I cannot express my gratitude enough to the people who reviewed on the last chapter — every single review was so lovely and they have honestly made me the proudest I've ever been, since being on Fanficton. Whilst these next two chapters have taken a long time, because things have been going on, it's also because I've been trying so hard to impress you guys with the chapter after this one (this one is more of a filler). Amazing reviews deserve an amazing chapter, and I hope I will have delivered!

!*!*!

Endless thanks to: tsuki-shining, TenshiHaou, Guest, MysteryGirl, Vegetass, IslandoftheMidnightSun, Failsona, Silver1612, moonlightclock, PixelChamp, TealSoda, HonestlyAwesome, Rikkacchi, ayslio, asynt, Guest, Guest and WeirdlyMemed! I'm actually tearing up here, guys, thank you :'3

tsuki-shining - You're on the verge of tears!? I'm still open-mouthed by how lovely your review was! :'3 Thank you EVER so much! I'm so happy that you're enjoying my depictions of the characters, and world building has always been a bit hit-or-miss for me, so I am so happy that this one is a hit, haha! Ahhh, thank you so so much!

TenshiHaou - Eeeeeek, thank you so much! :D Tee hee, but of course, I've always gotta build the rollercoaster of doom, if something nice has happened! xD

Guest - No way! I am so honoured that this is the first Sonic fanfiction that you have read, and I'm so, so happy that I've been able to portray a ship to someone who never thought about it before! I know how passionate people can be about shippings, so that's incredible to me! Thank you very much! Haha, if it does become M-rated, I'm sure we'll do some switching up ;D

MysteryGirl - Aw, thank you very much! :D

Vegetass - Gahhhhhhhhhh, I'm so excited that you're loving it! ^w^ Hahaha! N'aww, thank you SO much!

IslandoftheMidnightSun - My little heart can't take all these lovely comments! :'3 It's so so SO awesome to hear that you're loving the story, and everything you've said is what I love about stories, so the fact that I've made someone else feel how I feel with stories is AMAZING! Thank you ever so much for your review — it genuinely made my day!

Failsona - Haha, aw, I'm very happy that it did! Aww, thank you so much, that is so sweet! Oh my gosh that made me laugh so much, and then I felt very bad because poor Silver, he shouldn't be exposed to that! But it was still a hilarious scenario! X'D Bahaha, I'm glad I'm not the only one! ;D

Silver1612 - You have no idea how ecstatic I am to hear that! Thank you~! Haha, I shall keep spoilers to a minimum at the moment ;D Thank you!

moonlightclock - Thank you SO much! :3

PixelChamp - That is such an amazing thing to hear, thank you so so very much!

TealSoda - THANK YOU! I still can't get over your artwork! :'3

HonestlyAwesome - I have no words, seriously. I re-read your review so many times because it is that inspiring — I can't quite believe that someone would make an account to read my story, I am astounded, and so so so flattered! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and especially for letting me know through a review. I value character dynamics so much in stories and I'm so glad that I've managed to make that stand out in my story! Thank YOU for leaving such a lovely and inspirational comment. I hope the sleep deprivation was okay! *sweat drop*

Rikkacchi - Your review has added 50 years to mine! N'awwww, thank you so much! I love to hear that I've done Team Dark justice, as they are such an interesting array of characters! Gah, aw, that makes me so happy, haha! I hope the headcanons are what you envisaged! ;D Thank you very much!

ayslio - That's the reaction I always dream of! *heart* That is so lovely to hear, thank you very much! I honestly feel like printing your review out and pinning it to my noticeboard, because it gives me so much inspiration and pride in what I write, and it makes me want to always reach your awesome compliments! Thank you so, so much for your review. Please know that it made me extremely happy and really pushed me for these next two chapters!

asynt - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! THANK YOU SO MUCH! That is so awesome! Thank you! And it's not the ending, actually, we've still got a fair way to go! ;3

Guest - Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I am so flattered by how you've felt about my story! Haha, hangry is the feeling I aim for! ;D Aww, that is so sweet, thank you ever so much! Ahhhhh! Know that your review has made my entire week! :3

Guest - It makes me so excited to read that! Hahaha, oh my gosh, no, don't be! Blaze is both obvious but infuriatingly secretive! xD Gah, thank you very much! The fact that I have inspired someone is insane and makes me so happy. Oooh, I'd love to hear your predictions!

