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“...onic…”
A muffled sound was barely audible over the sound of constant ringing.
“... Sonic?”
It was clearer this time, but the feeling of throbbing didn't go away.
“Sonic!”
The blue hedgehog jolted up, each breath sharp and deep. “Ghh…” he groaned, placing his hand on his forehead, feeling like head was going to pop like a grape. “Ugh… My head…”
His complaining was interrupted by two arms wrapping around his shoulders, then four. “Tails? Amy?” he mumbled, sounding unsure. “Is that really you?”
“Of course it's us! Who else would it be?” Amy chuckles, her tone laced with concern.
Sonic wraps his arms around the two. “Right…”
“You passed out.” Knuckles told Sonic, towering over the three on the ground. “As soon as you hit the Prism, you were out like a light.”
“Seems like your quick thinking backfired.” Rouge shrugged, her tone playful.
Sonic held his head. “Heh… I guess I wasn't thinking,” he chuckled weakly, his exhaustion weighing in him. “Wait-! Where's Shadow?”
“You weren't out for long,” Rouge commented, glancing to where Shadow once stood. As her eyes met him, she gasped, and Sonic quickly jolted his head to look too.
Shadow sat motionless on the ground, his eyes wide open but the screen turned off. Did his system crash?
Sonic got up, pushing Amy and Tails off him as he walked towards Shadow, but before he reached him, Shadow's eyes lit up again, his system booting back up.
After a few seconds, Shadow becane aware, looking around. His eyes froze as they land on Tails. He quickly stood up, leaning against the wall until he was able to balance. His expression was focused, cold.
“Shadow?” Rouge’s hand stretched out towards the dark hedgehog. “Are you alright?”
“I'm fine, I just…” Shadow stood up straight, feeling weaker under everyone's gaze. “I think I need to recharge…” Shadow mumbled
As Shadow turned to leave, Sonic gestured for everyone else to stay back, before following after him.
Once out of earshot, Sonic called after Shadow. “Hey, I'm pretty tuckered out, too.”
No response.
“Shatterspace, huh?”
Again, no response.
Sonic was growing impatient, obvious in his tone. “Look, I know everything that happened back there was messed up.” Sonic said, trying to pry a reaction, but to no avail.
“Just talk to me.” Sonic snapped at him. He grabbed Shadow’s shoulder, immediately greeted by Shadow whipping around, knocking Sonic's hand away. His eyes were wide, and his chest visibly rose and fell, simultaneously making Sonic acutely aware of the ebony hedgehog being artificial, and just how organic he appears.
After a few seconds of stunned silence between them, the darker of the two spoke up. “Don't touch me…” he murmured, his voice tight. He looked tense, scared.
Shadow backed away, not letting Sonic out of his sight as he put distance between them.
Sonic glanced between Shadow, and his own hand, before it fell to his side. “I didn't realize–”
“No shit!” Shadow barked. “You're never observant! That's what got us into this mess! That's what got me…” Shadow pauses, his hand planting itself on the back of his neck.
After moments of tense silence, the blue hedgehog's nonchalant voice cut through it. “Come on, Shads, you know I wouldn't do that to you.”
Shadow’s brows furrowed as he took another step back. “You think you can expect me to trust you?”
Sonic fell silent, his eyes widening.
“Dumbass.” Shadow cursed as he turned around, leaving Sonic speechless.
The gloved hand of the cobalt hedgehog reached out as the android sped off, his hand pulling back as two damned words echoed trough his mind. Two words a part of him refused to say.
I'm sorry.