Chapter Text
He saw it coming every time he used the Emeralds and it was harrowing and dreadful every time it hit.
The power of Chaos is a great advantage handled when honor. But those who often use Chaos' power are left with its agonizing side effects. Chaos energy is a delicacy that can only be handled by those who know how to utilize it. If misused or used excessively, the user suffers from the Emeralds' need to recover its energy.
For the fighting hero, Sonic would be the one most affected by said side effects.
There were times where he no longer wanted to pay use to the Emeralds in action no matter the need for them.
His high pain tolerance didn't differ from the fact it was awfully painful. There was nothing to ease such power of Chaos.
The longer he was in his super form, the longer the consequence. Even sometimes the occasional Chaos Control or even the use of the gems' healing powers would cause flairs that would leave him with shivers up his spine.
When he first started using the gems a few years back they were a thrilling experience. Going super used to be one of his favorite forms. Flying and throwing spears were anonymous to being present in battles. After several years though, the Emeralds have seemed to grow an "attachment" to Sonic not only due to his constant use but his pure Chaos energy that lies within him. The Emeralds treat Sonic as if he were to be an apparent eighth emerald.
When the Emeralds disperse after Sonic's use, they would long for his energy. A trickle he had gotten himself into.
He currently sat in the corner of his room, hands pulling at his quills and knees drawn. The occasional whimpers, sweating profusely.
It felt as if his insides were burning him alive from the inside out. Pins and needles feeding all over. He felt very hot despite the weather being cold and chilly as of late. Hot yet terribly trembling.
Usually, he was able to handle the duration, going about his day although he was in great anguish. However, this time around, he had been in his super form for far too long for his liking when Eggman's attacks grew non-stop. This one had to be the worst yet.
His eyes were glassy and blurry. He wasn't exactly sure how long he sat like that in his little corner nor did he care. The pain is the only thing on his mind at that moment. He can't remember a time he felt this kind of pain.
It exceeded the time where he had been pinned down beneath debris from Eggman's shooters with several pieces of shrapnel lodged deep inside him. Although adrenaline and being mostly out of it during that time masked the pain, he couldn't exactly recall much but he could still cite the pain as much as it was to get those shrapnel shards out. But nothing compared to what he was feeling at the very moment. Unlike with his previous dispute, it was a constant pain that was incomparable, and it wasn't lessening at all. Never-ending torture.
Despite all of this, somehow he was able to make out a knock from his front door. It sounded desperate.
"Sonic? Sonic you in there?"
As of late, he's kept himself in his own home, not leaving for anything. His legs felt like noodles, unable to support his weight and the periodic dizzy spells. It seems that someone finally decided to pay him a wellness check visit as nobody had seen him for days.
He couldn't let people see him like this. Weak, Vulnerable. He'd be alright, he just needed time to recover. He'd be just fine...
Another knock on the door followed, "Sonic? Are you alright?"
'Crap'
He needed to think of an excuse but he was far too tired to move from his spot in the corner, and his throat was too dry to make any acknowledgment.
Sonic hadn't been able to make out whose voice it had belonged to from the selection of his friends until a sudden spike of fresh Chaos Energy hit him. He wanted it.
Want was an understatement, he desired it. He instantly recognized it to be Shadow.
Shadow had no real obligation to be present before Sonic's home but yet he was here.
Everybody seemed to have grown worried as Sonic hadn't been seen in several days. They had asked Shadow to go look for him several times as he could find him more quickly and no matter how many times he had denied their requests, he agreed. They seemed desperate and very worried and if Shadow was being honest with himself, so was he.
After several knocks on the door went unanswered, he took it upon himself to break in. Sure a violation of privacy, but when it comes to going quiet for the last few days with no explanation and knowing Sonic wasn't the quiet type, he had every right to do so.
He was pleasantly surprised to find the front doorknob unlocked, he was ultimately going to resort to breaking into a window but this was far much easier.
Walking in, at first glance the entire habitat was dark, a few rays of light shining through the drawn curtains only slightly gave the house a bit of light.