WeirdlyMemed - Thank you soo much~! The new chapter is finally here, haha!

Disclaimer: As this is a flashback directly from the game, a fair amount of the dialogue and scenes are from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). However, I had a lot of fun putting my own twist on the cutscenes, and reading the nuances of the characters' expressions, so I like to think that there's my own vibe within it, haha! Also, uh, spoilers, I guess! xD

11. Thanks for the Memories (Even If They Weren't so Great)

2006

(The Alternative Timeline)

Blaze had suggested that the Iblis Trigger may have returned to Soleanna, so that was where they were heading, after leaving Doctor Eggman's lair.

Silver was protectively shielding the Chaos Emerald, respectful of its power. Blaze had seemed rather unimpressed by it, considering that it could turn thoughts into power. But maybe that was because she was the Guardian of the Sol Emeralds: she'd become desensitised to objects of incredible power.

He'd never seen a Chaos Emerald before, and he marvelled at its intrinsic shine. Just having it close to him, he could sense that it was something old, ancient, and raw. Blaze had said that there were seven in total and that, when they had all been collected, a miracle would happen. Silver couldn't even begin to imagine the possibilities of what all seven of them could do together.

As they entered Soleanna's central courtyard, and slowed their jog into a run, Silver looked up. Blaze went stiff beside him.

There was Mephiles.

They hadn't even known that he'd come to the past with them. The last time they'd seen him, he'd transported them through time, sending them off on their righteous mission to save the future. Then again, Silver vaguely wondered why he was surprised by Mephiles' sudden presence: he seemed capable of an awful lot more than he let on. There was something off about him, and it made Silver's skin crawl.

"Mephiles…"

Mephiles didn't even look up from the floor; he just fixed his empty gaze on the flagstones.

Silver glanced at Blaze, hesitantly, and they recognised the uncertainty on each other's faces. They both knew that they could only trust Mephiles so much, but they needed him. If they were going to save their future, they had to go along with him, for now.

But Silver was starting to mistrust Mephiles' intentions.

Amy had been so sure of Sonic's goodness. She'd thrown herself into the middle of their fight, just to save him. Blaze would have argued that love was blind, and that Amy's feelings for the blue hedgehog could have clouded her judgement, but that didn't sit right with Silver. None of it did, now that he'd actually spoken to Sonic.

"Tell me. Who is the Iblis Trigger? Why does he want to destroy the world?"

Mephiles' head rocked upwards, but he still didn't look at either of them, "Why does that matter to you? Unless you complete your task, your future will remain the same… forever."

Silver swallowed and shifted from one foot to the other, as the hedgehog's pointed finger marked him alone. Blaze's head was lowered, as if she'd been reprimanded too. He supposed that they had been.

"He's currently at the terminal station," Mephiles gestured off in the opposite direction, morbidly theatrical, "It's now or never if you want this."

They watched him leave, frozen in place.

Blaze's heels clicked as she stepped forward. She jerked her head in the same direction. They took off again.

"You again."

Silver was less confident, this time, as he faced Sonic the Hedgehog.

He couldn't help but notice the way in which the blue hedgehog placed himself in front of Princess Elise the Third, keeping her out of harm's way. Was that really the action of someone who would destroy the world? Silver didn't know anymore. He was starting to feel like he didn't know much of anything.

But the future was counting on him. It didn't matter what he knew, only why he did.

"This time, there will be no interruptions," Silver kept his outstretched hand fixed on the blue hedgehog, now with an idea of what he was up against, "The Iblis Trigger must die!"

In the background, Elise nervously retreated, "Sonic…"

Silver firmly reminded himself that this was the destroyer of his world, as he flung his arm back and concentrated his powers, hurling the blue hedgehog to one side. The Iblis Trigger curled his spine against the ground, as he landed — rolling upright — but Silver grabbed him swiftly with his psychokinesis and trapped him.

