The Man Out Of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Masterlist
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warning(s): !! mild violence, including mentions of death, blood, and swearing, non-graphic descriptions of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression !!
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Second Account: @expresso-beans
FULL SERIES MASTERLIST・❥・ART CREDITS・❥・AUTHOR'S NOTE ・❥・AUTHOR'S NOTE II (Poll)・❥・AUTHOR UPDATE・❥・AUTHOR UPDATE II
Main Story Chapters:
Chapter 1・❥・ Chapter 2 ・❥・ Chapter 3
Chapter 4 ・❥・Chapter 5・❥・Chapter 6
Chapter 7・❥・Chapter 8 ・❥・Chapter 9
Chapter 10・❥・Chapter 11・❥・Chapter 12
Chapter 13・❥・Chapter 14・❥・Chapter 15
Chapter 16・❥・Chapter 17・❥・Chapter 18
Chapter 19・❥・Chapter 20・❥・Chapter 21 (P.1)
Chapter 21 (P.2)・❥・Chapter 22・❥・Chapter 23
Chapter 24・❥・Chapter 25・❥・Chapter 26
Chapter 27 ・❥・Chapter 28・❥・Chapter 29
Chapter 30 ・❥・Chapter 31
EXTRA Chapters:
Memories ✦ Answers ✦ Family Ties ✦ Late Night Talk
As this story gains traction, I decided to mass edit a couple of chapters.
The gist of each of the chapters is still the same, but I'm fixing a lot of the major grammatical and structural errors that are mostly present in the earlier chapters.
This the progress so far, so feel free to go back and re-read them if you'd like!
(EXTRA) The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Family Ties
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: Mild Violence, Blood, Death
Word Count: 3k
POV: Third Person
Context: Future!Silver's Timeline
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Masterlist ✦ Memories ✦ Answers ✦ Family Ties
Silver was used to living in a war zone. Even at the young age of seven, he understood the dangers of Ace and Anti's ruthless nature.
That's why his father, Shadow, had four rules for Silver to follow.
Rule #1: Don't go anywhere alone.
Rule #2: Don't use his powers outside of training.
Rule #3: ALWAYS listen to his father.
Rule #4: If you see them, DON'T FIGHT. RUN AWAY.
Silver never had any problem following these rules. In fact, he would always boast to his Uncle Tails and Aunt Cream how good of a 'rule follower' he was. And they would entertain him by telling him how proud they are of him for doing so.
Today was no different. Silver was sticking to his rules while Shadow was away on 'business'.
The three were at a small 'park', if the small plot of dying grass with a small swing-set could even be considered that, in the middle of a town not too far from Tails' lab. They hadn't even finished picking up after a picnic lunch before he arrived and started destroying the town surrounding them.
Silver had seen the one they call 'Anti' before. He was a sinister creature with sharp teeth and a face disfigured from run-ins with the little heroes of Mobius that remain. What he is known most for is an ominous glow that emanates from his body like poisonous smog.
"Silver, stay close and close your eyes," The small hedgehog clutched to his aunt's leg as his uncle attempted to shoot down the madman who was destroying the plot for nothing but seamless fun. "Tails, to get out of here, now!"
"Cream!" Tails yelled in between taking shots at the man. "Take Silver and get to safety! I need to get back to the lab to get the weapon I've been working on!"
Silver looked up to his aunt, who had tears streaming down her face. The warm smile he was so accustomed to seeing was replaced with one of pure horror.
"No, Tails! You and I both know that the weapon is just a prototype! There is no guarantee it will work! We need to get Silver home and warn Shadow!"
Tails stopped shooting and ran over to his wife and caressed her tear-filled face with his hands.
"Honey, you have to. This might be our chance to put an end to this once and for all," He then placed a hand in Silver's quills, making the young hedgehog giggle. Tails did his best to hold his tears in, but the sadness got the best of him. "Kids like Silver all around Mobius have been stripped of their innocence too early. Let's preserve the little they have left."
Cream shook her head vigorously and held Tails' arm in a death grip.
"No! I won't let you! The chance of it working is less than forty percent! If the machine doesn't work..." Cream looked down at Silver, who looked confused. She smiled at him and gently covered his ears. "You'll die, Tails!" She cried out. "If the machine doesn't work, he will kill you. Let's find somewhere safe to hide and try another day."
"How many more?" Tails asked sternly.
"What?"
Tails threw his gun on the floor in anger, scattering into sharp shards all over the floor. Scared, Cream pulled Silver up, holding the small hedgehog in her arms. She looked at him, a small smile on her face despite the tears that poured down her face.
"Silver, sweetie," She sang out in her sweet voice. "I need you to cover your ears for me. Can you do that for Auntie?"
"Yep!" Silver nodded, putting his hands to his ears and covering them until he heard small hums of nothingness.
"Tails, what is wrong with you?" Cream yelled. "You're scaring him, and frankly, me!"
"Excuse my frustration, but answer me this: how many more people have to die until we finally have another chance to put a stop to all these murders? How many more families must be ripped apart by the death of a loved one because we didn't do anything? How many more children must live in fear, knowing that any second now they could die at the hands of these monsters? HOW MANY MORE TIMES DO WE HAVE TO PUT OUR NEPHEW THROUGH THESE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES!"
"Tails.." Cream said sternly, trembling a bit. "Don't make me do that. Let's just go. NOW."
"Cream, if a forty percent chance is all I have, I am taking it without a second thought."
"You're a genius, my love," Cream tsked, shaking her head. "We both know it won't work."
"I would not think twice about giving up my own life to save the lives of millions," Tails replied bitterly. "If that is what it takes, then so be it."
"What about me, your wife? What about Silver? We both made a promise to Amy on the bed she died on that we would raise Silver to keep him happy. Did your promise to her mean so little to you that you are willing to lose your life without another thought?"
"I love Silver more than anything, and I will always stand by the promise I made to Amy," Tails paused to look at Silver, who was still in Cream's arms and humming to himself with his ears covered. "That's why we have to do this for him."
"Silver is a child! He still needs our care and our love! And I still need you in my life! Please don't do this, Tails. We will win this war," Cream reasserted her grip on Silver, bouncing him up slightly in her arms and making the young hedgehog giggle. "And we will do it together, but today is not that day."
"I can't wait any longer, and neither can you. I will do this for Amy, for the friends I have lost, for Silver, and I will do this for you. If my life is what it takes, then that is a price I am willing to pay."
"I will not win this war at the price of my husband!" Cream was about to grab Tails when Silver screamed and pointed to the sky. "Oh no..." She whispered.
"We have to run!" Silver muffled into Cream's shoulder, moving his hands away from his ears and jumping out of his aunt's arms.
"Silver, no," Tails and Cream watched in horror as the ruthless madman began floating right towards them.
"Come on," Blinded by both rage and fear, Tails grabbed Cream by the arm and scooped up Silver with his other arm. Holding the hedgehog in place, they sprinted towards his lab.
"U...Uncle Tails? Are we going to die?" Silver squeaked out with tears in his eyes.
"No, nutbolt. We're going to be okay," Tails reassured him, trying to keep his composure. "I promise.
"Your Uncle Tails is right, sweetie," Cream tried not to show the panic and fear on her face. "We're going to be just fine."
A disgusting, cruel laugh echoed not too far from them.
"You should know me better by now, fox!" The voiced taunted, making Silver hide his face in his uncle's shoulder. "You can't escape me."
"I guess I didn't get the message." Tails retorted, picking up his pace towards the lab in the distance.
"Tails," Cream whimpered. "What are you doing?"
"We are going into the lab. While I prepare the weapon, you and Silver are going to hide in the panic room inside the house."
"Tails..." Cream's voice trailed off as she struggled to keep up with Tails' speed.
Meanwhile, in Tails' arms, Silver can feel his heart pounding faster in his chest, and his eyes that were once dry with blind happiness were now blurred with tears.
"Auntie Cream," Silver whined through tears. "I don't think I want to die."
"Silver, you're going to be okay," Tails set him down and pet his quills to try to calm him down. "You and Aunt Cream have to go inside now, okay? Can you run inside for Uncle Tails?"
Silver didn't get a chance to respond, being interrupted by the chilling sound of maniacal laughter in the distance.
"Go, both of you, inside, now!" Tails grabbed both Silver and Cream and rushed them inside the workshop. He quickly closed the metal door as quietly as he could before turning to Silver. "Come here, nutbolt, let me get a good look at you," With tears in his eyes, the fox picked up his young nephew and pressed his shaking lips on the young hedgehog's head. "You're going to be alright, Silver. You're going to grow up, and be the light in this dark future."
"What about you, Uncle Tails?" Silver tilted his head, confused.
"We'll be fine, nutbolt, I promise," Tails voice broke as he took Silver to a steel box next to the garage door. He lowered the boy in and picked up the lid.
"What are you doing? I don't want to be in a box!" Silver protested, trying to climb out.
"No, Silver," Tails pushed him back inside and pressed a finger to the little hedgehog's mouth. "Shh! You can't move or make any noise, okay? Do you think you can do that?"
Silver shook his head no, not fully understanding the danger he was putting himself in by not obeying.
Frustrated, Tails set down the heavy lid and looked around. Spotting the touchpad bracelet on his wrist, the fox swiftly unlatched and turned it on. Tails had programmed to have silent games for his nephew while he worked on a personal bracelet for Silver.
"Here," Silver's eyes sparkled at the sight of the bracelet, reaching out for it. "If I give you this and let you play games, will you be quiet?"
Silver's nodded vigorously and held out his hands for it again. Tails placed it in the young hedgehog's lap, and he cherished the little giggle that echoed softly in the box.
"I-I'll be back, Silver," A couple of tears spilled out from Tails eyes as he stared into his nephew's soft amber eyes one last time. "Please. Don't forget how much we love you."
Tails looked over to Cream, who was behind him, wiping her tears from her eyes before she too approached the box.
"Uncle Tails is right, sweetie. We love you very much, Silver," She stuck her box and petting Silver's quills in a claiming motion, causing the small hedgehog to smile as he pressed random buttons on the watch. "W-We'll be right back, okay?"
"Okay, auntie!" Silver hummed, pressing more buttons on the pad.
"Be good, nutbolt." Tails closed the lid of the box, angling it in such a way that air could still get in the box, but not noise. "He's safe. Let's get this machine ready."
"R-Right," Cream rushed to the machine and followed Tails' lead in powering it on.
"Alright," Tails muttered, hauling the machine to point towards the metal door. "The battery is up and running, and all systems are clear. We just need the target."
"R-right," Cream wiped a tear from her eye, turning her attention to the fox. "Tails, if this is the last time I do see you, I want you to know that it has been your love that has given me the motivation to keep moving forward. Thank you for giving me all the love you possibly could," Cream hugged Tails, burying her face into his shoulder, which made his fur wet with her tears. "I love you."
But a patch of wet fur was the least of the fox's worries. The worry was reserved for the monster floating in the sky and the little silver hedgehog hiding in a box of steel.
"Cream, don't you even begin to talk like that. I promise you we will make it out of here like we always do. I love you and Silver more than anything," Tails gently caressed Cream's face and wiped a tear away with his thumb. "No more tears. We have a fight to catch, honey."
"Right!" Cream nodded determined.
The sound of footsteps walking nearby was the last thing Silver heard from his aunt and uncle.
In fact, it would be the last thing he would hear for hours.
Though he was content pressing buttons and playing the block puzzles on the touch pad, the eerie silence outside made Silver grow anxious inside the box.
Though he promised to be quiet, the young hedgehog's mind began to wonder and he soon began banging on the doors of the box to get their attention.
"Uncle Tails... I want Auntie Cream...!" Though he was trying all his might, he could not get the lid to open. Tears began to form in his eyes, spilling out in front of him. "Hey! I don't want to be here anymore! Let me out!"
Unbeknownst to Silver, outside, merely a few feet away, stood the his father who was too busy looking at the ground to even hear his son's cries for help.
"...oh no," Shadow's eyes went wide at the sight of the two people he considered family lying on the floor, gruesomely murdered, and resting in the pool of their own blood.
Shadow had seen death, but never like this.
Tails was lying in next to a destroyed machine that Shadow couldn't recognize. The orange fox had patched of burn fur on his face, but that's wasn't even the worst of it. That was reserved for the wide hole in the middle of his body. Whatever hit him destroyed fat, tissue, and organs, and Shadow could even see the floor Tails was laying on from the hole.
Cream's corpse was not any less gruesome. Her head was cut clean off her body, and it was covered in a mixture of grass, soot, and dirt from being rolled on the ground.
"That monster..." Shadow trembled with anger. "...you both did not deserve this," He whispered under his breath, bowing his head and averting his gaze from their mangled corpses. "...I promise. Your sacrifices will not be in vain."
But Shadow had no time to mourn since, in the sight of all the death, he could not see his adorable little son.
"...Silver," Shadow gulped as he prepared himself to walk into the lab. Fear hung heavy in his chest, and his heart throbbed with uncertainty. "...please. Not my Silver."
"Let me out! Let me out! Uncle Tails!" Silver muffled whines, making Shadow's ear twitch. "I don't want to play this game anymore!"
"Silver!" The eerie shouts of Shadow's little boy made relief wash all over him as he confidently lifted up the metal door of the workshop. Everything seemed in order, and there was no sign of Silver anywhere.
"....No," Shadow gripped his head in frustration. "Silver?" Shadow's strained voice echoed throughout the workshop, but still no response. "Please...not him," Shadow crumbled to the floor, tears pouring from his eyes. "Silver!"
"Help! Auntie Cream! Uncle Tails! Let me out!"
The faint sound of bashing metal caused Shadow to nearly jump out of his skin and turn his attention over to a large, rusty brown box in the corner of the workshop.
With the lift of the lid, Silver's big amber eyes looked up at him with tears. The silver hedgehog jumped out and into the arms of his father, who held him close.
"Oh, Silver," Shadow cried shakily, nearly collapsing into himself as he held his son in his arms. He petted the back of his head gently, hoping it would calm the scared little hedgehog. "You're safe, my son. Your Papa's here."
"Papa," Silver squeaked out, burying his head in his father's neck. "Where's Auntie Cream and Uncle Tails?"
Shadow pulled away from Silver, who was looking up at him with tears still pricking in the corners of his eyes.
"Look at me, son," Shadow whispered, trying to get Silver to keep his eyes on him. "I just had the best idea."
"You did?" Silver asked, confused.
"Mhm," Shadow hummed, nodding his head. "How about we stop crying and go for some chocolate milk at home? Doesn't that sound yummy?"
At the sound of 'chocolate milk,' Silver quickly wiped the tears off his face and smiled at his father brightly as he could.
"I can do that!" He exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on his heels and accidently dropping his uncle's watch. "I want chocolate milk!"
"Okay, but one condition," Shadow pet down on Silver's quills as he kneeled to look him in the eyes. "You must keep your eyes closed, okay? If you open them, there will be no chocolate milk."
"O-okay!" Silver nodded.
"It's a deal then," Shadow smiled at his son as he picked him up and turned him away from the corpses of his aunt and uncle, just a few feet away from them. "Okay," Shadow adjusted his hold on Silver, balancing the tiny hedgehog on his scarred arm and using his other arm to support Silver's back. "Ready? Are your eyes closed?"
"Uh-huh!" Silver nodded, his eyes shut so tight it hurt his head slightly.
"Let's go home then."
Shadow exhaled, walking out of the workshop slowly, making sure that he wasn't stepping in any blood before sprinting off home.
Meanwhile, as Silver clenched his eyes closed, trying to follow the rules like he always had, there was a thought that kept nagging at him.
'Why did he have to keep his eyes closed?'
It was the first time Silver had questioned his father's rules, the same rules that the young hedgehog always took pride in following. For some odd reason, it no longer interested him.
Silver took a breath before opening his eyes and looking at the ground. A bit of fear stung the back of his head, but when he noticed that his father wasn't paying attention to him, it put him at ease.
He then looked at what was right in front of him. In the near distance, he saw the bodies of his aunt and uncle, drenched in the pool of their own blood.
Massacred.
The gory sight would forever be etched inside Silver's memory, and the grief it would leave him with would change the young hedgehog forever.
(EXTRA) The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Family Ties
Image Credit ⚘ Divider Credit
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: Violence, Blood, Graphic Description of Death
Word Count: 3k
POV: Third Person
Context: Future!Silver's Timeline
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Masterlist ✦ Memories ✦ Answers ✦ Family Ties
Silver was used to living in a war zone. Even at the young age of seven, he understood the dangers of Ace and Anti's ruthless nature.