Closing the door behind him, he walked in a little further into the kitchen and noticed there had been a struggle. Plates and silverware were left abandoned on the kitchen floor, the dining chairs had been toppled over and the glass vase that would've stayed in the middle of the table, laid on its side, water and flowers spilled remained behind.
This discovery alarmed Shadow. He was just about to contact Rouge when all of a sudden, he heard a small, faint noise coming from a room down the hall.
He waited to make sure he hadn't been just hearing things until his ears caught the sound once more.
Shadow made his way down the hall, cautious but in a hurry. He stood before the door where the noise had originated from and opened the door to find a very dreadful sight.
He saw Sonic in his little corner in the room, shaking to madness. He clings to the side of the wall, desperation in his eyes. Those eyes had bags beneath them and noticed several blue quills sitting around the blue one, quills he had pulled out unwillingly.
He stared at the pathetic sight. Shadow wasn't exactly sure what was wrong until he got closer, he could feel a blow of Chaos Energy quite literally living up to their name. He figured that is what was causing Sonic to be in such a state.
Getting closer, he felt the blow even stronger. It sent him into a cold sweat. Sonic, realizing someone was present, shifted further into his corner, afraid.
"S-stop.", Sonic cringed at how coarse his voice sounded as it trembled.
This didn't stop Shadow from coming closer and crouching down in front of him. Coming face to face with Sonic's messed up energy and himself, he believed he knew what was wrong but was unsure. He'd need to ask Sonic first but before he can, he'll have to take some measures first.
Shadow tried to reach for Sonic's hand but Sonic kept himself from being touched. Shadow went to aggressively grab his pale arm and flooded deprived energy with fresh energy.
Sonic stopped trying to pull away and stared down to where Shadow had been grabbing his arm the entire time. He felt all the pain go away in a matter of moments, finally finding relief.
He closes his eyes and focuses on his breathing perceiving he had been hyperventilating.
Shadow sees this and pulls their foreheads, touching. He sends more fresh energy through him.
There's no words between them, just Sonic humming at the relief he was so needy of.
After his trembling settles and figures he'll be alright, Shadow pulls away to eye Sonic but Sonic keeps his eyes on the ground beneath them.
"You alright now?"
A nod.
Shadow's mouth forms a thin line, "What happened?"
Sonic lets out a long breath, "The Emeralds. I used them for too long this time."
He knew it.
If it wasn't Sonic's negative energy threatening its return, then it had to have been the cause of the Emeralds. Shadow had studied them immensely during his time on the planet, he knew about the side effects and what could happen if one were to use its energy repeatedly. He never suffered from such as he had specially engineered Chaos energy embedded but for Sonic, it was all-natural.
He couldn't imagine the pain Sonic had to go through and he was almost sure this was most likely not the first time this occurred.
"Sonic, how long have you been like this?", he asked hesitantly.
Sonic finally looks back at him only for briefly before staring back down to the floor, "I-It first started a year back, every time I'd use Chaos Control or even used it to heal, I would get sudden sparks of energy or flairs? I didn't think anything of it until it got worse. I didn't think it would get this bad."
Shadow frowned.
"But this doesn't happen to you does it?", Sonic questioned.
"No, my energy's all engineered, yours is not."
Sonic buried his head in his arms that wrapped around his knees, he was tired of feeling this way. Beyond exhausted.
"I-is there a w-way to stop this from happening?". Sonic was almost afraid of the answer.
"I'm not sure, Sonic.", he answered honestly.
Sonic frowned
"I'm sorry Shadow."
"You have nothing to be sorry for."
"My energy is all crappy now and I don't think I can handle much more."
A tear slid down Sonic's cheek, surprising Shadow. Sonic never cried. He realized how bad it was getting to be with Sonic.
"You can't stop using the Emeralds if we need them in battle."
"Y-yea… yea I know."
"But when you feel one coming on, find me next time. I'll be sure your pain is suppressed before it even pays its visit."
"You mean it?"
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be offering."
A small chuckle ripped through Sonic's throat, slightly pained from the soreness.
"I'm sorry and thank you."
"Stop apologizing and of course."
The next time it happened, he ascended to find Shadow.