This was originally going to be a oneshot, but I changed my mind after getting some reviews and messages about wanting a continuation.

Special thanks to Pocketful of Craziness for some of the ideas!

Blood and Ash

How long has it been? Days? Weeks? Each hour that passes by only makes him more curious. What truly happened that day? Sonic is the hero of the people. How is it possible that such a creature could go missing from a plane crash everyone had survived? And…why did Shadow care so much?

He was never on good terms with Sonic due to their rivalry. He had only agreed to go on that stupid vacation so he could get away from others calling him names. Of course he could never get away from that blue annoyance, but he'd learn to deal with it. Once they were on the plane, he fell asleep. The next thing he knew, Rouge was shouting at him to dig through the rubble.

Sonic has been missing for three months. The police gave up a few weeks after the search began. Since his disappearance, everything has been quiet. There hasn't been an attack from Eggman, there hasn't been any uncanny crime, there hasn't been anything but silence. It seemed as if the quiet fog from that odd, abandoned town followed them back to Station Square. It brought an aura of worry with it.

Shadow's mind has been clouded by the memories of that day. He couldn't forget. All that smoke. All that fire. All that ash. All that…silence. It was unnaturally quiet here. Why couldn't he push these thoughts away? He wanted to forget. Why? Was it something to do with this fog? Something in that fog was calling him back.

A walk. A quick walk around the plaza will help him relax. Then, maybe he can think clearly. He stepped outside and shivered. The crisp, cold air felt like daggers against his skin. It was colder than yesterday. He turned back to his apartment to grab a coat. Before he could leave again, his ears picked up at the faint sound of static. He turned his attention to the other room. The sound was coming from Sonic's broken radio.

Shadow… A quiet, cracked voice came through the static. It called him repeatedly. He immediately recognized it as Sonic. He reached out and touched it, causing the static to fade. That wasn't natural. Sonic was too far away. Wanting a second opinion, he decided to show it to Tails. Shadow picked it up and took it outside with him. The static returned. He could barely hear it. When he faced in a certain direction, it got louder.

He slipped his coat on and shoved the radio in his pocket. Before chasing the static, he chose to seek out Tails to let him know Sonic was still alive. At least, he thought the cobalt hedgehog was still living. He made his way through the plaza, pausing to look around. It was empty. The stores were open, but the people stayed away due to the heavy fog and cold weather.

Tails was in his workshop across town. He knocked on the door and was met by a very dirty yellow fox. "Shadow? What are you doing here?" He wiped his hands on an orange cloth, removing some of the oil that had stained his gloves.

Shadow showed him the radio. It wasn't creating any sound at the moment, and Tails was surprised the obsidian hedgehog had kept it all this time. "I think Sonic is still alive somewhere and is trying to contact us."

The fox took the radio in his hands and shook it. Nothing happened. He flipped the red switch on the side that turned the device on or off. Still nothing happened. "What makes you think he's alive? This radio was broken in the plane crash – There's no way it can pick up Sonic's voice, especially so far away."

"I think it has something to do with this fog." Tails chuckled. He didn't really understand how a cold fog could cause such a problem. "There's another thing: this radio gets louder depending on which way you're facing."

"Really?" The fox turned in a few different directions, but heard nothing. "I don't hear anything." Shadow snatched it back.

"It picked up static over by my place. I don't know why it's not working now." Tails shrugged.

"Sorry, Shadow. But, you know the search was canceled months ago. There's no possible way Sonic is alive, even if he did survive the plane crash."

"Why don't you believe me?" Tails shrugged yet again.

"I'm really sorry Shadow. I've been busy and all. Maybe Amy will be able to help you." He closed the door, leaving the ebony hedgehog standing there dumbfounded.

He turned back to the plaza, staring down at the radio in his hand. He couldn't bring himself to believe that Sonic's best friend would abandon him. After a moment or two of mindless wandering, he found himself at Amy's doorstep. Surely she still cared. After all, she was the one that was dragged away from the town. He rang the bell and waited. There was no answer.

"Amy?" He called, knocking on her door loudly. "Are you home?" Curious, he tried to allow himself in, but the door was locked. He stepped back and kicked it down. "Amy! It's rude to leave someone waiting!" Her house was colder than outside. Worried, he searched every room, not finding a single trace of her. "Amy?"

The last room he checked was the kitchen. There was a blinking red light on her phone in the corner. It took him a while, but he eventually figured out how to play back the messages. The first one was from Cream. She said something about a new invention Tails was making that would allow time travel, so maybe they could somehow save Sonic from his fate. The next message was from her place of work. It was some sort of restaurant. He skipped forward. The final message was from an unknown number. Loud static filled the room.

