Shado Akuma

"No-! They were kissing…KISSING! No, no…it can't…it won't—I…"

A dark voice inside him chanted, cackled…

"Kiiiiiihll them…kihll them all…"

"Yes," he said. "I will."

3 June 2020

"Sonic, stay down."

"Ungh…where am I?"

Sonic was slowly—reluctantly—coming to in a room surrounded by warm, chocolate brown walls. A coarse blanket was wrapped around him, and a warm soft bed lay beneath him. He ached…why? He needed to remember…

"What happened?"

A pink thing appeared in his vision. Amy, no doubt. "Sonic, we found you half-drowned in a canal in Soleana. You tell us what happened."

"I—I…" Sonic couldn't think, couldn't remember why he'd appeared in Soleana, why he was half-drowned…and all this didn't explain why he ached. "I…I'm hurtin…"

"I imagine that was because you were bashed around by boats and things while in the canal," Tails, ever the scientist, explained. "You're covered in bruises."

Sonic lifted his hand to rub and massage his forehead. He'd had a dream about a bat-girl, and spiked hot chocolate, and pasta, and…death. And a white hedgehog. Suddenly, he needed them out of the room. "Tails…" he moaned. "I need an aspirin…"

"Of course, Sonic. I'm goin."

"I'll get you some food, Sonic." Amy, not to be outdone, bless her, rose to leave also.

As soon as Sonic was sure he was alone, he rose unsteadily to a sitting position on the bed, continuing to massage his temple as he located his shoes and slipped his numb feet into them. It wouldn't take long for Tails to return. He had to find that white hedgehog.

Somehow, Sonic felt that the dream hedgehog was important. He had to find him—at any cost.

Minutes later, Sonic was on the road to Soleana. His friends would return only a second after his own leaving to find him gone.

And the bed still warm.

Midnight, 4 June 2020

Sonic was really feeling the ache in his body right now. All those bruises were bugging him to no end. Was he forced to suffer a fate he didn't even remember?

He was so tired and ill that he could barely walk now without pins driving into the arch of his foot, the side of his forehead, the pit of his stomach, and everywhere else in between. His body was telling him to stop and rest, but his drive insisted to his body that he needed to go on.

At least now he was in Soleana. That was Part One of his mission. Now for Part Two. Where was that white hedgehog?

"Hi, there."

Sonic turned around. A white hedgehog with a tall crown of quills on his head and two more like pigtails behind him with black boots and a strange blue symbol on his white gloves, accompanied by a purple cat with an elegant jacket of similar color to her fur and high heeled boots with white fur trim, were standing before him.

An electric wave rushed through Sonic faster than he himself could travel. His dreams told him nothing of a purple cat (who seemed quite ill-tempered, by the look of it), but this was definitely the white hedgehog he had seen. Regardless, he tried to keep calm and hide his surprise.

"Are you lost?" The silver hedgehog spoke with such innocence and sugary sweetness that it made Sonic want to trust him immediately, though he didn't know his alliance. "I can help you find your way."

"It looks like he's in pain, Silver." The purple cat addressed the white hedgehog in a low whisper. "He's a traveler, no doubt."

"I wonder if he's mute?" Silver responded to the cat, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Then, to Sonic, he smiled. "Would you like to come with us? We have an apartment here in the city. You can stay in our spare room."

"We don't have a 'spare room'," The purple cat hissed, but Silver paid her no mind.

"Don't listen to Blaze," he thumbed the cat. "She's just upset cause she's not a big fan of water. You can come with us, regardless."

Sonic debated this. He needed Silver's help somehow, and if this was the fastest way, so be it. He nodded, trying to smile sincerely through the pain.

"All right." Silver grinned. "Come on, then." And he effortlessly lifted Sonic, bridal style, into his arms. Sonic winced as his wounds were touched and instinctively grabbed hold of the white hedgehog who carried his injured body towards the apartment.

As he listened to Silver and Blaze talk, he found himself unwillingly falling into fantasies. He realized that he held an affection for Silver which could not be erased no matter how hard he tried. And it grew the more he heard his voice. A giggle almost rose to his lips, and he was quick to swallow it back down before they reached Silver's apartment.

Two-Thirty AM, 4 June 2020

"Put him down on the couch, Silver. You've carried him far enough."