That's why his father, Shadow, had four rules for Silver to follow.
Rule #1: Don't go anywhere alone.
Rule #2: Don't use his powers outside of training.
Rule #3: ALWAYS listen to his father.
Rule #4: If you see them, DON'T FIGHT. RUN AWAY.
Silver never had any problem following these rules. In fact, he would always boast to his Uncle Tails and Aunt Cream how good of a 'rule follower' he was. And they would entertain him by telling him how proud they are of him for doing so.
Today was no different. Silver was sticking to his rules while Shadow was away on 'business'.
The three were at a small 'park', if the small plot of dying grass with a small swing-set could even be considered that, in the middle of a town not too far from Tails' lab. They hadn't even finished picking up after a picnic lunch before he arrived and started destroying the town surrounding them.
Silver had seen the one they call 'Anti' before. He was a sinister creature with sharp teeth and a face disfigured from run-ins with the little heroes of Mobius that remain. What he is known most for is an ominous glow that emanates from his body like poisonous smog.
"Silver, stay close and close your eyes," The small hedgehog clutched to his aunt's leg as his uncle attempted to shoot down the madman who was destroying the plot for nothing but seamless fun. "Tails, to get out of here, now!"
"Cream!" Tails yelled in between taking shots at the man. "Take Silver and get to safety! I need to get back to the lab to get the weapon I've been working on!"
Silver looked up to his aunt, who had tears streaming down her face. The warm smile he was so accustomed to seeing was replaced with one of pure horror.
"No, Tails! You and I both know that the weapon is just a prototype! There is no guarantee it will work! We need to get Silver home and warn Shadow!"
Tails stopped shooting and ran over to his wife and caressed her tear-filled face with his hands.
"Honey, you have to. This might be our chance to put an end to this once and for all," He then placed a hand in Silver's quills, making the young hedgehog giggle. Tails did his best to hold his tears in, but the sadness got the best of him. "Kids like Silver all around Mobius have been stripped of their innocence too early. Let's preserve the little they have left."
Cream shook her head vigorously and held Tails' arm in a death grip.
"No! I won't let you! The chance of it working is less than forty percent! If the machine doesn't work..." Cream looked down at Silver, who looked confused. She smiled at him and gently covered his ears. "You'll die, Tails!" She cried out. "If the machine doesn't work, he will kill you. Let's find somewhere safe to hide and try another day."
"How many more?" Tails asked sternly.
"What?"
Tails threw his gun on the floor in anger, scattering into sharp shards all over the floor. Scared, Cream pulled Silver up, holding the small hedgehog in her arms. She looked at him, a small smile on her face despite the tears that poured down her face.
"Silver, sweetie," She sang out in her sweet voice. "I need you to cover your ears for me. Can you do that for Auntie?"
"Yep!" Silver nodded, putting his hands to his ears and covering them until he heard small hums of nothingness.
"Tails, what is wrong with you?" Cream yelled. "You're scaring him, and frankly, me!"
"Excuse my frustration, but answer me this: how many more people have to die until we finally have another chance to put a stop to all these murders? How many more families must be ripped apart by the death of a loved one because we didn't do anything? How many more children must live in fear, knowing that any second now they could die at the hands of these monsters? HOW MANY MORE TIMES DO WE HAVE TO PUT OUR NEPHEW THROUGH THESE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES!"
"Tails.." Cream said sternly, trembling a bit. "Don't make me do that. Let's just go. NOW."
"Cream, if a forty percent chance is all I have, I am taking it without a second thought."
"You're a genius, my love," Cream tsked, shaking her head. "We both know it won't work."
"I would not think twice about giving up my own life to save the lives of millions," Tails replied bitterly. "If that is what it takes, then so be it."
"What about me, your wife? What about Silver? We both made a promise to Amy on the bed she died on that we would raise Silver to keep him happy. Did your promise to her mean so little to you that you are willing to lose your life without another thought?"
"I love Silver more than anything, and I will always stand by the promise I made to Amy," Tails paused to look at Silver, who was still in Cream's arms and humming to himself with his ears covered. "That's why we have to do this for him."
"Silver is a child! He still needs our care and our love! And I still need you in my life! Please don't do this, Tails. We will win this war," Cream reasserted her grip on Silver, bouncing him up slightly in her arms and making the young hedgehog giggle. "And we will do it together, but today is not that day."
"I can't wait any longer, and neither can you. I will do this for Amy, for the friends I have lost, for Silver, and I will do this for you. If my life is what it takes, then that is a price I am willing to pay."
"I will not win this war at the price of my husband!" Cream was about to grab Tails when Silver screamed and pointed to the sky. "Oh no..." She whispered.
"We have to run!" Silver muffled into Cream's shoulder, moving his hands away from his ears and jumping out of his aunt's arms.
"Silver, no," Tails and Cream watched in horror as the ruthless madman began floating right towards them.
"Come on," Blinded by both rage and fear, Tails grabbed Cream by the arm and scooped up Silver with his other arm. Holding the hedgehog in place, they sprinted towards his lab.
"U...Uncle Tails? Are we going to die?" Silver squeaked out with tears in his eyes.
"No, nutbolt. We're going to be okay," Tails reassured him, trying to keep his composure. "I promise.
"Your Uncle Tails is right, sweetie," Cream tried not to show the panic and fear on her face. "We're going to be just fine."
A disgusting, cruel laugh echoed not too far from them.
"You should know me better by now, fox!" The voiced taunted, making Silver hide his face in his uncle's shoulder. "You can't escape me."
"I guess I didn't get the message." Tails retorted, picking up his pace towards the lab in the distance.
"Tails," Cream whimpered. "What are you doing?"
"We are going into the lab. While I prepare the weapon, you and Silver are going to hide in the panic room inside the house."
"Tails..." Cream's voice trailed off as she struggled to keep up with Tails' speed.
Meanwhile, in Tails' arms, Silver can feel his heart pounding faster in his chest, and his eyes that were once dry with blind happiness were now blurred with tears.
"Auntie Cream," Silver whined through tears. "I don't think I want to die."
"Silver, you're going to be okay," Tails set him down and pet his quills to try to calm him down. "You and Aunt Cream have to go inside now, okay? Can you run inside for Uncle Tails?"
Silver didn't get a chance to respond, being interrupted by the chilling sound of maniacal laughter in the distance.
"Go, both of you, inside, now!" Tails grabbed both Silver and Cream and rushed them inside the workshop. He quickly closed the metal door as quietly as he could before turning to Silver. "Come here, nutbolt, let me get a good look at you," With tears in his eyes, the fox picked up his young nephew and pressed his shaking lips on the young hedgehog's head. "You're going to be alright, Silver. You're going to grow up, and be the light in this dark future."
"What about you, Uncle Tails?" Silver tilted his head, confused.
"We'll be fine, nutbolt, I promise," Tails voice broke as he took Silver to a steel box next to the garage door. He lowered the boy in and picked up the lid.
"What are you doing? I don't want to be in a box!" Silver protested, trying to climb out.
"No, Silver," Tails pushed him back inside and pressed a finger to the little hedgehog's mouth. "Shh! You can't move or make any noise, okay? Do you think you can do that?"
Silver shook his head no, not fully understanding the danger he was putting himself in by not obeying.
Frustrated, Tails set down the heavy lid and looked around. Spotting the touchpad bracelet on his wrist, the fox swiftly unlatched and turned it on. Tails had programmed to have silent games for his nephew while he worked on a personal bracelet for Silver.
"Here," Silver's eyes sparkled at the sight of the bracelet, reaching out for it. "If I give you this and let you play games, will you be quiet?"
Silver's nodded vigorously and held out his hands for it again. Tails placed it in the young hedgehog's lap, and he cherished the little giggle that echoed softly in the box.
"I-I'll be back, Silver," A couple of tears spilled out from Tails eyes as he stared into his nephew's soft amber eyes one last time. "Please. Don't forget how much we love you."
Tails looked over to Cream, who was behind him, wiping her tears from her eyes before she too approached the box.
"Uncle Tails is right, sweetie. We love you very much, Silver," She stuck her box and petting Silver's quills in a claiming motion, causing the small hedgehog to smile as he pressed random buttons on the watch. "W-We'll be right back, okay?"
"Okay, auntie!" Silver hummed, pressing more buttons on the pad.
"Be good, nutbolt." Tails closed the lid of the box, angling it in such a way that air could still get in the box, but not noise. "He's safe. Let's get this machine ready."
"R-Right," Cream rushed to the machine and followed Tails' lead in powering it on.
"Alright," Tails muttered, hauling the machine to point towards the metal door. "The battery is up and running, and all systems are clear. We just need the target."
"R-right," Cream wiped a tear from her eye, turning her attention to the fox. "Tails, if this is the last time I do see you, I want you to know that it has been your love that has given me the motivation to keep moving forward. Thank you for giving me all the love you possibly could," Cream hugged Tails, burying her face into his shoulder, which made his fur wet with her tears. "I love you."
But a patch of wet fur was the least of the fox's worries. The worry was reserved for the monster floating in the sky and the little silver hedgehog hiding in a box of steel.
"Cream, don't you even begin to talk like that. I promise you we will make it out of here like we always do. I love you and Silver more than anything," Tails gently caressed Cream's face and wiped a tear away with his thumb. "No more tears. We have a fight to catch, honey."
"Right!" Cream nodded determined.
The sound of footsteps walking nearby was the last thing Silver heard from his aunt and uncle.
In fact, it would be the last thing he would hear for hours.
Though he was content pressing buttons and playing the block puzzles on the touch pad, the eerie silence outside made Silver grow anxious inside the box.
Though he promised to be quiet, the young hedgehog's mind began to wonder and he soon began banging on the doors of the box to get their attention.
"Uncle Tails... I want Auntie Cream...!" Though he was trying all his might, he could not get the lid to open. Tears began to form in his eyes, spilling out in front of him. "Hey! I don't want to be here anymore! Let me out!"
Unbeknownst to Silver, outside, merely a few feet away, stood the his father who was too busy looking at the ground to even hear his son's cries for help.
"...oh no," Shadow's eyes went wide at the sight of the two people he considered family lying on the floor, gruesomely murdered, and resting in the pool of their own blood.
Shadow had seen death, but never like this.
Tails was lying in next to a destroyed machine that Shadow couldn't recognize. The orange fox had patched of burn fur on his face, but that's wasn't even the worst of it. That was reserved for the wide hole in the middle of his body. Whatever hit him destroyed fat, tissue, and organs, and Shadow could even see the floor Tails was laying on from the hole.
Cream's corpse was not any less gruesome. Her head was cut clean off her body, and it was covered in a mixture of grass, soot, and dirt from being rolled on the ground.
"That monster..." Shadow trembled with anger. "...you both did not deserve this," He whispered under his breath, bowing his head and averting his gaze from their mangled corpses. "...I promise. Your sacrifices will not be in vain."
But Shadow had no time to mourn since, in the sight of all the death, he could not see his adorable little son.
"...Silver," Shadow gulped as he prepared himself to walk into the lab. Fear hung heavy in his chest, and his heart throbbed with uncertainty. "...please. Not my Silver."
"Let me out! Let me out! Uncle Tails!" Silver muffled whines, making Shadow's ear twitch. "I don't want to play this game anymore!"
"Silver!" The eerie shouts of Shadow's little boy made relief wash all over him as he confidently lifted up the metal door of the workshop. Everything seemed in order, and there was no sign of Silver anywhere.
"....No," Shadow gripped his head in frustration. "Silver?" Shadow's strained voice echoed throughout the workshop, but still no response. "Please...not him," Shadow crumbled to the floor, tears pouring from his eyes. "Silver!"
"Help! Auntie Cream! Uncle Tails! Let me out!"
The faint sound of bashing metal caused Shadow to nearly jump out of his skin and turn his attention over to a large, rusty brown box in the corner of the workshop.
With the lift of the lid, Silver's big amber eyes looked up at him with tears. The silver hedgehog jumped out and into the arms of his father, who held him close.
"Oh, Silver," Shadow cried shakily, nearly collapsing into himself as he held his son in his arms. He petted the back of his head gently, hoping it would calm the scared little hedgehog. "You're safe, my son. Your Papa's here."
"Papa," Silver squeaked out, burying his head in his father's neck. "Where's Auntie Cream and Uncle Tails?"
Shadow pulled away from Silver, who was looking up at him with tears still pricking in the corners of his eyes.
"Look at me, son," Shadow whispered, trying to get Silver to keep his eyes on him. "I just had the best idea."
"You did?" Silver asked, confused.
"Mhm," Shadow hummed, nodding his head. "How about we stop crying and go for some chocolate milk at home? Doesn't that sound yummy?"
At the sound of 'chocolate milk,' Silver quickly wiped the tears off his face and smiled at his father brightly as he could.
"I can do that!" He exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on his heels and accidently dropping his uncle's watch. "I want chocolate milk!"
"Okay, but one condition," Shadow pet down on Silver's quills as he kneeled to look him in the eyes. "You must keep your eyes closed, okay? If you open them, there will be no chocolate milk."
"O-okay!" Silver nodded.
"It's a deal then," Shadow smiled at his son as he picked him up and turned him away from the corpses of his aunt and uncle, just a few feet away from them. "Okay," Shadow adjusted his hold on Silver, balancing the tiny hedgehog on his scarred arm and using his other arm to support Silver's back. "Ready? Are your eyes closed?"
"Uh-huh!" Silver nodded, his eyes shut so tight it hurt his head slightly.
"Let's go home then."
Shadow exhaled, walking out of the workshop slowly, making sure that he wasn't stepping in any blood before sprinting off home.
Meanwhile, as Silver clenched his eyes closed, trying to follow the rules like he always had, there was a thought that kept nagging at him.
'Why did he have to keep his eyes closed?'
It was the first time Silver had questioned his father's rules, the same rules that the young hedgehog always took pride in following. For some odd reason, it no longer interested him.
Silver took a breath before opening his eyes and looking at the ground. A bit of fear stung the back of his head, but when he noticed that his father wasn't paying attention to him, it put him at ease.
He then looked at what was right in front of him. In the near distance, he saw the bodies of his aunt and uncle, drenched in the pool of their own blood.
Massacred.
The gory sight would forever be etched inside Silver's memory, and the grief it would leave him with would change the young hedgehog forever.
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 21 (Part 2)
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1k
POV: Third Person
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Unbeknownst to both Amy and Sonic, Silver, who was standing not too far from Amy's home, managed to catch a glimpse of Sonic as he entered Amy's house.
"Oh no..." Silver whispered to himself, his eyes wide. As her door shut, panic started to rise in him. Before he could utter another word, Silver looked around himself. Luckily for him, everyone else was busy running around to even notice Silver talking to himself. "...this is bad," Silver uttered again. "He better not do what I think he is going to do...!"
Silver began pacing back and forth, a feeling of uneasiness burning at the bottom of his stomach.
'There is so much he can tell her,' His anxious mind began to spiral off into tangles of dissimilar thoughts. 'He can expose my real name, or how she is my mother, and Shadow is my father! Or even worse! He can tell my mother that he has always loved her and plead his sap story about how he was so blinded by his over-confidence and failed attempts at making her jealous that he can't take it anymore, and he must confess!'
"Okay," Silver stopped pacing and stood there to breathe for a moment. "I need to get ahold of myself," He mumbled, trying to stop the racing thoughts in his head. "I need to find a way to stop this from becoming a complete disaster."
'Rather, stop this from becoming even more than a disaster than it already is,' Silver's uneasy mind began to make him slowly begin spiraling out all over again. 'But how can I stop him now? I can't let him say anything that would hurt my future! Or my father for that matter. I need to get inside! If Sonic sees me, we would have to fight again and...'
Silver's spiraling mind came to a stop at the mere thought of having to fight Sonic again.
'I don't want to fight him again. I never did,' Silver cringed a little bit, remembering the fight. 'Or. That's what I tell myself.'
The memory of it replays vividly in his head like a nightmare. The way Sonic tried to give him an out, but Silver didn't want to listen. He kept pushing Sonic until he turned irrational.
To make matters worse, after Shadow saved him, Silver lied to him and told him that it was Sonic who 'just wanted to be angry', when it was actually him who couldn't control his emotions.
When Sonic sees me, he's going to want to fight me again, I just know it. The last thing I want to do is fight in front of her, but if he's willing to do whatever it takes to get through to her, I might have no choice but to follow through.'
