FicWad

Sonic and Tails sat on the couch as soon as they got home from the funeral.

Shadow sat on the recliner.

Sonic stared off, his eyes red from crying. “If I had just known why he was acting like that.” He said. “Maybe I could’ve stopped him.”

“None of us noticed anything off.” Tails said, rubbing Sonic’s shoulder.

Shadow realized that should’ve been their first clue that Manic was planning this. He wouldn’t say this to anyone though. It wasn’t their fault and they didn’t need salt rubbed into their wounds. He felt bad enough that he didn’t confront Manic when the latter asked him to hold onto his motorcycle.

“This has to be a dream, right?” Sonic asked. “Like… we’ll wake up and he’ll walk in like always.”

“Sonic….” Tails sighed. “I wish.”

“I’d give anything to have him back.” Sonic said, dipping his chin to his chest.

Sonia and Aleena walked in as Sonic broke down again.

Shadow looked away, squeezing his eyes shut as Sonia and Aleena broke down in tears as well. Memories of Maria dying from NIDS flashed through his mind.

Sonia and Aleena held Sonic as they all cried.

Shadow looked at Tails. “Tails? Can you come with me?” He asked. “I need to talk to you.”

Tails hugged Sonic, then got up and followed Shadow out.

*

Shadow and Tails arrived at Tails’ workshop.

Amy was already at the shop, tidying up the place. “Oh, hey, you two.” She said sadly. “Do you need me to leave? I… I just thought I’d tidy up for Tails and put up this nice memorial collage I made. I just couldn’t go home right now.”

“Thanks, Amy.” Tails replied. “I don’t mind if you stay. Do you, Shadow?”

“It’s fine.” Shadow said, sitting down on the couch.

Tails and Amy sat down on the chairs.

“What’s up?” Tails asked.

“Do you still have the time stones we found on Emerald island?” Shadow asked.

“Yeah, why?” Tails asked.

“I’m thinking we can use them to stop Manic.” Shadow replied. “If we do things just right, it shouldn’t cause an anomaly.”

“I thought everyone agreed they were too dangerous to use.” Amy said.

“We did.” Shadow replied. “But I’ve never seen Sonic break down like that. I don’t think he’ll do that himself, but….”

Amy nodded. “I understand.”

“It’s worth a shot.” Tails said, turning to his computer. He started typing. “Let’s see… uh… saving Manic might not cause problems at all, but we have to do things just right.”

“If we save him from one attempt, he might try it again.” Amy replied. “He did this because he just wanted to be with Surge again. He was more messed up than we realize if he was willing to do this. He had said he loved his family way too much to do something like that before all of that happened.”

“Then we go back and save Surge.” Shadow replied.

“That should work.” Tails said. “But… oh, man. We’ll just create a paradox. How do we explain two Shadows?”

“I remember I was sick and pretty out of it for most of that day.” Shadow replied. “We might be able to use it to our advantage.”

Amy snapped her fingers. “Shadow androids!”

Tails grinned. “Yes, thank you, Amy.” He said. “That’s the explanation we can use. We’ll be the only ones who will have memories of the old time line, so we can make sure everyone believes that… no, past us won’t remember it. Maybe we’ll think of it on our own.”

“When can we start?” Shadow asked.

“Now.” Tails replied. He got up and went to unlock the safe in his bedroom.

*

Minutes later, Tails came out of his bedroom and handed Shadow the timestones. “Good luck.”

Shadow took the stones and placed them together. He disappeared in a flash of light.

Tails and Amy looked at each other.

“Pray that the hospital can save Surge if Shadow rescues her.” Tails said.

Amy nodded.

*

Shadow arrived at a side street in Downtown Mobotropolis near the place where Kit wrecked the motorcycle and side car he and Surge had.

It had rained heavily; parts of the street were still wet.

Shadow put the time stones into his coat pockets as he made his way out of the alley. He flinched as he heard a crash.

A small group of passersby looked around, wondering where the crash happened as Shadow skated over to the scene.

Kit coughed as he crawled away from the wreckage. “Surge?”

Shadow ran over to Surge, who was still laying in the side car.

Surge weakly opened her eyes as Shadow carefully removed her. “…Shads?”

“You can’t move her!” Kit protested. “She needs an ambulance.”

Shadow, carrying Surge, raced off.

“Shadow?!” Kit yelled as he limped after Shadow. “Wait!”

Kit slowly eased himself down and got his phone out to call an ambulance. “It’s dead and broken.” He muttered as some people hurried over to him.

Shadow glanced at Surge as she moaned softly. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to move her, but it would be another twenty minutes before an ambulance arrived and Surge originally wound up dying in the ambulance before she reached the hospital.

He remembered that she could’ve been saved if the ambulance had gotten to her sooner.

“Tails can give her bionics if she’s paralyzed.” Shadow thought as he ran into the hospital.