Entry 14
Dreams of an Absolution
'''Cause every night I will save your life, and every night I will be with you. 'Cause every night I still lay awake, and I dream of an absolution. 'Cause every night I will make it right, and every night I will come to you. But every night it just stays the same, in my dream of an absolution.''
– Dreams of an Absolution by Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (Theme of Silver)
xXxXxXx
-The Memories of The Past: Silver & Makoto-
Silver the Hedgehog flew back, dodging a random stream of fire, sending a wave of cyan-colored energy towards it, managing to briefly extinguish the flame. He looked around, feeling desperate. More and more of that endless fire started engulfing Neos City, consuming the buildings and streets. It couldn't be extinguished via water nor any other means. It wouldn't burn out on its own either. Silver felt as if it was somewhat alive, as if it had a life on its own, but he had no access to any information that would help him combat this situation beyond the minimum. His psychokinesis did work against it, but only for short instances.
The look of despair in his gaze changed, forming into resolve as he flew between the charred buildings. There were still pockets of safety within the Starpoint Area. He didn't know why the raging inferno hadn't touched them yet, but he was glad it didn't. He then landed at a street which hadn't been consumed by the fire, feeling a chilly breeze as he gazed at the night sky, the moon and the stars shining through the flying embers and smoke. Being outside during the day was unbearable due to the heat, meaning that he only could go outside during the night.
He pressed his hand against a brick at the building, which opened a trap door before him, made out of reinforced metal that could withstand the flames, and walked into the underground bunker occupied by the remaining survivors. Humans and ARNavs of various ages, mostly teenagers and young adults, going on about their work, either working with supplies, machines or information. Silver walked through the rooms, wanting to find a specific person.
''Haru!''
He ran up to a teenager with messy black hair, wearing a worn lime green hoodie and torn jeans. He was leaning over a desk, with a few other people, observing a map of Neos City. He turned his head around, his tired gaze lighting up for a moment as he saw Silver.
''Hey, Silver, how are things outside?'' Haru asked the grey hedgehog.
''I saw the fire spreading towards the north of the city,'' Silver replied, his gaze troubled. ''I'm afraid that things are getting worse.''
''As long as the fire doesn't reach our headquarters, it should be fine,'' Haru said, trying to cheer the grey hedgehog up, the two then walking out of the room. ''Anyways, I've been hoping to talk to you.''
''Why?'' Silver asked.
''Becca had finally completed her project, and she was specifically asking to talk to you,'' Haru replied. Silver nodded, following Haru to the research room. There, a woman in her mid-20s was walking up and down, holding what looked like a remote device, muttering something under her breath as she fussed over a metallic platform, making adjustments to it and the machines it was connected to. She wiped the sweat off her brow, looking up as the two entered the room.
''Wonderful,'' she said, smiling. ''Everything is already set up. We're ready to go.''
''Uh, Rebecca, Haru, what is this thing?'' Silver asked, pointing at the platform.
''This, Silver, is a time-travelling machine,'' Rebecca replied, taking a sharp breath as she leaned against a nearby desk, observing the platform. ''And my life's work.''
''Wait, we can really travel through time with this?'' Silver was baffled when Rebecca nodded. His eyes sparked up, his tail wagging as he observed it, fascinated.
''Yeah, we can, and hopefully, we'll be able to find out how this disaster happened in the first place,'' Rebecca replied. Silver turned to her and Haru, now curious.
''Someone is going to have to travel back to the past and try to gather information on how Ignis Infernalis started out, and perhaps find a way to fix the disaster,'' Haru explained, folding his arms across his chest. ''It is our last resort.''
''So, who is going to travel to the past and fix it?'' Silver asked. Rebecca walked over to a computer, typing something into it, looking up at the monitor, which appeared to show a data stream surrounded by black rings.
''You will do it, Silver,'' Rebecca said calmly. ''That's why I had called you here.''
''What?! But, why me?'' Silver was completely baffled. Rebecca pointed at the monitor.
''I had been doing simulations with the time-travelling machine, trying to find a way to send someone through it without endangering them. Unfortunately, a human cannot use it, so I had figured that an ARNav should do it instead,'' she explained, pulling up a window that contained data on Silver. ''However, it turned out that none of the ARNavs at the base would be able to make the trip – no one, except for you.''
''I… I still don't understand,'' Silver said in disbelief, staring at Rebecca.
''During my research, I had figured out that there is something about you that would allow you to not only travel into the past, but also let you continue to exist even if the future changes to one that is unrecognizable from the one you know,'' Rebecca explained. ''You're basically immune to the time paradox.'' She furrowed a brow. ''Although, I'm not sure what exactly makes you so immune. It is possible that this is thanks to your nature as an Irregular.''
''I see…'' Silver muttered, his eyes narrowing as a look of determination formed on his expression. ''I will help you, but I have questions. How am I supposed to time-travel? And to what time am I going? How am I supposed to return back to my time?''
''You will use this beacon device to send a signal to the time-travelling machine,'' Rebecca gave him the remote device. ''I made sure to make a copy of it via the AR Field technology, so even if this future shifts enough for the machine to disappear, you can still use the beacon device to create one as long as you're within an AR Fields. Since you're an ARNav, only you will be able to use it.'' She then turned to another machine, pressing a button. ''As for the time you'll be travelling to, we are going to use this as a guide.''
