay!
Roasted Toast - N'aw, thank you for checking! We're finally starting to see a glimpse of the Shadilver part now! Eee, I couldn't stop smiling when I read that - I want aaaall the teeth to fall out! Thank you, and don't quite let go of that weariness yet! Silver must feel a bit of that cringe too, perhaps, coming from 200 years in the future, haha! It makes me so happy to hear that you love Rouge as much as I do! And there'll be plenty more references to that game in this story - I absolutely agree with you, though I only watched Game Grumps play it, and I adore Who I Am by Magna-Fi!
Pbbbt - Please, ramble away! I basically dance whenever I read comments, they make me that happy! I'm so glad the adorableness has physical effects - I adore that, when it happens to me while I read, and it's so amazing when someone feels like that about my work! Thank you so much, your review was so heart-warming!
Guest - 9 times out of 10, my stories have not been updated xD But hey, when they are, it's a nice surprise! Awww, thank you! Yessss, feelings - I'm so happy to hear that, it's basically the reason why I write! Yay, thank you - I get such a kick out of writing Rouge's dialogue. N'aww, Team Dark, the old softies ;D
pikaruchi - Eee, thank you so much! :DD
jWatson-Holmes - Thank you, I'm so glad you thought so! I'll definitely have to keep the texting as a reoccurring motif ;D
8. Long Time No See
Silver knows that he's dreaming.
He knows because his body doesn't feel right. He's not corporeal; it's the way his stomach lurches, when he moves, that tips him off. He's experienced this sensation countless times before, but this dream is different, because there's no Iblis, no flames, no boiling flesh.
But, suddenly, he can feel heat at his lips. Gorgeous, overwhelming heat that sparks and slips through his organs, falling further and further downwards, until it falls a little too pleasurably downwards.
Silver thrusts up and his eyes snap open. His sudden movement has pulled the warmth away from his lips. Thunderstruck, Silver stares into crimson eyes for a few brief seconds, before Shadow hooks the tips of his fingers under Silver's chin and joins their lips together again.
Ohhh.
Everything becomes sharply clear and he doesn't know what to focus on first. He just manages to register that they're standing in Green Hill Zone, so he's not surprised when he sinks against the solid support of a tree, behind him. Instead, he's distracted by the hot presence of hands running over his hips and the seductive glide of tongue across the seam of his mouth.
Then Shadow breaks away and Silver sways forward, off-balance, struggling to keep up. He hears an amused huff before he's pulled into another kiss and, this time, Silver is functioning well enough to throw an arm around Shadow's neck.
His thoughts are a trembling, jumbled mess.
When they slowly and naturally pull apart for air, Silver lets out a shaky laugh of speechless amazement. He wonders if he should say something — something brilliantly witty and suave — but Shadow is determined to divert his concentration, mouthing at the curve of his neck, sucking, biting.
"Shadow..." Silver gasps, reaching for a firmer grip on the other's shoulder blades.
The breathless moan in response is muffled, but distinct, "Silv..."
Silver feels a knot tighten up in his stomach.
It's not him.
It's not him. Shadow is regimented and controlled — he has never called him 'Silv' before, not once. 'Silv' is an affectionate name from Sonic, or Amy, or sometimes even Blaze, when she's feeling particularly tranquil. Rouge has even taken a shine to calling him 'Silvie'. But Shadow always calls him Silver, always, and has never once strayed from it.
It's not him. But he wants it to be, so badly, that the truth makes his heart ache.
"Stop..." Silver grasps at Shadow's shoulders, easing him off, regretfully.
The hedgehog feigns confusion, tilting his head slightly left, but it suddenly seems terribly unconvincing, "Silver? What's wrong?"
"You're... You're not..."
Kisses are being pressed into the bolt of his jaw and Silver's thoughts are scattered and oh why can't it be him—
"Stop," Clutching onto a fleeting moment of strength, he shoves at the impostor, torn and upset. Hands are still roaming across his shoulder blades, arms trapping him in an embrace, lips not letting up, "I said stop!"
