Dib07: Hahaha, chucking these chapters out as fast as I can! Internet is being super, super awful, so progress has been extra hard on submitting anything, including replying to messages. No internet is pure torture.

Chapter 16: Shadow

'His actions will condemn us all!'– Silver – Sonic the Hedgehog next gen

It was the dense morning light that woke Sonic. The stark illumination burned on his eyelids, forcing him to yawn and turn his head to the side. The light came from the cave's mouth. The lips of the opening dripped with icy water, causing the gentle continuos noise of water drips.

Other than that, it was deathly quiet outside.

Sonic remembered where he was and bolted up right. Silver, in the night, had snuggled right up to him, and was thrown awake by Sonic's sudden motion.

"What?" The time-traveler rubbed the sleep from his eyes, before saying out of context, "I hate this time… it's always so cold here."

"Shhh!" Sonic snapped at him. He grew worried. I've slept all damn night! What if I've been killed? Or Shadow? Or Knuckles or anyone?

He went to get up but he was still weak from last night. He faltered forward and grazed his knee on a lump of stone. Silver groggily went to assist him and together they walked to the mouth of the cave.

Now he knew why this place was safe. The cave was high up, and had been carved into a mountain face. Below them, at least thirty feet below, was the ground.

It was so quiet because the fighting had moved to the south, near the ocean.

"I've got to go out there and help them…" Sonic stated flatly, "what if…"

"They're fine." Silver replied, though he seemed distracted himself, "I tried to talk Shadow out of fighting but we wouldn't listen. Besides, you won't be able to do much. You're not well."

Sonic grunted.

The psychic turned and headed round the cave's entrance. "Come on, I'll find us some breakfast."

The ground near the cave's open mouth and on the ledges was barren of food. All the plants that grew here were thick with nettles, and deadly cliff roses with spikes clung to rocks like leeches. Silver climbed higher up the mountain face, following a sharp ravine just wide enough to allow him to place his feet along it. Sonic hung back; too woozy to walk and balance at the same time, so he went back into the cave and sat against the wall.

"I should have brought some medicine back with me from Sally's tent." He whispered to himself. It might have helped with his fever.

The question was, where did he start from here? What did he have to do? Could he save all of them?

"And the bugs…" The mind-controlling insects were apparently everywhere. He didn't even know what one looked like. Shadow didn't need to be saved yet. It wasn't time, or so he thought. Sally's death was a long way off too, unless of course everything was changed now and the future he once knew was replaced by a different one.

"So confusing…" The shivers clustered again. His mind sparked with dizziness. Now he knew why Silver slept so close in the night. Sonic needed the warmth. They both did.

Sleep whispered to him again. And he was so sick.

He unconsciously lay down and rested his head on the soft soil. His head burned. His ears rang. Then darkness engulfed him.

'You've opened the door.

There's darkness there.

There's nothing.

But you've opened the door.'

Sonic was running. The valley opened up like a green ocean. He loved to run. He had to do it. He could not stand and wait for things to happen. He liked to take action. It was how he lived.

The mountains rolled up in the distance like spearheads. A gold falcon was gliding on the wind currents above him. His lips twinged into a smile. He ran faster. If you did not run, where would the future be? If you did not run, there would be no action. No beginning. No end.

But this dream was different. Silver was running towards him like before. But he did not ignore Sonic. He stopped, turned and joined Sonic. They ran together over the grassy plain like brothers.

'You like it here, don't you?'Silver asked.

'Yes.'Sonic replied. 'With all my heart.'

'You can't stay.'

'I know.'

The valley floor grew dark up ahead and they ran into a forest. It was a thick, huge forest with no exits. It wasn't long before Sonic lost Silver in the darkness.

'Silver!'

He couldn't find him. He ran, jumping over fallen branches and narrowly avoiding holes in the deep grass. He wanted to stop running, but his legs wouldn't listen to his commands. And then, he fell into a fiery pit.

Sonic was awoken by a swift cry. It sounded like Silver.

