specialzone | you live an endless life forever

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you live an endless life forever

[ For Shadow, as far as he'd met, there were two Sonics that he trusted more implicitly than the rest. Implicit trust did not come easily for the black hedgehog, and trusting enough to tell another some of his past, though mild, was more trust than he'd give anyone casually. One Sonic he met while in Johto, who he was able to share some of his story with, and come to a point of understanding, especially at a time when he was trying to decide what to do with himself since two very important people had disappeared from the world.

The other blue hedgehog was one that had found him while Shadow had been suffering from hallucinations and intense fear, showing a side he never showed anyone else. That Sonic had stayed by him and managed to bring Shadow back to his former self.

Now, Shadow had holed himself up in a Station Square library, reading a few books. He had a pile of them on a table and was steadily working through all of them... But at the same time, he thought about his recent actions, recent decisions. Was he becoming what the Professor wanted him to be? What Maria wanted? Was Sonic right; that he should be whoever he himself thought was best? Living for oneself was something Shadow never did before. It would certainly take some getting used to.

He flips another page, catching up on history and technological advances made by mankind and different parts of the world. The information was greatly appreciated, allowing him to learn about the people he was supposed to help... for Maria's sake. ]

... Hmph.

[ He reads a quote at the bottom of one page. ] “We can do no great things; only small things with great love.” Mother Teresa... [Shadow leans back against his seat, thinking about the quotation he read.] Is that really true, I wonder.

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[Sonic rubbed the back of his head as it was his turn to be embarrassed.]

Well, yeah, 'course they can! It's just... kinda weird to ask them, I guess. It's sorta hard to describe.

Why would it be "weird"? Haven't they known you longer than me? [ Shadow was showing his amusement now. ]

I think that's part of the problem, heh.

[This really was hard to describe.]

It... I kinda got an image. [Now was it not only hard to describe, but it was incredibly embarrassing too.]

I sorta never let it get to me before, and all of a sudden I'm askin' for help about it from them? It's... Yeah, it's still too weird.

[No need to reveal any weakness or fear. Or he couldn't afford to.]

Edited 2011-06-26 18:57 (UTC)

I see. Your pride gets in your way.

[ But even Shadow had his pride; it's why he wouldn't allow himself to do certain things. But he'd managed to push his pride down enough to eat cotton candy... He thought about that. ]

Blue hedgehog, you've been pushing me to find out more about myself and to throw away misconceptions. They're your friends, your family. If anyone would understand, it would be them.

[Pride. That was it. Sonic had so much of it too, and he knew he did. Was it necessarily good or bad to have that much of it, he wasn't sure. Maybe along with pride there was dignity as well, both of which he wanted to maintain and keep pristine.

But again was the thought that he didn't need to burden them. Not with his problems. He didn't need to trouble them, not after reassuring them that he would take care of everything, handle everything. But they had been like family or were his family, his only family. They probably thought the same way in return to him.]

Yeah, I know. Heh, they're always there for me, I know they'd have my back, even if I did ask 'em this late in the game.

[Soon the two arrived at the beach. And there it was, the ocean, the source of one of his greatest fears. He had been here countless times before, it never bothered him so much as long as he knew to avoid it.]

[ Shadow looked out over the ocean. He'd seen it from Prison Island. It was beautiful, but a cold smile appeared on his face. It may have been home to countless creatures, but now it was home to quite a few corpses. At least those that didn't escape the military base in time.

He walked toward the shoreline and allowed the water to touch his shoes. He thought about the White Jungle and Green Forest that had been destroyed when the bombs went off. That entire island had been destroyed.

Shadow didn't feel much when he'd planted the bombs; but now he wasn't sure. All the creatures that lived there... All of them were dead. Did it matter? Did he become what he hated? He smirked. It had been part of the Professor's will... In the end. ]

It looks quite innocent from this side.

[Sonic's thoughts were far from what Shadow had been thinking. Shadow had stepped closer to the sea, and Sonic had done the same, although he made sure that the waves never touched his shoes.