Silver looked out at her house. Every second he stayed standing there felt like torture.
'What do I do?' Silver clenched his teeth, frustrated and kicking himself for not doing something other than being frozen in fear. 'How do I get in here?'
Just as Silver was about to lose hope, something in him felt off.
"What the...?" Silver looked down at his arms as he could feel himself become almost weightless. His entire body began to pale, nearly becoming translucent. '...he didn't...'
Silver could feel his eyes closing, and he took a breath in. 'Is this it for me?'
Before he could even process his last thought, a wave of nausea flowed over him, and he nearly barreled over onto the floor.
'What was that? It almost felt like...' As his eyes fluttered open, he was surprised to be standing in the middle of Amy's kitchen. From where he was standing, he could see Amy and Sonic deep in conversation. 'They they are...wait! What am I doing! I can't let them see me!' Silver quickly ducked down to a corner of the kitchen outside of view from the living room. He sat on the floor and pulled his knees to his chest.
'That feeling. It's the same one I get whenever I jump through time. But how could I have done that without using the Time Device?' Silver looked down at his body, which was still gleaming teal from earlier. As the shimmer began to wear off, he could feel the weight of his body come back to him as well. 'If I didn't make a time jump, then I must have made another kind of jump. Does that mean I just-?'
"I teleported." Silver's voice was quiet, and he had a proud smile on his face as he quietly sank to the floor. "...I can't believe I teleported!"
'Wait,' He snapped out of his state of awe and placed a hand over his mouth, forcing himself into a state of seriousness. 'I have to be quiet. I can't let them hear me. Not yet. I need to focus.'
Though Silver tried to concentrate, there seemed to be a tense silence between the two. All Silver could hear was the sound of someone slurping their drink rather loudly.
'I wonder why they're so quiet? What is your plan, Sonic?'
"You know," Silver's head tilted at the sound of Amy's voice interrupting the awkward silence. "I hate to admit it, but I'm jealous."
'Huh?' Silver wasn't sure if he had heard her right. 'Her? Jealous? Of what?'
"You are?" Silver felt his ear twitch in annoyance at Sonic's rather eager response. "I-I mean, jealous? Who do you have to be jealous of?"
'You were a little too enthusiastic with that response,' Silver nearly groaned out. 'Don't think I won't defend my right to have a happy future. It doesn't matter if you are my future uncle or not.'
The sound of their voices seemed to die down into strings of muffled sentences. Silver could barely make out a word they were saying before another period of uncomfortable silence.
'I can't hear a thing!' The small murmurs he was hearing weren't sitting right with Silver. He could feel the anxiety start to spread all over again. 'Are they even talking to each other anymore? I swear, if Sonic-'
"I love Shadow!"
In the stillness of her confession, Silver could only sink down deeper into his hiding place.
'Well,' He exhaled, relieved. It was a surreal feeling. He grew up hearing it from his father time and time again, and finally, he got to hear it from his mother. 'That confirms that.'
I had to do something I feared during the editing process, break a chapter into two parts.
Chapter 21 Part 1 and 2 are out now, give them a re-read if you'd like, but it's not necessary. The premise is still the same, but the writing is clear and more fleshed out.
As of right now, Chapter 16-19 and Chapter 22 are still under the editing process.
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 21 (Part 2)
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1k
POV: Third Person
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Unbeknownst to both Amy and Sonic, Silver, who was standing not too far from Amy's home, managed to catch a glimpse of Sonic as he entered Amy's house.
"Oh no..." Silver whispered to himself, his eyes wide. As her door shut, panic started to rise in him. Before he could utter another word, Silver looked around himself. Luckily for him, everyone else was busy running around to even notice Silver talking to himself. "...this is bad," Silver uttered again. "He better not do what I think he is going to do...!"
Silver began pacing back and forth, a feeling of uneasiness burning at the bottom of his stomach.
'There is so much he can tell her,' His anxious mind began to spiral off into tangles of dissimilar thoughts. 'He can expose my real name, or how she is my mother, and Shadow is my father! Or even worse! He can tell my mother that he has always loved her and plead his sap story about how he was so blinded by his over-confidence and failed attempts at making her jealous that he can't take it anymore, and he must confess!'
"Okay," Silver stopped pacing and stood there to breathe for a moment. "I need to get ahold of myself," He mumbled, trying to stop the racing thoughts in his head. "I need to find a way to stop this from becoming a complete disaster."
'Rather, stop this from becoming even more than a disaster than it already is,' Silver's uneasy mind began to make him slowly begin spiraling out all over again. 'But how can I stop him now? I can't let him say anything that would hurt my future! Or my father for that matter. I need to get inside! If Sonic sees me, we would have to fight again and...'
Silver's spiraling mind came to a stop at the mere thought of having to fight Sonic again.
'I don't want to fight him again. I never did,' Silver cringed a little bit, remembering the fight. 'Or. That's what I tell myself.'
The memory of it replays vividly in his head like a nightmare. The way Sonic tried to give him an out, but Silver didn't want to listen. He kept pushing Sonic until he turned irrational.
To make matters worse, after Shadow saved him, Silver lied to him and told him that it was Sonic who 'just wanted to be angry', when it was actually him who couldn't control his emotions.
When Sonic sees me, he's going to want to fight me again, I just know it. The last thing I want to do is fight in front of her, but if he's willing to do whatever it takes to get through to her, I might have no choice but to follow through.'
Silver looked out at her house. Every second he stayed standing there felt like torture.
'What do I do?' Silver clenched his teeth, frustrated and kicking himself for not doing something other than being frozen in fear. 'How do I get in here?'
Just as Silver was about to lose hope, something in him felt off.
"What the...?" Silver looked down at his arms as he could feel himself become almost weightless. His entire body began to pale, nearly becoming translucent. '...he didn't...'
Silver could feel his eyes closing, and he took a breath in. 'Is this it for me?'
Before he could even process his last thought, a wave of nausea flowed over him, and he nearly barreled over onto the floor.
'What was that? It almost felt like...' As his eyes fluttered open, he was surprised to be standing in the middle of Amy's kitchen. From where he was standing, he could see Amy and Sonic deep in conversation. 'They they are...wait! What am I doing! I can't let them see me!' Silver quickly ducked down to a corner of the kitchen outside of view from the living room. He sat on the floor and pulled his knees to his chest.
'That feeling. It's the same one I get whenever I jump through time. But how could I have done that without using the Time Device?' Silver looked down at his body, which was still gleaming teal from earlier. As the shimmer began to wear off, he could feel the weight of his body come back to him as well. 'If I didn't make a time jump, then I must have made another kind of jump. Does that mean I just-?'
"I teleported." Silver's voice was quiet, and he had a proud smile on his face as he quietly sank to the floor. "...I can't believe I teleported!"
'Wait,' He snapped out of his state of awe and placed a hand over his mouth, forcing himself into a state of seriousness. 'I have to be quiet. I can't let them hear me. Not yet. I need to focus.'
Though Silver tried to concentrate, there seemed to be a tense silence between the two. All Silver could hear was the sound of someone slurping their drink rather loudly.
'I wonder why they're so quiet? What is your plan, Sonic?'
"You know," Silver's head tilted at the sound of Amy's voice interrupting the awkward silence. "I hate to admit it, but I'm jealous."
'Huh?' Silver wasn't sure if he had heard her right. 'Her? Jealous? Of what?'
"You are?" Silver felt his ear twitch in annoyance at Sonic's rather eager response. "I-I mean, jealous? Who do you have to be jealous of?"
'You were a little too enthusiastic with that response,' Silver nearly groaned out. 'Don't think I won't defend my right to have a happy future. It doesn't matter if you are my future uncle or not.'
The sound of their voices seemed to die down into strings of muffled sentences. Silver could barely make out a word they were saying before another period of uncomfortable silence.
'I can't hear a thing!' The small murmurs he was hearing weren't sitting right with Silver. He could feel the anxiety start to spread all over again. 'Are they even talking to each other anymore? I swear, if Sonic-'
"I love Shadow!"
In the stillness of her confession, Silver could only sink down deeper into his hiding place.
'Well,' He exhaled, relieved. It was a surreal feeling. He grew up hearing it from his father time and time again, and finally, he got to hear it from his mother. 'That confirms that.'
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 12
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: Mild Violence
Word Count: 2k
POV: Shadow the Hedgehog
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
I've been sitting at the nook of the bed for a couple of minutes now, unable to even enjoy a peaceful rest. There is pressure on my chest, almost as if something is crushing me from the inside. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my head, but the thoughts kept flooding through my mind.
'Rose?'
That was the first person that came to mind the moment I got this terrible feeling.
'It can't be Rose. I already checked on her in the other room. She's fast asleep...' I clutched my chest, feeling my heart's harsh beat rattle through my body. 'What else could it be?'
This troublesome feeling kept creeping inside of me, gripping me from within to do something.
But what?
'What is wrong with me?' I sigh with my head hanging low. 'More like what isn't wrong with me?'
Without thinking, I take out my red Chaos Emerald. It greeted me with a soft gleam as the light from the nightlight reflected off the various ridges of the crystal. Sometimes fidgeting with it calmed my nerves down enough to clear my head. But this time, I fear that not even that will stop these feelings.
Whatever they are, they are beyond anxiety.
It's dread.
'Of course it's dread. What is there not to be afraid of at a time like this?' I rubbed my chest again, trying to ease the ongoing tightness. 'There is so much at stake. I could lose everything. I could lose...her.'
I looked at the emerald in my hand and sighed.
"We can fix this," I tried to reassure myself. "We have to."
I stare at the red emerald in my hand, and a small smile creeps on my face. 'You have seen me at my best and worst. Whatever future we need to fight, we'll do it together.'
Staring into the crimson void, my eyes widened when the emerald started to radiate a bright glow. "What the-?"
Caught off guard, I dropped the glowing emerald and watched as it rolled across the floor, getting brighter with each tumble.
'Since when...has it been able to do that?'
I scramble to go to pick it up, but as soon as my fingers graze it, the gleam stops.
'What was that?' I pulled my hand away for a second, waiting to see what the emerald would do. 'It was glowing just a second ago. What happened?'
I snatch the emerald off the floor and hold it up to my eye, searching for abnormalities. But all that was there was a plain red Chaos Emerald.
"What...what are you trying to tell me?" As I hold the emerald in my hand, I try to focus on the power that it releases throughout my body. "Come on...you were trying to tell me something, I know it..."
'What are you trying to tell me?' I repeated the thought, hoping the emerald would do something, but its power or appearance didn't look any different. 'Is it trying to lead me somewhere?'
I stare down at it again, moving it around in my hand. 'Where would it even be leading me to?'
"Okay," I breathe out, rolling my shoulders back. "I've never done this based on a feeling before…" I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath, holding it in my stomach, and tried to focus on the dreaded feeling in my chest. "Chaos Control!"
I had no idea where I would end up, but I didn't expect it to be here.
'This is the first city he destroyed,' I was in the middle of an abandoned road with evident battle scars from all those years ago. The only signs that life existed in a place like this were the empty, rusty cars that hadn't been touched in years. 'But these pieces of metal weren't here before,' The more I looked around, the more damage I seemed to find. 'Neither were these craters. What happened here?'
I ran down the road, trying to avoid uneven terrain and the occasional smashed car. There was no doubt in my mind that whoever was causing this was beyond powerful.
'But who could it be?' The farther I traveled, the more carnage I found. 'Crushed cars? Giant metal scraps scattered everywhere? What the hell could have caused this?'
I continued down the road, getting closer and closer to the city in the distance. But other than the cars and occasional crack in the road, there was no sign of life anywhere.
'Still nothing,' I tsk, slowing down my stride. 'What am I even doing here?'
Then, I see it. Two figures in the distance are fighting so fast that it looks like blurs.
'Who are those two?' I squint my eyes as I pick up my pace. The closer I got, the more distinct their silhouettes became. 'Is that…?' I stop dead in my tracks as soon as I recognize them. 'S and…Sonic?'
There was no mistaking it. There was S, battered and struggling to keep up with Sonic's continuous blows. And Sonic, who looked almost like a stranger. Although I couldn't see his face, Sonic looked nothing like the person I saw this morning. His body was dark, with a dark blue glow illuminating his entire being.
'What…is he doing?' As I stood there watching them, I could feel a fury begin to burn in my soul with every hit S took. My mind was too busy racing that I didn't even notice I started running right towards Sonic.
"What are you DOING?!" I scream, kicking him straight in the side of the head and knocking him away from S.
"Ow!" Sonic hisses from the ground. "You?"
"Me," I answer, standing in front of S. "What is it to you?"
"Sh-Shadow?" S' asks weakly from behind me. "But…how?"
"Hold your breath," I hush him. "I am not here to save you. I happened to be dwelling around in these places while you two idiots were fussing around."
"Who are you calling an idiot?" Sonic laughs maniacally as he wipes the blood dripping down his cheek. It was then I noticed his glossy, milky eyes.
'Oh no.'
"You've transformed."
"What's it to you?" He retorts.
"This version of you is beyond rationale, Sonic. So don't for a second think I am going to try to use my words to reason with you."
"If you think you can beat me, Shadow, you should just turn back around," He bellowed an empty laugh that sent a shiver down my spine. Though he seemed tired from fighting, he was standing there proud as ever. "Don't expect me to play the nice guy."
"Tsk," I shook my head, glaring at him. "The feeling is mutual."
"Shadow, don't-!"
Before S could even finish his sentence, Sonic was already dashing toward me. I blocked his spin dash with my arms and pushed him off of me with all my strength. As he hit the floor, he unraveled and grinned widely at me.
"Heh," He chuckled lowly to himself. "Is that it? Have you learned nothing?"
I shrugged. "I could ask you the same question."
"What?" He tilts his head to the side, and his confusion becomes clear on his face when I move to hit him square in the nose. He yelps, holding his nose and trying not to trip over his own feet as he tumbles back. "You…dick!"
I don't answer him as I jump up and hit him on the side of the head. He nearly chokes on his own spit before he crashes onto the ground.
"Shadow!" S yells out from behind me. "Stop, he's done!"
I ignore him and watch Sonic's body for any sudden movement. After a couple of seconds, I could tell his body was limp.
'He's out. But just to make sure,' I move closer to his body and kneel next to him. I placed two fingers to his throat and sighed when I felt his pulse.
"Is he-?"
"He'll be fine. I just knocked him out," I replied, getting up and turning my attention to S. "What happened here?"
S was sitting on the ground, holding his side and heaving lightly. I walked towards him, leering as I watched him struggle to even move.
"Sonic…" S groaned, hissing in pain as he tried to stand up. "Wasn't too happy with me…I tried to reason with him, but. He wouldn't listen. He…he just wanted to be angry, and decided to take it out on me."
'…Why the hell would he do that? He's more noble than that,' I looked at Sonic, who was still sprawled on the floor. The aura that was surrounding him was beginning to disappear, sizzling off his body like smoke. 'But it wouldn't entirely be out of the realm of possibility. That form of his…he only lets it out when he's beyond reason.'
"I-I took this from him," S dug in his pocket and pulled out the green Chaos Emerald. I nearly gasped when I saw it.
"Why do you have his Chaos Emerald?"
"He attacked me first," He answered meekly. "I didn't know if I could trust him in that state he was in."
"You shouldn't," I sighed, begrudgingly agreeing with him. "I know that form. It's triggered by deep anger. It's difficult to reason with him when he gets like that."
"What…should I do with the emerald?"
"Give it here," I watched S struggle to pull himself off the ground. When he finally did, he began limping towards me. I held out my hand, and when he placed the emerald in my palm, he nearly collapsed into me. If it weren't for me holding him steady with my other arm, he would have hit the ground face-first. "You need to get some rest."
"I-I'll be fine," He tried to play it off. "I've been through worse."
"You're not," I huffed out. "If a single fight with Sonic leaves you struggling to stand properly, you have some serious work to do. Remember, you have to be strong enough to face an opponent that is meant to be the destruction of all of us. Get it together."
His expression softened, and his lips almost trembled as he struggled to speak. "I…I didn't even want to fight him in the first place."
"Then why did you?"
"He attacked me first. And then he turned into that," S gestured to Sonic, who still hadn't moved an inch from the floor. "I thought I could trust him. It's hard because every time I look at him, all I see is the Sonic I knew in my time. But…he's nothing like the Sonic I knew. The one who cared about me."
'He seems distraught. Maybe…' I nearly cursed under my breath. '…he might be telling the truth.'
