Sonic's slow and cautious walk had turned into a sprint as he became more urgent to find a building with toilets. The problem wasn't finding a bathroom, but a bathroom for anthrops. Humans and anthrops had different sets of rights, and while businesses and local governments were obligated to catering for humans' needs, catering for anthrops' needs was a choice. The streets had become busier at the news of Eggman's death, Sonic knew he'd be stopped by someone for his opinion or something along those lines, which is the last thing he needed.
Sonic stopped in his tracks as he saw them coming, a large crowd of people, led by the press holding cameras and microphones that belonged to many news stations. "Great…" Sonic sighed and braced himself.
"Sonic!" several of the news reporters called. Before he knew it, he was surrounded from all angles by humans, every one of them asking questions while pointing their microphones and cameras at him.
"Sonic, what do you think of Eggman's death-" one reporter started.
"I'd rather not talk about it!" Sonic said, feeling pressured.
"Did you have anything to do with it?" another cut in.
"No!"
"What does the worlds greatest hero plan to do now?"
"Just… chill." Sonic burst out, feeling even more urgent.
"What were you doing when you heard the news, how did you react?"
"Can't remember… I was in shock…. C-can I get out of here?" Sonic asked nervously.
"NO! SONIC!" many called, they wanted him to stay. Sonic became impatient, but there were no exits. The blue hedgehog's ears drooped to the sides of his head with unease and apprehension. He stood silently with his hands by his sides and his legs close together, deciding not to answer any of the questions he heard. Most of the questions were just drowned in sea of voices to he couldn't understand them anyway. After a couple of minutes of this, Sonic had enough.
"SHUT UP!" he bellowed. "I have nothing to do with this… now I have something I really have to do."
The hedgehog's urgency increased as he slowly saw a gap that increased in size. Unable to stand still for much longer he pushed through the space he had then scampered ahead and around the corner.
"Phew… hope I didn't upset anyone."
Sonic ran ahead then stopped in front of a block of public toilets. He sighed with relief when he found some he could use then hurried inside.
The blue blur came back out again looking at ease. "Now to get back to Tails," Sonic said in determination and ran back to the beach for when seemed like the hundredth time that day.
When he got back, Tails was packing up their stuff. "Hey, buddy, what are you doing?" Sonic asked.
"Sonic… you've been gone ages, it's getting late and the tide's coming in," the fox explained.
"Aww, man. They should really put more facilities near this place. I've been running back and forth all day." Sonic exclaimed.
"Perhaps next time, we'll bring more supplies," Tails said and packed the towels they had brought away.
"You know… during my time, travelling around the world with my speed, I've noticed a lot of things. One of them is… there aren't many hedgehogs around anymore," Sonic said while they were walking through some empty streets, on their way back to Tail's workshop.
"Yeah, apart from you, Shadow and Amy, I've not seen any others lately. Perhaps you're a rare species," Tails joked. Sonic gave a small chuckle. "You and Amy may have to reproduce in order to save it." Sonic's smile went immediately.
"Ha. Fat chance, even if we were the last two hedgehogs on Earth I would never do anything with her. She's a good person and all that but, we're in the friendship zone now, and she needs to realise that."
"Amy and Shadow then?" Tails said. Sonic frowned even more.
"Tails, I'm not going to have to save me species! We're not the only ones left!" Sonic exclaimed irritably.
"Yeah, I know but, what if you were in that scenario?" Tails asked.
"Not even if the survival of my race depended on it. I'm a single man, Tails. Always have been, always will be. You know how much I love freedom! I would never settle down with a wife and have children."
"Okay, okay," Tails said, letting Sonic off. They entered a clearing of grass, they were exiting the city.
The blue one stopped all of a sudden. Tails walked a few metres ahead before noticing that Sonic had stopped. The fox looked behind him to see that Sonic was facing the station square cemetery.
"That's where Eggman was found dead," Sonic said monotonously.
"Shall we go and see?"
"No… I'd rather not," Sonic said and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, Shadow was in searing pain and agony. Why hadn't he passed out yet, having not consumed in oxygen, food or water for so long? The dark hedgehog groaned and choked, in a situation like this he would usually use deep and heavy breaths to get him through the pain but he couldn't even do that. He screamed out again and again, but no one could hear him. Even the masses of GUN officers who were investigating the death, and all of the passers by. Then again, Shadow couldn't hear them either. He had no idea how long he'd been in this coffin, but it felt like an eternity, one that would never end.
Sonic and Tails arrived home in mystic ruins. "Ah, good to be back inside where it's cool," Sonic sighed, enjoying the shade that the roof and walls around him created.
"Sonic, do you think we should check up on Rouge before the sun sets… to make sure she's okay?" the young one asked. Sonic gave a slight nod.
"Yeah, sure." The hedgehog seemed very distant.
"You're thinking about Eggman's death, aren't you?" Tails asked cautiously. Sonic turned to face him, with his eyes narrowed in fury.
"Yes, Tails. After everything we fought for, after all of the sacrifices made, all of the lives lost, after all of those days wasted fighting him, the pain we all went through… after all of that!" Sonic started off in a frustrated growl and ended up shouting at the top of his voice, this made Tails jump a little. "After all of it… he simply dies because he trips up on his own two feet…" he rasped and looked to the floor. Sonic's hands were in tightly balled fists and he was shaking, as though he was trying to hold back tears. "Why did we even waste our time?"
The two of them walked into the small living room. Sonic sat down while Tails walked to the front of the room where the TV was.
"You know… some news reporters asked me if I have something to do with his death. I can promise you Tails, I don't. But I wish so much… that I did," Sonic said through gritted teeth.
"D-do you think Shadow has something to do with it?" Tails asked. "It could be why he's been gone for so long…"
"You know what. I hope so. I hope Shadow was behind him and gave him a discreet nudge into that grave before disappearing or something."
Tails turned on the TV to hear that same question being asked to Sonic on the news.
"Did you have anything to do with it?" a female news reporter on the TV asked.
"No!" Sonic's frustrated yell sounded back at the blue hedgehog from the TV.
Tails watched Sonic's actions on the TV, closely. "Whoa, Sonic, you look very tense there… desperate even- oh." Tails smiled in realisation.
Sonic turned away in embarrassment. "Yep… they caught me before I had the chance to go," he grumbled, feeling his cheeks heat up. The young one let out little snorts of laughter which he tried his hardest to hold back.
"Ugh… so many people can see it too…" Sonic groaned. He then looked back at the TV again when he heard the voice over.
"Many believe that Sonic may have something to do with the death of Eggman by because of his anxious nature during the interview-"
"I had to go and I was caught off guard for Chaos sake!" the hedgehog yelled at the screen.
"- but authorities have said that no punishments will be dealt out to anyone who did have connection to the death due to doctor Robotnik's past actions."
Sonic sighed with relief, then got up to leave, he didn't want to hear any more.
"Man… it's been a long day… can't wait to go to bed…" the hedgehog sighed and headed to the door.
"We need to go and see Rouge first, remember?"
Sonic face-palmed. "Yeah, sure… j-just let me take a shower first… got a lot on my mind…"
Tails left Sonic to it. It wasn't like a upbeat hero to act like this, but today was different and a lot needed to be solved.