A hand clamps around his face and snaps his neck sideways, smashing Silver's cheek into the bark of the tree. With staggered breaths, the time traveller can only see blue sky and green pastures, as he realises that he's utterly powerless, mouth smothered by Not-Shadow's glove.
"You're an odd creature," It observes. Silver's blood turns to ice because he knows that voice, "I must admit, I find myself surprised."
Tears spring to his eyes and Silver furiously blinks them away, fighting for air, "Mephiles."
"You remember me. How fortunate. No one else does," Wet pressure suddenly slides along his exposed jaw-line. Even when Mephiles' tongue has left his face, Silver feels dirty. The sensation buries itself under his skin.
"Why are you here?" His voice rises in panic.
"I'm finishing what I started," Mephiles chuckles, deep and chilling, "Why are you here?"
"Silver."
His head rings with a new, distant voice and his concentration is smashed into bits, "I-I don't..."
Mephiles squeezes tighter, painfully crushing Silver's skull, "I will tear him to pieces and rip him limb from limb. I will kill everyone you love, but especially him."
"Silver?"
"I won't let you—"
"You are no match for me, Silver. In fact, I thank you — without you, I would not be here. Thank you for travelling to this time and disrupting the time-stream. It is through you that I am reborn."
"Silver!"
Silver wakes with a start and finds himself in his bed, clinging to Sonic's arm, frantically grasping for reality.
"Whoa, hey, it's alright. You're fine, Silver, you're fine. Breathe," Sonic bends down to match his eye-level, intently peering at him and letting his big, emerald eyes reassure him. His understanding makes Silver wonder if Sonic knows a thing or two about horrible nightmares, "You good? Feel okay now?"
"Y-Yes, I think so," He retracts his hands and settles them on the bed, shamed and embarrassed, "I'm sorry. Sometimes, I... well..."
Sonic shakes his head, freely, allowing Silver to take the easy route out and let his explanation dwindle off, "Don't worry, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Everyone has bad dreams. I just came up to tell you that breakfast is nearly ready. Blaze is already downstairs and Tails is making pancakes. Trust me, you don't wanna miss it."
"No, I'm sure I don't," He says, in a painfully quiet voice.
"I'll meetcha downstairs, Silv. Take your time."
Silv. Silver's heart is tossed up and frozen in the air, for a moment, before the slow drip drip drip of molten dread drops into his stomach. He tries to ignore it, "Sonic?"
The blue hedgehog turns at the door, unperturbed, and pricks his ears up in interest. Silver can feel a fierce spark of gratitude running through him, "Yeah?"
"Thank you."
Sonic smiles, sadly, "Bad dreams really do happen to everyone, Silver."
He comes down for breakfast and finds out that Sonic is right: Tails' pancakes are criminally good. Soft and padded and just good.
It would be nice if he could eat them.
Silver can't bear the thought of consuming anything. He wants to drizzle his food with maple syrup (like Sonic is currently doing, though the blue hedgehog is drowning his) but his stomach is twisted into fearful knots. Instead, he sips his tea and guiltily stares at his plate.
Mephiles is all he can think of.
Despite Blaze's certainty, Silver can't shake the worry that he really is back, especially after this dream. After searching the internet and GUN's database for any sightings, Silver had blissfully pushed the thought of Mephiles' return out of his mind: he hadn't planned what to do if he was wrong. Now that complacency may be coming back to bite him.
Simple, he tries to comfort himself, as he runs a finger across the rim of his mug, I'll track him down and defeat him. Make sure he's gone for good, this time.
Simple.
"Aren't you hungry?" Blaze asks, patting her lips with a napkin, as she stares at him, worriedly frowning.
Silver blinks and sits up, "I just feel a bit light-headed, that's all."