He looked out over the expanse of blue, out to the horizon where that blue met the sky, a lighter shade of the color below it. Though he knew just how fast the ocean could take his life, he never actually considered the fact that it already had for others. It would have reminded him of the time Station Square had been flooded. How many lives had been lost during Perfect Chaos's attack? It was terrifying enough to have to fight against it over water, all while not knowing when the Chaos Emeralds would give up on him.]

From here, yeah, it's safe. I mean, we're still on land and stuff, and there's no storm or anythin' coming, so we're good.

[Sonic picked up a small stone and tried to have it skip across the water's surface despite how the waves continued to ebb and flow.]

[ Shadow watched the stone skip, though quickly sink after getting caught in a wave. ]

No storm coming? [ He turned, that smile still present on his face, though not quite as cold as it had been before. ] You're a hero, Sonic the Hedgehog. There will always be a storm coming.

As long as the Seven Chaos Emeralds exist, you'll never be out of work.

[Sonic hadn't meant it in that way, but he had to laugh and agree with the black hedgehog's assessment.]

Well, a hero's work is never done anyway, Chaos Emeralds or not! And if I'm a hero, then so are you, you know!

[Maybe it hadn't been so bad, the ocean, all that water out there. It seemed threatening, but maybe he could handle it eventually. He could handle so many other things, why not this too?]

I'm no hero.

[ At least not yet. He'd been told that he saved the world with Sonic... But he hadn't done it yet. ]

Your past may not yet be my future.

[Sonic's eyes looked away from the ocean and sky and down to the sand. The waves and foam rushed up toward his shoes, but never touched them.]

... We never got to talking 'bout that. I don't even know how that's possible.

[Sonic had cared for Shadow. And only more so now because of that future.]

Why not? We're all different, here. You're not the first Sonic I've met, either.

[Spots a dolphin.] I've met two other Sonics before you. Both of them from different times and universes.

[Then Sonic hadn't been seeing things whenever he explored any of the other zones. This world that they had ended up in was beyond anything he could explain or rationalize.]

So what're they like? When did you meet them?

[What was he like in a different universe or time? And what about Shadow, there had to have been more than one of them out there. Same for the rest of his friends.]

The first Sonic I met was in a different world to this one, even my own. In that world, the two of us had been transformed into human beings. He was much like you, though he claimed to be part of my future.

The other Sonic I also met in that world... And I've seen him here, too. His world was quite different... He'd never heard of me, his home planet is called Mobius and not Earth, and he's in constant battle with a dark man bearing the name "Ivo Robotnik". Apparently similar to the Doctor and Professor... But entirely evil.

[ Looks up at the sky. ]

I've met some other people... Rouge the Bat I met there, she also knew about people I've never met... and a boy named Silver. He's the one I still haven't figured out. A time traveler, he claimed.

[Human beings? What? If it were in a different world, some alternate universe, it wasn't completely far-fetched. Those others in their own world probably considered being a hedgehog just as weird or peculiar.

Then this other Sonic from yet another world, another planet entirely. From the sound of it, that Sonic also had a lot going on. If he had been fighting evil, then Sonic himself could relate. The world and location weren't the same, but that drive to fight evil was still there.]

You've been all over the place! Makes me want to get out there and explore more too... [That time traveling boy, he had no idea about him either.

And then there was Shadow. Sonic hadn't quite figured out just exactly how it was that he could see Shadow again. He thought it was this new world, the mechanics of it, how it operated. Because it shouldn't have been possible to see him when...]

But we're from the same world, aren't we? I remember you, and everything you did. ... You sorta know about that already, right?

[ Shadow tilted his head a bit. ]

The last time I was in my own world, blue hedgehog, I had you lying unconscious near the Eclipse Cannon, preventing you from destroying it. But people have told me their versions of that are different... I'm less inclined to believe them, as only I know my true self.

Though you share memories of the events we met in, I've never bothered asking you about everything. I refuse to believe that my future is set in stone.

[Seeing is believing, let alone actually taking part in it. Sonic had seen what happened, was there when it did happen at all. He looked up at the sky, remembering just how far up they had been, then only to see, watch him fall. And there wasn't anything he could do.

Sonic was always conflicted when it came to the future. No one but himself should be able to determine it, but was it already predetermined by fate already? It made it so hard to distinguish between his own free will and his choices versus what had already been preordained.]

