Work Text:
A faint hiss was all that Shadow could register before he could finally open his eyes. Met with the inside of a cryopod he remembered all too well. He was on the ARK. No idea how long he was out for. He did remember how he got stuck inside though. Speeding through the space station in search of any signs of life. Sonic had mentioned that somehow the station had come back into operation a few days ago and after talking to the team Shadow decided this would be a solo mission.
His communicator was damaged by the cryogenic liquid and had shattered when he moved his arm. Only a grumble escaping from the hedgehog. Stepping out he notes that the ark looks the same. No signs of life except for the now deactivating cryopod and himself.
Speeding down the hallways he notices that all the lights are off still. They were on when he went in so it must have been a while since he tripped into the pod. Only finding deactivated systems and empty corridors Shadow heads to the control room. Walking in he’s met with a sight he wishes he could unsee. The planet is half destroyed. Pieces slowly floating around a still energetic core. Only a few remaining green places left. One he even recognizes as his home island where his friends live. Quickly zooming to a communications terminal he’s met with a few unread transmissions. That’s where he is met with another startling discovery. The most recent message received. 1200 Years ago. Clicking on it he is met with a heavily degraded message from a fox. Bright yellow fur being replaced with a lighter blonde color. Its Tails but much older. Its hard to hear the fox through the static but Shadow tries his best to hear what he is saying “Sh-d-w I do-‘t know i- you g-t thi- b-ut w-e lost Sonic today.”
The last words seeming without static just to taunt the Hedgehog. The feed cutting out due to deterioration in the system memory. Quickly checking the first received message he is met with the familiar blue hedgehog he remembers. This file being remarkably has little distortion and glitching “Hey there Shads. I hope you’re doing okay up there. we lost your signal and your communicator has gone dead. I hope to see you soon, love you.” the next file automatically starting. Seeing the date being a few months after the first. Sonic is crying looking at the camera. “Please Shadow, please come back. we all miss you so goddamn much. Chaos I really hope you didn’t get hurt up there. we scan the ship every time it passes but we get no signs of life.” The hedgehog on screen breaks down once again. Shadow cannot bear to see him like that. Absolutely lost without him down there. tears in his own eyes as he knows he missed out on everything. Immortal as he might be, he at least wished to have spent the rest of Sonic’s life together with him. staring up at the planet slowly spinning beyond the window he slams his hand down on the machine. The feed of Sonic stopping as a “Record Message?” prompt appears on the screen.
Shadow accepts the request and a view of his own face appears. Composing himself he starts to speak “This is Shadow the Hedgehog. I have been in cryogenic storage for what seems to be over a century and I’m hoping to make contact. I’ve been separated from my loved ones and would like to return. If there is Anyone out there. know I will be coming down.” Stopping the recording and clicking send Shadow is met with an Error message saying that the array has been damaged. “FUCK” he screams slamming his hand on the machine again.
It beeps and the next recording starts. Its Amy from what seems to be a hospital room. “Hey there Shadow. Our transmissions are being accepted by the Ark it appears but much else isn’t known beyond that. It’s been a few years now since we lost contact with you and Sonic is doing much worse because of it.” She pans over to Sonic in a hospital bed. The once vibrant Cobalt now being a dull navy. It tears Shadow’s heart open once again as the camera is being handed over to the blue hero. Through heavy coughs and sniffles Sonic starts speaking “hey there darling. I’m sorry you have to see me like this, but I’ve been going downhill fast” a small laugh escapes the hedgehog “Gotta go fast amirite. Anyway, I had another dream of us last night. We were standing under that tree we planted next to our house. Staring at the skies above us. Man do I wish I could do that one more time. I miss you so much.”
The video ends once again as now the terminal runs out of power. The entire Ship vibrating with a loud rumble as the turbines spool down, the lights turning off and plunging Shadow in darkness. Only thing lighting the room being the sun from outside shining in. Being so far from the planet its impossible for Shadow to teleport down with chaos control. And so, he sits down on a step. Tears streaming down his face. He lost everyone. Nobody knew what happened to him and he missed out on everyone and everything. He knew there was one thing he could do. But it also resulted in his death. Not like Shadow cared at this point. He stood back up. Fiddling with his inhibitor rings, anger building in him for his stupid error landing him in this situation.
Finally, once even the rings on his ankles have hit the ground he starts to scream. the jets in his skates flickering to life before getting so hot they burn through the metal of the floor. Launching himself towards the glass he smashes straight through into the cold vacuum of space. The jets in his skates propelling him towards the tiny island below him.
The unbridled chaos energy launching Shadow through the stratosphere protects him as he slams into the ocean near the island. Within a millisecond he is standing on the beach. No signs of any life except for animals wandering around the abandoned and dilapidated buildings. Nature having reclaimed most of the island. Remembering the last thing Sonic said he rushes to their shared house. Spotting the tree in the distance. Its grown tremendously since they planted it together. The moment he arrives it starts to rain.
Slowing his pace as he gets closer he notices how exhausted he is. Walking around the tree to the cliff face facing the ocean he is met with the sight of a simple grave. Black marble with an inscription on it “Here lies Sonic the Hedgehog. Hero of mobius, never gave up looking for his life partner.” Below it a small gold plaque reading “in memoriam of Shadow the Hedgehog, Missing, presumed deceased” with a small laser engraving of a photo of Sonic and Shadow. The hybrid collapsing on top of the marble slab that encompasses the spot where his lover was buried.
Finally burning through the last little bit of energy that he has within him. One last tear falling from his face onto the stone.
Hoping to see Sonic he closes his eyes. “I’m sorry Sonic” he breathes before finally leaving this world behind.