"Maybe you're coming down with something," Tilting his head to one side, Tails looks at him like he's already performing a medical examination in his mind, just by looking at Silver. The time traveller squirms.
His empty mug is suddenly whisked away by a flash of blue. Silver looks at the other two and their scraped-clean plates. Now Tails' glass has vanished, along with the maple syrup pot, as Sonic clears things away at lightning speed.
Blaze is unfazed by the nearby whirlwind, "Or perhaps you've spent too long in the sun."
"I'll be fine, really," Silver reaffirms, confidently, growing tired of having to tell everyone that he's fine, really. He wishes he were better at lying.
Tails nods, "Don't exert yourself, okay? Or do anything too strenuous. Are you guys taking it easy today?"
The grey hedgehog sinks back into his chair, thankful that the kitsune has somewhat removed the spotlight from him. Blaze straightens her already-impeccably-poised spine, courtesy of a lifetime of royal training, "I believe so. Unless Silver has any follow-up missions with GUN."
He meets her steady gaze, "We didn't end up going on a mission. Well, Rouge and Omega did. I stayed with Shadow, at their office."
"What did you do?"
"Nothing, really," He replies, nonchalantly, before deciding to divert her, "How was your night with Amy and Cream?"
The suspicion, at the mention of Shadow, seeps out of her shoulders and is quickly replaced with a sweet smile, "It was nice. We had lots of things to talk about and partook in something called 'Girls Night'." Blaze lowers her head and toys with the ends of her hair, casually. Squinting, Silver realises that she's changed her make-up: her eye-shadow has been swapped from soft lavender to snow-white and she's now wearing eyeliner, with little wings flicking outwards. It looks good, like she's spent a lot of time making sure it was painstakingly perfect.
Her lips are glossy, too, which is strange because he thought she hated lipstick and stuff like that.
Maybe she's trying to catch someone's attention.
"The future doesn't have 'Girls Nights'?" Tails asks, eyes bugging, "I bet Amy was devastated!"
"I think she comforted herself by educating me on the matter. I'm still unclear on its purpose, but we had fun," Blaze turns back to Silver, cupping her cheek with her hand, and it frames her make-up nicely.
BEEP.
His GUN communicator speaks up, from where it's lovingly fastened to his wrist.
"What is that?" Blaze stares at it, cautiously, leaning forward to take a closer look. Tails cranes his neck in interest, but settles down when he catches sight of it, obviously having seen it before on Shadow and Rouge's wrists.
Silver blinks at the glitter on Blaze's eyelids — glitter! — and stammers, before coming to his senses.
"Rouge gave it to me. It lets me talk to her," And Shadow, he triumphantly thinks, even though there's been radio silence between them since yesterday. No good morning messages or anything like that. Silver supposes he could take the first plunge and send a message, but that would require a level of confidence that he doesn't have.
A bubble of joy engulfs his heart, as he wonders if this message might be from Shadow.
"Those things are pretty high-tech, you know. State-of-the-art GUN communication devices. Would you mind if I took a look at it, Silver, at some point, so I can work out how they get such wide-ranging signals?" Tails stands and scrapes his chair back, grinning, "Shadow and Rouge are fiercely secretive with theirs."
Silver laughs, "Of course, Tails, you can look at it whenever you like."
"Thanks! I'm just going to take these last few plates to Sonic. He's been worryingly quiet in the kitchen for a while now."
As the two-tailed fox saunters out of the room, Silver glances down at his new message.
AGENT Rouge: A handsome little gift is about to arrive. Enjoy x
His excitement ebbs away and he starts tapping out a response:
- What do you m
There's a loud banging on the front door.
"Isn't it a little early for visitors?" Blaze ponders, but she's swiftly on her feet and sweeping towards the door, perfectly poised, calling out to Sonic and Tails to stay there, she'll answer it. She'll make a great queen, Silver thinks, out of the blue.