He was still in the cave and his face was covered in a film of sweat. He forced himself up and went to the entrance of the cave.

"Silver?" He called.

The white hedgehog bounded up to him, mouth and hands full of wild red berries. "Food!" He cried gaily, while holding out the trophies in his hands.

Sonic took some tentatively and watched Silver stuff his face with fruit. The red fluid oozed and bubbled down his chin ungracefully. It looked like he had taken a violent hit to the face. Sonic wondered if the crimson stains would ever come off his white fur.

He bit into the berries he held and savored the sour flavor. They weren't ripe yet, which was disappointing, but the small succulent snack was greatly welcomed. He could not remember the last time he ate.

Silver passed more to him, and they ate happily until it was all gone. After they were finished, Silver foolishly wiped his red hands on his legs, leaving huge red smears on his thighs. Sonic wiped his hands on a few leaves, then asked, "what do we do for water?"

"The moisture from the berries will have to do." He said. "There's no water here unless you want to spend hours hacking away at the ice in the lake. It's a meter thick."

"Humph." Nevermind then.

"Like I said before, I hate this time. At least we don't have a winter in the future where I come from. Well, not like this."

Sonic sighed and forced his shaking muscles and joints to relax. "Silver, I need to think of a way to get my past self out of the way. How do I do that?"

He shrugged, which wasn't helpful. "I don't know what you intend to do."

"What if… we see each other?"

Silver looked at him sharply, and his golden orbs looked fierce. "That mustn't happen. If it does… it might cause a time paradox, destroying everything. I wouldn't be sure, but it's the worse that can happen."

"Okay." He went into the cave and slid the straps of the bag over his shoulder. It was heavy, due to the weight of the emerald. "I suggest we move and get things rolling into motion again. I can't believe I'm trying to shape the future into a better picture, but that's the reason you're here, isn't it?"

Silver replied cryptically, "I came to save us all."

It was time to find Shadow, and more importantly himself. He told Silver to watch out for the mind controlling bugs, and they kept close as they carefully descended the mountain face and went in search of the camp Shadow liked to use to rest. Unfortunately, when they arrived, he wasn't there.

"Where to?" Silver was assigned to watch duty. Not only did he have to look out for microscopic bugs, but Knuckles and the gang too.

Sonic took out the blue emerald from his bag. "Silver, take this." He gave it to the time-traveler, hoping that he was doing the right thing, "I want you to throw it into a horde of Eggman's robots."

"Come again?" He raised both his eyeridges. "Are you mad? This… this is a chaos emerald we're talking about!"

"I know, but trust me. Knuckles has to find it, okay?"

"Knuckles?"

Sonic couldn't tolerate his confusion. "Do this for me, then I want you to find somewhere safe and hide. You've done your part."

"What are you going to do?"

Sonic didn't know. "Just do as I say, and watch out for the bugs. Once they take over your mind, there's no going back."

Silver nodded, took the emerald and left reluctantly. Sonic was on his own.

The blue hedgehog kept to the outskirts of the fighting. The feral wind had picked up, but at least it wasn't snowing anymore. He regarded the heavens ominously. There were no rain clouds yet.

He moved swiftly despite his indisposed state. The fever was kept at bay by the wind that cooled his face as he sprinted ahead.

Shads… where are you?

But what about Sally? How was he going to save her?

An idea struck him. But he had to do it fast.

He turned in the opposite direction to where he was going and went the other way. Sally's tent was far from the battle. It was located behind some hills, and surrounded by guards that he knew would die later.

He found it easily. Before entering, he hid behind a dead tree, waiting to see if his past self was around.

When it seemed clear, he trotted towards the tent, and entered. The princess turned to him. She was alone in the tent, and he saw a gun resting on an unused bed. He didn't know she had a gun.

"Sal?" He quipped tiredly, "are you okay?"

She nodded faintly. Her sapphire eyes shone from the torches in the tent. "Sonic? You look terrible! Where have you been?" At least she was not suspicious of what he was doing. The past Sonic must not have seen her for sometime.

