Thank you to everyone that review and offered critism. As you guys probably noticed I keep changing the name of this story, but I can't come up with a good one -_-' Please review and offer a name if you can

And for those of you that haven't read the comics, don't worry I haven't either. I don't like to use OC's if I can avoid it though.

Here's the longest chap so far!

"Shadow!" Immediately the blue hedgehog that had called his counterpart's name sat up, only to bonk heads with the other who was leaning over him. "Ugh, what'd you want?"

He stepped back and watched as Sonic sat up. "The echidna keeps claiming that all of the other members of his tribe are dead." The black and red hedgehog leaned up against one of the walls, "And he keeps us locked in here. As much as I hate to say it, I believe we should at least attempt to work together in order to escape. Afterwards the two of us can find out where we are and how to get home."

Sonic watched for a few minutes before letting out a puff of air, "Fine, but if you try to kill me-"

"You'd be dead if I'd been trying." The prince snapped, cutting across the other's words and walking towards the door with the younger one following close behind.

XXxxXX

Sonic offered the squirrel a smile and a shrug, it had taken a while, but eventually he'd been able to prove that, even though he had long quills and his waist was slightly like a girl's, he was not a girl. He followed behind her as they walked down a set of stairs and through many passageways, until they came to a room filled with armor and weapons to find something that fit him.

After walking inside Sonic immediately dashed out with both arms wrapped around his stomach and a slightly green muzzle, "I think one of them has still got the owner in it."

The squirrel paled, "That is possible… these were won by Black Doom through battles."

"Joy." Sonic said as he placed as much sarcasm as he could into the word, "What's down here?"

The squirrel groaned underneath her breath as she followed behind the blue hedgehog quickly vanishing around the corner, why did she always have to get stuck with the curious ones?

Sonic stopped as he got to the end of the hallway, his ears lowering slightly along with his tail.

Through the grate in the heavy wooden door up ahead he could see cells lining the next hallway, some of which had children in them. A flash of red caught his attention just as the squirrel made it to where he was.

"I'll just be a minute." He said waving her off. "Could you try and find some good armor?"

She sighed and walked back without trying to change his mind.

The smell was what hit him first. It was the smell of sweat and blood, with what one would think of a disease or infection would smell like. Than the sound hit him harder than any punch could.

For the blue hero it was almost too much. As he walked along feral rats skittered away from his feet and many eyes watched him silently. Young, broken weeping came from a few of the cells yanking on his heart. All of his life he'd fought to keep anything like this from happening and to keep people safe, while just a hairline of a decision away there were places like this.

"Please." Someone grasped onto his wrist and he turned to see a mongoose that would've had yellow fur and purple hair, if it weren't stained with dirt and blood. "Can you help us?"

He stared at her before nodding, "I'll try my best. What's your name?"

She gave him a small smile, "Mina."

"What's the area down there?" Sonic asked as he pointed to a darker section of the prison where he'd seen the flash of red.

A frown fell onto her face as she looked herself, "That's where prisoners that are going to be executed are kept."

He nodded his thanks and hurried on towards where he'd seen the red.

"Sonic!"

At the word he immediately spun around and dashed up to the front of a cell, immediately recognizing the two inside, "Rouge! Knuckles!"

"Why are you here? Did you get captured?" Knuckles demanded with worry lacing his tone.

Sonic shook his head, "Black Doom thinks me and Shadow got kidnapped, we're here a guests and I snuck away from the girl that's taking care of me."

"You look different." Rouge observed and he blushed lightly, he'd forgotten the reason why the squirrel had thought he was a girl.

Knuckles glanced up and down before grabbing onto his wrist, "I need you to listen to me and remember it!" He barked, getting a confused nod in return. "Everyone's hopes are riding on you, everyone's dreams. I need you to stay as near Shadow as you can and stay safe, if you feel dizzy find a place where no one can find you and wait it out. Believe in yourself and try your hardest to remember."

"Remember? Knuckles, my memory is fine…"

"Listen to me, Hedgehog. You can not die, if you die so will many others. Listen to your dreams, and try to forgive your father when you find him."

"My father?"

"Hey!" Immediately Knuckles and Rouge shrunk back into the shadows of their cell as an armored guard marched down the hall. "You're not supposed to be down here!"

He roughly grabbed onto a peach arm and pulled the hedgehog towards the door with him, the squirrel appearing at the last second.

"Wait! I apologize, he's a guest of the prince and I had not told him where he wasn't supposed to go. It is my fault and I will take care of him."

The guard stared at her suspiciously before roughly shoving him towards her and going back into the dim hallway.

"Did you find who you were looking for?" She asked as she led him back towards the room he'd woken up in.

His eyes widened as he watched her for a few minutes before nodding, "Yeah, I've got a lot to think about."

"Write it down if you need to, I'll be back for you in half an hour, you should change." After saying so she closed the door and walked away.