Silver weaved his way through the door and kicked it with his boot. The young hedgehog he held wasn't at all heavy, though he didn't look more than a little underweight. By the look of him, he was probably only three years older than himself.

His partner and best friend Blaze the Cat, a Princess in her own dimension and now almost fifteen (while silver himself had quite a ways to go before he could even hope to see fifteen), was sour-tempered most of the time, even outside of Soleana. She considered herself superior to everyone, probably because of her station, and was civil only to those who recognized her royal birth. As for being in this dimension, the reason for that remained unknown.

Silver gave a sigh. "He's weak as anything, Blaze. I think he'd benefit from some hot tea."

Blaze nodded. "Sure, offer your bed, your hide, your tea…"

"Blaze!" But Silver, reluctant, obeyed her and put the young hedgehog on the couch. He stirred upon leaving Silver's grasp and quickly settled into a sitting position. Silver fetched a hot wet washcloth and began to wash the helpless creature. "We couldn't have just left him to drown! The poor thing would surely stumble into a canal when the lamps were turned down!"

"Your heart's too big, Silv." Blaze sighed heavily as she entered with some hot porridge and a cup of tea. "But, oddly, I respect that. If you find him worthy of your time, I approve." She smiled warmly at Silver, and even paid a glance of affection to their guest.

Silver smiled warmly. "Thanks, Blaze."

Blaze waved. "I'm off to bed. Don't forget to get some sleep yourself."

"Aye aye," Silver responded, before concentrating on his work. Suddenly, he looked up into the stranger's pretty green eyes, his own of amber color shining in the dim light of the overhead lamp.

"I'm going to be honest, stranger. I don't think you're a mute, and I don't think you deserve to starve like a common peasant. I'm going to feed you some porridge until I get a vocal response from you. And I want your name as soon as possible." And he turned his back to prepare the porridge.

While he was stirring it, however, a new voice entered the scene.

"My name's Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog."

Silver jumped in surprise, nearly spilling the hot porridge all over his lap. He turned back towards the hedgehog, a look of utter surprise on his face. "I knew you could speak!" He whispered in triumph. "Would you care for some porridge or tea?"

"No porridge, thanks. I lost my appetite long ago. I'll take the tea, though, if you don't mind." The blue hedgehog called Sonic smiled a little, resting his elbows on his knees. Silver handed him the tea, and he nodded in thanks, taking a sip. "Mmmm. Plum tea."

"Yes. It's my favorite." Silver replied, smiling inwardly. Blaze hadn't chosen to sacrifice her own favorite Earl Grey to the stranger, it seemed.

"It's good. I prefer hot chocolate, though." Sonic smiled wider, leaning back into the couch now. "You have a nice place here."

"It's only temporary, and most of this doesn't belong to us. Thanks anyway, though."

Silence. Silver watched Sonic drink his tea, and also observed the stranger's wild green eyes, studying him as well. After a moment, Silver rung his hands.

"Won't you try a little porridge? For me? I'll feel better if you have a little food in you. You don't look well."

Sonic sat back, shocked. "I wasn't aware I looked sick! I assure you, I feel fine." At Silver's pleading look, he resigned. "But I will try a spoonful for you." Silver smiled, victorious.

The white hedgehog scooped the silver spoon deep into the middle of the warm, mushy porridge and fished out a heaping spoonful of the warm food. Sonic obediently opened his mouth and the spoon went in. Sonic closed his lips over the porridge and closed his eyes in a warmed ecstasy as he swallowed.

"Mmm," he mused. "That's not fair. It tastes delicious! And I haven't eaten in…who knows how long?"

"I guessed you were a traveler. How were you injured?" Silver went to scoop more porridge. Sonic accepted the spoonful, and the next, with increased reluctance.

"I was told by my friends that they found me half-drowned in the canals here. I traveled back here from up north to, uh…" He accepted the spoonful only to give himself time to think. He was here to get answers, not to eat. "To see the city. It's not half bad, despite the stench."

"Yes. I admire the architecture on the palace. Please have another spoonful. You're irresistibly cute when you eat." At that comment, they both flushed and backed up a little. "Sorry," Silver injected quickly. "I've been gay for a while, so…but I didn't mean to say it! Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I'm beginning to think I'm gay, too." Sonic responded thoughtfully. "To please you, I'll have one more spoonful, and then I'll have to stop. I'm starting to feel a bit ill."