He hears the door creak open, before he stretches up and stands. From the doorway, Blaze defiantly clears her throat.
"It's you. Hello."
Silver wonders how someone can say 'hello' so obstinately, but then the visitor responds.
"Blaze. Is Sonic here?"
"Yes, he's in the kitchen," Silver supposes that she must have opened the door further and let them in, because there's footfalls of shoes against the carpet and a surprised intake of air.
"Hello, Silver."
Silver turns and melts, "Hi, Shadow."
It dawns on him that, although his dream had initially been shamefully pleasurable, it did absolutely no justice to the real Shadow. Silver can see the life in his movements now, despite the safe distance between them, and there are loud thoughts dancing behind Shadow's eyes, even though they're unreadable. He's so alive, even while he stands there with the stillness of a statue.
"I did not anticipate seeing you," Shadow says, as if that explains something.
Out of the corner of his eye, Silver watches Blaze fold her arms, "Neither did I. Uh, not so soon, anyway. Is everything okay?"
Shadow stares at him a little longer, then ducks his head and grunts, "Not if we do nothing. I need to speak to Sonic."
Of course, Silver should've known he didn't come just to say hello to him, "Right. I'll go and grab him, he's just—"
"I'll go," Blaze interrupts. She strides out of the room before Silver can even speak. Shadow frowns after her, too. He's clearly noticed the awkward tension. Which is good, because at least he's not oblivious to it and it's not just Silver going insane (which is a large possibility, right now).
"So, you're talking to Sonic then," Silver berates himself for sounding so incredibly stupid — obviously he's talking to Sonic — but he doesn't know what else to say and, well, he's said it now. Trying to lighten the situation, he smiles, "What happened to hating him?"
Shadow smirks, "Circumstance has decided that I have to put my own feelings aside. The world depends on it."
"The world?"
"The stakes are high," He is terrifyingly nonchalant, still smirking.
"Clearly. No pressure, I'm sure."
"I've handled worse," Shadow holds his stare and Silver thinks Yes, yes you have, "Do not worry. I will ensure that the world stays intact for you."
Silver's mouth runs dry. He's probably trying to pick something romantic out of something innocuously innocent, but that sounded a little bit like I'll save the world for you. For you. Why for him?
His heart is booming.
"Shadster!" Sonic greets, as he saunters into the room. Following behind, Blaze and Tails whisper lowly to each other, lightly frowning, "Two visits in one month? 'Must be Christmas! You never willingly visit our humble abode."
Shadow shifts to face the blue hedgehog's knowing grin, "Hello, Faker. I have something to discuss with you, as a matter of urgency."
"Go ahead."
"Very well," The Ultimate Life Form straightens, after glancing at Silver, Blaze and Tails, clearly a little trepidatious about discussing sensitive mission details, "We've had reports of suspicious activity in Soleanna."
Silver is certain that all the colour has drained from his face.
He looks at Blaze. She's pale, too.
Sonic cocks his head, "Soleanna? Never heard of it. You think Eggman might be up to no good?"
"It seems likely. GUN aren't marking it as a priority, as there has been no aggression as of yet, but I thought it would be pertinent to let you know."
"Good call. If we can stop Eggman before his plans get to a universe-destroying-level, that'd make everything a whole lot easier," Setting his shoulders back and standing firmly, Sonic gestures at Tails and grows serious, "Buddy, can you send a message to Knuckles? He'll wanna be in on this."
Tails nods determinedly, "You bet. What about Amy and Cream, though? We promised that they could tag along on the next mission."
"We did? Oh-kaaaay..." Sonic chews his lip, before addressing Shadow, "How bad is it looking? Would they be in danger if they came?"
"Whatever the plan is, it appears to be in its early stages. I see no harm in them assisting."