Silver and Haru stared in shock at the machine as the top hatch opened, with a crystalic container containing a tiny flame inside it. Rebecca grinned. ''I had asked the engineer team to make me a container for Ignis Infernalis, and they had somehow managed to find a crystal-like substance they could mold into one. So far, it is tame.''
''Uh, Becca, are you sure this Ignis Infernalis flame is properly contained?'' Haru asked, rising an eyebrow as he stared at the flame nervously.
''I did scan it, it is safe to be around it,'' Rebecca replied, placing a hand under her chin. ''It is interesting though. Ignis Infernalis cannot be extinguished by normal means, like a lack of oxygen or lack of fuel. This container can be used to carry it around, but the material used to build it is too scarce to use it for the raging inferno outside.'' She turned to Silver. ''We'll use the data I gathered from it to pinpoint the exact moment of Ignis Infernalis' creation. Since your psychokinesis can affect it, you need to find a way to extinguish it before it starts to spread. If you can't stop it, gather as much data about its origins so we can combat it in our time.''
''Okay, I get it,'' Silver replied, looking down at the beacon device, tightening his grip around it. ''I won't fail you. I will save the future.''
''Thank you, Silver,'' Rebecca replied, relieved. Haru put a hand on Silver's shoulder.
''I know you will, buddy,'' he said. Silver grinned.
''We will meet up again in a better future, right?'' he asked. He smile on his expression faded as he saw Rebecca and Haru exchanging worried looks, both sighing. Haru then lowered down on one knee, hand still on Silver's shoulders.
''Silver, look… The thing is, if you change the past, it is going to change the future. We don't know what will happen to any of us here, in the changed future. This is why Becca made a back-up for the time-travelling machine. You'll be able to return to your time, but no one knows what it'll be like. For all we know, we might never meet again,'' he explained somberly.
''B-But…'' Silver wanted to protest, but Haru shook his head.
''As I said, we don't know the consequences of this move,'' he added, then smiled warmly. ''Rest assured, I hope it'll be a future where you can be happy.''
Silver felt the dryness in his throat, swallowing hard as he nodded. ''I hope it'll be a future where you'll be happy as well, Haru.''
Haru hugged him, pulling Silver into a tight embrace, and Silver relished in the warmth. Haru had been the one who had found him and helped him navigate through this hellish environment, and he would be always thankful for that. But now, it was time to say good-bye.
''Okay. Silver, step on the platform. I'll start up the machine,'' Rebecca said as Silver and Haru separated, with Silver doing as he was instructed. He exchanged glances with Haru, feeling as if there was a huge boulder lying on his chest, but he knew that he had to do this. He was the only one who could save the future, even if it meant that he wouldn't see his friend ever again.
Rebecca pressed several buttons, starting up the time-travelling machine, while Haru just waved at Silver, looking quite proud. Silver felt something akin to static rising from the platform, his quills bristling as he waited for the machine to send him back to the past. He gazed at the Ignis Infernalis flame, only for it to suddenly break out of its container.
''No!'' Rebecca cried out, and Haru gasped as the fire rapidly spread through the research room. Silver's eyes widened and he stepped off the platform to help them, using his psychokinesis to combat it, but the flame would rise again and again. There was a shrill scream when the fire burned Rebecca's leg and she desperately tried to put it out, only for cyan aura to extinguish it.
''Silver, get back to the platform!'' Haru yelled at the grey hedgehog, slamming a red button on the wall and causing sirens to blare.
''B-But, Haru-!'' Silver attempted to protest, keeping a hold of the flames as they spread across the computers.
BOOM!
One of the machines exploded, the fire spreading all across the room. Smoke started rising as Silver, Haru and Rebecca coughed, eyes teary as they faced the hellfire. Haru attempted to open the door, but had to step back as the flames spread in front of it. Cyan energy attempted to extinguish them again, but Silver realized that he was losing his grip, unable to control the flames, and the inferno exploded, surrounding all of them, with a wave of fire going towards Silver. He blocked it, only to realize that it was going to destroy the platform.
''Silver, leave! We'll be fine!'' Haru screamed through the smoke, coughing. Rebecca was on her knees, her leg badly burnt. Silver was desperate to help them, to save them, but the sudden surge of energy coming from the platform made him realize that he needed to leave.
''Silver, please, save the future! For everyone's sake!''
''Haru!'' Silver yelled back when the wall of flame rose, separating him from Haru. He sent another wave of cyan energy, coughing and not noticing more fire coming from the side. He cried in pain when it burnt him, causing him to drop the beacon device. He tried to pick it up, his vision blurry from the tears and smoke. He tried to see where Haru and Rebecca were, but a bright light blinded him.
Then, everything went dark.
xXx
Makoto Ryle took a deep breath, moving several pots to the corner of the room. He was inside a greenhouse at Eden Botanical Garden, which was owned by his mother. He would usually help her out whenever he could, especially when it was a slow day. Makoto was smiling, remembering the conversation he had with Minami and Amy earlier. After hearing Minami fortune the day before, he decided to check on her, learning that she indeed had a streak of bad luck, the latest one getting a shower by a water hose. Amy was incredibly apologetic for what happened, blaming herself due to what she had foretold, but Minami just took it in stride, noting how none of that was her fault and she couldn't control Minami's bad luck. Makoto had to agree with Minami that none of this was Amy's fault and wished the two good luck for the rest of the day, having still work to do.
