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Shadow hates being here.
His friends always enjoyed dragging him to things, things the asocial hedgehog thought would be obvious he wouldn't enjoy. This was, quite possibly, the worst offender.
The people.
The smoke.
The noise.
The sickly sweet smell of food and spilled soda and salty popcorn and sweat and grime.
The thrumming of the crowd, the rise of cheers into a cacophonous applause as the far too bright stage lights lit up and revealed the Singer- a white dragon with purple quills; and her band members, a crew of black dressed mobians wearing some ridiculous silver mask.
He faintly remembers Silver calling them "ghouls" and the hedgehog snorts derisively. Not like any ghouls he's ever met.
He shouldn't have let himself be dragged to this stupid show. Already he can feel the warmth of the enclosed venue seeping under his fur, mixing with the heat of the pit as the tightly enclosed bodies brush up against him and he has to fight back the curl of his lip and the bristling of his quills. To fight the ever growing discomfort that manifests as horrible electric shocks running up his spine.
He tries to just buckle down and deal with it.
Silver turns to him, wearing one of the band's shirts that lights up in the dark light the pit is swathed in, a wide wide smile on the hedgehog's face. He shouts, and Shadow can barely hear him over the noise in the auditorium and the people muttering excitedly around him
"You're going to love this Shadow I swear!" Silver is bouncing on his feet, "Their music is right up your alley!"
Shadow gives him a side eye and crosses his arms. Sure. Whatever. That's what Amy and Sonic said as well. If he turns he could see them up in the seats with metal, two blue dots and a pink one, each with their own smile or merchandise already donned. At least someone was enjoying themselves.
Shadow turns back to the stage, having to crane his head awkwardly to take in the singer. Why was she so fucking tall? Shadow is just now realizing shes dressed in some ridiculous arrangement of purple robes and religious attire, black makeup around her eyes and across her lips and cheek in a strange angular pattern.
She holds up a palm towards the crowd.
The noise in the auditorium silences immediately.
Silver leans forward, smile splitting his face as his body twitches.
Shadow can't help but lean in as well. The stillness of the crowd is strange and uncanny. It's like a shoreline with no tide, the water rearing back and gathering strength to punch into him and take his breath away.
All with a wave of the dragon's hand.
The drums kick in. Punchy. Slow. Rhythmic.
The guitar follows soon after, and Shadow can barely hear the strikes against the high hat as it plays a hauntingly simple refrain- broken up and accentuated with notes on a keyboard that match the eerie atmosphere the band seems to be going for.
The dragon opens her mouth. Shadow's ears lift up from his head just enough to listen clearly.
The guitar cuts out. The drums subside, and the keyboard fills in the space. Its not as loud, but as the dragon reaches out a hand towards the crowd, Shadow finds his blood beginning to pulse, the tune still so haunting. So eerie.
So transcendent.
You. Have never stood this close, to where you want to be
His brow furrows. He can't help analyzing the lyrics even so shortly into the song. It's one of his pleasures with music. To decipher its meaning. It's purpose. What the artist is saying.
But what does he want. Why does he swear the singer locks eyes with him when she says that.
You. Have always waded in the shallows
Between me and the deep blue sea
A part of him twinges with jealousy. Of the singer's lithe form, her feminine figure, her confidence, the way each line she says deliberate and piercing and like daggers in his flesh.
The drums kick back in. The guitar's quiet thrumming rises into a wail, and Shadow pushes forward, eyes wide, transfixed on the singer as she leans forward, and he can't tear his gaze away as she pulls an arm to her chest.
You'd never want me to appear
You'd never want it to be over
He's leaning against the bars between the pit and the stage now, and the dragon fucking smirks at him. Dangerous. Teeth glinting in the light.
Like she's after him.
A shiver runs up Shadow's back.
He. He isn't scared. But there's no other word for the way adrenaline courses through his veins as she continues.
She holds a hand out to the crowd, arm stretched perilously over the gap, and Shadow swears he could *take it.*
And then what?
You never wanted to reach out to the edge of time
Her hand curls into a fist and she snatches her hand back and Shadow feels like his breath has been stolen from him.
The guitar roars to life and the drums pound against his skull, and the two launch into the chorus with the dragon as she steps back into the stage.