"Alright. Message them too," Sonic calls back to Tails, even as the kitsune is dashing off into his Workshop, letting the door swing on its hinge with the force of his shove. Wearing an affectionate smile for his adoptive brother, the blue hedgehog raises an eyebrow at Shadow, "So. Are you coming along for the ride? Or have GUN got you slaving away for their agenda?"
Shadow frowns, "I don't have a current mission, if that's what you mean. So, yes, I suppose I should assist you and ensure that there is some protocol."
"Pfft, whatever, protocol-schmotocol."
"The world can't afford another Perfect-Chaos-mishap. I've read the file. Billions in damages, Faker."
"It's all money, money, money with governments, isn't it? Sure, just brush over the fact that I saved their lives and blame me for collateral damages, that sounds fair," Light-heartedly rolling his eyes, Sonic crosses his arms, "Silver, Blaze. Would you guys mind lending us a hand? 'Could use all the help we can get."
"Of course, Sonic," Blaze offers, stepping forward and maintaining composure, "We'd be glad to, for all the help you've given us."
"Awesome. Meet at the Tornado in ten? Shads, you making your own way there?"
"I'll inform Rouge and meet you at Soleanna. The warehouse district, on the Eastern Side."
The two of them split: one through the Workshop door, the other through the front door, practically mirror images. As soon as they're alone, Blaze grasps Silver's wrist and leans closer, nervous, "It's just a coincidence."
"Blaze, you know it isn't! Something just happens to be going on in Soleanna, right after Mephiles turns up?" He decides not to mention his dream. The memory of it still makes him blush, "It's happening again."
"No, it isn't. This really could just be Doctor Eggman."
"It's Mephiles!"
"What on the Sol Dimension would Mephiles be doing at a warehouse district?"
"I have no idea. But we weren't cautious before and look what happened! I'm not making the same mistake again. If it is Mephiles, we're going to be ready."
Blaze falls silent, but her eyes are mournful and Silver really hopes he's wrong.
"Am I the only one who feels like we're third-wheeling those two?"
Knuckles smirks and shakes his head, "Nah. Though, actually, we're..." He points at all of them, one at a time — Rouge, himself, Tails, Cream, Amy, Blaze, Silver and Shadow — and mouths the numbers on his lips, before grinning back at Rouge, "Eight-wheeling."
"I think the term 'third-wheeling' includes the couple, Knuckles. So we're really ten-wheeling," Tails corrects, as Sonic backflips over the crate behind them, which is nearly three times their height, and narrowly avoids the laser beam from Eggman's mech-suit.
"Sonic and Eggman aren't a couple," Amy pouts, "We need to go and help him!"
"He didn't want help, remember," Silver can't help but raise an eyebrow at Shadow's dry tone and he's rewarded with a curious look from the Ultimate Life Form, in return.
Amy ignores the exchange altogether and whacks out her Piko-Piko hammer, "Well, too bad! I'm going to help him! If we work together, we'll bring that stupid Egghead down in no time! Who's with me?"
Her rousing speech inspires Tails, Cream and a grudging Knuckles. Blaze, Rouge and Shadow still maintain that Sonic had told them to leave it to him, so they should stand clear. Amy turns to Silver with pleading eyes and he just can't say no, "Okay, let's go in and help," He relents.
Rouge smiles at him, affectionately, like it's the most adorable thing she's ever seen. He asks what she's smiling at and she laughs, "Nothing, sweetie. Just... well, Amy is a master of puppy-dog eyes and you always look so soft and vulnerable. The two of you interacting is practically nausea-inducing."
"Thanks?" He chuckles, though privately reminds himself that she would never call him soft and vulnerable, if she'd seen him slamming Sonic into a building, over and over again, until Amy had intervened.
Silver catches Shadow staring at him. He's shocked to find that his look is laced with fondness, too, but it disappears, instantly.
Sonic has succeeded in damaging most of Eggman's mech-suit, but Knuckles and Amy are now really doing a number on him, pummelling punches and swings into the corky legs of the machine. Flying overhead are Tails and Cream, using an air-based attack as they kick at the head. Sonic sticks to the torso, where Eggman's located at the control panel, behind a glass orb, and there are sparks erupting.