This was it. The moment that he and Blaze had been waiting for. It was now or never.

"Elise!" Sonic cried, straining to look over his shoulder. Silver's eyes darted sideways, and he noticed that Doctor Eggman had appeared out of nowhere, snatching up the Princess in his mechanical suit's grasp. But he couldn't allow his mind to wander.

He flexed his powers, clamping down on the blue hedgehog's limbs. The Iblis Trigger struggled and writhed, useless, "It's time to end this!"

Silver didn't really know what he would have done, if his hand had been allowed to complete that movement. He might have raised the pressure painfully high, until the Iblis Trigger's internal organs burst; or maybe he would have pushed the force inwards, crumpling his limbs like paper. Either way would have worked.

But someone threw themselves in front of Silver, and he was forced to leap back, "Who—?"

Sonic collapsed on the ground, free from both Silver's attention and the psychokinesis.

The mysterious new hedgehog was crouched in a landing position, fist punched into the earth, arm slung over his thigh. Silver recognised the distinctive array of quills, but he couldn't believe what he was seeing. This was Mephiles — it had to be, but why did he look so different? Aside from the red streaks amongst the black quills, his body was so much more organic than Mephiles', so much more fluid. When he raised his head, Silver was ensnared by a crimson gaze, so passionate and heated compared to Mephiles' frozen one.

Even though it didn't make any sense, Silver had to ask: "Mephiles! Why are you getting in my way?"

The hedgehog promptly got to his feet, "I'm Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog."

Silver internally glitched, not taking his eyes off this Shadow, who certainly wasn't Mephiles. Though their voices had a similar baritone roll, their tones were worlds apart. Mephiles' words sent ice down Silver's veins, biting and scratching at him. When Shadow had spoken, it had tugged at Silver's stomach, and awed him in a peculiar way.

He didn't know what to do. The Iblis Trigger was going to get away, again, but Shadow didn't seem like he'd be as easy to deal with as Amy had been.

Seemingly unconcerned by Silver's presence, Shadow looked back over his shoulder, towards Sonic. This made Silver's temper glare, as his brow pulled into a frown. Was he that insignificant, that Shadow didn't even consider him to be a threat? The arrogance!

Sonic gave a quick thumbs-up and nodded at Shadow, before sprinting away. Silver's frustration bubbled.

Shadow's focus swung back to Silver. He lowered his folded arms.

Silver was looking forward to showing what he was made of.

A freight train rattled in the background, as Silver's chest heaved, and he scrambled to catch his breath.

Bruises lined the side of his legs; his thighs stung from sliding across rock and dirt, after having his footing swept out from underneath him. Silver tried to take pride in the fact that he'd landed a few hits too — the black and red hedgehog was breathless from crash-landing into wooden crates — but he knew that he had reached his limit.

Panting and swallowing air, Silver looked at Shadow.

Shadow stared back.

It was now or never.

With his powers drained and his head throbbing, Silver resorted to traditional methods. He clenched his fist, reeled back, and let out a cry. Keeping his sight trained on Shadow's jaw, he tensed his arm for impact. He'd get this sucker-punch to land.

Silver's eyes widened when Shadow produced a Chaos Emerald, "Chaos Control!"

He disappeared.

THWACK.

Silver's face smashed into the dirt.

His headache was like a raging fire now, but his skull ached as if he'd been hit with a sledgehammer. Silver could feel tears brimming at the corner of his eyes, but he scolded himself and willed them away. He wasn't even sure if he could move.

But he knew that Shadow was behind him, so he whipped his head around. The black and red figure was blurry — he blinked. Shadow's blank expression peered back at him.

Silver hauled himself up, crouching, and raised his head. Shameful fury burnt within him. He'd heard nothing of Shadow the Hedgehog, until now. Who was he to stop Silver's mission? "You…"

"Don't bother," Shadow didn't let his guard down, but his limbs had loosened, as if the threat had passed, "With a Chaos Emerald's power, I control time and space. You can't break free."

The green Chaos Emerald glimmered before Silver, teasingly.