Shadow stepped back and covered his ears. The sound was painful to him. It gave him a horrible headache. Amy… It was the same weak voice from the radio. The message ended quickly. He regained his composure and noticed that faint static was coming from the device in his pocket. Amy must've received the message and rushed off to search for Sonic.

He didn't have time to ask anyone else for their assistance. It wasn't as if they were interested in helping anyway. Using his speed, he dashed back to that abandoned town, relying on the sound from the radio to find his way. He skidded to a stop when he caught sight of the welcome sign. Welcome to Silent… The rest of the name had been covered in strange, orange rust. He continued to follow the path.

Shadow… Sonic's voice rang through again, calling out to him. But, the sound of static instantly disappeared once he passed the spot where their plane crashed. He followed the road until the town came into view. Strange, last time he was here there was a wide abyss separating the road from the actual town. He was certain he was standing on solid ground. Fear shot through him and he rushed to the nearest building, figuring the road would cave in beneath him.

Shadow… His ears perked up. There was that voice again. This time it wasn't coming from the radio. It sounded as if it was coming from inside the building he was leaning against. Thankfully, there was no fog, so it was easy to see through the window. He couldn't see anything of interest, so he decided to allow himself inside.

It appeared to be an old pharmacy, as there were bottles of medicine lining the shelves. In the back, behind the counter, was a small safe seated on the floor. Beside it was a folded piece of paper. He opened it. The numbers four, sixteen, and twenty-one were written on it with pink ink. He assumed it was the combination and used the code to open the safe. Inside was a leather book that had no title, a map of the town, and a flashlight.

He flipped through the pages of a leather book. Barely half of it was filled with a log of each day. He didn't recognize the handwriting. He skimmed over each one, finding the final entry the most frightening:

The Other World is starting to emerge. Something's not right. I must fix this. I must create a portal. But, to do so, I need a sacrifice. This hedgehog will have to do for now.

Something didn't sound right. People were still living here? Whoever wrote this journal certainly didn't have good intentions for them. The back of Shadow's mind told him to seek out this Serum…that it would help to solve the mystery at hand.

He shut the leather book and stepped back, bumping into the counter behind him. A jar of coins fell off the side. It made a loud clattering sound. Fear shot upward throughout his body, and he was frozen for a moment, ears upright. He figured there wasn't anyone around, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. A sighed escaped his lips once he realized he was alone.

Shadow exited the pharmacy and continued deeper into the forgotten town. The sky was turning dark, black almost. Thunder boomed in the distance. It began to rain. He shivered as the cold droplets hit him. A siren rang, coming from anywhere and yet nowhere at all.

And then, darkness.

Empty darkness.

He stopped, unable to see anything. The siren didn't sound anything like a police vehicle. It sounded like one of those emergency sirens, telling the citizens to hide in their basements or be prepared for some sort of natural disaster. Annoyed by the darkness, he flipped the switch on the flashlight. A circle of dim, yellow light led the way to the source of the blaring sounds: a Church. Not feeling very religious, he ignored it and continued with his search.

"Sonic?" He called, seeing something move in the distance. The light didn't stretch far enough for him to see who it was, but it was defiantly an anthropomorphic creature. He tried to run after it using the speed of his shoes, but for some reason, he couldn't. Luckily he wasn't someone that tired easily.

Hearing a rustling sound, he skidded to a stop. He glanced around, wondering where it was coming from. "Hello?" It suddenly stopped. He froze up again. His heart beat heavily against his chest. An animalistic shriek caused him to jump. Something with sharp claws pushed him forward. He dropped the flashlight, breaking the blub. It began to attack him fiercely. He fell over, unable to see what was happening or where his attacker was. A bright light was pointed in his direction, making the demon flee in fear.

Breathing heavily and shaking slightly, he stood, removing his tattered coat. The source of the light was a nearby car. He walked over to it, finding no one inside, however, it was covered in the same strange orange rust the welcoming sign was. In the backseat was a toolbox containing yet another flashlight. He looked around, curious. No one was here.

He returned to his coat and took the map from one of his pockets. He decided to abandon the radio. Back at the car, he spread the paper out on the hood. The rain started to smear the ink. Quickly, he found the nearest building where people were most likely to be: the hospital. He left the map, figuring he could just pick up another one after asking around.

He glanced up at the nearest street sign. His destination was close by, so he wouldn't have to walk far, which is good seeing as how he didn't care much for rain. He abandoned the vehicle and made his way down a wide road. He followed it and turned the corner. It was hidden behind a short, concrete wall. He made his way over to it, disregarding the wall and jumped over it. He kicked open the double doors.