"I…" I shook my head. "I'm done here," I said, taking out my own Chaos Emerald, clutching it in my hand. I turned to S, who was still standing there, practically quivering from pain.
'I can't believe I'm going to let him…' I scowled. 'I can't just leave him here. Not with Sonic.'
"S," He looked at me, practically pouting. I wanted to roll my eyes at how much he resembled a kicked puppy. "You won't make it to the end of this road in that condition, so," I held my hand out toward him, jerking it so that he would take it. "If you want to get back home, you'd better come now before I change my mind."
I looked away as he grabbed my arm, nearly crashing into me. I felt my body stiffen at his touch, but I tried to grip him hard enough to get his body stable.
"Try and keep still. I can't concentrate with you jerking my arm around."
"Sorry," He breathed, trying to hold still. "Thank you, Shadow. Really."
I said nothing, as I closed my eyes, concentrating the power of the emerald while trying to ignore S' trembling body balancing itself on my arm.
The Four Year War (Prequal to The Man Out of Time): First Encounter
Divider Credit ⚘ Image Credit
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: The Battle with Anti and Ace is not the Freedom Fighters first rodeo. Before them, they had spend years battling Eggman until he decreed a war that would last four years.
Both Shadow and Amy have suffered immense loss, but kept fighting for what they believed was true justice. However, that left them on opposite sides of the war, believing that the other was the true enemy. But when a single sentence spoken by Amy sticks with Shadow, will he be willing to abandon the man who promised him vengeance?
In this multi-part saga, read about what really happened between Shadow and Amy before the events of The Man Out of Time.
Warnings: Mild Violence
Word Count: 4.6k
POV: Third Person
!! I do not own any of the artwork/gifs/dividers used in my stories; credits linked below image; All credit to the rightful owner(s) !!
Main Series Masterlist ❀ All Series Masterlist
"Let's go over the plan one more time..."
Sally's voice didn't even register in Amy's mind. All she could focus on was how hard her heart was pounding in her chest and the way everyone in the room was drilling holes into her body with their gazes. She couldn't blame them. She would do the same if it were someone else in her position. The people who would stand in the exact spot she was currently standing in were all accomplished heroes. Now that it was her turn to prove herself, she did not know how to deal with all the pressure place on her.
'This is really happening, isn't it?' The nagging voice of doubt reared it head into her thoughts. 'Everything everyone has worked for is weighing on my shoulders...'
To say the pink hedgehog was feeling nervous was far, far from the truth. She had been so petrified of failing that she began to have nightmares the moment she found out she her first solo mission would be to retrieve the Purple Galactic Chaos Emerald.
'I haven't fought alone since my brother passed. What if I can't fight like I used to?'
Amy let out an inaudible sigh. She held eye contact with Sally and nodded ever so often to try and drown out her self-doubt. But all she could think of at that moment was her brother.
The brother died in the early stages of the war.
The one that she spent almost three years of her life searching for until she had finally accepted that he was gone and never coming back.
Now, she has to fight for the people who gave her a home and a second chance of being a part of a family.
'I can't mess this up. They need me right now, and I have to be there for them. We can't afford to lose all that we have built up.'
"Do you have that all down, Amy?" Sally stared at her, waiting for a response.
"Huh?"
'Calm down! This isn't how he would act! You are his sister. You can do anything he could do!'
"Amy?" Sally questioned, her arms crossed.
"Sorry," Amy quickly responded. "The plan is for Sonic, Mighty, Tails, and Knuckles to all go in one of our co-ships to distract Eggman while I go into a secret underground cave that contains the Purple Emerald?"
"Yes," Sally breathed out, almost relieved. "Everyone else here will hold down the fort in case things go South, but I'm counting on you to recover that Emerald."
Amy's eyes followed all the people who were begrudgingly placing their trust in her hands. They all bore different faces. Some were happy while others looked even more fearful than her. Still, she managed to keep a composed face and bowed her head down toward them.
"I know. I won't let you or anyone else down."
"Good," It was hard for Amy not to wince at Sally's pained words. Amy tried her best to focus away from Sally who was now busying herself with tracking Sonic and the rest of his team.
'Not even she believes I can do this...' Amy kept still and her eyes fixated on the far doorway behind the control station Sally was standing in. She kept trying to keep her mind off her negative thoughts. '...What if she's right?'
Then, in a blink, leaning against the once-empty doorway was her ghost of her brother. Amy should have been more surprised, but at this point, she was accustomed to his presence.
'It's you...again...' She almost uttered aloud. 'Why are you here?'
'Well, I came to check on my baby sister,' The ghost's voice was as gentle as she remembered it being. His eyes looked tired, but his smile was as bright as ever. 'What has you all shaken up like this?'
'All these people are counting on me. Even our leader doesn't think I can handle this.'
'Wow, I didn't realize how much I failed you as a big brother,' The ghost shook his head. Amy bit on her lip, trying to think of a response to the ghost. 'Come on, I taught you better than this, didn't I?'
'You didn't fail,' Amy tries not to let sadness seep into her expression, but she knows nothing gets past her brother's eyes. 'You were perfect.'
'Hey. I know you can do this. Your my little sister. Being a fighter is in your genes. Anything I could do, you could do. Maybe even better.'
'And if I fail?'
'You won't. I know how strong you are. You need to believe in yourself too,' He smiled, the same smile he gave her the last night she saw him. 'Go make me proud, Rosey.'
"Miss Amy?" Amy was so entranced by his ghost that she didn't even feel or hear Cream tugging on her arm. "Are you okay?"
"H-huh?" Amy blinked. The ghost in the doorway was nowhere to be seen. Her heart sank a little as her gaze made it to Cream, who was holding a little black earpiece in her hand. "Y-yes. I'm sorry, I spaced out a little bit."
"Cream, explain the comms," Sally glared at Amy while readjusting the black device clipped on the collar of her vest. "Again." She seethed.
"Yes, of course," Cream carefully placed a tiny earpiece in her hand. Amy equipped it on her ear to make sure it fit right. "Tails said this is the upgraded model, so it should work even in an underground cave!"
As Cream looked up at her with a smile that never seemed to fade, Amy felt something pang inside her chest.
'I can't even be a half-decent friend. Me and my brain...'
"Miss Amy?" She squeaked out quietly. She grabbed Amy's hand in both of hers and tugged gently. "I bet you're really scared. Having to do something so dangerous all by yourself."
"I'm not scared. Just..." Amy closed her eyes for a second to try and think of something to say, but there was nothing but excuses and lies filling her head.
'I can't do this anymore. Spitting out excuse after excuse to hide my real feelings. If there is anyone who deserves the truth, it's her.'
"It's just I haven't fought on my own in such a long time," Amy felt Cream's grip tighten, seemingly trying to comfort her. She took a breath before speaking again. "I hate to admit it, but it all feels strange."
"You must have the pre-mission jitters," Cream giggled. "But I know you'll be okay, Miss Amy. Chao and I believe in you."
"I appreciate it, Cream. Tell Chao I said thank you as well," Amy's eyes winced when Cream let go. She bit down on her teeth before engulfing Cream in a hug. Cream didn't even make a single sound. She just held her best friend tightly and slowly pet her pink quills.
"Be safe, Miss Amy. I don't know what I'd do without you," She whispered in her ear. "Your my best friend."
"Always."
"One, two, we've got eyes on the Egg! Ames is good to go!"
"Got it! On my way!" Amy let go of Cream who stepped back. She waved before running off to the big double doors to enter the main hallway. "Bye, Cream." She whispered before walking toward the small hallway that leads to the exit chamber.
'I can do this,' Amy assured herself again. Reaching the end of the hallway, she entered her passcode into the panel beside the door to exit. 'Everyone is counting on you.'
'AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING. PLEASE STAND BY.'
The quiet screech of the door could be felt in every fiber of Amy's being. The light of the planet's sun tingled her eyes the higher the door rose.
'Woah. Where are we?'
The ship was parked at a clearing surrounded by tall trees with purple leaves and small pink flowers that swayed with the light tussle of the wind. She could hear the patter of footsteps against the steel ground. She turned her head slightly to see Sally, who was also looking around at the trees as she stood beside her.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Amy said in awe.
"I couldn't care less what they look like," Sally whispered. "The trunks are thick, and the leaves are dark enough to work as natural camouflage. Now, you have a mission to complete."
"I'll be back," Amy responded as she stepped down from the steps. She took a breath before running out into the forest. Her breath hitched slightly at the sound of the heavy metal door shutting behind her, sealing her fate. 'I can't fail now. I can do this. I have to.'
"Amy? Can you read me?"
"Loud and clear," Amy almost groaned out at the sound of Sally's voice. "Do you have a signature read yet?"
"Still working on it. I'm having trouble connecting to you," Tails' interjected. "Got it! Sending coordinates to device now."
Amy tapped her watch and sure enough, a notification from Tails popped up. "Coordinates received. Heading there now."
"This planet is made up mostly of ocean and marine life, with most of the organic life that inhabits the planet being plants and microorganisms. You shouldn't have any surprises."
"That's reassuring, thanks again, Tails." Amy breathed out. She looked at her watch again and turned a sharp corner leading downhill.
"Good luck!" The soft static of the feed faded out, and all Amy was left with was the sound of her own feet.
'Almost there,' She picked up her pace slightly, switching her sights between her watch and the pathway in front of her. 'Just a little further down.'
In the distance, she could see various hills and moss-covered rocks. Seeing the deeper forest reminded her of Mobius.
'We haven't been off-planet that long. I guess I've been too distracted by all of this to even think about home.'
"Amy! You're almost there. Do you have eyes on it?"
Amy looked in front of her. The cave entrance looked like a wide, gaping mouth. The surrounding rock was mossy with vines growing on and around the surface. She could barely make out what was even awaiting inside.
'This can't be it, can it?' She looked down at her watch again, and Amy squeaked when she realized where it was leading to. 'You have to be kidding me! I have to go in there?'
"Um, not yet. The coordinates lead to it being inside some sort of cave?" Amy took a deep breath. She looked up at the opening again before taking a few steps into the cave's opening. As she expected, the further she ventured in, the more she was met with darkness. "I'm going in for it."
"Okay, but be careful. You don't know who or what else is in there."
"I know." Amy looked down at her watch, which was telling her to make a turn.
'What the...' As she turned the corner, the once full path thinned out into a jagged pathway barely wide enough to accommodate one person. On each side were teal bodies of water that reflected the glassy luster of the quartz crystals that pointed down towards them. 'At least there is more light in here.'
"Amy! We…visual of…bzzrp…bzRppp!"
"Huh?" Amy pressed on her earpiece, but only got soft clicks and static in return. "The cave must be deeper than I thought if the comms cut."
Amy descended further down the trail, and the light around her dimmed with each step. She could feel her heartbeat pick up as the darkness seemingly consumed her.
'How much further down?' She looked down at her watch and saw that she had reached the end. 'What? That's it?' Amy looked up, a stream of panic filled her mind. 'It can't be it! It's just a wall!'
Amy pressed a button on her watch, making the screen illuminate brightly enough to see what was in front of her.
'It can't be just a wall. There has to be something I'm not seeing,' Amy felt around the hard, stone wall, walking around to see if there were any inscriptions or weak points. Just as she was starting to lose hope, she felt a part of the wall that felt off. It was a smoother material compared to the rest of the rough exterior. 'What is this?'
Amy pressed on the area harder and gasped when she heard a 'click'.
'That can't be good,' She stepped back, looked up at the now rumbling wall. The whole cave seemed to react. Pebbles jumped around her. The quartz, once dull, seemed to flicker with a purple glow. And the still water now crashed against the outer walls of the wave, nearly splashing onto her. 'Don't tell me this whole cave is going down!'
Distracted by the cave's reaction, Amy didn't notice the 'wall' splitting open, revealing what appeared to be the end of the cave.
'It wasn't a wall at all, it was a door!' She nearly squealed. 'That means...'
"There it is..." Even a soft whisper echoed harshly through the small, empty room. With every inch closer that Amy took, the Emerald and the surrounding crystal shone brighter.
'Let's hope nothing weird happens when I take it out,' Amy carefully broke off the Purple Emerald from the bigger piece of rock that it was stuck to. When it settled in her arms, Amy's knees buckled at the weight of the giant Emerald. 'Oof, heavier than I thought it would be. I hope Mighty is close by to take this off my hands.'
The purple Emerald natural gleam was just enough to make out what was right in front of Amy. But even as she walked, she couldn't stop herself from sneaking peeks at her surroundings. She bit back a sigh as she approached the halfway point of the cave. 'It's so beautiful in here. I wish...I could have seen more of this planet.'
Just as she was about to take another step, Amy's ear twitched. Her voice hitched, and she quickly nestled the Emerald underneath her arm.
"Who's there?" She whispered sternly out into the cave. She stuck out her other arm and lightly snapped her fingers. The weight of her hammer and the Emerald nearly pulled her to the ground. "I know you're in here with me. If you reveal yourself now, I might go easy on you."
"Is this who they send to retrieve such an important item?" A harsh voice echoed behind her. Amy looked around, but in the darkness of the cave, all she could make out were a pair of red eyes. "Perhaps we are giving you all too much credit."
"Who are you?" Amy's voice echoed into what seemed like a void. "I asked you a question, so answer it!"
"I am what the ultimate life form looks like. The more important question is," He responded. "Who do you think you are to be speaking to me?"
"Who am I?" Amy scoffed, adjusted the Emerald underneath her arm, and charged at the figure again. Bringing her hammer to his face, she got the gleam of his black fur. He heard him grunt again as he moved back further into the cave. "I'll tell you who I am."
Amy slammed her hammer toward him again, narrowly missing him and hitting the ground instead. The whole cave grumbled at the force of the blow. Some stems of quartz hanging from the ceiling crashed down into the water below. The figure looked around. Amy could swear he looked confused.
"I am a Freedom Fighter," Amy slammed her hammer down again, hoping to cut off the trail leading to the exit, but all it did was bring more quartz crashing down towards them. Amy moved back towards the exit of the cave and slammed her hammer down once more, causing more pillars to rain down. "And you are going down!"
"Well, see about that," The voice chuckled. Amy charged at him, and she narrowly grazed the so-called 'ultimate life form'. She grunted in frustration as she struggled to keep up with his speed.
'Stop dodging and just let me hit you already!'
Being caught off balance by the weight of the chaos emerald, Amy tumbled to the ground, letting go of her hammer. She heard a faint grunt and the sound of her hammer shooshing through the air as the figure played with it.
"Strong weapon you have here," He cackled. "Let's see how you like getting hit with this thing."
"Oh no, you don't!" Amy snapped her fingers and smirked when her piko-piko hammer disappeared from his grip and back into her hand.
"What?" He asked, dumfounded.
"Take this!" Amy screamed as she hit him upside the head and into one of the deep pools of water. 'I gotta get out of here before he resurfaces!'
"Hm. Thank you for humoring me. But this is becoming annoying," Amy almost stopped in her tracks at the sound of dripping water.
'Oh no.'
"Judging by the way that you fight, you have some prowess. But you are still a weakling. I will show you mercy by giving you this one chance to accept your defeat."
"Weak?" Amy seethed through her teeth. She looked up to the ceiling. A giant accumulation of quartz spears was pointed right down at his feet. "Trust me, I am not a WEAKLING!"
Amy slammed her hammer down to the ground with all her might and let go. As it bounced up, it hit a point near the giant spear. Dozens of spears began crashing down around them.
"What?" He growled, dodging the spears falling around him. Then, from the furthest part of the cave, the ceiling began to rumble down.
"Oh, shit," Amy gasped, holding on to the Emerald.
"What did you DO?!" Before he could lunge at Amy, there was a noise from above. Shadow's eyes widened at the sight of the giant spear
"NO-!"
"Okay, gotta go!" Amy whispered as the giant spear crashed down into him. She shut her eyes and gripped the Emerald tight in her arms, running out of the crashing cave behind her.
'Gotta run, don't look back, just run!' Amy couldn't even feel her legs, she was so focused. 'Are the comms seriously still down?'
Weaving her way through the forest, Amy was finally able to hear some static coming from her ear.
"Hello?" She asked, moving the emerald to her other hand to press down on the com to trigger it. "Sally, do you read me?"
"…bRZZP…Amy?" Sally's voice cut into Amy's ear. "Amy, do you read me?"
"SALLY?" Amy asked louder. "CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
"Yes, loud and clear," She huffed. "Do you have the Emerald?"
