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Shadow skates along the long, empty hallway. He's used to it by now, the faded carpet, yellowed walls; at this point he could easily believe he's been skating in place. There's certainly been nothing to indicate he's made any progress in this damn maze. The yellowed lights are starting to hurt his eyes, making his vision darken and blur around the edges. He'll need to stop and rest again soon.
He'd been afraid, at first, to stop. He had originally believed that there wasn't time to sleep, not when he needed to find a way out. Believed that Eggman or the Zeti or whatever damn thing in here with him would leap out the moment he let his guard down. It wasn't until he'd finally collapsed, almost four days into this journey, that he finally was forced to shut down and actually let his body relax. When he awoke, who knows how many hours later, he was completely unharmed. Everything was exactly as he had left it. The hallways loomed on, faded yellow walls surrounding him, looming on until he couldn't quite see anymore. He assumed it must be that the bulbs are motion-reactive of some kind, seeming to fade the farther along he got, the path ahead only becoming visible when he got close enough.
Whatever was keeping him here, it couldn't be anyone he'd met before. A maze like this certainly felt like Eggman, but this kind of subtlety, this drawn-out endlessness was nothing like him. If it were him, he'd have sent a bot after him by now, or gloated, or found some way to show off. But no, the only thing keeping the hedgehog company was the endless droning buzz of the lights above him, and the sound of him shuffling across the carpet. No, no one was there. Nothing has attacked him, nothing will attack him, it's just him. Alone.
At this point, he can barely remember how he even got trapped in here. When everything is exactly the same, time starts to blur. He knows he was exploring Imperial City, searching with Rouge for… something. He thinks he came across a building, and not wanting to leave anything unchecked, went inside. He's pretty sure he came through a window, but based on there being no windows in the entirety he's been here, assumes it must've been a door. It doesn't make sense for it to have been a hallway immediately, but he’s having trouble picturing it as anything else. Did Rouge come in with him? He doesn't think so, but why would they have been separated? Then again, why would she have bothered tagging along; he doesn’t need a babysitter. Was she even with him in Imperial City to begin with?
His legs ache, vision starting to grow dark again. He's tired of this, he wants to get out of here. He's pissed , more so than he normally is. He wants out, he needs out. Crouching, he dashes into the wall, growling when he's met only with a dull thud. The wall remains intact, untouched, as he clutches his head, muttering curses to himself. He's trapped.
Orbs dance along the edges of his vision. He has a headache again. Bringing his knees to his chest, he buries his face into them. He can't give up, can't show weakness. But when there's no one around to see it, no one to judge or see him as lesser, Shadow's facade starts to crack. His eyes burn, throat tight, but he can't allow himself more than this; can't let himself feel what's been building up for days, months, years. Burning inside of him, growing with every waking moment. He can't escape it, and he can't let it escape. It is all of him, who he is. Without it, he is nothing.
A whisper, off in the distance. A figure in the corner of his eye. It's her. He knows it can't be true, knows the building is playing a trick on him. Or maybe it's his own mind, torturing him, bored from the monotony of his environment. Either way, like a siren's call, he can't ignore it. Everything in him yearns for it to be true, for everything to be okay again, and despite him knowing the truth, he leaps up, running toward the end of the hall. His vision blurs, reduced to only a pinhole directly in front of him. He’s desperate, not even thinking to use his boots, running forward, clawing at the air in an attempt to get to her. Every moment he feels she's close, he blinks, and she's even farther, incoherent whispers fading in the distance.
He doesn't know how long it is until his legs give out, the hedgehog's body slamming down into the carpet below him. A dry sob escapes from him, and he punches the ground. “DAMN IT!”
When he finally composes himself, she's gone. The room back to its same, yellow lighting, illuminating just ahead of him. Everything was just as it was, if it was ever different to begin with.
With shaky legs he stands back up, and continues forward.