a/n: Something to chew on.

Galactic Shackles

03. Neutrality

"Ey, I got some new duds. Think I'll keep 'em for a while. Fits with the whole aesthetic."

"You're as positive as ever."

"Gotta start somewhere, Shadow."

"Hmph."

Sonic and Shadow sat at a table across from each other, flanked by guards. The place was a maximum security prison, informally called the White Base for its pristine exterior walls and blindingly white interior. The tables and chairs were the same.

"Something outta one of those kooky tech films. Y'know like...the Matrix. Yeah, like that," Sonic quipped. He leaned back in his chair, clad in a custom made orange jumpsuit. Chains loosely hung between his ankles and wrists, attached to handcuffs made of a space age material.

"They let you keep your shoes."

"Guess that's a courtesy of theirs. I dunno what they're thinking. I got a spot in solitary confinement. Apparently I'm too famous to keep around everyone else. They love me out here, Shads."

The black hedgehog grunted at the nickname. "I'm sure they do."

"Nah, I'm serious. They do. I signed a few autographs, y'know? It's all love for the most part 'round here."

"You're not evil."

"'Course not. I mean...if I was, the Doc wouldn't have to show me what real evil was, eh? Remember?"

"Hard to forget. We saved the world from the Egg Fleet. And then you saved it from Metal Sonic."

"With a lot of help from my friends."

"A little. You took the lead as always."

Sonic smirked. "Heh. You're laying it on pretty thick today."

"Am I? Remind me not to praise you for any heroic deeds the next time."

"You're a laugh riot, Shads."

"Things haven't been well on the outside for certain people."

"Yeah. S'why I asked you to come out alone today. Relay the info to the outside. You've got the cooler head," Sonic said seriously. "Amy...how's she doing?"

"She's paying the Chaotix to deliver food to her apartment. She's not letting Prower in at all. Or anyone else if she can help it. Everything is ordered online or over the phone. It's been two weeks and she's had no contact with the outside world. Prower said...she had lost significant weight, and was an insomniac. Nervous breakdowns and manic episodes."

"Damn..."

"There's nothing you can do."

"Yeah. If she sees me like this...what about Tails?" he asked, switching subjects.

"Sleep deprived. Tense. Increasingly angry. His rage will consume him soon if we're not careful."

"Lil' bro, too...man. What'll happen if I don't beat this...well, I mean when, I guess."

"Their conditions will bottom out at some point. But the mental damage will warp them."

"Reassuring."

"There's nothing we can do."

"I hate hearing that, but the truth is bitter, I guess." He looked at Shadow. "And the Eggster?"

"The usual movements. Nothing much to report since your last escapade."

"Ah, that's cool. Gonna put it to bed when I get some free time," Sonic said casually. He put his feet up on the table, to the annoyance of the guards. "Ooh, they're keeping away this time. Nice to have V. on my side."

"You'd do well not to provoke your captors."

"Pfft. It's whatever. Gonna come out the same as...hm."

Shadow raised a brow at the sudden stop. Sonic was thinking deeply on something.

"...if I do come out. It really won't be the same as before. The world will change...and I will too. I'm gonna be thinking of those two a lot. About everything. Even right now, I'm changing. Huh." He blinked a few times. "Maybe...I should give that more thought."

"Do you feel...?"

"Nah. I don't feel like that...obligated to think those things, if that's what you mean. I just...want to think life over a little."

"Make sure you know what that means. They'll be waiting for you as you are."

"I figure."

"Time's up," one of the guards rumbled.

"Guess that's your cue. See ya 'round, Shadow."

"Yeah. Same to you."

"Right-o." Sonic flashed his familiar grin as the guards hauled him up roughly and into the depths of the prison.

Shadow could see a new edge to it, that smile.

Are you sharpening yourself? I take it you realize what that means. Or...have you been preparing for this from the beginning?

"How is that you're still so unpredictable?" Shadow muttered to himself.

He left the prison quietly, wrapped in his own thoughts.

"I just don't think we should be treating a guy who saved us from a water monster thing like this! Did ya see the size of it? And then that whole space station thing?"

"Nobody is supposed to be above the law! That's what this is about, order and justice. It's not fair to the victim's family-"

"But you heard what the lil' girl said in her testimony!"

"Even if he didn't identify himself, what then? Are we supposed to allow him to kill whoever he wants just because they do things he doesn't like?"

"Ey, you're making it sound way way too trivial! Get outta here! Someone got shot!"

Another week would pass. Deliberations over the sentence continued.

Vector leaned back in his chair while watching television. These days, even talk shows had become important.

"Another successful delivery. You're sure about this, Vector?"

"I ain't that heartless, Espio. Don't take any payment from her even if she insists. I got it covered." Well, he did because of a certain 'anonymous benefactor'. One that had wings and owned a night club in the city. But he would have paid out of pocket if it came to it.

