This ficlet takes place when Sonic and Shadow are freed from their status as G.U.N. experiments. See my previous fics Hedge SS and Hypermetabolic Life for context. Sorry, the full story is still in the idea stage.

At a tall cliff over a bay, Sonic was standing at the precipice watching the sun go down. Far behind him sprawled thickets, in which underground facilities of ex-G.U.N. personnel were kept hidden.

As he breathed the sunset's bright orange hue, Sonic intently ignored the dark blue chemical burn on the left side of his face. It appeared painful, but he didn't seem fazed. He just kept staring away from a hurting reality.

Out of the thickets came steps upon rock. They belonged to Shadow. He steadily walked up a path toward the cliff. Sonic's ear twitched and he turned his head around.

"Sonic," Shadow called as he drew near. "The Doctor says you need to return to the medical base."

Reacting to the mention of the human, Sonic gasped a little. Then, he slowly folded his arms and turned his head back to the sunset. He replied simply, "Not interested."

Shadow stopped a good number of feet from his twin brother. He had a mental line drawn between them. "Why?" he asked. "She wants to help you."

Sonic merely shrugged. "I don't need help. The burn is healing on its own."

Shadow tilted his head and narrowed his eyes to try and get a view of the facial burn. "It'll heal a lot faster if you go see her. She's concerned."

Doubts knee-jerked their way into Sonic's mind. "Really. Why did you come up here then, and not her?"

Shadow's eyes lit as he gave his reason. "Because I know how it feels to burn… on the inside. It's not something worth suffering."

Sonic was cold to the reason. He stretched his arms nonchalantly. "Tsh… think I'm not used to suffering by now?"

Discouraged by his inability to get through to him, Shadow lowered his face. His eyes shifted to the side as he mulled over a very unwelcome thought. "…Even though these humans, like you and me, don't belong to G.U.N. anymore… you still don't trust them."

Sonic paused from stretching and turned his widened eyes to Shadow, resenting the insinuation… but acknowledging the truth. "…I'm surprised that you do after the evil tricks they pulled on us. They're too gray!"

"Not all of them," stated Shadow softly. "Not Dr. Peregrine."

Understanding this, yet still walled off, Sonic let his eyes close, and he forced a smirk. Finally, he muttered, "Tell her I said 'no.'"

With every ounce of emotion he could muster Shadow lurched forward in protest. "Sonic!"

"Save it, Shadow. I'm not going."

Shadow withdrew, mouth open. After closing it, he exhaled through his nose, then clenched his hands into fists. However, he had to accept there was nothing more he could do. He didn't understand Sonic's feelings. So, in silence, he regretfully backed up, and walked away from the cliff, leaving Sonic alone.

Sonic returned his gaze to the setting sun. His smirk remained, until the searing pain from his burn pulsed against him, causing him to grunt and drop his expression to a frown. He felt the left side of his face, firmly gripping at it - quickly growing fearful.

"Shadow. Whatever's wrong with me… is worse than an injury."