Silver pauses for a moment, wondering if there's even any room for his input, but he catches sight of more crates and smiles to himself.
"Ouuuuuugh!" Eggman cries, over the loudspeaker, as one of the crates — which are littered across the warehouse district — smashes into the suit's back and sends shudders all the way through.
Sonic meets Silver's eyes and yells something that sounds vaguely like "Right on!", accompanied by an upwards punch.
Silver throws another crate. And another. One more. And now they're nearly there; it looks like Eggman is about to topple over.
With practiced ease, Silver picks up one last box, using his psychokinesis, knowing that this will be the final blow. He watches as he lifts it, so that he can keep a steady hand.
He stops. It hovers in the air and shakes.
Mephiles is standing there. Where the crate had been sitting.
It's time.
Silver sharply inhales and slams the crate back into the ground, with all his strength. It crashes to the floor and Mephiles is lost in splintering wood and a rising dust cloud.
"Silver!" Blaze screams, but he's already taking off, throwing himself towards the wreckage. He needs to find the body, make sure that it's dead.
There's nothing there but debris. When Silver looks up, frantically searching, he sees a dark figure disappear into one of the warehouses, under the shutter door. He follows, until the confused cries of his friends behind him fade into nothing.
Silver ducks under the door and stumbles to his full height. The warehouse is empty.
Except for a black hedgehog with blue streaks.
"It is you," Silver whispers, voice surprisingly steady.
"Am I really such a sight for sore eyes, Silver the Hedgehog?" Mephiles is still missing a mouth, but he's still smiling, just like in the alleyway, "I suppose resurrection can be disorientating."
"How...?"
"Death has no hold over me. One mistake with the Chaos Emeralds — your mistake, Silver — and my energy was able to manifest itself, once more. Tell me, was your trip to the past worth it? Are you willing to pay the price?"
"It's not possible—!"
"You should know by now that nothing is impossible. You concentrated your thoughts into returning to this time, when you performed Chaos Control, and you inevitably thought of me. I emerged from those thoughts. How lovely to know I'm on your mind," Mephiles shambles closer, dragging his feet, like he's half-dead. Silver involuntarily takes a step back, "I wonder what else is there."
Silver's throat tightens, "Don't."
"It was me, Silver..." Shuffle, shuffle.
"Get away from me—!"
Shuffle, shuffle, "...fuelling your dirty thoughts..."
"Get the fuck away from me!"
Mephiles just laughs.
But, for whatever reason, he suddenly pauses and lets his eyes settle on something behind Silver, "I'm starting to believe that fate can be cruel, rather than ironic."
"I take it that you are Mephiles."
Silver whips around and gawps at Shadow, who steps closer, glaring at the black and blue hedgehog. When the time traveller doesn't lower his stare, Shadow shifts and returns his gaze, "Silver. Are you hurt?"
"No, I... what are you doing here, you can't be here, you can't—"
"I hear that you've been causing Silver some trouble," Shadow raises his chin, disdainfully looking down at Mephiles with hate in his eyes. Mephiles just hunches over, angling his head upwards in a contorted position.
Looking at them, they couldn't be more different. But this malevolent thing is the spitting image of Shadow. Silver doesn't understand how that can be possible: Shadow makes his stomach whirl in a fluttering mess and yet nothing turns his stomach quite like Mephiles.
"Shadow..." Mephiles tests the name out on his tongue, before chuckling, "Is this really the way to greet an old friend?"
"We have never met before."
"Is that so?" Mephiles' body is suddenly wracked with convulsive laughter and he sweeps backwards, "How perfectly fitting. Then enough with the pleasantries — it's time to end this."
Shadow clenches his fists, "You can certainly try."
"Sonic did not fare so well when he came against me."