"I see. This shouldn't go on any longer, even if it is out of kindness. Her health is still declining."

"Sheesh. She really does have it bad for him, then," Vector commented. "Heck, I thought it was just puppy love and would fade off at some point, but..."

"It seems there's nothing more we can do," Espio said as he stared at the television.

"Seems so. Is Charmy still out?"

"Yes. I've found a means to keep him with Vanilla until further notice. As far as he's concerned, it's a long mission."

"Heh. Good move. I know he's not an idiot, but...it'd be nice to keep him and the other kids out of this if possible. Well, aside from the ones who are already stuck in this mess."

"I agree."

"As for us...well, we're gonna have to start looking for those chains they're tying up our hero with. We all know that he's got no reason to be cooped up in some jail cell," Vector said.

"Any leads?"

"Zilch. And our sassy friend is as stumped as we are."

"Hm." Espio thought on it for a moment but could come up with nothing himself. "It must be a threat of some kind."

"Any ideas on what kind? And against who?"

"It might be...the source of his irritation. I'm sure he knows."

"Who?"

"Tails," Espio replied. "If there is pressure from some kind of group..."

"I'm just wondering what kind of threat would make Sonic fold like that. And obviously he can't say what it is, otherwise we would have busted this thing wide open by now. Ah, geez. This is gettin' under my skin."

"What should our next move be?"

"I figure you know as well as I do, Esp."

The chameleon nodded. "Just say when."

"Now's a good time. You know, whenever your 'now' is, at least," Vector said with a grin.

"Understood. I'll make contact with our 'sassy' friend. Anything else?"

"Nah. Break a leg, Espio. Long as it's not yours."

Espio disappeared from the room a moment later.

"How's he do that?" Vector shrugged and put on his headphones.

"Got a lot of nerve showing up here all of a sudden."

Sonic sat at the back of his small cell, not bothering to look up at his visitor.

"You haven't learned a thing since we've last talked. How troublesome."

"I did what ya asked. You keeping your promise, or not?"

"Partially."

"Like I said, a lot of nerve."

"You could kill me right now," the woman with blue eyes said. "Why don't you?"

"Because that's not your body. You're renting it out...ain't that right, Princess?"

"Hmph. A lot of cheek for someone in this kind of situation."

"All I can do at this point is hope you keep your word. That's all I've got to guarantee their safety," he said. "Sure went to a lot of trouble for this, though."

"I need you out of my hair for a long while. I intend to change the world greatly in your absence, Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Ah, ya could've just asked nicely if that was the case."

"Amusing. Well...let me reward you for your faith in me. Your loved ones will no longer be under my watch."

"Appreciate it. I'll handle the rest from here, then."

"I see. Although..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry to say, but there's nothing that can be done for the girl. Even if you begged..."

"..." He sighed and kept his gaze on the floor. "I guess you've got no reason to lie about that."

"There is a way to cleanse her, if you're at all interested. When you return to the outside world, take her north."

"North, eh. Alright. Thanks for the tip, I guess."

"See you in a few years."

"Hey."

She stopped and turned to face him again.

"Tell the girl in there that it'll be okay. I'll save her when I get out."

The woman gave him a cruel smile. "You will? I guess we'll see if she needs to be rescued by that time. It should be fun, no?"

"..."

She laughed and the door closed behind her, leaving Sonic with the dim light above his head. He yawned and the chains rattled with his movement.

"Eh. The suits are saying three to five based on my saving the world a few dozen times and all. Guess civic duty ain't worth much these days. Nothing I can do from here." He made a face. "Nothing I can do...man, I'm sick of saying that. And hearing it. Really don't like the feeling."

What's clear is that I'm dealing with some kind of mystic thing again, and you can't be too careful with those types. In the meantime, I should work on something useful.

"Besides, what's a debut without a few new tricks? I've got time..."

"Ooh, what do we have here?"

Rouge's eyes lit up as she looked over the text on her laptop screen. A hot cup of coffee sat on the table next to her.

"Shadow, my dear. You must come and see this."

"You sound amused." He looked over her shoulder. "What am I looking at?"

"Someone doesn't want us looking in a certain direction. And my clearance is quite high, you know."

He couldn't miss the gleeful smile on her face.

"I suppose we're causing trouble for our superiors. Again."

"Oh, yes. Make a call to our ninja friend, won't you? You can never have enough skilled men on your side, in any situation."

"You think that it's related to Sonic," Shadow said as he cracked his neck.

"Of course." Rouge took a moment to sip from her mug. "But all work and no play makes us very dull. Let's have some fun with this, mm?"

Shadow sighed and left the kitchen.

"I'll organize the supplies."