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He could feel his weight dragging him to his feet, his knees buckled at another attempt to take another step. The darkness. It's there. It's agonizing, feeling this phantom pain inside of him, starting at his corrupted right hand that slithered up to devour his whole arm growing each time he fights another creature in Starfall Islands made him restless as he sat back against the trunk of a great oak tree that they decided to take refuge for the night.
He is yet to find the cure to his condition, yet his mind wandered elsewhere rather than his accursed right arm. The blue blur found himself silent, lost in his own pool of worry as longing crept in his heart; a rare but familiar habit that he does. Ever since his memories got restored, his consciousness has left him helpless from guilt and worry.
He's supposed to be the hero and yet he couldn't seem to beat this twisted game that made him feel nothing more like a pawn to a grander scheme— added to the fact that he's facing off with ancient powers older than civilization itself.
“Sonic...”, a voice called as he shifted his gaze to his side where a light cyan glow radiated from a semi-translucent form.
“Hey, Amy.”, he greeted with a weary smile.
“You're awfully silent.”, the female hedgehog queried as she drifted beside him with a thoughtful look on her eyes while a hollow chuckle escaped his chest.
“It's...”, he started. Deep in thought , he paused and took a deep breath. Was it weakness to admit that for the first time in his life, he felt genuine fear? How could he be a savior when he can't even save himself let alone all of his friends out of this god forsaken Island? What about Amy? How can she be normal again? Tails? His bestest friend, his brother, did he failed him? Did he fail all of them? How can he outrun this?
He's so used to winning all the time yet this time has proved itself to be a greater challenge to the point of him doubting and looking back at himself. The time when the fastest creature has found himself frozen in place. Questions flowed inside his mind in that moment of silence as he heaved a forced confident grin to her.
“Everything's going to be alright, Amy. I promise.” Amy sighed as she rested her hand above his glitching right hand. Although her current physical manifestation isn't completely solid to be exact; holographic in a sense, she could still hold objects and interact with her surroundings. Unfortunately, that takes hard and precise control from her to focus of what little energy that's left in her into a single part of her body that she wanted to interact—one of the many other things that was snatched from her aside from her actual flesh and form.
Sonic could still somehow feel warmth against the back of his hand causing his heart to beat louder yet slower and a slight heat on his face made his ears fold back that he managed to hide as he faced away from her.
“You... You're a bad liar, Sonic the hedgehog.”
True.
The blue one faced her again with a look on his face, ears still folded back to his head. Even at times like this Amy Rose knew how to read him, it's like he's almost bare when she's there. He sometimes forgets how perceptive and observant Amy was.
Perhaps that's what caused him to run away from her often. Once again that overwhelming silence caused him to pull away his hand from under her warm touch and inched away from her.
'Sonic, you coward.', he internally scolded himself.
“I just got a lot in my mind. But I'll be fine though. Don't worry about it, Ames.”, he reassured with another fake smile. “You should rest, we still have a whole day ahead of us... I'm just gonna be on the lookout for tonight.”
A sigh escaped as Amy moved closer, her gaze soft yet firm. “I don't know what runs in your mind exactly, I don't know what your real struggle is. But please remember that you're not alone...", she trailed off as Sonic found himself looking at her again, meeting her face as she smiled gently.
“I'm here.”, she continued. “You are here and we will find the others.”
He failed to retain his gaze on her, bridled with shame from the fact that he's falling apart himself. He can't tell how long he could hold on to this slither of hope.
'Leave, hedgehog. The Island and the Ancients spares no mercy for outsiders. Leave or suffer a fate worse than death.'
He repeated the same exact words from that childlike creature—Sage, in his head. Fear gripped his heart as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth.
Amy saw how the once mighty Sonic was shaking before her eyes as if the blue one is a bottle filled to the brim with unknown emotions, spilling. She clutched the hem of her dress as she finally tackled him into a hug that mustered all of her strength just to make sure that Sonic could feel her. Aghast but still unfazed on his position, Sonic reciprocated the hug tightly, much to Amy's own surprise, as if he'll sink if he'll let go, burying his face on the crook of her neck while his good arm clung to the small of her waist.
“Amy...", He started softly, in a whisper.
“Yes?”, she replied.
“Would you do me a favor?”
“Of course... What is it?"
He hesitated but spoke firmly, “I want you to promise me one thing. Be there for anyone who needs you. Be there for them and don't ever look back."
Perplexed, her brows furrowed down as she released Sonic from her hug while Sonic did the same. Those ever loving stare ached his heart as soon as their eyes met. Beautiful— one thing that Sonic never admitted out loud but admired from afar.
Would he still get a chance to see those eyes once more?