"I won't give up! It all depends on me!" Silver shook his head and looked down at his empty palms. He didn't care if Shadow possessed all the Chaos Emerald, the Sol Emeralds, any emeralds! He had to do this! "Can't… lose! Not when I'm so close!"

But Shadow didn't have all the Chaos Emeralds.

Silver pulled out his blue Chaos Emerald, desperately. What was it that Blaze had said? He raised it into the air. Keep it as a lucky charm. He certainly needed luck, right now. Shadow might have believed that he could use it to control time and space, but Silver was happy to cling to luck instead.

"Arghh!"

Gripping the emerald tighter, Silver strode forward. Shadow immediately stretched into a crouch and flung his arm out, wielding the Chaos Emerald. Purely following his gut, Silver did the same, and echoed what Shadow had confidently shouted earlier.

"Chaos… Control!"

Their forearms locked together, and sparks and sparkles of light emanated from where their limbs touched. Silver was momentarily stunned, paralysed by the intense heat flooding through his body. But then he pulled himself back, protecting his eyes from the burning shine. Shadow barked an exclamation of surprise.

They looked at each other.

Maybe that was the moment. Maybe that spark from the two Chaos Emeralds hadn't just affected time and space. Maybe that tug in Silver's heart was the start of it all.

But they ripped their eyes away to stare, horrified, at the swirling mists surrounding a portal which had opened between them. Out of nowhere, shooting stars of light were miraculously sucked into the gap, and Silver could feel his own gravity being disrupted.

Shadow's eyes fell back to Silver. He straightened himself, "You… induced Chaos Control."

Silver didn't know what that was, or what it meant, but he didn't really care. For the first time in a long time, he felt powerful. Like he'd achieved something, like he actually mattered. Like he could actually do this whole 'save the world' thing.

"I won't let anyone get in my way," He told Shadow, and he was shocked to find himself believing it, for once, "I'll change the past… and save the world!"

But Shadow hung his head and turned. He closed his eyes. Silver's confidence plummeted.

"Mephiles isn't trying to help you create a better future," Shadow said. His tone was flat, but there was a hint of pity there. Maybe even some sympathy. He looked back at Silver, who said nothing, but made it clear that he was listening, "He's trying to eliminate the past."

"What?" But a small part of Silver wasn't surprised. All along, he'd known that Mephiles was the true enemy, "What are you talking about?"

"To discover what happened," Now utterly at ease, Shadow sauntered towards him. Silver's breath hitched, "It seems we must see what took place ten years ago."

Silver wondered if this was a trick. Something to lower his guard.

But Shadow didn't hit him with another roundhouse kick. He nodded, amenable, "Follow me if you want the truth."

He leapt into the portal and vanished from sight.

Conflicted, Silver hesitated.

Moments ago, this hedgehog had just been pummelling him into the ground, and now he was asking Silver to trust him? How could Silver even be considering such a suggestion? Searching for the truth or not, Shadow the Hedgehog was trouble, and Silver would be putting himself in danger, just by standing next to him. He wouldn't come back out of that portal alive.

And yet, though Silver knew this, everything within him longed to follow.

He liked to think that it was the prospect of the truth which drove him forward. But, really it was his captivation with Shadow.

Silver nodded — mind made up — and jumped into the portal, too.

Silver's insides sloshed, as he arrived in 1996, and dropped to the floor. He landed in a half-kneel, with one hand splayed in front of him. Gold eyes flickered to the person beside him, and his stomach clenched. Shadow craned his neck upwards, as he analysed the corridor ahead, stoic. Tentatively, they got to their feet.

He glanced at the metallic walls with churlish gloom, and then peered at Shadow again. The black and red hedgehog confounded him — there was something about him that didn't make sense, as if all the pieces of the puzzle weren't on show. It was eerily enchanting and, if the circumstances had been different, Silver would have tried to get to the bottom of it. But Shadow abruptly moved and returned Silver's look, forcing the psychokinetic to turn his gaze away.

The corridor was equally expansive in the other direction, disappearing into a fuzzy light at the end. There was no telling which way was the right one, nor what the 'right' direction would lead to. Shadow had said that they would find the truth about Mephiles here, but neither of them knew exactly what they were looking for.

The ground shook beneath their feet.

