specialzone | Even if I close my eyes, they're not closed enough

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Even if I close my eyes, they're not closed enough

[ To return without something... There wasn't any souvenir of the past, there wasn't anything he had with him before. Shadow looked about the lobby, each blink slow and confused. How did he get here? When did he leave them behind?

Who had decided that he should leave them behind?

The black hedgehog frowned, looking at his hands. He was a hedgehog once more; no longer human as he was in that world. No longer finding himself traveling with strange creatures as his partners. It all felt like a dream now, and only now had he awakened from it.

Despite that, he wasn't sure what he should be feeling. There was an emptiness that was not there before, perhaps he was still reeling from the suddenness of it. Shadow smirked, shaking his head. Ridiculous. Letting something like that get to him... ]

I left that place after all, just as I had planned to. There's no reason for mourning; I wasn't meant to be there in the first place.

[ His words felt like empty condolences. He had had friends there... Though they had long since disappeared or forgotten him. Shadow hadn't forgotten the pain of being left behind. That was something he would never forget... ]

... I wonder if they're waiting for me.

[ooc: I'M NOT AS THINK AS YOU DEAD I AM]

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[There was something about this world. There was always something to do. No matter how many times he visited and revisited the different zones, as familiar as some of them were, Sonic always found either something entirely new or became that much more nostalgic.

Nonetheless, how much of it was actually real? It wasn't his real home, only semblances of it, pieces of memory and experience sewn or strung together. Or it was something to that effect. Yet there wasn't too much use in figuring it out how this place came to be. How he arrived and could leave was perhaps more important. But even that hadn't warranted too much thought since right now, as he thought of it more, right now was all he had and took priority.

As Sonic entered the lobby to hop into another zone to explore, he saw the black hedgehog there, and that successfully altered any plans he had. He watched him for a moment before approaching him from behind to stand next to him, addressing him as he usually did, casual and friendly.]

... Hey, you're here.

Edited 2011-08-16 18:03 (UTC)

[ Hearing the familiar voice, Shadow turned slowly to regard the blue hedgehog. Not much time had really passed, had it? And yet, he felt like he hadn't seen the other in quite a long time. Still, he didn't let it show, instead turning his head somewhat. ]

Hmph.

I should have guessed you'd still be around.

[Time never waited for anyone. If one of them was going to show just how long it had been since they last saw each other, then Sonic was the one to do it. While Shadow did go off on his own and did his own thing, it didn't mean that Sonic hadn't thought about or was concerned about him, even if just a little bit.

Sonic laughed, but it was quieter than his normal upbeat one.]

'Course I am! Where else would I go? Besides outta here, but no one's figured how to leave just yet.

What's up with you? Something's on your mind, isn't it, or else you wouldn't be here.

"No one's figured out how", huh...

[ He hadn't left of his own accord, no, but... he had been gone. He was certain of it. There was a feeling of disorientation, like he had been in two places at once, or not at all. He wasn't sure. Maybe it was like an out-of-body experience. ]

I'm experiencing some disorientation, but it's nothing I can't handle myself. [ He smirks. ] I imagine being trapped here for a while would have an effect on your mentality, wouldn't it, blue hedgehog?

Heh, I haven't gone anywhere. But if there's a way in, there's always a way out, right?

[But what Shadow had said afterward was more interesting. How weird. Disoriented? From what? It would have to take something beyond the ordinary to disorient either of them to the point of admitting it.

Sonic returned the smirk, then took the time to glance around the lobby at the different warp rings and portals.]

That's just it though, you're just imagining it! Heh, you really think somethin' like that is gonna get me down?

What about you? You don't seem all that unhappy to stick around here either.

Constantly complaining about my situation would just be a waste of time. I might as well make the most of it while I'm here, even if what I've learned now would make everything I've worked towards meaningless.

[ In that retrospect, Shadow didn't want to return to his own time. He'd feel worthless and inferior... All over again. ]

....

Have you... [ He pauses, unsure how to ask this. ] ... met any... strange creatures?

You kinda have to make the most of wherever you are anyway, even if you were at home.