Would those eyes look at him the same way even if circumstances have gone bad?
Her eyes never dulled, always lively.
Lovely.
Even in this state of being trapped as a hologram, she is still the same. Those same old eyes that he'll never cease to admire, shimmering with such vigor but now tainted with worry.
A glint of fear reflected on her stare which set his insides to aflame, burning right through his core as old memories from past adventures flashed in his head. How often this girl and all of his other friends held onto him and him onto them.
'She never deserved this burden. They never deserved this pain. Amy, Tails, everyone...', he thought as a pained expression escaped on his facade, wishing that fate would spare them and take him instead.
“W-what do you mean?”, she asked, her voice traced a small faltering tone.
“I... I don't really know either. But, if ever that thing on my arm gets worse or if what that Sage thing has said to us was true then I want you to leave even without me, okay? Find Tails for me. And just... don't turn back.”
“What are you saying? I won't leave you here! We're going to survive. You, me, and Tails. We're going to find a way out, right?”
He could feel the darkness from his corrupted arm crawl slowly under his skin, it's like a thousand hot knives slowly cutting his flesh, chewing against his bones as it's color turned black with smudges of red; just like that aura that surrounded the creatures pursuing them. It hurts. It hurts like hell but his face showed no trace of it.
“Don't worry about me, Ames. I'll be fine.”, he said, dodging the question.
“You idiot! You're not fine!”, she finally let out, her voice rising in tone for a bit. “How can you say those things, huh?”
“What if I can't make it? I can feel it, Amy. I can feel something from this arm. Something sinister.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before holding the said arm gently. “Deep down the Sonic that I know and love will fight. This hand right here? It has saved plenty of lives including mine. If you can't make it through, then I'll meet you halfway. We'll meet you halfway; Tails and I.”
“We don't even know where to start.", He replied with a bitter chuckle.
“Listen to yourself, Sonic. What happened to that never say die attitude?”
“Oh, Amy...”
A determined smile came across her face. Was it naiveté? Was it hope? Whichever it may be, it's radiating from her in a warm glow. That damned smile. He found himself holding his breath as she held both of his hands inside her transparent ones and held it tight.
“I am with you, Sonic. We are with you. Even if we are far. We're always with you.”
The breath that he held was let out in a sigh as a smile came across his face. “You always have a way to turn things around, haven't you?”
“I learned from the best.”, she replied with a warmer grin as she gave his hand a last squeeze before releasing it.
“Geez, don't patronize me.”, He replied with a short laugh.
“Nah, It's more like Tails, Cream, and Silver but yeah, I think you'll do too.”, she joked.
He fake gasped as he placed the back of his hand on his forehead in an exaggerated manner and pretended to lean back. “Oh Amy Rose! You are so cruel!”, he said, which made her giggle.
“There you are. The Sonic that I know and love.”, she said as she stood from her spot beside him and leaned quickly to give a soft peck on his cheek. For a second he felt that his heart stopped, his brain took a while to catch on as a tinge of blush crept on his cheeks.
“W-where d-did that come from?”, he managed to stutter out as he faced away from her.
“You don't seem to believe that I'll always be by your side so I gave you a collateral. A small kiss of promise in exchange of your trust.”
Amy just giggled as a tight lipped smile reassured Sonic,“Rest now hero. I'll be on watch tonight."
“Geez, you've read too much of those romantic novels. Isn't it too cheesy?”, Sonic jokes.
She laughed, her voice ringing in his ear with a comforting warmth as she held his hands again.
“Hmm… Hahaha never.", she answered, facing him again with smiling eyes.
It left him with a raised brow and a smile that soon softened his gaze. “Heh... I-I'll let it slide. You sure that you're gonna be alright?", he said with a coy beam as his free hand scratched the back of his head.
She seemed oblivious of the slightly flustered Sonic but she giggled once more and gave a thumbs up. “Have no fear, Amy Rose is here.”, she said as the both of them fell into a short fit of laughter.
“Goodnight, Amy.”
“Goodnight, Sonic.”
'You can run but you can never escape...'
“Huh?”
'Sonic?'
“Amy? Where are you? Is that you?”
'Sonic!'
“Tails? Buddy? Where are you??”
He spun his head but all he could see was darkness. An overwhelming sense of dread took over as he shook his head and sprinted off.
'We know what you fear, hedgehog.'
A blue streak was left behind him as he sped through the infinite void searching for anything, anyone as voiced bombarded his ears.
“Get out of my head!!!”, he yelled at the top of his lungs as he tried to block the mysterious voice out.
He closed his eyes shut trying to wake himself up but the moment he opened his eyes a red glowing figure stood a few meters ahead.