Now, where is the rake… Makoto hummed as he walked through the greenhouse. However, he stopped when he saw a flash of bright light in front of him, revealing itself to be a grey hedgehog. He was lying on the ground, breathing heavily, looking completely traumatized. Makoto was a little hesitant, deciding to approach what he assumed to be an ARNav carefully, having recognized who the hedgehog was and wondering what caused such panicked reaction.
''Uh, hey? Buddy, are you- agh!'' Makoto suddenly found himself floating in the air, unable to move at all and surrounded by cyan energy.
''Where am I? Who are you?'' Silver asked, breathing heavily. Patches of his fur were covered in ashes and blood. He looked like he was ready to fight anyone who approached him.
''Ma-Makoto Ryle… I'm not here to hurt you,'' Makoto replied, trying to keep himself calm and hoping that the hedgehog too would calm down once he sees that Makoto isn't a threat. ''You're in Eden Botanical Garden in Neos City, Starpoint Area.''
''A… botanical garden?'' Silver was surprised, finally taking a proper look around. He appeared to be shocked by seeing so much plant life around him. He gave Makoto a confused look. ''What year is it?''
''What?'' Makoto rose an eyebrow, giving the hedgehog a weird look. ''Don't you know what year it is?''
''No, I don't,'' Silver replied, taking a deep breath. ''I guess I should explain myself first, though. I'm Silver the Hedgehog, and I come from an future where Starpoint Area had been burned to ashes by a fire we call Ignis Infernalis – Infernal Fire. I was sent to the past to find a way to either prevent Ignis Infernalis from spreading or find a way to combat it.''
''I see…'' Makoto was still baffled, but he opted to believe Silver, only for his eyes to widen when he processed the information. ''Wait, Starpoint Area had been burned down in the future?!''
''Unfortunately. There are still pockets of safe heaven and people trying to survive, but…'' Silver trailed off, looking down at his hands as he realized something else. His heart pounded as he remembered that he had dropped the beacon device during the chaos at the base. ''I- I'm stuck…''
''Silver?'' Makoto approached the grey hedgehog as the latter started panicking.
''I- I lost the beacon device! How am I supposed to return?!'' Silver put his hands on his head, now dismayed and hysterical. ''Haru and everyone… They counted on me to save the future!''
He flinched when he suddenly felt something on his shoulder, hands lined with cyan energy, only to stop when he realized that Makoto had placed his hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.
''Silver, listen… Whatever it is that you need to do, I will help you,'' Makoto told him. ''However, I don't think either of us can do much if we don't know what to search for. So, how about you get cleaned up and I call someone who might be able to aid us?''
''You'd really do that for me?'' Silver asked, stunned. ''You don't even know me, beside what I just told you.''
''Well, let's just say that I experienced a lot of weird stuff in my life, mostly thanks to my friend, Minami, and I just roll with whatever I'm dealing with,'' Makoto replied, shrugging. He just ran into Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy the day before, so seeing Silver didn't surprise him that much, aside from the fact that he was a real time-traveler from an apocalyptic future. It felt like the universe tried to mess with him. He then recalled what Amy had told him about his future. Wasn't there something about the present and the future clashing? He then turned to Silver. ''Rest assured, I'm more than willing to help you, and I know some people who'd agree with me.''
''Thank you so much!'' Silver replied gratefully.
xXx
Silver had been taken by Makoto to the latter's home, where he took a quick shower and then sat down for lunch, eating the food Makoto put before him. Silver felt his heart flutter, his eyes sparking as he saw the fresh fruit and clean water.
''It is nice to not have to eat food that smells of smoke, or drink water that isn't contaminated,'' he muttered to himself as he reached for a banana.
''Your future was really that bad, huh?'' Makoto, who sat across him, asked.
''You have no idea,'' Silver replied, his gaze lowering as he stared ahead somberly. ''Food was really hard to come by, and even the stuff that we grew at the base was only enough to feed the survivors who worked there. People would get sick from the lack of nutrients, and I always felt bad that I also had to eat, since I'm an Irregular.''
''An Irregular, huh?'' Makoto muttered. He had to admit that he was surprised with himself for not panicking regarding Silver being an Irregular, but being around the other Irregulars – Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy – made him realize that there was probably more to them. He was the type of person who would think things through and listen, all within reason. He had also been told by Minami and Amy that Irregulars had biological needs similar to humans; they needed to eat and they needed to sleep, which is why he offered Silver food. ''Well, you don't have to worry about that here.''
Silver sighed heavily, falling silent for a moment. ''It is not like I can return to my future anymore. I'm stuck here.''
''I'm sure there is a way for us to figure things out,'' Makoto replied. ''Eat up, then we'll go back to Eden to meet up with my friends.''
Silver just nodded and resumed eating, with Makoto wondering how everyone else would react to this.
xXx
Now clean and with a full stomach, Silver returned together with Makoto to Eden Botanical Garden. The dizziness and weakness he felt was gone, and he was in a much better state, more alert to his environment. He was fascinated by the greenery at Eden, the trees, and shrubs, and bushes and flowers. He absolutely loved how everything was so alive, not charred or burnt. The air was clean and fresh and he thankfully took breath after breath, enjoying the scent of the flowers and listening to the subtle buzzing of the bees.
