FicWad

We can't keep this up much longer.

We've been running for five minutes now, I think we're going in circles. The black monster is flying behind us, sending fire our way. It's terrible... I don't know how we got this far, and I think we've hit...

...the end of the road.

Blocked into an alley, we each turn in sequence. First Sonny and me, since we're the fastest, then Omega and Rouge behind us. Finally, Doctor Robotnik.

"We're doomed!" he cries.

"We have to fight it!" Rouge exclaims.

Omega and I look at each other... we know what to do.

I raise the emerald that Rouge gave me, focusing on the fabric of it all... the warm river that is time and space... I put my fingers in it, slowing its flow. Omega takes her pole and stabs it through the creature's heart...

And then narrowly dodges a fireball, falling back against the pavement. Her skull hits the ground with a sickening crack.

She lies there, unconscious, below the creature's grasp. I realize that I have to do something, to stop it. I failed her. I failed my best friend...

Sonny runs up to it, but a wave of fire trips him, and he screams in pain.

There's nothing we can do. There's nothing...

Suddenly the creature roars in pain and turns around. At the opening of the alley stands a sight I thought I'd never see again... A red and blue robot floating above the ground.

"DAD!"

*

The reunion is brief and cold: A cursory "are you okay?" before he moves onto the others. Sonic is first, being both injured and his son, then, ignoring Omega, my father goes directly to Dr. Robotnik.

"Dr. Robotnik, are you allright?"

"I'm fine, sir, but my assistant's hurt!" he says, waddling over to her.

Father follows him. "Right now, we're concerned about your safety."

"Well, I'm just fine, but she hit her head trying to kill that thing." I had never expected the doctor to be so compassionate... so kind. Omega always presented him as an asshole. A jerk. And yet, he cared about her. Almost too much, really...

Dad knelt by her and looked at her. "She's breathing... Has a pulse..."

The doctor knelt as well, and opened one of her eyes. He shined a flashlight on it. "Normal..."

"Chad, can you carry her?"

"No, dad," I answered, "She's too big."

"You, Rouge, and Sonny can do it. I only have enough room in the mech for the Doctor and the cars are waiting for us two blocks from here.

I hoist one of Meg's arms over my shoulder. "Damn you, woman."

*

"Are you the original?" She mutters.

"What?"

I turn my head to look at the girl hanging off our shoulders. Her eyes are glazed over, but open. She's nearly conscious.

"Are you, the original?" she asks, her tone strange.

"Meg, what are you talking about?"

She blinks and shakes her head. "Huh? What happened? Why does my head hurt...?"

"You fell and hit yourself," Rouge soothes. "But you're gonna be okay." Wow, I've never seen that side of her.

"I had a dream." She tells us.

"What about, Megan?" the bat asks.

"There was lava, and Dr. Robotnik."

Father quickened his pace.

*

She's walking on her own now, as steady as she ever was. It's Sonny who struggles now. My brother burned his foot pretty badly... now the track star is all but crippled. I have him on my back, and his long blue hair hangs over my shoulder. Sonny's so heavy... but I have to carry him. Dad won't.

A few blocks past where we were supposed to meet them, the military escort is waiting... a small convoy of armored cars. Father orders us in and we obey. I set Sonny down on the seat and tell him to scoot over, and he obliges, leaning on my shoulder.

"Chad?" My brother asks. He looks up at me, his green eyes devoid of that lively sheen I'm accustomed to.

"Yeah?"

He puts his head on my shoulder... I can see the blood in his blue hair. "I'm scared."

I wrap my arms around my brother. "It's gonna be okay, Sonny. The doctor will save us."

"No," he murmurs, resting on me. "He can't save us. You will."

"How will I save us?"

"The seven chaos emeralds..."

I blink. "What?"

"You can do it, Shadow. I know you can... you're the ultimate life form."

"Sonny, what the hell are you talking about?"

He doesn't respond.

"Sonny?"

Nothing.

I lean forward and tap the shoulder of the driver. "Get my dad, Sonny's hurt!"

"Hot Shot to Diablon... Sonny's injured... unconscious."

"Hot shot, move up one spot in the convoy and follow."

"But sir, he could be seriously wounded."

"We can't risk drawing the alien's attention, or else he'll die."

"WHAT?!" I exclaim, yelling into the com, "Dad, are you CRAZY?"

"Don't you dare question my orders!" He barks. "Hot shot, follow Big Foot to base!"

"Yes, sir!"

I sit back in my seat, hugging my wounded brother. Dad may not love him, but I do.

*

As we pull into the base, our car separates from the convoy, toward the medical building.

"He's not this cold in the other world..." Sonny says, suddenly, sitting up.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Dad," he says, stretching. "He doesn't love us there... but at least he loves someone.

"Sonny, I don't understand."

"It doesn't matter anyway. Without the Eggman and Shadow, we don't have any hope."

"Who's that? Who's Eggman and Shadow? You... you called me Shadow."

"Shadow is who you're supposed to be," he answers, sleepily.

"And Eggman?"

"Humpty dumpty sat on a wall..."

The car stops, and I help my brother out, giving up on understanding...