The sound of an explosion roared through the hall, as shockwaves rippled into them, knocking their balance back. Flames licked at the corridor ends, before disappearing with a flash.

Shadow and Silver looked at each other.

They both took off running.

The source of the bang was pretty easy to find, and they slowed into a jog at the sight of broken glass. The pressure had evidently smashed the upper window, and they approached the edge together, assessing the carnage below. After sharing another solemn look of understanding, Shadow leapt down to the lower level and Silver followed without another thought.

Silver's descent shook his bones more than the last, so he lingered on the ground for a moment. His throat contracted when Shadow looked down at him, solicitous, and he stood.

Curled up on the floor was the thick-set body of an older man, and Shadow rushed forward to take his pulse. Silver watched, while Shadow tried to shake the human awake, but he became distracted by the glowing, honey-coloured light floating on the other side of the room.

"What…?" The time traveller stepped forward, as the light faded to reveal a sphere made of molten rock. It dripped apart, crumbled, and then became a flicker of fire, "The flame… it's Iblis!"

"And the black shadow is the original Mephiles," Shadow said, joining Silver's side and nodding to the black puddle, which had formed from the discarded drops.

"That's Mephiles?!" The flame suddenly took off, and the liquid congregated into one pool, slinking away in the darkness, "They're escaping!"

"We'll have to split up," Shadow decided, "I'll pursue Mephiles."

"Okay. Then leave Iblis to me!"

But just as the two of them started to move, a faint voice strained to catch their attention, "Wait…" They briskly stopped and turned around.

The older man had gained consciousness and he was kneeling on all fours, desperate to speak to them. Shadow ran over and waited, as the man shakily raised a purple and ivory sceptre, "Seal it… with this…"

Shadow hesitated. Silver could feel Mephiles and Iblis getting further away with every second.

"Hurry!" Silver cried, taking off. Within seconds, he heard the tell-tale click of Shadow's hoverskates behind him. Amidst it all, Silver's heart lurched: Shadow had followed him without another thought.

The journey through Soleanna's underwater laboratory hadn't been easy, but Silver and Shadow had worked well together, in a bittersweet sort of way. Silver had to admit to showing off a little in front of Shadow, when it came to taking down enemies, but he'd gotten the job done. At some point, their paths had diverged — "Silver, let's split up and chase our own targets"; "Shadow, I'll be looking out for your 'truth'" — but Silver was spurred on. They were counting on each other.

Silver had managed to catch Iblis in one swipe, and the horrific bane of his world was glued into place with his psychokinesis. He grunted in exertion, but his focus was diverted by the sound of footsteps.

"Hey! What are you doing? You've got to leave!" Silver watched the man stagger into the room, carrying a little girl in his arms.

"I have my duty. This Living Flame has been entrusted to the royal family," He stumbled closer to the flame. Silver couldn't stop him, not without risking letting Iblis go, "The Flames of Disaster will awaken if nothing is done! That must not happen."

He placed the little girl down on the altar, directly beneath Iblis' light. Slow, but certain, he produced a white Chaos Emerald and held it aloft, watching as it soared into the air by itself.

"Eternal Sun! The Living Flame that has been entrusted to the royal family! Fall into slumber with a royal soul!"

Aghast, Silver saw the flames engulf the Chaos Emerald and swallow the sharp edges. Then a beam of concentrated light spilled downwards, absorbing itself into the girl. Silver noticed her striking red hair, as she shifted in her sleep. A royal soul. Of course, it made sense. This was Princess Elise. He let his psychokinesis fade away.

The man — it must have been Elise's father — half-collapsed against the altar, next to his daughter. Feeble, but determined, he picked Elise up and tripped backwards, drawing closer to Silver.

"I'm sorry, but… can you take her to a safe place?" As he dropped the girl into Silver's arms, he slumped to the floor. But his thoughts were still with Elise, as he lifted her stray arm back into her lap. He was dying. Elise would never see her father again, and Silver bowed his head in respect, as the King stroked her hair, "That's a good girl, Elise. Remember, be brave. Don't cry, no matter what happens. Otherwise your tears will call forth the flames inside you. Become a strong queen, who doesn't cry, no matter what happens. And… live… happily…"

The King fell and Silver knew that he was dead.