''The past is amazing!'' Silver told Makoto. ''Everything is so alive and flourishing. I honestly had no idea that Neos City used to have so much flora.''
''What about Infinity Forest?'' Makoto asked. Silver shook his head.
''Infinity Forest had been blocked off by flames and all trees had been burned to the ground. The whole place was turned into a desolate land,'' he explained.
''That's awful,'' Makoto commented. He and Silver eventually arrived at the entrance to Eden, seeing Minami and Amy talking to Lucas, Sonic, Warren, Tails, Lily and Knuckles. ''Hey, guys!''
Everyone's attention turned to Makoto and Silver, with Sonic quickly running up to them, ''Hi, there, name's Sonic! You're Silver, right? The time-traveler Makoto had told us about.''
''You're right,'' Silver replied, as the rest of the group introduced themselves. ''It is nice to meet you everyone.''
''Makoto said that you needed help with something,'' Sonic continued. Silver nodded, his expression now serious.
''Yes. As Makoto had already informed you, I'm a time-traveler and 200 years from now on, Starpoint Area will be facing a fiery apocalypse,'' Silver explained. ''A flame the survivors named Ignis Infernalis – the Infernal Fire – has turned the entire area into ashes. No one knows how it had started, nor how it can be stopped. That is why I had been sent to the past, either to learn more about it or find a way to stop it before it can consume all known life.''
''You said you were from 200 years into the future. Did something really happen so far into the past to cause such a disaster?'' Amy asked. Silver shook his head.
''I don't know. Rebecca and Haru used a sample of the Ignis Infernalis, scanning its data to pinpoint its origins,'' he explained, adding in a somber tone, his head lowering, ''That's… before the flame broke out of its containment… and the whole room erupted in fire…''
Amy placed her hand over her mouth, horrified. The rest of the group was staring at Silver, too stunned to talk. Silver was silent, taking a deep breath.
''Haru was the one who had found me and helped me figure out how to control my powers, and we were really close friends. He and I had talked how this may have been our good-bye, and I hope that I would be able to change the future to one where he and everyone can live happily, even if I cannot be with him. I don't care how much time I need for the future to shift, I will make it happen,'' he continued. ''I don't have any way to return to my future, since the beacon device has been broken, so this is all I have left. I need to complete my mission.''
''We'll help you with whatever you need,'' Sonic replied. ''Where do we start?''
''Uh… I…'' Silver trailed off, looking away anxiously. ''I don't really know.''
''Really? You don't have anything to go off of?'' Lily asked. Silver shrugged.
''I was sent to this time to prevent an apocalypse. What I had told you is everything I know,'' Silver replied.
''It is very limited information,'' Tails commented.
''The strategy you had built has a very unstable base,'' Knuckles added. ''Although, considering what you had told us, it is understandable.''
''Tails and Knuckles are right. Not much can be done with this,'' Amy noted.
''That may be true, but Silver has told us what is going to happen. We can all keep an eye out for any fire that might happen and ruin the future,'' Makoto rose his voice. ''That is already a huge step towards changing it.''
''That is true,'' Silver replied, now a bit more optimistic. He fist-pumped. ''You're right, I'm sure that the future has already begun to change.''
''Speaking of which, do you want to stay with me?'' Makoto asked, with Silver giving him a look of surprise. ''You don't really have anywhere to go, and I wouldn't mind a roommate.''
''I would love to stay with you,'' Silver replied, elated by the offer. Makoto then glanced at Tails.
''We'll need one of those AR Visors you have. Silver is also an Irregular,'' he revealed. Silver noticed the looks of surprise on everyone's expressions, with Tails taking off his backpack, taking out cyan goggles with clear lenses and giving them to Silver.
''Uh, why do I need this?'' Silver asked, looking at the goggles.
''I don't know how things are in your future, but in the past, Irregulars are deemed dangerous and aggressive, and they're being hunted,'' Tails explained. ''All of us are Irregulars, which is why we wear AR Visors with a program that hides our real identity.''
''I see,'' Silver muttered, placing the goggles around his neck. ''Honestly, in my time, people don't mind the existence of Irregulars. I heard rumors about there being agressive Irregulars, but never met any.''
''Not to mention, you guys had other stuff to worry about,'' Sonic remarked. Silver nodded, his gaze falling upon his new friends, only to notice someone else peeking around a tree, observing them.
''Uh, who is that?'' Silver pointed at the person, with everyone's attention turning to the intruder, who appeared to be startled when she realized that that she was no longer hidden.
''That's Touka,'' Lucas replied calmly. He had already gotten used to her presence, to the point he wasn't surprised anymore to see her.
''Is she a friend of yours?'' Silver asked.
''Uh, I don't…'' Lucas trailed off when Sonic suddenly started waving at their stalker with a big grin on his expression.
''Hey, Touka! How about joining us?'' he yelled. Touka was startled at first, before sighing in annoyance and approaching them while glaring at everyone.
''Stop yelling at me like that!'' she growled, turning to Sonic. ''I'm not deaf!''
''You know, if you wanted to say 'Hi', you didn't have to hide behind the tree,'' Sonic commented casually, placing his hands behind his head while grinning. Touka pouted, crossing her arms on her chest, only to see Silver approaching her.