Sonic skidded to a stop, almost tripping over. He stood just three meters away from the figure but his blood ran cold in an instant, an eerie chill ran through his spine as he fell speechless, terrified. The figure faced him.
A corrupted doppelganger out from the depths of his heart; dark quills and body with speckles of glitch-like red aura floated around it and embellished it's dark fur. His eyes are a glow, just pure white, soulless with the pupils and irises missing.
'We know who you are.', it started. It spoke despite lacking a mouth, yet it's voice sounded like an amalgamation of distorted voices from different people.
“What are you?", Sonic managed to mutter out as pure terror gripped his heart, his foot took a step back as the corrupted double approached.
The doppelganger laughed as it sauntered closer. 'The right question is, "Who am I?”, it said as he walked towards the frozen hedgehog.
Try as he might, his feet won't budge— stuck on a quicksand that pulled him below. The eerie creature eliminated the space in a blink as the blue blur anticipated. Sonic felt cold and hard hands against his throat, squeezing it as his breathing got constricted.
“I am you.”, It said unto him, it's hands started to melt on Sonic's throat, seeping in his skin as it started to engulf his body.
“N-no! G-get off!!! Get off!!!”
“You can just end the pain or resist and suffer from the consequences. You can never run from yourself.”
“SHUT UP!!!”
'Sonic!'
“What? Amy?”
“No one's going to save you... I pity that girl. I pity you. Do you think they could save you here? It's useless...”
'Sonic!!! Can you hear me?!'
“Amy!!!”
“It's useless to fight back and you know that. You know the truth. Yet you are showering her with hollow promises. Soon... Sooner or later you will be the one breaking her. You will break them all behind.”
“That's not true!"
“Ah, oh yes it is. Hero? All I can see is an arrogant coward. You are nothing without me, Sonic the Hedgehog. I am the devil on the back of your head. Let me end your pain. Succumb to the power, Sonic. Don't fight it.”
The doppelganger laughed menacingly, his distorted voices echoed loud, deafening, over powering Amy's voice.
“NO!”
Sonic was now on his knees, his erratic breathing deafened his ears as he let out an agonizing scream.
“I AM NOT YOU!!!”
'Sonic!'
A sudden warmth in his chest emerged while his left arm grabbed the melting arm on his neck with all his strength to yank it out.
“YOU ARE NOT ME!”, he roared as he pulled it off. Agonizing pain ripped through him as if his skin is being pulled with the doppelganger's grasp.
'Sonic!'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
He opened his eyes. His body was drenched in cold sweat as Amy held his shoulders.
“Thank Chaos!”, Amy exclaimed as she tackled Sonic into a hug.
“A-Amy...", Sonic stammered as he clung to her tightly as if she's his last life line. Amy released the hug first as she kept him at arms length. She looked at him in the eye, seeing fear and a tinge of dread staining his evergreen eyes.
“You're here now with me. No one's gonna get you.”, she reassured as she held his trembling hands. He looked at his hands, the right arm is still glitching but the corruption is still on his around shoulder part and has not moved since, Thank chaos. Sonic gained his composure back as he started to calm down, slowing his breathing as his ears folded back on his head.
“I'm... Here...”, He started. “Yes, I am. I'm still here with you.”, he continued as a sigh of relief came next. “
Yes you are.", She smiled, followed by a soft laugh as she breathed out a relieved breath that's been held. “You kind of scared me when you're mumbling in your sleep.", she queried as she removed her hands from his, much to the blue one's chagrin. “What happened?", Amy asked.
Sonic finally met her gaze but the moment he looked up he could see the reflection on that corrupted doppelganger in her eyes instead of his own.
Reverting his gaze, flinching from the thought, he sighed; furrowing his brows in an attempt to shove the mental image of the eerie double away that still sent bad shivers on his spine.
Balling his fists tightly he let out a sigh, “I-It's...", he started, unsure of how to word out his thoughts.
“Amy, Can I ask you something?", He asked instead.
“Yeah? I'm all ears.”
Once he have found his courage to look at her again she smiled softly upon meeting his gaze again. “What would you do if... If I hurt you or Tails or anybody else?”
A slight confused furrow on her own brows paired with a confused gaze came next from her. “You won't.", she started as she shook her head softly bouncing her quills. “Why would you?”, the pink one continued.
Another sigh escaped his lips as he stood up and turned away. “It's nothing. Just a stupid question.", he said.
“I-Is there something wrong, So—"
“I'll be out on a run. I'll be back.”
“W-wait, you didn't even—”
Before she could even finish her sentence, the blue blur has already left, leaving a trail of dust and a slight gust of wind on his trail leaving Amy confused as much as worried for the other.