While you sleep in earthly delight
Someone's flesh is rotting tonight
Hes struggling to breathe. In a good way? In a bad way? He can't decide. He needs more. It's exhilarating.
Images are flashing in his head. Blood on a blue dress. A gunshot. Memories that used to be so painful being tugged out carefully, and he can almost *feel* the singers white claws digging through him to pull them out to the surface, reminiscing on them, mending him before putting them back in his chest.
Like no other to you
She's death. Or representing death. The end. Whatever.
He's transfixed. Its a depiction unlike any he has ever seen or known before. The danger, the religious themes, the scum. Its all there. But her form, so lithe and attractive, so sensual, so *erotic*. It all feels welcoming in a way that the hedgehog struggles to conceptualize.
If its intentional, if its really the end, where is his fear? Shadow can feel his heart pounding in his chest but its not scared. Its excited. It feels like a second chance.
Why is it so comforting thinking about it now? When the crowd and the smell and the noise and the smoke is assaulting his senses. Why is this fixing him?
What you've done
You cannot undo
Shadow's shoulder's slump as the guitar and drums fall to the background, the keyboard picking up once more as the Dragon steps forward till she's standing on the edge of the platform- leaning out over the crowd, and once more it feels like her eyes are locked with his.
She reaches out a hand.
I have always kept you closer than you've known
Shadow gulps nervously and through the lights shining down on him he can see his hands reaching out with others, towards the dragon. Toward's death. On his left, Silver's arm is straining, and Shadow is shocked to realize he forgot the hedgehog was even there.
I... I am riding in the shadows behind you
On a pale white horse
The drums kick back into action. The guitar builds to a thrumming growl. Shadow swallows.
You would never want me to appear
Hes not ready.
You'd never want this to be over
It isn't supposed to be this early?
Someone's flesh is rotting tonight
He can hear the gunshot with each strike on the snare drum, and the dragon looks so sad as she sings. Somewhere in the back of his head it feels like a puzzle is falling into place.
This song isn't about him.
It couldn't be. He doesn't even know the dragons name.
And yet. It pulls those memories so easily.
He never thought about how many others around him have lost those close to them. How the dragon might be singing from that viewpoint right now. Smiling bitter sweetly at the pit even as she steps back and continues to perform.
Like no other to you
She died for him. She died for him and he wants her back.
What you've done
You cannot undo
He would die to bring her back if he could.
While you sleep in earthly delight
The drums crack like thunder.
Still your soul will suffer this plight
He can't. He can't bring her back.
Like your father in hell
What you've sold you can not unsell
The guitar's get louder, if its possible. They're launching into the solo and as the guitars wail Shadow realizes that the tune has somehow shifted from haunting to almost... reassuring. Uplifting. His breath returns back to him and another piece fo the puzzle clicks into place.
The music is captivating. From the singer; her voice, her lyrics, her dancing- to the instruments; the keyboard playing in harmony with the guitar, the rise and fall of the instrument strumming as it screams its heart out, trying to wordlessly communicate a truth Shadow swears he knows in his heart, The drums punching and pounding and making his blood boil and rush in a way that he only experiences pushing himself to the limits.
Another piece of the puzzle falls into place and the breath that was given to him is ripped out again.
He just has to live. Not for her. For him. To make the most of the chance that he has been given. Even if he might be immortal- his time, his presence, what he does, what he doesn't do.
It means something.
The dragon moves closer to the edge and her radiant voice fills the auditorium. When did it shift from dark and foreboding to encouraging. Uplifting?
Reassuring?
While you sleep in earthly delight
Someone's flesh is rotting tonight
The dragon is dancing a dangerous dance on stage. Smiling wide and blissfully. He can see the weight on her shoulders. The tension in her spine, the way her eyes sparkle despite the scars she must carry.
Like no other to you
What you've done, you cannot undo
His mouth is dry and he falls limply against the metal bars. He can't support his arm anymore. He isn't sure that he wants too.
While you sleep in earthly delight
He just watches as the crowd around him dances and sings in time with the performers.
Still your soul will suffer this plight
As they embrace a celebration of the end. Find comfort in its coming. Accepting it.
But like a mother would save
Her own child from digging a grave
And letting go.