''I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Silver the Hedgehog, and I'm from the future,'' Silver said, extending his hand. Touka stared at him for a moment, before shaking hands with him.
''I'm Touka Kageura, and I'm-'' Touka got cut off by Lucas.
''Following us around like usual,'' he said, with Touka shooting a glare at him.
''I was just checking on the situation and then planning to leave,'' she replied.
''Why don't you stay?'' Silver asked. Touka just looked at him for a moment, as if contemplating, but then shook her head and walked away. Silver to turned to Sonic, looking confused. ''Did I say something wrong?''
''Don't worry, you didn't,'' Sonic replied, shrugging. ''I guess she's got her own reasons for acting like that.''
xXx
-Present Day-
''Any ideas what we're searching for?'' Silver asked, opening a book and skimming through it, while Knuckles climbed up a bookshelf, grabbing the books from the top. They were at an office at the Codex Research Facility, trying to find anything that would be interesting or of use.
''I have no idea, but we are bound to find something. If it is dangerous, we destroy it. If not, we bring it back to the others to see what can be done,'' Knuckles replied, jumping off the bookshelf and balancing a stack of books in one hand.
Silver turned back to the cabinet he was rummaging through, only to find an old folded photograph at the bottom of the drawer. He opened it up, eyes widening in surprise. ''Hey, Knuckles, look at this!''
''What have you found?'' Knuckles asked, with Silver showing him the photograph. He was just as stunned as Silver when he saw what, or rather who, was on the photograph.
''We'll bring this to Touka,'' Silver said. ''She'll be able to explain this to us.''
He and Knuckles ran off, eventually finding Touka and Minami talking to each other.
''Touka! We need to talk to you.''
''What is it?'' Touka asked, as they approached the two.
''We found this in one of the offices and… I don't know, I think you'll understand it better,'' Silver replied, handing her the photograph. Touka took a look at the photograph, her eyes widening in pure shock.
''Hey, what is it?'' Minami asked, confused about Touka's reaction and peered over to see what was on the photograph, but Touka just folded it.
''Let's call everyone back to the main control room,'' she said, her tone grim. ''I hate to say it, but there is something important I need to tell everyone.''
Silver and Knuckles exchanged glances, following Touka and Minami, the latter having called everyone for a meeting. It took a few minutes for everyone to gather, Sonic having sped into the room. They were all silent, looking at Touka. She wasn't really comfortable with the attention, something Shadow, who arrived together with Amy, had noted, but he knew that she was capable of handling herself.
''What's wrong?'' Lucas asked Touka.
''Silver and Knuckles had found something, and I feel like I need to explain myself,'' Touka replied, placing the photograph on a table, allowing everyone to see it. It showed an older man in a lab coat, and a girl sitting in a wheelchair next to him, her skin pale and her eyes having dark circles, both smiling happily at the camera. However, what threw everyone off was the girl's appearance.
''Who is that? She looks exactly like you,'' Makoto asked, staring at Touka in confusion. She then flipped the photograph over, where the word 'Tomoe' was written in cursive.
''Who is Tomoe?'' Minami asked, rising an eyebrow. Touka didn't answer, taking a deep breath instead.
''Before we jump to conclusions, I need to let you in on a secret. The man in this photo is Professor Hiroshi Sakamoto, lead scientists of the Codex Research Facility, my former guardian and Shadow's creator. I don't know who the girl next to him is or why we resemble each other so much. I have never met her in my entire life, but if we go by the photograph, her name may be Tomoe, and she may be related to Prof. Sakamoto. Please, note, that is my conclusion, and I'm not sure whether I'm correct,'' Touka explained.
''Shadow, do you have any idea who that girl in the wheelchair might be?'' Silver asked. Shadow shook his head.
''I don't know. If she was ever a resident of Codex, Touka would know better than me, since I had awakened long after Touka's arrival,'' Shadow explained.
''Since I don't remember her, she may have been here before my own arrival, and she was gone by the time I came here,'' Touka continued. ''Prof. Sakamoto had never told me about any of his relatives, but that man never wanted to talk about anything about his personal life. He was too focused on his research to even think about anything else. Again, I don't know anything about her.''
''Could you tell us how you even became a resident here? That is, if you remember anything,'' Lucas asked Touka.
''Honestly, I don't,'' Touka replied, shaking her head. ''Now, it is not what you think. All my memories of Codex have returned. Sure, some stuff is still fuzzy, but I remember things clearly. I remember my life here, but I don't remember my life before Codex. If I try to push myself to find a memory of anything before that, it feels like I hit a wall, or found myself in a void. It is as if there is nothing before Codex.''
''Maybe something happened that affected those memories,'' Amy suggested. Shadow glanced at Touka.
''You had told me once that you don't remember anything before you came to Codex and that you felt as if you always lived here. The Professor had told you that your entire family is gone, and that he took you under his wing, but you never found out why,'' he said.
''Yeah, that's what happened,'' Touka said, rubbing her temple tiredly. Warren and Tails exchanged glances, realizing that this was why Touka and Shadow insisted on being given any information regarding Prof. Sakamoto. However, there was something interesting they discovered.
''May I ask you something?'' Tails rose his voice, looking at Touka. ''How old were you when you lived here?''