"Yes, but listen!" Amy squealed. "We got company. Very strong company. We have to leave, NOW!"
"Got it," Amy waited for Sally as she used all her might not to look back to see if he was following her. "Okay, listen up. Mighty and Espio will meet you at the halfway point. I'll get the ship started."
"Sounds good!" Amy responded, still running. She could see two silhouettes in the distance running toward her. "There they are!"
"Mighty!" Amy quickly pushed the Emerald into his arms. The armadillo huffed slightly at the weight of it. "We have to get this thing out of here now. Espio and I will be right behind you."
"Got it!" He exlaimed, running ahead of them.
"Let's go," She whispered, shakily. She finally gained the courage to look behind them and almost cried when there was no one in sight.
"Are you alright?" Espio asked. "You seem nervous."
"Yeah, just a bit of a scuffle. But I made it out," She huffed out. "Let's focus on getting this back to the ship."
As they approached the ship, Sonic was at the entrance, waving them in. He patted Espio and Mighty on the back as they made their way inside. Amy dragged herself up the ramp until Sonic held his hand toward her.
"Need a hand?" Sonic asked, smiling down at her.
"Sonic!" Amy gleamed, taking his hand as he pulled her in. "You're okay."
"Of course I'm okay. It's me, remember?" Sonic winked. Before she could give him a clever comeback, he let go of her hand and pointed toward Tails, who was at the ship's control panel. "Alright, Tails. Get those doors closed and get us out of here. We gotta go!"
"Copy that!" He responded. The hissing of the ship made Amy's knees weak.
"AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSING. PLEASE STAND BY."
"Rest up, everyone. We have a meeting in an hour!"
A chorus of groans belted out as everyone shuffled out from the control deck.
"No complaining!" Sonic yelled from behind them. "Because we're going to celebrate after!" He clapped in excitement. "We got our first emerald guys! Yoo!"
"You heard him," Espio lightly tapped Amy on the arm. "You did well out there, Amy."
"Thanks," Amy said as she sat down on the floor, landing a bit harder than she wanted to. Espio tilted his head at her and crossed his arms when she sprawled her body out on the deck floor. "Sorry, it's just," Amy could feel her body trembling from pain as she exhaled. "I just can't believe I did it," She whispered. "I really did it!"
"I think you should let Cream check you out. You're shaking."
"Did you call for me, Mister Espio?" Cream entered the deck and gasped when she saw Amy on the floor. "Miss Amy!" Cream shrieked, kneeling next to her and looking over her body. "Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah," Amy struggled to move her body off the ground. Her eyes widened at how stiff she felt. "Maybe I'm more hurt than I thought I was."
"The adrenaline in your body has likely run its course. You need to get checked."
"Mister Espio is right!" Cream whispered to Amy, getting up from her side. "Let's get you to the medical bay."
"That might be a good idea," Amy whinched as she tried to get herself off the ground. "Oh no," She hummed out nervously. "I-I can't get up."
"Mister Espio!" Cream exclaimed. "Can you please help me bring her to the medical bay?"
"Of course," He nodded, kneeling down towards her. "Um," The chameleon cleared his throat nervously. "D-Do I have permission to pick you up?"
"Oh, y-yeah," Amy nodded nervously. She held back a squeak as Espio picked her up. "
"Hold on," Sally stepped in front of them, her arms crossed. "Where are you taking her?"
"She's hurt, Miss Sally. We're taking her to the medical bay."
"Hm," Sally hummed, moving away from the exit of the control deck. "Let me know when she's stable enough. I need a word with her about the new 'company'."
"Of course, Miss Sally." Cream nodded. "Come on, this way."
"Right," Espio huffed quietly as he followed Cream through the halls of the ship. "To the elevator?"
"Yes," Cream nervously pressed the button to the elevator to try and get it to open. "They always take their time when it's urgent."
"Do you know something? I thought Sally would lighten up now that we got the Emerald," Amy winced out. She could feel Espio's grip on her tighten as she struggled to stop shaking. "But she's just as mean as ever."
"I agree. I don't think I like this new 'co-leader' attitude from Miss Sally," Cream sighed in relief as the doors to the elevator opened. She ushered Espio inside and clicked a button on the panel. "Miss Sally used to be sweet as pie, and now she's more sour than a green grape."
"It's a front. She's scared, just as the rest of us," Espio whispered to the girls. "But I agree. She is not handling it well."
'DING.'
"Finally. Here we are," Cream sighed in relief. "Bring her this way," Espio didn't utter a response as he followed Cream into the hallway of light, powered blue doors. She pushes open one of them and waves her hand to Espio. "Set her on the bed there, Mister Espio."
"Right," Espio carefully lifted Amy up onto the bed, and then quickly snaked his arms out from under her. Cream went into the closet and handed Espio a warm blanket. Without a second thought, he draped it over Amy. "Is that comfortable?"
"Yes, thanks for carrying me here, Espio," Amy smiled. "You're really sweet, you know that?"
"No need," Espio said, backing away and covering his redish face with his hand. "We are teammates. We need to help one another when need be," He bowed his head slightly. "Cream. Do you need anything else?"
"Yes, actually," Cream hummed, pointing to the IV rack. "Can you please get me a saline bag and hook it to the pole? We are going to need to get an IV started."
"Wait," He paused, tilting his head. "YOU know how to get an IV started?"
"Of course not, Mister Espio," Cream giggled. "I'm paging my mother right now. I just like to get things set up for her."
"Oh. Right," He nodded, untangling the tubing from the IV bag. Amy gulped at the sight of the needle connected to the bag. "What else should we get ready?"
"We need gauze, tape, and bandages. Just lay them out on the cart right there. I'll get some other tools ready."
As Cream rushed out of the room, Amy used all of her strength to sit up in her bed. As she groaned, Espio dropped the scissors in his hands to try to help her.
"Amy," He breathed out, fixing the blanket to cover her again. "I don't thin-"
"You want to know who the 'company' is, don't you?"
"Yes, I was," Espio whispered to her as he neatly organized the medical supplies on the tray next to her. "How did you know?"
"I felt your heartbeat race when Sally mentioned it," She answered weakly.
"Who did you fight in the cave?"
"I think they have a new guy," Amy huffed out. "He was very powerful. I couldn't see much of his face or body, but I know he had these glowy, red eyes."
"Red eyes?" Espio whispered back. "I don't think we've fought someone like that."
"Really?" Amy tsked. "He really must be new then. If you guys see him again, don't underestimate him, not for a second. He's stronger than he lets on."
"I'll let the others know if we ever see him again," Amy nodded, looking away from the scalpels and other sharp medical supplies Espio was sorting out. "I would be remiss to not thank you for your courage and for getting us the Emerald."
"Y-yeah," Amy squeaked out nervously. "And don't worry about me. I always bounce back."
"Miss Amy is right!" Cream squeaked as she opened the door. "She always recovers quickly!"
"Right," Espio nodded. "I hope you-"
"Amy! I came as soon as I could!" Vanilla rushed to Amy's bedside, pushing Espio aside as she cupped Amy's face, scanning it over for injuries. "Are you okay, sweet thing?"
"Um, I guess as okay as I can be after a battle," Amy responded nervously.
"No need to fret, sweetie, I'll get you fixed up." Vanilla looked over to Espio, who looked confused. "Espio. Thank you for helping out my Cream. Can we have some privacy, please?"
"O-Of course, Vanilla," Espio bowed his head nervously. He looked at Amy one last time and waved his hand toward her. "Get well soon, Amy."
"Thank you, Espio," As he left, Amy felt herself getting lost in though as Vanilla and Cream talked amongst themselves at her bedside. 'I have to get better soon. We need all the help we can get if Eggman has someone as powerful as him on his side.'
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 10
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: Mentions of Death, Violence, and Anxiety
Word Count: 3.6k
POV: Silver the Hedgehog
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Amy didn't say anything to Sonic and only nodded to him. I watched her go up the stairs, and the more I stared, the more I could feel the sadness building up inside her.
'The way Sonic and Sally were talking about her must have gotten to her. I should go-'
"Hey." Before I could say anything, a strong arm held me back, and before I knew it, I was thrown to the floor, landing hard on my back.
"Ouch! What the-?"
"Look, I don't know what you want with us, but leave Amy out of this."
"Is that what this is about?" I squirmed under his grip, but it got tighter the more I tried to fight him. "I get it, you and Sally care about her very much, but hurting me isn't going to solve your problems."
"Stop talking," He seethed. "Next time you talk to her, you talk her into not fighting this battle. I'll be damned if I lose her."
"You don't want to do this Sonic," I grunted, trying to restrain myself from having a full-fledged fight in Amy's house. "If Amy sees you, she'll never trust you again. You know that."
"Fine, you want to pull that card," As soon as he let go of me, I scrabbled to stand on my feet. My eyes darted for the stairs, but he grabbed me before I could move a muscle. Then, he pulled out the green Chaos Emerald he had flashed to me before. "Chaos Control."
"Wait-!"
My body felt light and tingling, and a light blinded my eyes, forcing them shut.
'This feels weird,' I felt my body force itself to the ground. Sonic no longer had a hold on me, but I was too afraid to move. 'The Chaos Emeralds had the ability to teleport people where they wanted to. So where the hell did he take me?'
"Open your eyes," A deep voice crept in my head, almost like a demon. I couldn't help but shake my head. "NOW!"
"Whoa," Was the first thing out of my mouth. The morning sun was still glowing bright. And all I could see for miles was a lush, green prairie blooming with small stems of pink and orange flowers. "It's beautiful."
"S," The voice repeated. And as I turned my head, it started laughing.
"What the-?" I jumped back, pointing my palm towards him. "What happened to you?!"
A dark blue fog blinded his eyes, and a dark blue, ominous glow radiated off his body like a sickness. I tried to look for his eyes, but no iris or pupil could be seen. There was just a milky white void in his sockets.
'He looks like a demon,' The more I stared, the more he started to laugh. The force of it was so great that the surrounding grass began to split away from him. 'And he's acting like one too.'
"Now, you're going to listen to me, or else," He finally spoke. "So what is it going to be?"
"Yeah, no," I pointed my hands towards him, waving them slightly. He grunted under the pressure of my hold on him. "Stop this. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Sonic!"
"Then tell me," He huffed, struggling under the weight of my power. "Why are you?"
"I don't want to, but you're leaving me no choice," With his growing anger, it was hard to keep him contained. I could feel my knees buckling at the force he was exerting to try to break free. "So control yourself so we can have a civilized conversation."
"We have nothing to discuss," He tried to let out a laugh, but under the weight of force I was holding him, I was surprised to hear him speak at all. "You don't know her like we do. You don't love her like we do. Whatever you have to say is..."
As he paused, I dropped to my knees. 'He...getting stronger...' I gritted my teeth, and my body sank deeper into the grass. 'I can't hold it...any longer...'
"It's...meaningless," I gasped when he lunged at me, breaking free from the hold I had on him. I moved away, and he crashed to the ground harder than I expected him to. "You don't know her like we do."
in case he tries to attack me again. "I never got the chance to love her."
"Love? You don't get to love her," He laughed again, dusting himself off. "You didn't even know her."
"I didn't get to," I adjusted my gloves and rolled my shoulders back. I heard my joint crack from the pent-up tension. Hearing that seems to make Sonic laugh. Whatever I was about to get into with him wouldn't be good. "But I want to make sure my future self does. And not you or anyone is going to rob that from me."
"Fat chance," He laughed out. "I can make sure you'll never get that possibility."
I take a deep breath, preparing myself to put an end to this fight before it gets even uglier than it already was, when I feel hands tighten around my neck.
"Gah-!" I tried to scratch out. Sonic lifts me up before putting me into the ground. I try to swat and kick, but my hands aren't strong enough to get him to loosen his grip. "Stop…it!" I croak out. "You…don't…want to do this!"
"Why not?" He sneers. "Well?"
"My mother…loved you…like a brother…" I could feel my body start to feel light and limp. My hands and legs stopped responding to me, and my eyes began burning with tears. "…Amy…is…my mother…!"
"What..." At the mention of her name, I saw the faint gleam of his eyes come back into view. His hands loosened, and I took the chance to kick him away from me. "...what?"
'Air, breathe,' I tell myself as I choke on my own spit. I ignore Sonic's plea for answers as I cough, spit, and wheeze out onto the grass to try and regain my composure. 'Breathe, Silver.'
"What...did you say?" He says meekly. "Repeat it."
"Breathe..." I whisper raspily to myself to try to drown out his voice. But talking seemed to only make my breathing worse. 'Breathe.'
"What did you say?" He repeated. I looked up at him, and he was still lying down limp where I had thrown him. "Amy...?
"S-she's..." I put a hand on my chest, trying to steady my breathing before I say another word. "S-She's m-my mother."
I couldn't believe the words I had let slip out. After I catch my breath, I hastily move back away from him until I hit a trunk of a tree I didn't even notice was there.
'What did I do?' I wanted to scream out into the field. But I didn't even feel like saying another word after what I just said. 'What do I do now?'
"Huh," I heard him pipe out. When I turned back to look at him, he was on his knees. The aura that once consumed him was long gone, and he was back to his green-eyed, blue self. "What...did I do to you?"
"You hurt me, Sonic," I huffed out. "You weren't...yourself."
"I…I didn't mean to…"
"I know. But you did, Sonic." I looked away from him, not wanting to entertain his presence any longer than I already have. Even when I heard him drag his body like a corpse to sit next to me, not once did I tear my eyes away from the field. "You still did."
I have no idea where I am or how to get back. So, I guess I'll enjoy this view just a little longer.'
"Why do you keep looking out into the field?" He asked, breaking the silence between us. "Do you not have fields in the future?"
I turned my head to look at him. His eyes were dull, almost lifeless. In that moment, I felt like I was sitting next to the Sonic I knew.
'Uncle Sonic,' I almost whispered. 'I can't escape you even in the past.'
"Um," I cleared my throat, which still felt sore and raspy from before. "The fields in the future are riddled with battle scars and dead plants. It's amazing to me how something so simple can make you feel so happy."
"It is beautiful," Sonic paused and leaned further into the tree trunk to try and be at my level. "Let's try to get you to the future that has more fields than you can handle."
"It's funny. You've said that to me once before," I mumbled. But when he stared back at me, memories of our conversations started replaying in my head.
"In the future?"
"Y-Yeah," I nodded. "You told me once that you used to like running around hills and fields like this for fun. You said that-"
"That wind on my face helped me clear my head?" He finished my sentence. "I've only ever told Sally and Amy that."
"O-oh, I-I didn't know that," I stuttered out. I could feel the anxiety rising in my body with each passing second. Something about him sitting next to me and trying to have a normal conversation felt unreal. "You know, we don't talk much in the future."
"That doesn't surprise me. I imagine I'm a mess after everything you say that happens," He huffs out a half-hearted chuckle, but I could tell he was trying to clear the air with something that wasn't words. "Do…do you think you can tell me everything now?"
"Well," I paused, trying to think. "There isn't anything I haven't already told you.
"It's okay. I just want to hear it."
"I can try," I gulp. Even though I had the entire story of the past ingrained in my memory, it always gets a little harder for me to talk about. "It started with the attack on my mother's neighborhood. Their entrance alone caused so many innocent people to die. Except for Amy, my mother. She was so injured that by the time they got her somewhere stable enough, they were forced to put her in a medically induced coma. My father said she was in that coma for two years, and even then, she barely managed to pull through. My father said she was in a coma for two years. By the time she woke up, Mobius wasn't the same."
"And the Emerald? Is it true that he broke it?"
I nodded.
"After that attack, Ace and Anti went after the Master Emerald. That's where they meet Knuckles. And he wasn't going to hand it over without a fight."
"I wouldn't expect him to."
I hummed silently.
"Knuckles calls you, Sally, and Rouge for help. But only you make it out alive. My father doesn't like to talk about how they died, not that you would tell him anyway. My father was devastated when he heard of Rouge's death. So much that he blamed you, and apparently, you two almost tore the city apart from your fighting."
"By the sounds of it, I would want to fight myself too," He tsks, looking down at the ground, almost in defeat. "I thought if I knew the truth, it would all make sense. But now I don't know how to react to this. I can't lose anyone...I can't--!"
"The story isn't over yet," I say quickly, trying not to get him to spiral all over again. "Two years after their first attack, I was born into the world...but since my mother was in worse health than she thought," I felt tears in my eyes, they were hot and burning with the rage I felt inside. "And, sadly, she didn't make it..."