[It might've been somewhat harsh, but it was true. And would either of them remember anything about this world, this place that seemed suspended from reality and time itself?

The thought of it was a bit depressing, so the change of subject was welcome, if not also surprising.]

Huh? Um, what do you mean? I don't think so. Where'd you see them?

... [ Those creatures he was with... Pokemon. It sounded ridiculous, surely the blue hedgehog would only think he was becoming delusional. Shadow shook his head. ]

Never mind. It's not important.

[ It had to have been a dream. After all, Maria is dead... There's no way he could have been walking with her in that world... ]

... Hey, hold up just a second.

[Sonic reached up to place a hand on Shadow's shoulder. He wasn't going to let Shadow get away with something like that that easily. It was clearly bothering the black hedgehog if he dared to ask or question him of all people about something.]

You know you can tell me. The question really is if you want to tell me or not.

[ Shadow looked at the hand on his shoulder, his gaze slowly drifting to meet Sonic's and he narrowed his eyes. It wasn't an easy thing to tell someone that everyone they'd met, everything they'd done in an entire year was gone.

And Shadow wasn't quite ready to share that information quite so willingly. ]

It's none of your concern.

[ Shadow shrugged Sonic's hand off his shoulder. ]

[Sonic had half expected that look of contempt and thus took his hand back once Shadow had rejected it. He also shrugged in response, now simply offering him a smile, casual and carefree.]

Heh, how'd I know that? All right, gonna leave it up to you then. Even if you were the one that brought it up with me in the first place.

Obviously due to my disorientation. Talking to you about something is often more trouble than it's worth.

[ How many badges had he accumulated during his time there? There weren't many, were there? Perhaps only four more until he'd be free to challenge the league. ...And to what end? There had been a rumor that whoever beat the league would then be able to go home but... Did he really want to go home? Would he have? Maria and Iris had both disappeared, as well as Rouge, Sonic, Silver. What could he stay for, if not his team. That was all he had there, and home he had vengeance.

Vengeance he no longer cared for. ]

[Sonic whistled, impressed not so much as in awe, but out of some sort of surprise that Shadow had been so defensive. The blue hedgehog still didn't take any offense, instead was just curious as to what was going through Shadow's head at all.]

The more you keep this up, the more it's just tellin' me that something is up. But no problem, you got a right to keep all that stuff to yourself!

[Who was he to interfere? It wasn't his concern as Shadow had made explicitly obvious. Sonic was amused that Shadow could go around talking to himself and to the lobby as if doing that was helpful in some way, but then again, if Sonic had been feeling as "disoriented" as Shadow was, he would probably do something that crazy too.]

[ Shadow furrowed his brow. ]

I don't know why I talk to you.

[ He'd always felt more frustrated every time he gave the blue hedgehog the time of day, and this was no different. ]

Don't you have anyone else to irritate?

I know why I talk to you.

[Sonic shook his head. It had been hard enough trying to figure out the thought process behind anything Shadow did, and he thought he was getting the hang of it. Now it was only becoming more difficult, or that he had to start over and reanalyze everything.]

... You're doin' that thing again where you close yourself off. You always get so close to opening up, then at the last minute, you choke and shut down.

Because it's nothing important. You wouldn't understand, you weren't there.

[ It was still weird. There had been two Sonics, hadn't there? And there were multiple Sonics here, too... But none of them had been the one he met first in that place. It was strange being so confused. ]

Then here, you're just askin' for it: Where'd you go?

[Multiple versions of themselves around here was something Sonic had learned to accept. But the notion that Shadow had been gone from the sound of it was what bothered him more.]

[ Shadow frowned once more, glaring at the floor angrily. What was the point of telling him? It served no purpose. ]

... Johto. I don't know where it is or how I got there. It doesn't matter anymore.

[Sonic pondered the name, but it wasn't familiar, nor did he expect it to be familiar. But people just don't up and disappear without any explanation. But then again, maybe Shadow had been right and it hadn't mattered how he disappeared and returned.]

... C'mon, let's go do somethin' to get your mind off of it then. Can't have you here all depressed about it.

You're back here now, so you gotta get up and go on from here, you know?

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Even if I close my eyes, they're not closed enough

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