"Fair enough." Silver, still blushing, offered him one more spoonful, which the other male took, and set the bowl—still more than halfway full—aside, rising to sit beside his companion. "What makes you think you're gay?"

Sonic looked bashfully towards Silver. "This is going to sound really weird," he said shyly. "But…I think I love you."

Three AM, 4 June 2020

By this time, both boys had lost any sense they had before getting into bed together.

They were not having sex—no, not yet—but it seemed that at any second they might. The only reason they dared not was Sonic's injuries and Silver's innocence. So for these dumb reasons, they refused to go beyond groping and feeling and making out to no end, pushing against each other lustfully, afraid to go further but wanting it badly anyway. They twisted and turned with each other under the sheets, and without any sex at all, a pact was made between them.

It was a pact of everlasting love and respect for the other, and hopes that someday, the relationship might reach its top.

Long after Silver had gone to sleep, tired from his bed-wrestling with a being quite strong despite his pain, Sonic stared at the moonlight, sighing as Silver innocently sucked his nipple in the night, wondering if this is why he'd had this dream.

Sonic never knew he could feel such pleasure without plunging his penis into something. And, he thought, he would never feel this happy again in his life.

No, not ever.

Early Morning, 4 June 2020

Shadow the Hedgehog was making his semi-weekly rounds when he heard the giggling of two young lovers in a nearby clearing. He leered, curious. He liked watching guy-on-guy sex, which he figured was an odd but secret perversion. And from the way those guys were going at it, he was not to be denied if he watched.

Ready for a show, Shadow pushed aside the ferns blocking his view.

What he saw shocked him.

Sonic the Hedgehog was wrestling and kissing with another male hedgehog! This one was younger than Sonic, maybe by three years, with playful amber eyes and a handsome young body…and quite the fluffy chest. This creature was adorable—almost as adorable as Sonic was to him—but burning jealousy made Shadow feel nothing but hate for this creature.

About to throw up violently, he ran away from the scene before the lovers went further and retched up an extreme amount of vomit. When he was finished dispelling his load, Shadow punched the ground and began to cry.

"Why? What does that kid got that I don't?" He stood up, pacing. "Why…? They were kissing! KISSING! I can't believe it! It can't be true!" He was sobbing horribly now, punching trees and shrubs and kicking boulders and rocks and anything he could find, really. "I'll kill him!" He shouted.

"Why stop at killing him?" An inner voice hissed. "Why not vow to kill them all? Especially the one who spurned your affections? Hmm?"

Shadow, mad with grief, listened intently to the inner voice. A smile of madness crossed his lips. "Yes. Yes."

And right then and there, it was decided upon. The kid, and everyone else, was going to die.

Ten O'clock, 4 June 2020

Blaze couldn't believe it, yet she had watched it being done.

First, this black hedgehog had jumped Silver and choked him to death, then defiled his corpse by separating the neck from the body and sending blood and guts every direction intended, all the while shouting about 'Sonic.'

Blaze guessed the blue hedgehog was this 'Sonic.' Poor Silver. She wanted to cry, but she was too angry. She could only think about the brilliant young mechanic she'd met in town today; a fox with two tails—what a find! His eyes were blue…just like the coat on the one who had started all this! "Damn!" Blaze hissed to herself. "I'll kill that damn blue hedgehog."

Something else alerted her attention as she was turning to go. More voices and more violent killings. Two lovers, who died hand in hand—a red echidna and a pink hedgehog—now lay side by side-identical holes piercing their chests.

It was the fox that now attracted her attention. A golden fox with bright blue eyes and two tails. Blaze adored that little fox—yes, she'd fallen in love with a younger man! She couldn't deny it. But…what was he doing? Talking to that black monster, calling him "Shadow." Blaze growled. "Shadow."

Suddenly, her love was killed by a green spear that had appeared in Shadow's hand. Her love fell to the ground.

And in that moment, Blaze was pushed to the limit.

"NOOOO!"

In the shadows, demons lurk.

In the Shadow, a demon lives.

The Shadow, a demon is.