Shadow recoiled at the scent of the building. The air was thick with dust and decomposing bodies. He gripped the handle of the door, feeling weak to his stomach. "Hello?" He called, coughing. A monstrous groan answered him. He froze, light shined at the seemingly endless hall before him. "Is someone there?" He stepped forward, a hand over his muzzle to filter the smell of death. "Sonic?"

Shadow… He jumped, dropping his flashlight. A suitcase was tossed at him from the darkness, landing just before his feet. He stumbled back, hands up in defense. Nothing happened. The groans vanished. He picked up the light, finally able to see the remainder of the hall that had been black before. It was as if something was preventing him from seeing further into the building.

He dragged the case toward the entrance, making sure he was able to see what was happening around him. It opened with a click, revealing a handwritten note, a sealed test tube, and a syringe. The label on the tube read 'Serum'. The needle appeared used, as it was rusted with a strange orange substance and broken at the tip.

"A poke to the arm and you'll be protected from the Darkness," He read the note aloud. "Come play with us Shadow. Come be a part of our family." He shoved everything back into the briefcase and decided to take it with him. Picking up the light, he exited the hospital. As he did, something lashed out at him. He stumbled backward, clutching the case tightly to his chest. Sonic emerged from the darkness, seemingly a foot taller than he used to be. Steel vines surrounded him, orange rust covering them. They moved on their own, as if they were capable of thought. He brought himself down to Shadow's level. He appeared angry.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice dark and cracked from misuse. "There's nothing for you here."

Shadow stood upright. "You've been calling me. Why? Why are you still alive?"

"That's none of your business!" He spat, growling. "I've called you here for a specific reason," Shadow stepped back, knowing what he had wanted. A playmate. "Let's play a game, Shadow." The steel vines shot upward, positioned above his shoulders at the ebony hedgehog. "I'll give you a ten second head start."

"What's wrong with you, Sonic? What happened?"

"Ten."

"What did they do to you?"

"Nine."

"Tell me what happened!"

"Eight!" He shouted, his voice suddenly becoming harsh.

Knowing he had no other choice, Shadow snatched his flashlight from the ground and ran. Using the light as a guide, he darted into an apartment complex. He scrambled up the stairs, pausing at the top to catch his breath. To his left were four doors, three to his right, and a large window at the other end of the hall. The sky was still black.

He stepped forward cautiously, ears perked upright. Unexpectedly, Sonic busted out of the final door on his right as he passed it, tackling him. Shadow's grip on the flashlight tightened. He realized he was being attacked when one of the steel vines lodged itself in his shoulder. Shining the light on the monster, he dodged the best he could, earning a few scratches before kicking the crazed hedgehog off of him. He grabbed his topmost spine, throwing him out the nearby window. The vines disappeared into the floorboards.

Shadow held onto his arm. He hadn't known that most of the vines were covered with barbed wire. He cursed under his breath and walked to where his flashlight was. Feeling an angered presence behind him, he froze. He whirled around, and was stabbed in his shoulder by a steel vine. Sonic laughed wildly, his body jerking.

"I caught you! I win! I win!" Another vine, covered with small spikes, buried itself in his abdomen. The familiar emergency siren cut through the air, and the black sky began to break apart. Light filled the area. It faded into a thin line. Colors were melting back into their original places. Shadow rubbed one of his eyes and sat up. He realized he was sitting on a bench in the hospital.

"Wha?" He looked around, wondering how he had ended up here. He stood, making his way outside, noticing the sky was back to its original dark grey color. The briefcase and flashlight were waiting for him on a nearby windowsill. Sonic was gone. He shoved the light into the case. Something horrible had happened to the blue hedgehog to make him act in such a way.

He found his way to the main road, only to find the thick fog returning. Blindly stepping forward, his hand came into contact with the windowpane of a Church. He followed the wall to the door and cracked it open. The inside was covered with the sane orange rust the steel vines had. A white figure was standing in the middle of what seemed to be a stage, holding a large, black sheet. Shadow stepped inside, noticing the open ceiling and strange devices pointing outward. The albino echidna looked over his shoulder when the doors slammed shut.

"No one's supposed to be here." He turned, away. "It's dangerous."

Shadow placed the suitcase down and hoped onto the stage. "Do you live here?"

"Perhaps."

"What do you know about Sonic?"

"Stop asking questions. There's nothing here for you. Go home."

"Is there anyone else here?" He asked, ignoring the echidna's previous statements.

"Before, yes. But, now, no – They're all dead. You and I are the only living things here."

