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Shadow had no idea where he was. Granted, his explorations through the various locations that had been thrown through time and space and ended up in White Space hadn’t all shown him familiar places. The Ark and Rail Canyon were definitely locations he remembered. Then came the war torn Sunset City. Shadow had been there a few times, though to his knowledge it had never been straight up attacked. Shadow got the sense that the state the city was in was something he’d experience later in the future. Next up was Kingdom Valley, a place that gave Shadow such a . . . bizarre feeling. It was almost like he’d been there before. It was almost like déjà vu. But Shadow couldn’t quite call to mind the memories of whatever adventure he’d had there. And finally, there was the place Shadow was currently running through. A hostile, volcanic landscape called Chaos Island.
Shadow could tell without the slightest hint of doubt that he’d never been here before, nor would he come here in the future. It was so strange. The idle heat was stifling. The enemies were weirdly tough and formidable. There was a feeling in the air. A sense of something. Something powerful. Something coming.
For a moment, Shadow decided to stray off the beaten path, away from the enemies and clear objectives. He decided to just explore. Perhaps he could find something. A clue to what exactly this island was in the first place. He discovered other paths, ones leading so far away from his own original one that they couldn’t possibly connect back up elsewhere.
“Just what is this place?” Shadow wondered to himself. There was power here. It was strong, like the power of the Black Arms, and yet it seemed . . . older . . . denser . . . more. It made Shadow’s skin crawl.
As Shadow glided along, he suddenly skidded to a stop as he spotted something across the rocky landscape in the distance. Was that . . . ? It couldn’t be! It didn’t make sense!
He wasn’t supposed to be here. He was supposed to be off dealing with that monster made of the black smoke!
Why was he here . . . ?
Shadow sped over until he closed the distance between himself and the blue hedgehog.
Something was wrong.
Sonic seemed . . . off. He was standing, but he was slumped over, his hands resting on his knees as he fought to stay upright. His breathing was heavy, his eyes closed painfully with dark circles under them. His quills were disheveled.
Shadow had never seen his rival look so . . . weak.
“Sonic,” Shadow said to get his attention.
Sonic opened his eyes, jumping a bit as if he’d been startled. He looked up at Shadow. The expected smile did not appear on his face. He looked tired . . . so tired.
Sonic closed his eyes again with a grimace. He sighed. “I’m dreaming again . . . aren’t I?” He whispered. His voice was lower than Shadow remembered.
“Dreaming?” Shadow questioned. “Sonic, what happened to you? What’s going on?”
With an unsteady breath, Sonic stood up, shaking his head. “Sorry . . . Can’t talk now. Gotta find . . . Gotta find the Emeralds.” At a painfully slow pace, Sonic started limping away. Limping.
“Is this because of the Time Eater?” Shadow pressed, walking after him. He caught up with Sonic easily.
“No . . .” Sonic mumbled. “I don't think so . . . ?”
“Sonic, you look horrible. ” Shadow darted in front of the blue hedgehog and caught him by the shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. Sonic’s gaze was hazy as he stared back at him. “What did this to you?”
Instead of answering, Sonic suddenly shouted in pain as the surface of his body was taken over by some kind of pulsing energy. It alternated between red and black and blue. It looked almost technological.
It looked like corruption.
Shadow backed up a step unconsciously and Sonic fell to his knees. He remained on the ground, bracing his hands against the rough stone as he grit his teeth. As the corruption faded away, Sonic was left panting shakily.
“Sonic . . . ?” Shadow breathed.
The blue hedgehog seemed to not even hear him. He stayed where he was, just breathing. Just listening to the sound hurt.
Shadow watched as Sonic slowly lowered himself down into the ash, each limb shaking like an unsteady building. His cheek pressed into the rock uncomfortably, wheezing. “ ‘M sorry . . . C-Can’t . . . I c-an’t do it . . .” Sonic’s eyes fluttered weakly.
Shadow stared down at his rival in shock. What happened to him?? How could he just admit defeat like this?? Gritting his teeth, Shadow bent down and pulled Sonic upwards, slinging his arm over his shoulder.
“I’m not letting you just give up, Faker,” Shadow growled.
Sonic groaned, his head lolling to the side limply.