He looked down at Elise, who slept peacefully, entirely unaware of what had happened.

Silver closed his eyes.

He naively hoped that this would be the last of Mephiles' and Iblis' casualties.

Outside the laboratory, even ten years previous, things were still beautiful. Silver gazed out from Soleanna Castle's brickwork, admiring the blossoming of flowers amongst the grass. Elise was still sound asleep in his arms, so he took pleasure in breathing in the fresh air, utterly free of smoke and ash. The sky was a calm blue, which he had never seen in his own time, and he hadn't had much of a chance to appreciate it in the present.

Sensing someone behind him, Silver glanced over his shoulder. Shadow emerged from the archway, gripping the glowing Sceptre of Darkness tight in his hand.

"Did you do it?" He asked.

Shadow nodded, "Yes. And you?"

Silver hadn't succeeded — at all — but he had to accept that he'd done all that he could, "…Yes. The Flames are properly sealed. It's done."

The black and red hedgehog didn't question him any further. As Silver moved towards the nearby tree, leaning forward to gently lay Elise beside it, he could feel Shadow's eyes following him. Silver angled his head to hide his blush.

But he remained crouched by Princess Elise. His heart was still heavy with the knowledge that she would now grow up fatherless, not know what her father had said in his final moments, never having him for guidance. The irony wasn't lost on Silver — he knew little of his own parents, and he'd made his own path from an early age — but he still felt an overwhelming ache of guilt, as he stared as her innocent expression.

Shadow was now beside him, also squatting. Silver observed, transfixed, never quite realising how beautiful he looked in profile. Shadow laid the Sceptre of Darkness beside Elise.

Silver swallowed and reminded himself of what was important, "You're going to leave it behind?"

"Yes," Shadow raised his head, and Silver's stomach knotted, "I already know what becomes of it in the future." He stood and turned his back, "It's time to return."

Instinctively, Silver's body mirrored Shadow's, but his eyes lingered on Elise, "Yes… of course."

The next few moments were familiar and comforting, as the two of them raised their Chaos Emeralds and simultaneously yelled, "Chaos Control!" As the light buzzed and the portal opened, Silver's eyes traced Shadow. His heart gave a small tug, as if there was a rope connecting the two of them, tethered and rigid.

Silver longed for something. He couldn't say what.

He was surprised by the sharp pain he felt, when Shadow leapt into the portal and disappeared from view.

With his mind suddenly becoming clearer, and a lot less misty, Silver turned back to the girl slumbering beneath the old tree. Her sleep seemed blissful, as she tossed onto her other side, cheek painlessly scratching against the bark. She will be okay, he told himself. She had a role in the future — he knew that nothing bad would happen to her here.

The time traveller shuffled towards the whirling portal, somewhat dazed.

"Father…"

Silver looked back at her again.

All of this was true, and yet he couldn't leave her like this. He remembered how he'd felt as a child, before he'd found his footing: lost, scared, inadequate, when he'd needed something to comfort him. Something to give him hope in times of despair, when he'd wanted nothing more than to curl up on the ground and pity himself.

The blue Chaos Emerald was solid in his hand.

When he'd approached and bent down, Silver reached for Elise's palm. Her grip was loose in sleep, but he managed to balance the emerald in the soft curve of her hand. It continued to glow, bright and hopeful.

"It's a lucky charm," He whispered, echoing the words that his lucky charm had said.

Laying her arm down in her lap, Silver watched as Elise moved her head over, before he rose and straightened his back. Renewed with a sense of purpose, he knew that he'd done the right thing. Now, he needed to continue down this path of compassion in the future. He'd seen all that he'd needed to see. The truth had proved to be enlightening.

Silver ran towards the portal and jumped.

We have some more amazing fanart for this story! :D Use this link — post/ 169252224750/ hey-i-finally-post-art-again-sorry-that-the-blog - to see 'Dinner Date' by Teal, who is an incredible artist and did some beautiful artwork of the last chapter! I love it to pieces! :3 You can find more information on my profile!