'How do I cope with this? It hurts... it all just hurts...'
"It's okay," I hear Sonic say in the midst of my own spiraling. "It's okay to cry about it. It seems like you need to."
"R-Really?" I croak out with tears already falling from my eyes. "A-Are you sure?"
"I'm not gonna judge you, kiddo."
Without another thought. I collapse into myself, digging my face into my knees to muffle my scream, tears, and cries. My body violently shook and shuttered with complete anger and sadness, and the hot tears of mixed emotions poured down from my face to the grass below.
"Why?" Is all I kept repeating over and over. "Why me?"
"Shh..." I could feel a soothing voice trying to console me. "It's okay..."
'I wish you were here with me, father,' The thought of him just made me start crying harder. 'Why can't you be here with me?'
I shut my eyes and tried to pretend I was back in my draft little house that was lucky to still be standing. The house my mother and father built with their own hands, long before they had me.
My father and I would be in the kitchen. I would probably be hunched over in a stool, crying just as hard as I'm crying now. But my father would be in front of me, holding me close and petting my quills.
"'It's okay, son,'" I could almost hear him say. "'Let your pain pour out of your body.'"
"S?" I heard another voice say. "You should breathe, S."
"'Breathe, son,'" My father's words entered my head again. "'You need to breathe.'"
I did just as the voices said, and began to take deep breaths. Though it was hard to fight the burning pain of emotion in my throat, I knew that my father would want me to do.
"'Breathe...'"
"Huh!" I shot up, leaning back into the tree trunk. I felt my chest heave heavily as I tried to catch my breath. "W-Whoa."
"S?" I felt someone shake me. "S, are you okay?"
"Y-yeah," I breathed out. "I think...I just need a minute."
Sonic sat next to me, watching me count my breaths. Even though my eyes were shut, I could still feel his studying my face, making sure I wasn't in too much pain.
"Breathe," I whispered, taking a deep breath and exhaling. "Breathe…"
"I told you you needed to," Sonic jeered, playfully tapping my foot with his hand. "How do you feel now?"
"Um," I thought for a moment. There were so many thoughts and emotions I could choose from.
'I think I feel sad? Or angry? Maybe both?' I sit up from where I was laying and leaned up against the tree trunk. 'I don't know what to even say.'
"I don't know to be honest," I blurted out without thinking. "I'm confused? Did I really deserve to cry over this? I didn't get to meet her. Or love her. Or make memories with her. What gives me the right, you know?"
"You needed to let it out, kiddo. Whatever the reason was. Having all that anger and sadness pent up isn't healthy," Sonic shook his head, looking down at his hands. "Trust me. Don't try and make the anger your friend."
"I just hate this feeling," I sighed. "I hate this. I hate this situation. Why did it have to be me?"
"I get what you mean, kid. That's the life of being a hero. It shouldn't be you. But sadly, it is. And you can't change that, no matter how much you want to."
"I know," I sighed. "It still doesn't make it feel any less worse."
"But now you have a decision to make. You can either accept the fact that you have to be you, and help us get you that future with your mom."
"Or?"
"Or," Sonic hummed out. "You can sit here in this field. Doing nothing."
"Huh," I looked out in the field, and back at Sonic. "What if I want to do both?"
"We can sit here and do nothing for a bit. But eventually, we gotta get up," Sonic smiled, also looking out at the field. "Even if we don't want to."
"I'd like it if we did that."
"Doing nothing for a bit?" I nodded. "Alright, your call," Sonic scooted forward and laid his head down at the base of the tree with his arms resting on his stomach. "Just do me a favor and make sure I don't fall asleep. Sally will kill me if I don't make it in time for veggie-lasagna night."
"Yeah," I exhaled, watching him close his eyes and take a deep breath. "No problem."
And there I sat, in nothing but silence, my eyes not breaking from the field in front of me.
I couldn't describe the feeling it gave me. It was like feasting my eyes on a myth. It was so calm and free. And when the occasional soft breeze would sweep throughout, making the flowers and blades of grass dance in its song, it would want to make me cry all over again.
It felt like I could be here forever.
The quiet. The calm. The peace.
It was everything that I ever wanted.
'But Sonic's right. I can't stay here forever. If I do, all of this will be nothing but another wasteland. And everything that everyone sacrificed for me to even be here would have been for nothing.'
"Thank you," I interrupted the silence. "For letting me sit here with you."
"Hm?" He hummed out, opening his eyes and turning his head toward me. "Yeah, of course," I almost chuckled as he groaned to get back up into a sitting position. From the way he was acting, I could tell he was tired too. "You're a brave kid, you know that?"
"I have to be if I want to fix the future, right?" I tried to laugh, but my chest was already strained from crying before. "But maybe I should give my body a rest before we go and do all that."
"Hey," Sonic whispered softly, putting his hand on my wet knee. "I'm sorry for…going crazy on you."
"It's okay," I smiled, wiping my face that was still hot and wet from all the tears. "You brought me out here, let me cry, and gave me some solid advice, so I guess we're even."
"Yeah, I'd say so," He chuckled. "But seriously. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was blinded by my own anger. The last thing I should have done was take it out on you."
"I forgive you," I reiterated, smiling softly at him. "Really, I do."
'You brought me here, and I get to be here with you. I think that's what the future you would have always wanted to do.'
"Thank you kiddo, for everything. I didn't realize how hard it was talking about this, let alone how much it was affecting you. It sounds ignorant and arrogant, I know, but this whole situation is unbelievable."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sonic. I didn't expect anyone to know about my parents yet, let alone have someone understand a single thing about what I am feeling. I always felt my mother's death was my fault because she died giving birth to me, while my father blames himself for not being there when those two villains first attacked."
"Never blame yourself, kid. That's why you're here, right? To help fix this."
"Yeah," I smiled, wiping my face again. "You're right."
"So..." His voice trails off. I looked at him, my eyes squinted, trying to read his expression. But all I see is his tired face. "Your father?"
"Yeah?" I answered, confused. "What about him?"
"Look. I know you said it wasn't me, but did you really mean it? Or were you saying that to protect your existence?"
"Yes, I'm serious? You're not my father because," I turned to him, a questionable look on his face. I couldn't help but get a gut feeling that his intentions aren't all that genuine. And my suspicions were only confirmed with that embarrassing look on his face. "You're not my father, Sonic."
"That doesn't make sense," Sonic shook his head, waving me off. "The only way Tails is your uncle is if I'm your father. He's always been a brother to me."
"Well," I stiffened up, trying not to let my composure slip. "My father said on her deathbed, she asked Tails and Cream to look after me. And since Cream and Amy were like sisters, they became my aunt and uncle."
"Oh," He hums out, almost like he was disappointed. "Say, who is your father?"
"Why do you want to know?" I asked a little more defensively than I should have.
"What's wrong with being curious?" He tried to shrug off playfully. "But seriously. You can tell me. You trust me, right?"
"I do trust you," I breathed out. "Sorry, it's just been a lot today."
'Maybe...I'm overthinking it. He's my uncle, after all. My father and mother trusted him with their lives,' I quietly adjusted my composure against the tree trunk. My body felt weak after all that crying and fighting. 'I think...I can too.'
"Are you okay?" He asked, wearily. "You don't have to if it's too much for you to handle."
"No, it's not that," I reassure him. "You're going to find out anyway. You already know who my mother is, after all. You know him very well. You've been friends long enough, he refers to you as my 'uncle.'"
"W-wow, really?" He laughs. "That close?"
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe it now, but in the future, he helps you out a lot. Especially after everything."
"So, who is he?" Sonic asks again.
"My father is the ultimate lifeform himself. Shadow the Hedgehog."
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 9
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: None
Word Count: 4.3k
POV: Amy Rose
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
The tension was at an all-time high. My friends were seething and fighting S every chance they got.
'At least no one has swung on him. That's better than I could have expected.'
What surprised me most is that Shadow, for the most part, seemed to side with S, even trying to get Sonic and Knuckles off his back when the conversation came up about the Chaos Emeralds.
'He could have been nicer, but it's progress, right?' I sipped another bit of the smoothie quietly. I tried to avert my eyes from the conflict happening in the middle of the room. 'It's so unfair. It isn't his fault.'
I stared at Shadow for a second. He looked too concentrated and too angry to pay attention to anyone else but Sonic, Knuckles, and S.
'I still can't shake off what happened earlier. Sure, he came to my rescue earlier, but... does he even care about what I had to say?' I averted my eyes, and my thoughts drowned out the bickering happening a few feet away from me. 'Maybe Shadow doesn't like me as much as I thought he did.'
"Amy!" I flinched so hard at the sound of my name that I nearly dropped my glass. I looked at Knuckles, whose eyes were zoning in on me for answers. "What the hell is all of this? Can't you tell that this guy is full of shit?"
"I..." I muttered nervously as Knuckles walked towards me with a scowl on his face. I backed away, my drink shaking in my hands as I set it down on a decorative table behind me so I wouldn't drop it. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I believe that S is telling the truth."
"Why are you buying any of this?" He asked, confused. "Are you really choosing a stranger over us? Aren't we your friends?"
'He's not expecting me to choose, is he?' I clenched my jaw. I couldn't bring myself to talk. 'I owe an immense debt to S. He's been kind, and so caring. I have to make good on my promise to defend him.'
"So what is it going to be, Amy?" Knuckles pressed again.
"I believe S because you are my friends."
"You can't be serious!" Knuckles looked taken aback by my response. There was still a scowl on his face. "You'd really choose him over us?!"
"I can't lose any of you. I won't let that happen. S is giving us a chance, we have to try!"
I felt my face warm like I was going to tear up. But I knew if I starting crying now, I probably won't be able to stop.
"And if it doesn't work?" Knuckles yelled so loud I sank down into myself. He's always been a bit of a hot head, but I've never seen him this angry. "If we die, it's on your hands, Amy. How do you feel about that?"
"At least I could say I tried..." I looked away, hurt flooding over my body. "I think that's better than what you are proposing I do."
"Why you-!"
"That's enough of that," Shadow shoved Knuckles away from me and placed himself between us. I didn't dare try to peer from the sides of his quills. "Do not question her decisions. Especially when they were supposed to benefit you."
'I can only imagine how Knuckles looks right about now. He's probably on second away from bursting with anger.'
"Really?" He seethed, steam practically blowing out of his eyes. "You want to step up to me like that? Fine, let's go!"
"I thought your intelligence was at least at the level of common sense. But you continue to prove me wrong."
"Oh, that's IT!" Knuckles huffed out, stomping his foot. The ground shook a bit before his eyes narrowed on Shadow. "You've gotten on my last nerve."
I didn't even get a chance to react when Shadow grabbed my arm and pushed me away. "Wait, no!"
Before either could have a chance at lunging at each other, Knuckles froze, and a light blue aura surrounded his entire body. His arms pinned themselves to the side, and he grunted as he struggled to move his limbs.
'Oh no...' I turned to S. His eyes were concentrated on Knuckles, and his hands were held up to try to keep him in place. 'I don't think I've ever seen him angry before. He's...kind of scary-looking.'
"What the...I can't...move...!" Knuckles' chest heaved under the pressure of S' powers. "What the hell...is this?"
"Psychokinesis," S said bluntly. "I don't want to have to use these powers on you, but I won't watch you hurt each other."
"Ahaha...really?" Knuckles chuckled. "Maybe I wouldn't be trying to fight my friends if you hadn't shown up."
"That isn't fair to anyone here, and you know it," S' postured buckled as the echidna tried to move. "You lost because you all weren't prepared for such a force. Instead of wasting your time blaming others, why don't you prepare?"
"Yeah, right..." Knuckles grunted. "Like I'd help you now!"
'He's struggling to keep Knuckles in place. That means that his powers have a limit,' I looked to Shadow, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed. 'I wonder if it was hard to hold down Shadow too.'
"Fine," S put his palms down and turned his back to Knuckles. "But we're here if you change your mind."
When the light around Knuckles faded, he put his hand on his chest, almost like he was trying to catch his breath. He looked around and darted for Rouge.
"You all could figure this out yourselves. I'm out of here!"
Knuckles grabbed Rouge by the hand and dragged her out of the house. She didn't protest, just waved as she shut the door.
It didn't surprise me. Rouge's best quality is that she was loyal, even if it meant being slightly less loyal to the rest of us.
"Well, that went well," Sonic huffed, kicking the ground. "So, now what?"
"We all know how Knuckles can be. He'll come around eventually. Right now, we have to start discussing what we all came here for," Tails interjects once again. "S, what else happens to the future? What happens to us?"
Tails motioned to himself and Cream, who was hiding her face in a pillow to escape from the loud noises. My heart started pounding when I saw S' face fall.
"There isn't much I can say. I don't know all the details myself," He shrugged. "But I know you both survive the initial attacks. I even get to meet you. But the others aren't lucky."
"Stop speaking in open-ended sentences," Shadow interrupted, his voice lower than usual. I could see in S' face he wasn't expecting Shadow to speak to him like that. "You want to get them to trust you, you have to tell it how it is. No matter how much it hurts."
"R-right," S sighed, readjusting himself. "Rouge, Knuckles, Sally or Amy survive the first attack. Shadow and I are the only ones left to fight a battle we can't win. All we do is ravage what is left and try to keep our community alive. But that's no way to live," S crossed his arms and shook his head. "I've tried."
"You said only you and Shadow survive," Sonic interjected. " Why am I not helping you in your future?"
"You..." S looked away, a pained look on his face. "You lose your leg, Sonic. You can't fight anymore."
"What?" I whispered, covering my mouth with my hands. I didn't even mean to speak, but it was loud enough to get Sonic to glance over at me for a second before looking back to S.
"You were alive by then, right?" I was surprised at the way S looked at Sonic. I've never seen someone's emotions switch up so quickly. "Why didn't you help us?"
"Help you? I was a baby when this war started. Tell me, how was I supposed to 'help' you?"
"You could have said you were just a kid." Sonic retorted. "Hell, from the looks of it, you still are."
"You know, if you want to pick a fight with me that badly, let's save it for after we talk about fixing the future."
"Y-You know," I tried to speak, but my voice could barely reach above a whisper. "I think we should-"
"You talk about 'fixing the future', but I bet you barely have a plan!"
"I do have a plan!" S shouted back. "And you know what-!"
"Alright, both of you, that's enough!" Sally put herself between them and grabbed Sonic by the arm. She pulled him next to me and pointed her finger at his chest. He took a step back and put his hands up defensively.
'Oh, this isn't going to be good,' I quietly took a step away from Sonic, hoping that Sally wouldn't notice. 'I'm glad she's using her 'leader' voice on him and not me.'
"What is wrong with you?" She began. "You were the leader of the Freedom Fighters, so I know you are more mature than this."
"Sal, this is different," Sonic said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We've never faced anything like this before."
"Bad things are coming for all of us in this room. This kid comes from years in the future to give us a solution on a silver platter, and all you boys want to do is fight amongst yourselves," I bit back a nervous laugh as Sally crossed her arms in frustration. "Well, I've had enough." She turned to look at S, who was kicking at the floor nervously. "S?"
"Um, yes?" He stiffened up nervously.
"Tell us what we need to do."
"Hold on! Before you all say anything." Tails shot out of his chair, a tablet in hand. "There is something that's been bothering me."
"What is it?" S asked, to which Tails responded by giving him the tablet and began pointing to a couple of strings of equations I couldn't make out if I tried. "Theory of probability?"
"Theory of probability?" Sally repeated. "What are you going to do with that?"
"Time travel within itself is a sensitive subject. Just by S being here, he is rewriting history and creating discrepancies. I wanted to see if I could get the jump and calculate our odds," Sonic and Sally soon were at S side also seeing the contents of the tablet. "This is just what I was able to calculate with a few variables. I want to re-run the numbers and create a model just to be safe."
"Hm, makes sense." Sally nodded, continuing to swipe around on the tablet.
'I forget Sally is a bit of a math wiz. Not as much as Tails, but she understands his equations,' I absent-mindedly rocked back and forth quietly, waiting for them to break the silence again. 'I wish I could be that smart.'
"S?" Tails asked. "What are you getting at?"
"Hm," S hummed, his eyes narrowed. "From what you have here, you've calculated multiple probabilities. Which one is the most likely, though?"
"You know what that says?" Sonic asked, surprised. "It's just a bunch of numbers and lines."
"I grew up studying Tails' work, of course, I know what it says," S answered. "Why are you even looking this if you don't know what it says?"
Sonic shrugged, letting out a huff. "Just cause."