XXxxXX

The clothes had been a copy of the ones he'd worn to the joust, but of a finer material, making them useless, yet he wore them. Sonic followed behind her as they walked through the dark hallways until they got to a point where he could feel the air moving through his quills, "We're close to the doors."

She nodded and cast him a curious glance, "How'd you know? You were asleep when we came."

"The air's moving." He ignored the weird look she gave him and looked at the black stones that made up the walls, "I never got your name."

Her lips pressed together as they got closer to the dining room before she spoke, "My name is Sally Acorn. You should go in, your seat's next to Shadow."

"Miss Acorn, your caretaker has been searching for you." He smiled and shook the thought out of his head.

"Thanks. I'll see you later."

The doors opened in front of him and Sonic walked in. It was his first time seeing Black Doom and he couldn't help but be reminded of when he'd been frozen in spot hearing his friend's panicked cries and dependent on Shadow to save them, to him it seemed there was barely a difference besides clothes.

"Come sit down." Black Doom said in a less gravelly voice.

Sonic gulped and walked over to sit next to Shadow offering the dark hedgehog a small smile. Black Doom nodded and everyone but the two of them began to eat.

"Something's bothering you." Shadow said quietly.

"I saw a friend and he gave me some advice, I can't talk here." Sonic mumbled out of the corner of his mouth.

Shadow gave a small nod and turned to his food while he did the same. At the moment it didn't matter that it didn't taste good, there was a possibility they wouldn't get another free meal as easy. Remembering the mongoose he snuck a loaf of bread and sent it to his hammer space, where he and his friends kept the Chaos Emeralds and rings and Amy kept her hammer.

"I apologize for mistaking your gender." Black Doom suddenly said, drawing everyone's attention to the three of them. "I assumed that my son simply could not be defeated by such a… scrawny boy."

There were snickers around the table from the others, many of which came from Mobians who were a little too large around for their own good.

"I was under malnutrition as a child besides, it's better than someone who can't see their own feet defeating him."

Shadow let a smirk appear on his face as he heard his younger friend shoot a reply back. It seemed that this would be an interesting dinner after all.

Black Doom nodded, "Of course. What providence are you from boy?"

"Freedonia."

Shadow coughed loudly to cover up the sudden laugh that had bubbled up from his throat as he stomped on a sneakered foot, earning a glare from the owner of it.

Black Doom looked confused before nodding slowly, "Since I assumed you were a girl I had you placed in the women's quarters, until a room is prepared I fear you will have to share with my son."

This time it was Sonic hiding his snickers as Shadow let out a quiet groan and crossed his arms.

"Cheer up." He whispered as the conversations continued around them. "You look like you're pouting, it's not like I snore."

XXxxXX

He was well aware of the existence of other dimensions, Tails had learned about them from the two times his older brother had vanished and reappeared in the middle of an event. Each time though it seemed as if no Sonic existed there or they were unknown. Now he suspected that this time Shadow had gone along as well and their alternate selves had somehow been sent back to replace them.

Taking a deep breath the fox-kit glanced around to see if anyone was nearby, before flying up the steps of the temple to the Master Emerald. If anyone knew where Sonic and Shadow were it would be the Master Emerald and Tikal.

A few seconds later the translucent echidna appeared with worry showing through her blue eyes, "what is it Miles?"

"Do you know where Sonic and Shadow are?" the words gushed out quickly and the worry grew as she frowned.

"I'd managed to follow them to an alternate universe, only to be called back when Chaos began to act strangely, he seems to be worried about them and is on the verge of searching for them himself."

Tails frowned, "I didn't think he cared about what they did. Do you know if there's a way for them to come back?"

Tikal frowned as she tilted her head to listen for something, "Chaos says he has an idea that may work, but you may need to come along with me to get it."

Tails gulped and took the hand that had been held out to him, and watched as the world around the blurred and filled with an emerald light, if there was a chance it would bring his brother back, he would do anything even if it meant he was risking coming back alive.

XXxxXX

"The bed is large enough to share." Shadow said as they both entered the room and he closed the door behind him.

Sonic glanced at the bed before looking around, the room seemed the same as the one he'd left with the only difference being the color scheme of purple.

He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed where it looked like no one had slept, as his mind tried to sort through what Knuckles had told him.

The bed shifted and he looked to see Shadow sit down next to him, the black hedgehog looking like he was about to say something.

"What would you do?" He suddenly blurted before the other could speak. "If someone told you that everything depends on you, that if you die many others will."

Shadow let an impassive look take over his face as he watched the other. "I'm not sure, I suppose I'd just keep going towards whatever goal I have and try not to get killed in the process. Is that's what was on your mind?"

Sonic blushed and looked down at his hands, "It's nothing, just… you'll stay with me, until we get back home at least, right Shadow?"

Shadow let a small smile onto his muzzle despite the fact that the other wasn't watching. "Of course, Sonic. I have when needed, haven't I?"

Sonic smiled himself and shook his head, "Thanks Shads, I'm gonna try to get some sleep."

"I'll see you in the morning." Shadow replied as he stood and moved to his own side of the bed.