"Sonic—?"
"Don't you dare, Mephiles," Silver cuts Shadow off, striding forward and placing himself between the two of them. Mephiles' head turns with a sickening crack, "I'm going to be the one to face you. If you kill anyone, it'll be me."
He hears the clatter of Shadow's hover-skates, "Silver, what are you doing?"
"How rousing. It is unfortunate that fighting you, Silver, is like squashing a fly," A black tendril of smoke suddenly shoots out from Mephiles' outstretched hands and knocks Silver aside, smacking him into the wall and letting his head bounce against brick, "Hardly worth the effort."
Silver groans, fading in and out of reality, for a moment. He hears a brief exchange between Shadow and Mephiles — no, don't Shadow! — and then wonders if the sudden multiplications of Mephiles are hallucinations. He blinks and freezes when he realises that they're not: the warehouse is now filled with hundreds of mouth-less figures.
"Last chance," Shadow growls, trying to hide the fact that he's been thrown off guard by this.
One of the Mephiles bows, "Farewell, Shadow the Hedgehog."
Swarms of them descend on Shadow, like trails of ants, and Silver strains his eyes to see the red amidst blue and black. Shadow's low grunts are indistinguishable from the low, cackling laughter, as it seems to grow louder and louder and suffocate him. The copies flock together on all sides, but the Ultimate Life Form — somehow, with unimaginable and incomprehensible speed — contorts and spins like a dervish, destroying them, one by one. The force of the wind, generated by his punches and kicks, is loud and insistent.
Silver staggers to his feet and glances about, formulating his own plan of attack. Then he spies a Mephiles, separated from the rest, watching Shadow with interest.
That's the real Mephiles. If I can just get to him and—
Before Silver can even raise a hand, something lashes out and pins him to the ground. The brief dregs of his psychokinesis drain away, as darkness and stars weave in and out of his vision. Silver clutches his head and tenses when he sees Mephiles looming above him.
"You fool. You fail to realise how insignificant you are. No matter what pathetic action you take, it will always lead to your demise. I feel your powers, Silver, and they pale in significance compared to mine. I know you for what you are and Shadow would be truly mad to see anything in you. You are nothing, a mere collection of organs, scurrying around as if it's important. You are a waste of—"
Shadow flies forward and smashes Mephiles in the face.
Knocked back and more than a little disgruntled, Mephiles growls but doesn't get the chance to retaliate. Repetitive blows are beaten into his body, faster than the eye can see, and suddenly they seem to be having a damaging effect. Shadow continues to push him back, working up a sweat as his fists pound against Mephiles' torso and his skates crack bones.
Silver groans, trying to sit up, and watches Shadow deliver one, final roundhouse kick to Mephiles' head, smacking him across the room and letting him roll away.
His eyelids flutter. There's blood in his mouth.
"Hey," Shadow kneels at his side, shaking his shoulder, "Silver. Stay conscious."
"No..." Silver slurs around the liquid in his mouth, as he reaches towards the other side of the warehouse, where Mephiles' form is bubbling and dissipating into smoke. Fruitlessly, Silver makes a grab at him with his psychokinesis, but it slips away from him and the effort saps the remainder of his energy.
"Silver?"
He passes out.
"You are making a habit of this."
Silver grunts at the searing living room lights and smothers his face into the couch's puffiness. His head is agonizing. Throbbing pain screams at him. So much for taking it easy, like Tails suggested. Silver drags out a half-mumble, "It wasn't my intention..."
His spine grumbles as he forces himself upright and presses a hand against his temple, with bones feeling like they weigh a thousand tonnes. There's ice wrapped in a towel, a water bottle and painkillers on Sonic's coffee table, in front of him. They all look woefully inviting.
As he swallows the pills with water and presses the ice-towel against his skin, Silver breaths. The agony subsides, somewhat. Only then is he able to focus on the person sitting next to him.