''Well, I'm 16, so at that time… I was 15, maybe 14 at youngest,'' Touka admitted, well aware where this question was going, observing everyone's expressions.
''That should be impossible. Tails and I checked the last logs, and those were entered around a decade ago,'' Warren said. ''At youngest, you should've been 4, not 14.''
''She was a teenager, I can confirm it. Unlike Touka, I didn't have any amnesia,'' Shadow replied.
''There is an explanation to this. Similarly to Shadow, I too had been stuck in a stasis pod for 10 years, right after Codex had been shut down,'' Touka replied.
''So, wouldn't that make you 26 now?'' Sonic commented, intrigued. Touka gave him an irritated look.
''Technically, yes, but the way the stasis pods work is that they preserve the biological and mental age of a person,'' Shadow answered. ''It is very advanced technology, but the Professor was one of the best geneticist of his time, so he knew what he was doing.''
''That explains a lot of things, but it is still kind of unnerving that Tomoe looks like you,'' Amy said. Minami picked up the photograph.
''Okay, conspiracy theory time,'' she said. ''You said you have no memories of before Codex, so what if you are Tomoe?''
This suggestion stunned everyone, save for Touka and Shadow. Touka just shook her head. ''I thought about it to when I first saw the photo, but I don't think so. Do you see me in a wheelchair?''
''Maybe you got better…?'' Minami continued.
''No way,'' Touka replied. ''Aside from the lack of my memories, my health history is clean. My current guardian, Kisaki, had worked here as a doctor and she told me that I didn't suffer from any illness, be it genetical or otherwise. It is impossible for me to be Tomoe.''
''Okay, how about you having a secret twin sister?'' Minami tried again. ''You said that you were told that your whole family is gone. Maybe you were lied to.''
''That is what we're currently trying to figure out,'' Touka replied, exchanging a brief glance with Shadow. She then turned to the rest of the team. ''The reason I'm telling you all of this is because I know that I can trust you. This is very sensitive matter, but honestly, I'm done with the secrecy. Both Shadow and I had been constantly lied to and manipulated, and we both have enough of it. The only person who can answer any of our questions would be Prof. Sakamoto, but he has vanished, so combing through Codex is the next best thing we can do.''
''Okay, but what will happen after you are done digging in your past?'' Sonic asked. Touka fell silent, both her and Shadow looking unsure, obviously having no answer. Sonic just shrugged, giving them a grin. ''Hey, if you don't know the answer, then take your time. You'll eventually come up with something, and if you still have no idea, you can ask me for advice.''
Sonic noticed a tiny smile forming on Touka's lips, the latter looking just exasperated with him, but at the same time knowing that Sonic was just trying to help. Sonic turned his attention to Shadow, who just stared back with a scowl on his expression.
''We don't need your advice, Blue Hedgehog,'' Shadow replied. Sonic just grinned back, much to Shadow's chagrin. There was something admirable and irritating about the former's confidence, with Sonic leaning forward towards Shadow, his arms folded in a similar manner.
''Don't worry, Shads, I know you like to be independent,'' Sonic said, with Shadow glaring back.
xXx
Silver was flying over Neos City, observing the night sky and the illuminated streets down below. He couldn't sleep, so he decided to just explore the city, simply enjoying the quiet night. Makoto was already fast asleep, so Silver just got out of his hammock that doubled as his bed, opened the window and flew out. It certainly was an amazing feeling, seeing Neos City untouched by fire, and he wanted to make sure that things would stay like that.
''Huh?'' Silver blinked when he saw a black and crimson blur rushing through the streets towards the north of the city. He followed the blur, pushing his telekinetic abilities to catch up with it, only for the blur come to a halt not too far away from the CyExLabs. As it turned out, the one he was following was Shadow. Silver tilted his head, confused. ''What is he doing here?''
Shadow was leaned against a building, observing CyExLabs and noting the security guards at the entrance. It seemed that they made sure that this time, no one could break inside CyExLabs so easily. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and quickly turned around, elbowing the person behind him and pinning them against the wall, scowling. His scowl turned to surprise when he realized who was behind him.
''Silver?'' Shadow let go of Silver, who rubbed his chest fur, looking a little dazed from being slammed against the wall. ''What are you doing here?''
''I couldn't sleep, so I decided to just fly around until I get tired. That's when I saw you,'' Silver explained, rising an eyebrow as he folded his arms across his chest. ''What are you doing here, Shadow? Do you want to break into CyExLabs again?''
''You're correct,'' Shadow replied bluntly, glancing back at the entrance to the CyExLabs. Silver was stunned by Shadow's straightforward response.
''Uh, but why?'' Silver asked, only to frown. ''Are you trying to destroy Neos City again?''
''No,'' Shadow replied in the same blunt tone, his gaze lowering as he stared at the ground, completely silent, contemplative. He then looked up, giving Silver a determined gaze. ''The reason I'm here is because I had hoped that the CyExLabs would hold the answer to Professor Hiroshi Sakamoto's whereabouts, or at least some kind of useful information.''
''Does Touka know where you are?'' Silver asked.
''I decided not to involve her into this,'' Shadow responded, folding his arms across his chest. ''Besides, it will be faster if I do it on my own.''
''Okay, but what if you get caught?'' Silver asked.