"Look, I," he hated to avoid her questions, but he needed her to co-operate, "I need you to leave. Contact Tails or your King, I don't care. You're leaving this godforsaken place."

"No!" She brushed some of her thick brunette hair aside. "I'm here to fight and help, as much as you do. You don't order me around Sonic! I am future queen!"

"Exactly! Which is why you need to take your things and go!" His voice cracked in desperation. "Please Sal! Do this for me!"

The princess crossed her arms defiantly. "I choose to stay here. What has gotten into you? I am a freedom fighter too. I will not hide and cower like Eggman himself! What will my people think of me if I do?"

Sonic's pleas weren't working and if he didn't hurry, he would lose Shadow. He tried another tactic. "Give me your communicator!"

Her eyes stayed fixed on his. "Why?"

"Please! I'm gonna find Tails!"

Irritated, Sally unlooped the string from a hook above the bed and revealed the small yellow calling device. She glanced at it for a moment as if rethinking her decision, then she tossed it over at Sonic. He caught it easily. The buttons were tiny. His large fingers struggled to key in the right code, and his feverish shaking didn't help.

An instant later, Tails' meek face popped into the view screen. He looked unharmed, but a little scared. The moment he saw his hero however, a big cheesy grin marred his complexion. "Sonic!"

"Heya pal!" Sonic said thickly, wishing they didn't have to see each other like this. He had to succeed, so that they could live in peace again. "I need you to come over in your plane. I want you near Sal's camp, so you can rescue her when the time comes, okay?"

He saw the fox nod in acquiescent.

"I've got to go now," he added anxiously, "just wait for my message, and I want you to take Sal out of here, even if it means she kicks and screams."

Sally grunted her disapproval.

"Okay! Roger!" The fox did a weak show of a salute. "I'll be careful not to give my position or hers away."

"Good. Over and out." The connection was severed and Sonic slipped the device into his pack.

Sally kept the edge to her stare. "You're crazy."

"I know!" He didn't have time to take any medicine. It was time to save Shadow, and even himself from committing murder.

I'll deal with my fever when all this is over.

Before Sally had a chance to say goodbye, Sonic boomed out of her tent like a fork of lightening.

His efforts in saving the future were showing in the fighting. They weren't so close to the brink of defeat. Somehow, saving Silver had saved a lot of his troops morale. He guessed it was because, when Silver was injured, he and Shadow pulled away from the fighting, and that was enough to cause his army to disintegrate. Now however, they were in the throng of battle more. Which was good and bad. Good because they weren't losing. Bad because it caused more stress on the fighters.

He scanned relentlessly, searching for Shadow.

The speed he was traveling made him feel lighter. It pushed back his sickness momentarily. He saw Knuckles making his ring of bodies. He saw Tails in his third plane heading for Sally. He saw the Chaotix. No Shadow.

Then he saw his past self. The blue hedgehog looked a lot healthier than he did. In his hands he was tossing the green chaos emerald. There were no signs of possession. He looked quite natural.

Sonic followed. His past self took him straight to the one he had been searching for. Shadow.

The two hedgehogs stood side by side like long lost brothers. Between them, they talked seriously. The scarlet sky beyond was rich and foreboding. The cries of battle flecked the air like daggers. He saw Shadow take off his bangles.

"No!" He inwardly gasped as he cowered behind a rock, "put them back on!"

Shadow conferred a little longer with Sonic. Then they ran and split up. Now was Sonic's chance to intervene again.

Making sure they had moved on, Sonic ran over to where they had stopped. He saw the gold bangles shining competently in the falling light. He tenderly picked them up and placed those in his bag. Then he took out a syringe with a heavy dosage and gripped it in his palm. This was what he had truly been waiting for.

The fight wasn't so desperate, and the past Shadow and Sonic had kept to the plan they were to have used in the future. They helped their army move into the ravine where it was safer.

Sonic sped quickly, his bag bumping on his spines in a cumbersome rhythm. In the sky, he failed to see Rouge flying in Shadow's direction.

The rain clouds started to build.