"That's why I wanted to make a model. There are an infinite number of possibilities as of now. I can't even be sure if the future that existed in a year will even be remotely the same."
"Okay, I wasn't gonna say anything, but you had me lost me at 'discrepancies'," Sonic blinked, scratching his ear. "But now your everything S is saying isn't true anymore or something?"
"What he's saying is that I altered the timeline by staying and helping you, which I already knew," S tapped his foot impatiently, turning away from the tablet and having a seat on the couch. "But from the notes that my Father created, he didn't think it would change that much."
"It can, but it also can't. That's the tricky part. Based on my own research, the minor things you and I choose to do won't have a significant impact. For example, if you tell Sonic to eat a burger rather than a chili dog for dinner today, it won't cause the end of the world," Tails moved his tablet to his other hand, I was able to get a good look at the equations and formulas that both S and Sally were studying.
'Yep. Still have no idea what that means.'
"But you're here to change all our fates. We can't expect what will happen to actually happen anymore."
"So what you're saying is, if I do have a burger, then maybe these guys won't even show up then. Right?" Sonic snickered.
"Unfortunately, yes, they will," Tails answered deadpanned. "It's a matter of how and when they will be attacking from now on."
"Well, we have half a year, right?" Sonic looked to S, who nodded at his question. "That's still plenty of time to catch these 'discrepit-whatevers'."
"That's another thing," Tails took a seat next to S and began typing some things into a tablet pad. "We can't count on that anymore. S being here has already altered the timeline enough to make discrepancies start to appear. Some could be small, others, more significant," S looked over at what he was typing on a tablet; his expression, whatever was popping up, it couldn't be good. "By my calculations, we need to be fully prepared by the end of July, just to play it safe. But I'll run the equation again in my lab just to be sure."
"July?!" Sonic exclaimed. "That's less than two months!"
"Well, think of it this way," I chipped out. "It's more incentive to get to training and give it all that we got, right?"
"Amy's right," S smiled, giving me a nod in my direction. "Though it would be better to have everyone here, we have to start planning what we need to do."
"Which is?" Sonic hummed out.
"We have three objectives. First, it is obviously protecting the Master Emerald. That is what Anti will go looking for first. Second, we need to keep Ace and Anti separated under all circumstances. Ace has the power to control him, so the longer we keep them away from each other, the weaker he gets. And third, we need to find the seven Chaos Emeralds."
"Why the Chaos Emeralds?" Sally asked, tilting her head to the side. "What does he do to them?"
"We're going to need them for the last battle as a backup," S answered. "Where are they now?"
"I have the green Chaos Emerald," Sonic pulled the gleaming Emerald out before putting it away and pointing to Sally. "The blue Chaos Emerald is currently under the protection of the Acorn Kingdom."
"I have red one," Shadow added, also pulling out his Emerald. "As for the white and purple Emeralds, they are with Rouge and Knuckles."
"Cream and I have cyan emerald back in the lab," Tails pulled up a diagram of the emerald in a box on his tablet to show S. "It's in a secure box that only I have access to."
"That's only six," S said, holding up six fingers. "What about the other one?"
"Oh yeah, what did we do with the seventh one?" Sonic looked to Sally who shrugged. "Shadow?"
"Me? You were in charge of dispersing them amongst us," He growled. "Don't tell me you forgot!"
"Calm down everyone," I giggled, trying not to laugh at Sonic's panicked expression. "I have it. It's in a locked box in my sock drawer."'
"Oh yeah, we did give it to you," Sonic chucked. "I almost had a heart attack there."
"This is the last time you are in charge of something so important," Shadow sneered, shaking his head.
"Good. So they're all accounted for," S sighed in relief. "Let's keep them separate for now. Once the day of the battle occurs, we'll get them together."
"Do you even know the rules of the Emeralds?" Shadow asked. S responded by shaking his head. "Only one of us can use the Emeralds powers at once. The last time two of us used its power together, it nearly broke them."
"Then Amy will be the one to use it. She's our most important weapon after all."
"Seriously?" Sonic laughed. "Amy?"
'Huh. Maybe...he's right,' I felt the corner of my mouth twitch. 'Sonic has always been the leader for every horrible thing we had to face. I don't think anyone could take his place. Let alone me.'
"Amy. I know it's a hard thing to accept. But we didn't have you before," S stood up from the couch and slowly made his way a few steps ahead of me. "My father believed that you were the key to helping us. It's time to have some trust in yourself, just as I do. I wouldn't have come to you if I didn't believe him."
"I know. It isn't like you haven't told me before. It's just," I struggled to finish my sentence. The eyes of my friends all narrowed down at me, awaiting my answer. An answer that might not even be good enough. "What if Sonic's right? What if putting all your trust in me isn't the right answer?"
"I have to agree with Amy," Sally spoke up. Her voice was shaky, and she locked eyes with me. "Amy dies in that future, right?"
"Yes, she does," Sonic was so close to me, I heard him gulp. I couldn't bear to say anything. The words could form fast enough. No words could make this situation any better. "When they attack, she doesn't die, but she is left so injured that they are forced to put her in a medically induced coma. Years afterwards, she died of complications."
"If they're as evil as you say they are, there is no way that Amy is going to face them. Especially with someone like you."
"Sonic," I stepped away from Sonic, shoving him to the side. He stared down at me, his eyes widened. "Stop yelling at him like it's his fault. If this is something that I really have to do. Then..." I bit back a gulp. "I'll do it."
"Amy," Sally's voice was soft as she approached me. She softly took my hand and gave it a nurturing squeeze. "You're family, and there is no way we are letting you do this. If you really die in the future, we have to get you away from here as soon as possible."
'No, this isn't right,' I bit my lip nervously as Sally looked to me for a response. But I couldn't even muster a squeak. 'I have to say something. But what?'
"Not to be insensitive, but Amy isn't a child," S finally spoke up. "I don't think you need to be making decisions for her."
"And what do you know?" Sonic barked back. "This is between the three of us."
"Exactly," Sally added. "You don't know Amy like we do. She's like a sister to me, and if you think for a second that I'm going to let her put herself in danger, then you have another thing coming to you!"
"I-I," S' face got red, and his eyes narrowed. "All I'm saying is that it's not anyone's choice to make but hers. And if I could switch places with her, I would. But that won't fix the future."
"Quiet, all of you!" Shadow looked straight at Sonic, who looked even more annoyed than before. "This decision isn't for anyone to make but hers. If you care about her as much as you claim, then you should respect that."
"You aren't seriously taking his side?!"
"Unfortunately," Shadow mumbled under his breath. S looked at me nervously, but not even I could muster up something to say to him.
"Seriously?" Sonic exclaimed again, taking a step toward Shadow. "What is with you lately?"
"You call yourself her friends, yet it seems that not even you know what she's capable of. She managed to hold her own against Eggman's robots, Eggman himself, and even me. She..." Shadow paused, crossing his arms and looking away from everyone. "Without her, you all would have lost the war. Whatever choice she decides is best for the fate of Mobius is ultimately her decision, and we should do everything to support her in it."
"You're right. If it wasn't for Amy getting captured, Shadow and Rouge would have never joined us," Sonic turned to me, tilting his head slightly. "And without them, we would have never defeated Eggman. I don't think we ever acknowledged that."
"Y-yeah," I stuttered out. "You're right. Maybe. I can do this."
"Sonic's right. You did help us a lot when we needed it most," Sally sighed, looking away and letting go of my hand. "But I just want you to know that you aren't in this alone."
"Thanks, Sally. I appreaciate it," I whispered, trying to comfort her. "I'll be okay. I promise."
"I know." She whispered back.
"Um, with that out of the way, we still need one more thing," S looked at Tails, who was tapping away at his tablet. "Tails. Do you think you can build some shelters for the residences that are going to have to evacuate?"
"I can," His voice trailed off as he got up and put his tablet on the table. "But under one condition."
"What it it?"
"Can I analyze your watch?"
"W-What?" S put his hand over his wrist protectively and stepped away from Tails who was trying to get a peek at the device. "No, I have to keep it with me at all times!"
"Fine," Tails replied with his arms crossed. "Then I guess you aren't getting those shelters."
"Come on Tails, this is childish! Can't you do this for me! If I could, I wouldn't be begging you to build this shelter!"
Tails shut his eyes and shook his head. "Nope. I told you my condition and if you don't want to comply, that's your problem."
"Ugh," S smacked his cheeks on his face in annoyance. "You can't be serious!"
"This can't be good," I mumbled under my breath. "Uh, what should we do?"
"Amy!" Cream squeaked, walking toward me and grabbing my hands. "You have to do something!"
"I know, but what?" I looked at Tails, who was still bickering back at S. "If he won't listen to you, then what chance do I have?"
"Trust me, he'll listen to you," Cream assured, pulling me over to S and Tails. "Tails. Amy has something to say to you!"
"Um," I felt my face heat up as both Tails and S turned to look at me.
'Maybe I didn't think this through.'
"Tails. I know you want to know about the future. And I understand the feeling of being left in the dark is hard. But you have to understand if you don't do this, people will die," Tails' expression dropped a bit. But his proud posture didn't budge. "Everyone is scared, Tails. But there isn't anything we haven't done that we haven't been able to get through together. You said there is an infinite amount of possible outcomes, right? Let's work hard to make sure the one we end up with is the best."
"Tails, listen to her," Cream pleaded. "You know she's right!"
Tails turned towards Cream with a sort of hardened stare, but it softened once he looked into her eyes. "Fine."
"Yes," Cream squeaked, gushing into her hands. "I knew you'd get through to him, Amy!"
"I'll get started on the blueprints, and I'll keep you all in touch about the model," Tails got his tablet off the coffee table and sighed. "I will see all of you later."
"Bye, Amy," Cream hugged me quickly before turning around and joining hands. "Bye, everyone!"
"Bye," I heard everyone murmur as they left.
"Sonic, we should get going as well. We've got to do some heavy lifting if this foe is as powerful as this guy says," Sally tugged Sonic's arm to get his attention, but he didn't pay any mind to her. "Sonic?"
"I'll meet you outside, Sal. I need to ask something before we go."
"Um, sure?" Sally glanced at Sonic before she walked over to me.
"Hey," She whispered as she hugged me tightly. "Get some sleep, Amy. You don't know how worried we all are about you."
"Y-yeah," I whispered back. Sally softly let go of me and looked at me. My heart sank seeing the concern in her eyes. "I promise I'll talk to you when I'm ready."
"Okay. Please take care of yourself," She gave me one last quick hug before turning around and darting toward the door. She didn't even look behind her when she left.
'Maybe it won't be that bad if I just talked to her?'
As I turned around, I was surprised to see Shadow waiting behind me.
"Shadow? You are welcome to stay if you want."
Shadow looked at me for a second before nodding. He didn't say anything as he walked over to the stairs and started rushing his way up.
'Well. That was better than not saying anything at all.'
"Amy?" I jolted up, surprised by Sonic's voice.
"U-Um, yes?"
"Is it okay if S and I have a moment?"
"O-oh, yes," I waved him off. "I'll be upstairs to give you all some privacy."
"Thanks, Ames."
"I'll leave you both to talk then!" I quickly ran up the stairs and ran into the restroom. As soon as I locked the door, I slid down to the floor and let out a sigh.
As this story gains traction, I decided to mass edit a couple of chapters.
The gist of each of the chapters is still the same, but I'm fixing a lot of the major grammatical and structural errors that are mostly present in the earlier chapters.
This the progress so far, so feel free to go back and re-read them if you'd like!
The Man Out Of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 2
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1.3k
POV: Shadow the Hedgehog
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Masterlist ❀ Ch.1
'Do not bother inviting me anywhere near those fools. I have better things to do than to rub elbows with the likes of Sonic.'
I remember saying that to Rose once while we conversed over tea.
But here I was. Standing in a room with his other 'fools' of friends.
The last time we gathered all together like this was during the blue hedgehog's birthday party nearly one year ago. And even then, I was practically dragged to go by Rose.
'Rose.'
I couldn't help but want to sigh out of pure pent-up anger as I looked towards Rose. The anger boiled inside of me from the sight of her as the shell of the person she used to be. Usually, she'd be as giddy and as excited as her friends around her, although it was slightly annoying, it suited her personality.
But now she was barely talking with any of her friends, and she had an evident fake smile on her face.
'Why doesn't anyone say anything? Do they not care? She's definitely hiding something!'
At this point, I wasn't ashamed to admit that she is the only reason I was even behaving moderately stable. I found comfort in knowing that Rose will be fine, and we can get this whole mess cleared up once I have the chance to talk to her.
She isn't the only been having an uneasy, reoccurring feeling the past month. The difference is that I know I can handle it, the effects it is having on Rose were brutal.
"You know, I feel like no one talks about how much superior the chili dog is to the coney dog. Because there is a difference!"
My ears twitched upon hearing Sonic's voice.
'Is this the 'oh-so-important' news he pestered me about for days on end?'
I moved away from the wall and made my way over to the blue hedgehog. I could practically sense my patient grow thinner with every step I took.
"Listen here, you!" I shouted, point my finger into his chest. The room had went quiet, and everyone's eyes were now on the two of us. "We were all invited to your home for an important announcement, not to talk about hot dogs. Either explain yourself or I will not only leave, but hit you for the simple principle that you are wasting everyone's time!"
Everyone's then turned to at Sonic, who nervously looked around the room before walking over to Sally.
"Well," He huffed out, grabbing Sally by then hand. She looked up at him and nodded. "Sally and I had something to say to everyone."
"It's hard to believe that seven years have passed since the war ended," Sally began, a twinge of nervousness in her voice. "It has not been an easy journey getting here. It took time to rebuild everything that we lost. But if there is one thing I learned about all of us, it is that there is nothing we can't do together. Our friendship is what carried us back home. That is why I asked Sonic to gather you all here today to share some important news."
Murmurs spread throughout the room. I watched Rose nervously whisper something to Cream who gasped.
'It couldn't be bad news. Those two are practically giggling with one another.'
"Well, what is it?" Knuckles interrupted the silence.
"Well," Sally giggled out, nudging at Sonic. "Ready?"
"Hm." He hummed in response.
"We're engaged!" They shouted in unison.
"What?!"
"No way!"
"Congratulations!"
Clapping and shouts erupted from the group in front of them. Even Rose clapped and laughed as loudly as she could. My chest felt warm at the sight of her now genuine smile on her face.
Everyone seemed to gather around the couple so quickly. I took a step back, feeling uneasy with all the chattering commotion that erupted all so quickly.
"Thanks for finally getting it out of him," Rose whispered over to me. I hadn't even noticed she had walked over. "I thought I was going to go crazy if I had to hear another rant about chilly dogs from Sonic."
"We can go to your house after this if you'd like. Or we can talk while I walk you home," I watched as Rose's smile dropped a little as a nervous look appeared on her face. She looked up at me and just nodded. "Whatever you choose, but either way, I'm going to ensure you get home safe."
"We can go to my house. I have some peach tea brewing in the fridge."
"Hm."
"Give me a second. I have to go talk to Sally."
"Right," I responded.
As Rose walked over to her, I couldn't help but admire how joyful she looked.
'That's the Rose I'm used to.'
The one who practically tackles others with her affection.
The one who talked to her friends in excited squeals as opposed to words.
The one who always adorned a bright smile on her face.
"'Misery doesn't suit a face like yours.'" That is what I wanted to say to her when I saw her walk through the door earlier.
Right now, she seems far from it,' I lamented. I looked over to Sonic. He had an idiotic, glee-filled grin on his face as he showed off his golden ring to Knuckles and Tails. 'I suppose I also have to give my congratulations to him.'
I took a few steps over to him. Sonic looked away from Tails to meet my eyes.
"Hey, Shadow," Sonic chuckled. "So, tell me, you still want to hit me?"
"Not particularly," I smirked. "I hope the best for you two on this journey together. I mean it."
Sonic smiled at me and gave me a thumbs-up. That was enough of a response for me to head toward the door. I stood firmly by the doorway with my arms crossed. All that was left for me to do here was wait for Rose to finish up her conversation.
Sally had her arm wrapped around her while they both talked to Sonic. I could hear her giggles from where I was standing, and her soft voice going on about how "it's about time Sonic popped the question."
'Though she looks happy, there is still something bothering her. But what?'
"Are you sure you can't stay?" Sally asked, holding her tightly.
"I wish I could, but I have some important business to attend to. But we should all have a celebration soon!"
