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“I never knew you were a hugger”
Sonic laughed halfheartedly, always trying to make a joke out of every situation. But his grip on Shadow’s fur was weakening.
“Do you want me to save you or not?”
Sonic glitched again and again, and Shadow knew he was running out of time. He boosted off the floating rock trying to go as fast as he could. Green Hill’s gateway was so close yet so far. The closer they got, the faster Sonic faded.
“Hang on Sonic!”
Shadow powered through the void as hard as he could, rapidly approaching the gateway. Sonic was going to live, it was going to be fine, things would go back to normal, they’d be home-
*SLAM*
“No. No!”
He couldn’t pass through the gateway. Neither of them could. Shadow slammed the two of them against the portal again and again to no avail. They were stuck. Shadow looked down at the fading hedgehog in his arms. They’d been so close. But it didn’t matter.
Sonic was barely visible at this point. He smiled as best he could at Shadow. After everything they’d been through, he didn’t want Shadow to be upset by his death. He knew he’d already been through too much. Sonic couldn’t find his voice as he faded into nothingness.
“Sonic..?”
Shadow dropped his arms as he stared at the empty space in front of him. Sonic was gone. He couldn’t believe it. He wouldn’t believe it. He yelled in pure rage and slammed his fists into the gateway as with as much force as he could, still unable to pass through. He punched it until his arms ached.
When Black Rose finally piloted the Kraken over to him, he had no idea how much time had passed. Rusty Rose grabbed him and pulled him onto the ship. All three Roses embraced him, doing their best to comfort him. Shadow didn’t even realise when he’d let himself start crying. He hadn’t cried in years, and he was crying over that stupid fakers death out of everything. That stupid blue cocky loveable bastard. Sonic. Despite their fights and rivalry, there was something deeper between them. Friendship? Love? Shadow didn’t know. Whatever it was, it was gone. Forever. Sonic was dead and Shadow was trapped in the void. With versions of Sonic’s friends.
Now what? What was he supposed to do now? He sat on the ship as it slowly headed back to the Grim. They had to deliver the news to Nine and the others. That they’d failed and Sonic was gone. That Sonic’s sacrifice had caused his demise despite their efforts. Eventually the ship landed and the Roses got off. He heard them delivering the news but he felt numb. He felt like he was underwater, all their words sounded like gibberish.
He stared across the void at the portal that had blocked their access. That portal. That goddamn portal. He wanted to smash it to pieces. Not that it would solve anything.
Shadow slowly looked across to the group of pirates, jungle folk, and New Yolk City crew. Some of them gave him worried and sympathetic looks, the others were busy processing the news themselves. He looked back to the portal as it finally sunk in.
Sonic was dead. He was stuck here. Alone.