You don't have to believe me either, I'm not askin' that of you since it's not fair.

But you do know already what happens? Or do you want to know, that's the better question.

[ Shadow gave Sonic a long, hard stare. Despite having been told the basics that he'd "helped Sonic save the world", Shadow was blind to his own fate. He wasn't aware of what happened to him, and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know.

Instead he pointed at Sonic, an accusing gesture. ]

If you had the chance to learn about your own future, be it compromising yourself in some way or not, would you want to know? This is not something set in stone, this is not some stranger's life. This is your own. Would you want to see your future without experiencing it first?

[Sonic was not going to back down. That tone wasn't entirely uncalled for, but they had been doing so well being relatively calm and discussing various topics without inciting a fight. The blue hedgehog didn't retort in the same tone or the same manner, but he was firm, adamant in his response.]

Yeah, I would. It's my future, isn't it?

Isn't it like what you said? If I see it and I don't like it, I'm gonna do what it takes to change it.

And if I'm told I can't, it doesn't mean I won't try. Then if that future actually becomes the present, then I'm just gonna deal with it like I always have. As best I can.

... [ Shadow remained firm, his gaze fierce. But Sonic's words did not go unheard, the black hedgehog was paying quite a bit of attention to them. He smiled at Sonic. ]

Hmph. You're a fascinating specimen, blue hedgehog. I hope I live long enough to study you and challenge you in every way.

[ The unfortunate implications of his words might have stung for Sonic, but for Shadow, he was unaware of his future... At least, he made it seem so. He knew one way or another, his promise to Maria would end in... ]

Fight like you always have. Hm. [ Shadow turned, walking along the shoreline, his eyes once again focusing on the dolphin he saw before. ]

[He's smiling. Sonic had to reciprocate. If Shadow didn't want to know then that was his decision. It was his own future too. Others might have seen it as an advantage, knowing someone else's future, but Sonic didn't think of it that way.]

Oh, just noticin' that now, are you? Heh, you know, you're pretty interesting yourself. Didn't think I'd meet anyone like you.

[Whatever this world might have been, where it was, how it came to be, Shadow was here and alive. If Sonic had also remained here as long as Shadow had, there would always be the opportunity to challenge each other. He tried not to think about what would happen at home, as unavoidable or inevitable as that was.]

Yeah, like always, of course! I know you will too.

[ Shadow kept watching the dolphin, following its direction along the shoreline, but not venturing deeper into the water. Learning to swim would be another obstacle overcome, and he'd be able to explore the world further.

Eventually, a staircase blocked his path, and the dolphin went out of view. There was something akin to a boardwalk, with little roofs over top. Shadow looked around and climbed onto the staircase. Springs, rings, sand... He could see loop-de-loops in the distance. ]

It's no surprise you like this place.

[Sonic had been out here earlier, and every time he did visit it, he had practiced running along the shore and along the course. When the sun was out, the sky clear, the breeze gently blowing, it was perfect. It kept his mind off the idea of the water itself, even if the waves crashing and how blue the water was was part of what made the atmosphere there so ideal.]

Heh, I guess I'm kinda predictable that way. Besides the chance of fallin' into the water or stuff like that, it's awesome. I saw you watching that dolphin out there. The orcas are pretty intense too if you catch sight of one.

You wanna give it a go? [He pointed, his finger moving along as if tracing the course itself.]

[ Shadow looked at the course again, thinking about it. ]

Hmph. Child's play. [ He smirked. ] But I suppose I'll indulge you. I haven't had a run today.

[ The black hedgehog began to idly clean sand out of the soles of his shoes, just to make sure nothing got caught. ]

[That answer only made Sonic grin. How nice of the black hedgehog to humor him. Any time there was the option for a race, Sonic took it. It was better than a race against a semi, let's say.]

Sweet! This is gonna be awesome!

[The blue hedgehog surveyed the course, knowing it well like with the roller coaster. But he waited as patiently as he could for Shadow. Come onnn, Shadow, why do you need hover skates or jet shoes or whatever you call those?]

Where'd you get those anyway? [He pointed to the shoes now.]

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06 music is now stuck in my head.

Aw! \o\

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