"What about Sonic?"

"He has given himself to the Darkness. No more questions."

"The Darkness?"

"I said no more questions!" He swiftly turned to Shadow, tightly gripping the black cloth. He glared. "Leave this place, you are not welcome." He finally took notice of the briefcase Shadow had brought in. "Ah, you've the serum with you."

"You know about it then?" They both relaxed.

"Quite. I made it. It contains traces of the Darkness plaguing our town. Once it enters your bloodstream, you'll be immune to its control. But, you'll be consumed. Just like your friend. Remember that."

A loud siren came from above them, emitting from the strange devices arranged in a circular design. Knowing what was happening, he jumped off the stage and unburied his flashlight from his case. The echidna chuckled.

"Get out of here. This is no place for the likes of you." He tucked the black cloth under his arm, disappearing into an adjacent room.

Having no other choice, Shadow took his leave. He glanced over his shoulder, noticing that the dark colors were coming from a building just behind the Church. His world was drowned in darkness. He clicked the flashlight on, realizing that the religious cathedral before him had vanished. And, the hospital-like building was closer than before.

Feeling paranoid, the ebony hedgehog glanced over his shoulder, checking to make sure he wasn't being followed. He made his way to it, rereading the sign outside of the facility: 'Asylum – Do Not Enter.' He tapped the door with his case. It eased open with a creaking sound. He stepped in, glancing about the large room.

There was nothing in it, save for a few chains hanging from the ceiling and walls. There were no doors, no furniture, nothing. The air was thick with dust. He sighed with disappointment and closed the door. He had hoped whatever lied inside would help guide him to answers on what happened. He turned and bumped into something soft and cold.

"Where did you go?" Sonic towered above him, eyes distant and angry. "I was looking for you all night." He growled. "We're not done with our game!"

Shadow turned on his heel and ran, using the light to guide him. He darted behind the asylum, pausing once he realized he wasn't being followed. A moment later, he heard a soft breaking of concrete. His ears perked up, curious. The wall he was leaning on began to push outward. He backed away from it. Steel vines shot out of the building, wrapping around the black hedgehog before he could react. He was lifted off the ground to Sonic's level.

"I win." The vines tightened around him. "I win! I win!" Shadow cried out in pain. "This is what you get for running away!" Blood began to seep through the vines as they tightened even further.

"What…happened to you?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"I was reborn." Two vines, covered with sharp barbs, perched above the blue hedgehog's shoulders. "I was consumed." The wires buried themselves in his eyes.

Shadow shot upright, eyes tightly shut. When he opened them, he realized he was just outside the Church. He held his head, wondering why this kept happening. Regardless, he somehow knew the asylum had something to do with all this. He stood, picking up his fallen things.

The asylum was dark and without windows. The double doors were chained and locked shut. He tugged on one of the links, noticing how tight they were. He wandered around to the back. The wall, the same one he had leaned against moments before, had a large crack on it. He was hesitant, should he enter the building? What was inside? Would Sonic try to kill him again? Regardless, he pushed his thoughts aside and rammed his shoulder against it. The delicate wall fell apart with surprising ease. Not expecting it to break so easily, Shadow tripped over the debris and fell, dropping his suitcase. He groaned and sat up, holding his arm.

"I've been expecting you." His ears perked up. He hadn't realized the presence of another. Sonic was crouched there with his back to him, limbs tightly wrapped in chains, and orange, steel vines covering his body. Dried blood had been splattered about the room. "Do me a favor," He grabbed the chain holding his left arm. "Loosen this."

Shadow did what was asked of him, but, as he did, the chain was ripped off the wall. It slipped off the cobalt hedgehog's arm, allowing him to remove the vines around him. He stood, supported by the rightmost chain on the wall. "Sonic, what happened?" He asked, keeping his distance. "We were looking for you everywhere. Where'd you go?"

"The Other World." He said, removing the shackles from his ankles. "We're connected, but I don't know how." He yanked on the only remaining chains on his arm. He wasn't able to get it free. "You've been there before?"

"So have you." Sonic chuckled. "Why did they lock you up?" He made his way to the other end of the room, standing beside the strange devices that held the chain.

"I'm supposed to be their portal. They were bent on destroying it, but they could never defend themselves from it." His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. "Only a select few are immune from its powers. But, the Doctor believes he found a way to protect everyone. Maybe you should listen to him." He glanced at the chain. "Let me go."

Shadow was hesitant. Though he seemed the same on the outside, Sonic certainly didn't act the same. "Why should I?" The blue hedgehog grinned, chuckling a second time.