"You know it!" Sonic answered slyly. "And hey, don't be a stranger. You're always welcome to come by and talk with us."
"He's right. After all that we've been through, we're family, Amy."
"I-I know," She stutters as Sally embraces her. "Congrats again, Sally. I'm so excited for you!"
"Thank you!" She whispered back. "We need to have another girls' night to discuss everything!"
"Oh, most definitely!" Rose squealed, finally letting go of Sally.
'Great. Now we can leave.'
"And you!" Rose exclaimed, pointing at Sonic.
'I spoke too soon.' I nearly sighed out.
"You better take care of her, alright? Or else."
"Aww, why do I get a threat? Where's my hug?"
"Right here,"
"Right here," Sonic laughed as she embraced him. It was the same caring hug that she gave Sally only seconds ago.
'It's the same, but yet...'
I pried my eyes away from their conversation and closed my eyes. I wanted to say the reason was that I knew I shouldn't have been eavesdropping on her conversation to begin with. But that would be a lie.
It was because I couldn't stand to watch the way Sonic held her.
'Now's not the time to be angry,' I thought. 'No matter how much I really, really want to be.'
"Are you ready to go, Shadow?" Rose's voice brought me back to my senses. She was a bit flustered as she awkwardly fumbled with her hands as I stared at her.
"Yes. Let's go." I opened the door for us, I stood aside and let her pass me before shutting it behind me.
I took out the red chaos emerald I always keep with me and stuck out my hand for her to hold. "Ready?"
She nodded, placing her hand in mine. I looked away, trying to hide the nervousness I knew was probably apparent on my face.
Main Story: The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each of them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Prequal: A Rose with Thorns
Description: Amy Rose grew up in the midst of a war with nothing but her older brother as her guardian. Though he is doing his best, he harbors secrets that cannot be releveled, not even to his beloved little sister. But when his loyalty to his motto 'always do the right thing' leaves Amy to fend for herself, what will happen to the future hero of Mobius?
In these few chapters, we will take a glimpse into Amy's past before the setting of the main story and the events of The Four Year War.
Chapters:
[To Be Revealed]
Prequal: The Four Year War / Seven Years of Peace
Description: The Battle with Anti and Ace is not the Freedom Fighters first rodeo. Before them, they had spend years battling Eggman until he decreed a war that would last four years.
Both Shadow and Amy have suffered immense loss, but kept fighting for what they believed was true justice. However, that left them on opposite sides of the war, believing that the other was the true enemy. But when a single sentence spoken by Amy sticks with Shadow, will he be willing to abandon the man who promised him vengeance?
In this multi-part saga, read about what really happened between Shadow and Amy before the events of The Man Out of Time.
Chapters:
First Encounter
Future!Silver's Timeline
Description: Silver is known to the Freedom Fighters as 'the hedgehog who came from the future', but he is more than the tagline of 'time traveler'.
In these six chapters, read about the past Silver wished he could have shared with the Freedom Fighters during the events of The Man Out of Time.
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: Chapter 28
Pairing: Shadow the Hedgehog x Amy Rose
Description: It has been seven years of peace following the grueling war with Eggman and his army. Though it took time to rebuild what they have lost, life for the Freedom Fighters could not be better. Whether it's finding love or trying to run from their past, celebrating post-war times has been different for each them.
All is well until a silver hedgehog comes knocking on Amy Rose's door to deliver the tragic news about an incredible force that seems to be the cause of the future's destruction.
Will anyone believe the mysterious hedgehog's cry for help? Or will he be left to fight for his future alone? Read to find out!
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2.2k
POV: Third Person
!! I do not own any of the art/gifs/borders used in my chapters. All credits to the rightful owners !!
Shadow paused to think for a moment. He's interacted with Espio so little he doesn't even know if the chameleon is capable of speaking.
'He's a part of that other team if I'm not mistaken. What business does he have with him?'
"Why do you ask?"
"Because in my future, he was important to me. I want to be able to train with him too."
'He looks…upset. But,' Shadow shook his head. ‘I haven’t seen him since our arrival back from space years ago.'
"You are asking the wrong person."
"I…am?"
"Not all of us stayed together after the war. He and the rest of his team were the first to disband. I was not exactly 'close' enough to them to know where they would be."
"Oh." Shadow noticed how Silver's face fell.
“You need to talk to Cream. If I’m not mistaken, one of them is married to her mother.”
"One of them?" Silver looked down for a moment. Shadow just studied his expression. "Sorry, this is just…" Silver interrupted his own sentence with a sigh. "Nothing is what I thought it would be. Just from what you've told me, he seems so different."
‘He seems…bothered.’
“What was he like?”
“H-Huh?” Silver squeaked.
“Espio,” Shadow answered. “What was he like in your future?”
"Oh," Silver looked away for a moment before smiling softly. "He was strong, one of the strongest people I knew besides my father. I thought…I would have at least seen him by now."
"He seems important to you."
"He is," Silver chuckled bitterly. "It's strange. You both were so close in my time. I thought you, more than anybody here, would know something about him. It just goes to show that the moment I think I am getting used to this, something comes in and throws me through a loop all over again."
"We were?" Shadow questioned.
"I found Espio not too long before I came here. He was broken, and his memories were practically non-existent. But there was something he did remember."
"What was it?"
"He remembered you. You helped him fill in the gaps in some of his memories. And because of that, he is the reason why I was able to get her as quickly as I could while keeping Anti and Ace at bay," Silver quickly eyed the stove and huffed. "You did your best to help him move on, but I made a promise to him to help him find someone named Mighty. And I made good on it. I found Mighty not too long after I was able to make it here. He said he would meet with Espio after I left, but I guess I'll never know if he did."
"Mighty, huh?"
"Hm?" Silver's ear twitched at the sound of the armadillo's name. "Did you know him?"
'Mighty...' Shadow tried to think where he had heard that name before. But he couldn't recall ever hearing it. 'It must have been one of his team members if I don't recognize his name.'
"He's a red and black armadillo? He was crazy strong, apparently. They dated? I think?"
"I don't recall." Shadow responded.
"It's alright. I didn't exactly get to meet him either," Silver shrugged. He looked to the pot which was starting to puff up with thick, white steam. "Oh, we forgot about the sauce!" Silver quickly took the hot saucepan off the heat and turned off the stove. "Put down that wooden cutting board, would you?"
"Right," Shadow scrabbled around the room to grab the cutting board near the sink. He placed it flat, and Silver sighed in relief when he let go of that handle. "Is it burnt?"
"No, but it's done cooking alright," Silver took a clean spoon from the drawer and dipped it in the sauce. He blew on it before trying it. A small smile crept on his lips as he threw the spoon in the sink. "Good news, it tastes great!"
'It turned out fine,' Shadow let out a sigh of relief. 'I never made anything for anyone else. It would be a shame for it to go to waste.'
"Thank you. For showing me how to do this."
"Oh, um, it's no problem," Silver replied squeamishly. "I can't wait to see how the dish turns out tomorrow. It'll be easy now that the hardest part is over."
"I am sure it will." Shadow agreed.
'I wonder what Rose would think of this. Wait, she does like spaghetti, right?'
"This was nice." Silver voiced interrupted Shadow's train of thought. The silver hedgehog was grinning slightly, and he was practically sitting atop the counter.
"What was?" Shadow raised his brow.
"Talking to you, I mean. It's been hard trying to adapt. You're so..." Silver smiled nervously at Shadow before averting his gaze. "Everything is so different from what I'm used to," He sighed out. "It's funny. That's something you warned me about back in my time."
"If what you say is true, I can't imagine what monster I have become."
“You were never a monster," Silver retorted in a hushed voice. His amber eyes were fixated on the floor. Rather than looking at Shadow, his pupils began following the intricate lines of the patterned tiles. "And even through all of your grief, you managed to survive and fight for the people of Mobius. In the future, I see you do many things. But being cruel was never one of them."
'You don't know the half of it,' Shadow's ear twitched. 'I nearly ended everything that I care about now. That's why I'm...'
"I know what my grief is capable of," Shadow let out a frustrated huff. "That's why I am certain of what will happen."
"All we can do is work to ensure that it won't happen," Silver finally looked back up at Shadow. His eyes seemed a bit different from before. They seemed to gleam off the glow of the kitchen lights. "We have to work harder than we ever have before."
"Hm," Shadow smirked. "Maybe you can be a leader."
"Wait!" Silver exclaimed, moving away from the counter and closer to Shadow. "You think so?!"
"Don't let it go to your head." Shadow grumbled.
"I'll try not to!" Silver smiled and practically hummed while making his way in front of the stove. He moved the pan to a cooled part of the stove and turned to place the cutting board in the sink.
'That made him that happy, huh?'
Silver's smile was something that Shadow hadn't truly seen before. One of the first things he noticed about the hedgehog was how dreary he looked. Not that he could blame him for it. But his smile seemed to suit him more. It was bright. But he couldn't help but feel like he had seen it before.
"It's getting late," Silver practically yawned out. "Sorry," Silver scratched behind his ear nervously. "I didn't think we would be here this long."
'Is he getting enough sleep? He seems exhausted,' Shadow nearly tsked at the irony of his question. After all, he was the one keeping him up at night to show him how to make sauce. 'Even still, I can imagine he is losing sleep over the situation. I didn't exactly bring his hopes up while talking about Espio.'
Shadow looked around. The kitchen was practically spotless. Aside from the saucepan, dirty spoon, and cutting board, there was not much cleanup to be done.
'Shouldn't be too much of a tedious task. If I start cleaning right now, that means I have time too-'
"You can head home if you'd like. I still gotta wait for the sauce to cool so I can store it probably," Silver turned on the sink and started rinsing off the cutting board. "We can meet here in the morning."
"Right," Shadow took a step back, keeping his eyes on Silver as if he was waiting for the hedgehog to change his mind. "We'll discuss more about the plan tomorrow."
"Yeah, sure! Goodnight, Shadow."
"Hm." Shadow approached the door with his red chaos emerald in hand. He looked back at Silver, who gave him a little wave goodbye from the sink.
'This won't take too long.'
"Chaos Control!"
The night air is cool for spring. Not that Shadow was complaining. He’d sit out in the snow if it meant getting to talk to her.
"Hello again, Maria," Shadow whispers softly. He kneels down in front of the grand golden statue of her. The stone path is far from comfortable underneath him. "I know we just talked, but I feel like I needed to come see you."
Shadow looks around, something he probably should have done before. More than once has there been someone else at the dead of night also talking to their heart out to the statue. But all he sees are the abundance of flowers surrounding her. Some are fresh, others are wilting or even dead. But Shadow doesn’t have the heart to throw any of them out. Each one was placed by a person who lost someone in the war.
He doesn’t have the heart to throw away something left out of grief. Even if it is practically dust.
"I guess we’re alone again for tonight," Shadow sighs. "It makes me glad. When it is just us, I feel as if you are really here."
'Even though you aren’t. No matter how much I wish you were.'
"Maria…" Shadow’s voice felt more raw than before. He cleared his throat, trying to prepare for his next word. "For the first time, I feel fear."
That was the first time Shadow had admitted that sentiment out loud. It was a feeling that has been boiling inside of him as the days pass. Talking to S finally left him unable to keep it inside.
"I am not scared of another battle. I am the ultimate life form, my body was meant for fighting. I can handle ten other wars if that is what has to be done. But I am scared of losing her. Of losing everything everyone has built."
Shadow can feel his fingers digging into his legs. His teeth are clenched so shut he was surprised his jaw muscles haven’t cramped up.
'Just finish your statement. Quit being a coward, dammit!'
"The ones who stayed rebuilt everything. They rebuilt communities, kingdoms, and restored ecosystems. They built you as a place where people could come and mourn the lives of those lost in those four years. I…we can’t fail. I can’t fail."
Shadow huffed. There was a burning lump in his throat, but he didn't want to scream at a place like this. Instead, he let the single stray tear that was burning in one of his eyes roll down. He watched as it fell to the stone floor. The splatter that it created reminded him of a flower with its hollow middle and the 'petals' stretching outward.
"I know I told you I would try not to cry during our talks Maria," Shadow sighed, trying to compose himself. "But I hope you let this be the one exception."
Shadow got up, brushing off his knees. His feet felt like weights as he walked up to the statue. He stares up at Maria, the surrounding lights always ensure that she is glowing.
That's the way he liked to remember her. Always glowing.
"I told you before the fate of this timeline. The future as it is supposed to happen only has three survivors. I cannot allow for that to come to fruition. I won’t let more names be added to these columns," He looked down at the base of the statue. Each black little plaque represented a person who was lost to the war. Looking at each one of the names lighted something in Shadow. "I won't let Rose's name be added," He growled. His body trembled with each breathe he took. Not even he could tell what he was feeling.
Anger?
Pride?
Ambition?
'No,' Shadow thought. 'This is still fear.'
"Even thought I am...afraid...I am determined to not let it control me. There is life that exist here that is worth protecting. You have Rose to thank for that," Shadow paused for a moment. "Rose..."
That was the root of his fear. Losing her.
'I have to protect her and the things she loves and cares for because I…'
Shadow's face became hot. He grunted before shaking his head.
"Maria. Tomorrow I have to begin training harder than I ever trained before. So please," His fingers grazed over the stone base and glided down to a random row of names. He closed his eyes, and let out a shaky breath. "Wish me luck."
He stepped away and looked back up at her one last time before turning away and clutching onto the red chaos emerald.
"Goodbye, Maria. Rest easy," Shadow smiled sadly. He slide his hand over the emerald a few times before out a small breath. "Chaos Control."
Shadow appeared at the foot of his bed. His room was neat and tidy, almost everything untouched because of the events of the past few days.
'I've spend so little time here that I haven't been able to make a mess if I tried.' Shadow kicked off his shoes and crawled underneath a thin, black blanket. He stared up at the ceiling, it was as blank as his mind.
"Tommorow I have to train harder than I ever have before," Shadow repeated quietly. "I have to. For her."
Okay, message received! I will be creating a separate blog @expresso-beans to keep thing organized, but of course, I will be linking them to the main Masterlist and reblogging them here.
The Man Out of Time [A ShadAmy and Silver Story]: CREDITS
I use the desktop/laptop version of Tumblr and have realized that the credits to the art/boarders I use do not appear on the mobile version. Here are all the credits for the art and boards used in each of my chapters (found below).
If you find the credit to any of the artists, or you want your art taken down, please let me know!
Boarders
Memories: Rainy Season by user:Np200043 on DeviantArt
Answers: Comic Strip taken from the Official Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Comics
Family Ties: Art by @Ra_Fox on Twitter
Chapter 1: Artist Uncredited, Found on Alpha Coders
Chapter 2: Gif by Xbox on GIPHY
Chapter 3: Unknown Artist
Chapter 4: Art by AmyCuteRose on Twitter
Chapter 5: Gif by the Official Sonic Movie on GIPHY
Chapter 6: Artist Uncredited, Found on GIPHY
Chapter 7: Art by mintiiorweeos on Tumblr
Chapter 8: Gif by ⚠️ on Tumblr
Chapter 9: Gif taken from Shadow's Anime by Toonsite English
Chapter 10: silver it's no use! by user emron456 on DeviantArt
Chapter 11: Gif from Sonic v. Silver | Sprite Animation by Real Life Glitch Entertainment on YouTube
Chapter 12: Found on Amino App
Chapter 13: Panel from Official Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Comics
Chapter 14: Unknown Artist
Chapter 15: Gif Taken from Knuckles VS Metal Sonic | Sprite Battle by Ice Wall on YouTube
Chapter 16: Unknown Artist
Chapter 17: Gif on Tenor
Chapter 18: Unknown Artist
Chapter 19: Gif found by nella-san on Tumblr
Chapter 20: Unknown Artist (watermark credits might say 'Paula Flor')
Chapter 21 (Part 1): Image from CBR. Article (Frame from Sonic X)
Chapter 21 (Part 2): Image from Screen Rant Article (Silver Panel from the Sonic Archie Comics and Sonic Image from the 'Sonic X' Show)
Chapter 22: Art by ArtsyAnnieRose on Twitter
Chapter 23: Found on PicMix, Uploaded by LoadingLavanders
Chapter 24: Roses by rellyia on DeviantArt
Chapter 25: Unknown Artist (watermark credits say 'viki')
Chapter 26: Artist Uncredited, Found on GIPHY
Chapter 27: Gif on Tenor
Chapter 28: Gif on Alpha Coders
Chapter 29: sleeping silver by 100nen on DeviantArt