''I won't,'' Shadow replied curtly. Silver sighed, then gave Shadow a determined look.
''Right, you won't. Because I will help you,'' he said.
''What?'' Shadow was genuinely surprised by Silver's proposal.
''Hey, this is really important to you, isn't it? Since we're now part of the same team, I want to help you,'' Silver told him, smiling. Shadow was hesitant, being used to do things on his own, so suddenly being offered help from someone else, someone he met only about a day ago, felt wrong. Sure, Sonic and Amy had easily accepted him, but he still had his doubts about the same sentiment being shared by everyone else.
''Then, try to keep up with me,'' Shadow replied, deciding to accept Silver's offer.
''No problem!'' Silver grinned, nodding in excitement, following Shadow.
xXx
Since it had been late in the night, there weren't many employees at CyExLabs, most just being there for the night shift or trying to finish whatever work they had. This allowed Silver and Shadow to sneak inside, despite the stronger security. They entered an empty hallway, with Shadow keeping an eye out for any security cameras, making sure they would remain unnoticed. So far, they got lucky, but Shadow knew that they needed to remain careful.
As they entered another corridor, they heard someone talking, walking right towards them. Shadow looked frantically around, trying to figure out how to avoid whoever was coming towards them, when he felt something tugging at his arm and quickly turned his head, noticing Silver pointing at something above them. He looked up, realizing it was an air-vent. Shadow then nodded, with Silver using his psychokinesis to remove the grille and then flying himself and Shadow up to it, placing the grille back, just as two security guards walked past them.
''Where to now?'' Silver asked.
''I think it is this way,'' Shadow replied, both crawling through the air-vent. They kept moving through the air-vents, Shadow in the front, Silver in the back, stopping from time to time to figure out where they were. It felt like an eternity, but they eventually arrived at the room Shadow was searching for. It looked like a computer room, stairs leading downwards from table to table to a platform below, each table having a computer on it. There was only one person inside the room, working at a computer with a cup of steaming coffee next to him.
''Are you sure that this is it?'' Silver whispered Shadow, looking at the dark-furred hedgehog.
''I'm positive,'' Shadow murmured. From what Kisaki had told him, he knew that he wouldn't find any information on Prof. Sakamoto in the archive room, since he only disappeared about a year ago. Not to mention, he was sure that the archive room would be guarded in case someone tried to break in, so this room was the next best place for him to search for an answer. Shadow observed the scientist below. ''We need a distraction.''
''Leave it to me,'' Silver replied, pointing his finger at the coffee the man was drinking, his hand glowing as he used his psychokinesis to knock it all over his shirt. The scientist yelped in pain, being burnt by the coffee, and jumped up, grumbling and cursing under his breath as he left the room.
''Good job,'' Shadow commented, opening the grille and jumping down, while Silver flew down. He then turned to Silver. ''Stand guard at the door and make sure no one comes inside.''
''Roger!'' Silver nodded and stepped in front of the door, while Shadow walked over to the computer the scientist was working on and opened another window, starting to search for any data on Prof. Sakamoto. A minute passed, and Silver grew antsy, looking over his shoulder at Shadow. ''Please, hurry up. We don't know when this guy will return.''
Shadow remained silent, typing on the computer as he tried to find anything about Prof. Sakamoto and then quickly deleting his search history. He needed to make sure nothing would be traced back to himself, Touka or the Professor. The last thing he needed was someone else learning about the existence of Codex. He eventually found a file containing the names of CyExLabs' previous employees. Shadow smirked, scrolling down the list and finding Sakamoto's name at the bottom. However, before he could click on the link, he and Silver heard someone outside, the automatic metal door opening as someone attempted to enter the room…
SLAM!
Shadow recoiled due to the loud sound and turned towards Silver, who gave him a sheepish look as he held the door closed with his psychokinesis.
''I'm sorry, I panicked!'' Silver responded. There was a banging sound coming from outside, someone being clearly angry about the door being closed.
''Now they know we're here,'' Shadow grumbled, but then quickly turned back to the computer. ''Keep it closed. I'll be done soon here.''
''Hurry up,'' Silver replied, half-whispering at the dark hedgehog. Shadow focused on the monitor in front of him, a brow furrowing as he opened the file. Silver turned back to the door, now hearing someone talking from the outside about overriding the controls and the door malfunctioning. Suddenly, he was grabbed by Shadow, who pulled him deeper into the room, the two hiding behind the tables at the bottom of it. The man from earlier entered the room, followed by another man in a lab coat and a security guard.
''I swear, if this is some kind of joke…'' the coffee guy grumbled as he approached his computer. ''I swear, I heard voices coming from here.''
''I don't know what you've heard, but we'll search through the room,'' the other scientist replied, with the three spreading out.
Unknown to them, Shadow and Silver were still crouching behind a table at the bottom of the room, their hearts beating at a rapid pace. They exchanged looks, knowing that they only had seconds before they would be found. They had to get out, now.
''Take my hand, quick,'' Shadow whispered into Silver's ear, extending his hand. Silver grabbed it, his ears flicking as he heard the steps come closer. He pulled himself closer to Shadow, hearing the darker hedgehog whisper something under his breath.
''Chaos… Control!''