"Our little game isn't over yet," he released his grip on the chain. The device suddenly gave way. He grabbed the fallen chain and whipped it across Shadow's face. "There's no possible way you can win."

He scrambled up to his feet and snatched his briefcase. The vines surrounding him jumped to life. The black hedgehog ran out of the asylum, making his way toward the Church. The white echidna emerged from the room, hearing the slam of the door. "What do you want?" He spat, growling.

He didn't want to admit he had released a monster from its chains. "I want you to tell me what happened, now." He demanded, glancing over his shoulder. He had an aurora of paranoia ever since he got here. "Now!" He cried, grabbing the echidna by his collar.

"Alright!" He said, pushing Shadow away. "Sonic was accidentally brought here by-"

"Bullshit!" He shouted, cutting the Doctor short.

"You're sharp." He sighed, crossing his arms. "I brought him here. I harvested the radiation pockets left behind by the Darkness. And, used it to shut you plane down."

"Why did you need him?" He spoke in a calmer tone.

"The Other World was beginning to merge with ours. We needed something to become a portal. Had we not found Sonic, the Darkness from that world would've destroyed us. All of us. I'm merely protecting you."

"Protecting us from what?"

He continued, ignoring Shadow. "I created the Serum just in case a part of it slipped through. Like what happened with your friend. He brings our town into the Other World every now and then, attempting to kill us. But, with the Serum, he cannot detect us."

"Is that what you did?"

"So to speak."

The ebony hedgehog glanced down at his suitcase. He placed it on the stage and clicked it open. Tapping the test tube, he turned to the Doctor. "What is your name?" He began to fill the syringe with the contents of the tube.

"Doctor Finitevus."

Before he was able to completely fill the needle, the building shook. The windows were shattered, and the doors flew open, revealing an angered blue hedgehog. Steel vines shot forward, taking hold of Shadow. The Doctor stumbled back.

"Use the syringe!" He called before escaping into the other room.

"I caught you," Sonic grinned. "I win." He brought his prey close to him, the vines tightening their grip.

"Not quite." He muttered, wiggling an arm free. Stabbing the monster in his right eye, he injected the Serum.

The cobalt hedgehog dropped him, crying out with pain and anger. Shadow disregarded the briefcase, running out of the Church and down the road. He sharply turned the corner, stopping. Towering above him was the same apartment he had ran in before, now alit with fire. Glancing over his shoulder, he realized that Sonic had already caught up with him.

"I've never lost before." Having no other choice, he rushed into the apartment complex, covering his head with his arms. "Come back, Shadow. I mean you no harm." He tossed his head back, laughing wildly. He followed the ebony hedgehog, unaffected by the fire. "Shadow!"

He had ran up the steps, pushing a dresser down to block the way. Somehow, Sonic had found another way up, and blocked his path.

"This isn't who you are!" Shadow shouted above the sound of shattering wood. "You're better than this! Stop acting like a monster!"

"Shut up. This is who I am. This is what I do. You've lost. Admit it." He grinned.

The lack of oxygen was starting to make the black hedgehog dizzy. The heat from the fire didn't help. "What would Amy think if she saw you like this?"

The smile on Sonic's face immediately disappeared. "Shut up!" He repeated. "You have no idea what's it's like." Shadow was too weak to form a response. "You've reached your resting place, anyhow. Blood turns to ash, Shadow." He made his leave, letting the ebony hedgehog to burn along with the building.

Shadow stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and falling onto the melting wood. His breath slowed. And then, suddenly, he no longer felt pain. He no longer felt heat. He cracked one of his eyes open, vision blurry at first. He was staring up at a dark orange ceiling. The table he was on was cold, icy to a certain point. He sat up, noticing a strange device beside him.

It was shaped like a bell with an opening at the top and bottom. Large, metal spike decorated the inside. Strange and dried substances of an ugly yellow color sat below it. The Doctor was there, placing buckets under the unfamiliar device. He smiled when he noticed the hedgehog was awake.

"Welcome to the Other World, hedgehog. You are our first experiment. Congratulations." He stepped forward, holding one of the larges, metal spikes. "My, this will be fun." Shadow attempted to stand, but found himself strapped to the table.

"Let me go!"

"The Serum would've saved your life, you poor hedgehog."

On the other side of the small, abandoned town, Amy was staring over the edge and into a bottomless chasm. There was a solid road in its place a moment ago. She turned to the town, the scent of smoke heavy in the air.

"Sonic, I hope you're okay…" Her voice trailed off as she made her way pass the pharmacy.

End

I didn't proof read this, so if anyone finds any spellings errors or grammer mistakes, please let me know.