"Did Mephiles...?" Silver trails off, knowing what the answer is going to be.
Shadow glares down at his own lap, "He escaped. I was unable to apprehend him."
"You didn't need to," Silver turns his head, slowly, testing the screaming joints in his neck. He runs his eyes over Shadow's inward posture — drawn-in arms, closed thighs, tight lips — and he aches with the fear that Shadow is blaming himself, "It was my responsibility. And he probably would have killed me, if you hadn't saved me."
Shadow looks Silver in the eye. His jaw is clenched, "Who is he?"
Silver can feel his resolve breaking, but he clings to it, torturously, "Someone dangerous."
"Clearly!" He's angry. Shadow is suddenly like a loaded spring, furious and tense, close to pinging open, "He was going to kill you. You were ready to be killed!"
"I have a duty—"
"I'm not talking about dying for your damn duty! I understand that completely. I do not understand your secrecy about it! It serves no purpose!"
"I can't risk revealing everything, Shadow. Bad things — awful things — have happened and...it's safer if people don't know," He's so close to spilling, to letting the truth gush out, but he can't, he just can't, "I have to do this myself."
Exhaling, Shadow glances in the opposite direction, chewing it over. He's not happy about this, Silver can tell, but maybe he knows what it's like to be consumed by devotion and duty, in order to protect people. Silver's mind wanders to the thought of that Maria girl.
"Mephiles is strong. You will not win with your current strength," Shadow faces him and his posture holds the same gruffness as his tone, "I will train you."
"Shadow, you don't—"
"This is not an offer. It's a compromise."
Silver smiles and then winces, tentatively running the tip of his tongue over his split lip.
Gold eyes flicker upwards and widen, as crimson track the movement of Silver's tongue. Shadow's eyes linger and his stare is loaded. He must know that he's been caught, because he smoothly meets Silver's gaze and waits, as if silently asking what now?
It would be so easily to inch closer, to tilt his head upwards, to get lost in kissing.
But Silver waits too long, paralyzed by fear and doubt, and Shadow returns to staring at his lap.
"They have returned to Soleanna. To deal with the aftermath of the Doctor and see if Mephiles left anything behind," Shadow fixes his sight on the opposite wall, as he talks, and Silver blinks because oh, yes, he's just noticed that the rest of the gang aren't here, "I doubt they'll find anything."
Silver nods, "And you stayed?"
"Rouge insisted."
"Ah."
Shadow shifts, "Blaze wanted to stay, too."
"I hate worrying her like this. She deserves better," Silver winces — his right temple has gone numb from the cold. He transfers the ice over to his left side, "I just want to protect her."
"You should focus on protecting yourself," Shadow sounds oddly soft, even though the comment is meant to be snarky.
Silver's own voice instinctively mimics the gentleness, "How can I think about myself when there are people who need me?"
He doesn't answer.
Shadow abruptly stands and strides off, disappearing through the open door, into Tails' workshop, leaving Silver feeling somewhat bereft. Soon enough, he returns with a thick, tartan blanket folded in his hands.
He shakes it out and lets it billow in the air, before pausing. Silver curls up, slowly, against the couch's armrest and Shadow places the fabric over him.
"Tails insisted you get some sleep," He explains, taking a step back, "It will help."
Fatigue is hanging onto Silver's limbs and he can feel the heavy drooping of his eyelids. But panic grips his thoughts and he suddenly whips his head round, looking for Mephiles, hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike.
Shadow steps closer, grabbing Silver's attention, "He will not return. I will keep watch."
How Shadow is able to read him so easily, Silver doesn't know, but Chaos, he's thankful for it. Comforted by this brief moment of peace, he sinks against the cushions and closes his eyes.
Silver smothers his lips against the blanket. He can't risk them betraying him by sleepily whispering something crazy like "I love you."
Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review, letting me know what you thought! Preview: next chapter is Halloween party-time at Amy's! :D