The coffee guy, who was closest to them, saw a flash of light in the corner of his eye and ran up, looking below the table. However, no one was there.
xXx
In a flash of light, Shadow and Silver appeared on the street close to the CyExLabs. Silver was a little dazed from experiencing his first Chaos Control, but he quickly collected himself, grinning at Shadow. ''That was awesome!''
''Unfortunately, it was a waste of time. I couldn't find any data on the Professor,'' Shadow replied dejectedly. ''Whatever files they had on him had been deleted a while ago.''
''I'm sorry about that,'' Silver replied, giving Shadow a sympathetic look. ''What are you going to do now?''
''Touka and I are still waiting on the data Tails and Warren promised to send us,'' Shadow replied, walking away. ''As for what will happen afterwards… we'll see.'' He then stopped, looking back at Silver. ''Thank you for your help.'' He then proceeded to walk away.
''Hey, wait up!'' Silver ran up to Shadow, who stopped, giving the latter a curious look. ''Do you want to come along with me? That is, if you're not tired yet. We could talk, maybe I could show you around the city. Consider it a baton pass, since I was the newest member of the team before you came along.''
''You're as persistent as the Blue Hedgehog,'' Shadow muttered. Silver gave him a confused look.
''Uh, is that supposed to be a compliment or…?'' he trailed off, with Shadow folding his arms across his chest.
''I had talked to Amy about how you and your friends are treating me, and it still mystifies me that you are so calm in my presence and willing to trust me,'' he explained. ''Despite the fact that I had tried to destroy all of you not even a day ago.''
''Is that really what is bothering you?'' Silver asked, looking genuinely surprised. ''Because, you had also told us the reasons why you had done that and also tried to save everyone later on. I think that's enough to earn our trust.''
''Amy had told me that you and your friends are also trusting Sonic's judgement,'' Shadow added. Silver chuckled.
''I guess we do. He seems to have nack for figuring people out,'' he responded. ''Besides, don't we all have something in common?''
''What do you mean?'' Shadow asked.
''You aren't the only one who has something worth fighting for,'' Silver replied. ''We all do.''
Shadow fell silent for a moment, before adding, ''You did mention something about protecting the future during the meeting. What did you mean by that?''
''Right, you don't know. I'm actually a time-traveler from 200 years into the future,'' Silver explained. Shadow was genuinely surprised by the reveal, staring at Silver in stunned silence. He did not expect that kind of answer. Silver just smiled, folding his arms on his back. ''Maybe I should explain things in detail.''
''Good idea,'' Shadow replied, nodding.
xXx
''…and that's how I got stuck here. I cannot return to my own future and I still haven't found out anything about Ignis Infernalis,'' Silver explained. He and Shadow were sitting on top of a building overlooking the city, their feed dangling from the edge. Shadow kept silent for the most part, simply listening to Silver's story intently. Silver then stared ahead, adding in a heavy tone, frowning, ''I knew what I got myself into, and I told myself that, if I had to sacrifice my life to save the future, I would do it.''
''Something tells me that the Blue Hedgehog wouldn't allow that to happen,'' Shadow remarked. Silver chuckled.
''Yeah, I guess he wouldn't,'' he replied. ''As a matter of fact, no one would. I may not have spent a lot of time with Makoto, but I know that, while he would support me, he would still stop me from doing anything that would endanger my own life.''
''It sounds to me as if you had gotten used to being in the present,'' Shadow commented.
''Considering how I have nowhere else to go, it is not like I had much of a choice,'' Silver replied. ''I'm quite thankful to Makoto for letting me stay with him, and I absolutely love being at Eden and helping out with the flora. After seeing so much destruction, fire and ashes, I'm happy to see something finally growing and being alive. Makoto and I had actually talked about creating our own little garden where we can grow flowers or vegetables.''
The two were silent for a moment, before Shadow said, ''It sounds like a huge burden to bear for one person.''
''You mean, protecting the future?'' Silver asked, with Shadow nodding. ''It is, but I can rely on the rest of Team Neos to help me. Besides, didn't Sonic mention something about there being a possibility of you being unable to protect Touka?''
Shadow shoot him a furious glare, with Silver reeling back. He gave Shadow a sheepish look. ''Okay, I guess I hit a sore spot there. Nevertheless, we all want you to know that you're not alone.''
''I am not, I have Touka with me,'' Shadow responded.
''Yet, you went on this mission alone,'' Silver pointed out. Shadow averted his gaze, looking at the streets down below.
''I won't let Touka get hurt. I refuse to fail at my own mission. If you think-'' Shadow suddenly turned when he was stopped by Silver.
''No, I get it,'' Silver replied. ''You care, and that's all I and the rest of the team need to know. So, keep that in mind for the next time you ask again why we trust you.''
Shadow sighed, leaning forward, placing his head against his hands as he stared ahead, a frown on his expression. Silver tilted his head, observing him and wondering what was going through Shadow's head.
''One more question,'' Shadow said, still staring ahead. ''How can you all stand Sonic's attitude?''
''What is wrong with Sonic's attitude?'' Silver asked, genuinely puzzled.
''He's irritating and he keeps getting in my way,'' Shadow grumbled. Silver chuckled, with Shadow shooting him an annoyed look.
''You know, if you want to complain about Sonic, you should talk to him directly,'' Silver explained. Shadow's eyes narrowed.
''Perhaps, I will,'' he replied, then turned his gaze back to the city.