Shadow half-carried, half-dragged Sonic up a hill to the base of a metal tower, where the ground was less blanketed in soot and ash. He lowered the blue hedgehog down to the ground as gently as he could, leaning him back against the tower.
“When was the last time you slept, Hedgehog?” Shadow asked quietly.
“Mm . . . Can’t remember . . .” Sonic mumbled.
“You’re impossible . . .”
They sat in silence for a while. Shadow listened to the sound of far off lava bubbling. He closed his eyes, longing for a faint breeze to bring some relief from all this heat.
“Am I . . . supposed to remember you . . . ?” Sonic murmured.
Shadow went rigid. The question repeated over and over in his head, making absolutely no sense each time. “. . . What?”
“Sorry . . .” Sonic shook his head faintly. “Forget I said ‘nything.”
“No. Sonic.” Shadow looked over at the hedgehog, who was gazing out at the horizon, eyes half closed, face expressionless. “What do you mean are you supposed to remember me?”
Sonic hesitated and then gave a long sigh. “ ‘M sorry . . . My memory’s been fading in and out . . . over the last few . . . days? Weeks? Can’t remember. Sorry.”
The realization dawned on Shadow slowly. “You’re not from my time . . . are you?”
“Mm? What?” Sonic’s ear twitched weakly, turning back to look at him.
Shadow shook his head. “Nevermind.” Chaos Island had been thrown through time and space to end up here. It wasn’t a place Shadow would ever go . . . but it was a place Sonic would one day go. And it seemed Sonic would go through a harrowing experience once he got there. Shadow couldn’t fathom what could break the hedgehog down like this . . . and he almost didn’t want to find out. “Sonic . . . what do you remember?”
Sonic blinked sluggishly, thinking. Slowly, he sat up a bit straighter with a groan. “Friends . . . Trapped . . . Gotta save them . . .”
Shadow nodded. “Good. Hold on to that. Even if everything else fades away, hold on to your mission. The reason you’re here. That’s what will keep you going.”
Sonic frowned sadly, looking down. “Forget their names . . . sometimes. ‘N I forgot you. ‘M sorry . . . I have no idea who you are.”
“That’s alright,” Shadow promised him. “Keep going and you’ll remember eventually. I . . . forgot once too.”
“You did . . . ?” Sonic looked up at him. The dark circles under his eyes seemed more like bruises.
Shadow nodded. “I did. It took me a while but . . . I got everything back. You will too. I promise you that. You’re too stubborn to let your memories stay gone.”
Sonic huffed a dry laugh, a tired smile coming onto his face. “If you say so . . .” He started to get to his feet, but Shadow pushed him back down.
“Rest. If you’re too tired to stand, you won’t be any help to your friends.”
“Gotta keep . . . moving . . . If I don’t, then . . .” Sonic whispered hoarsely.
“Stay down or I’ll knock you out,” Shadow threatened.
Sonic sighed and leaned back against the tower again, closing his eyes. “You sure . . . I’m not . . . dreaming . . . ?”
“You’re not dreaming, Faker,” Shadow promised. “I’m real. I’m really here.”
Sonic’s hand reached out and found Shadow’s shoe, stopping abruptly when they collided. He swallowed. “Can’t . . . really feel you . . . though . . .”
“It’s hot. The heat’s just messing with your head,” Shadow explained.
Sonic chuckled. “Heh . . . Right . . .”
“. . . Get some sleep, Sonic,” Shadow advised. “You’ll think more clearly once you’ve rested.”
“You’ll stay . . . with . . . me . . . ?”
“I can’t,” Shadow said reluctantly. “I have things I need to do. And . . . my own friend to save.”
“Okay then . . .” Sonic trailed off. Shadow could tell he was falling asleep. “Maybe . . . I’ll see you . . . again . . . next time . . . I dream . . . . . .”
Sonic fell silent, now fast asleep. Shadow stood up silently. He looked over the blue hedgehog for a moment. A wave of red and blue energy passed over his body, making Sonic’s face scrunch up in pain for a moment before it passed.
With one last glance at the sleeping hedgehog, Shadow skated off, in search of his path. He was getting close now. Shadow had his own problems to take care of and he’d spent far too long here.
He made a mental note to talk to Sonic about this when he caught up to this point in time.
Because Chaos knew Sonic was going to need some support after whatever events play out here.