Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

~~ “Someone told me long ago, there’s a calm before the storm, I know. It’s been coming for some time. When it’s over, so they say: it’ll rain a sunny day, I know, shining down like water.” ~~

There was a list—and one he wasn’t exactly quiet about—of things that Sonic hated. Swimming, bad chili dogs, Eggman ruining a perfect summer day, interacting with the Gogoba tribe for more than thirty seconds at a time. It went on and on, and he was too outgoing of a person to keep most of it from any of his friends. They could probably name more things than he could.

Rain made the top of that list.

~~ “I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain? I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day?” ~~

Sonic sang quietly to himself, staring out the window as rain pattered against it. The chatter of his friends sounded distant. Amy had this idea that rain was wonderful and demanded days spent inside playing games and drinking hot coco, and she’d managed to drag them all over to her house as soon as the sky turned gray. Sonic didn’t like it, but he knew by now that dealing with Amy’s antics was far better for him than sitting in his house watching the rain fall. He knew it was better than waiting for people that would probably never show up.

~~ “Yesterday and days before, sun is cold and rain is hard, I know. Been that way for all my time. Till forever, on it goes through the circle, fast and slow, I know. It can’t stop, I wonder.” ~~

His friends knew he was weird about the weather. They’d asked a few times, though they knew after the first few non-answers that Sonic wouldn’t give them anything. He managed to chalk it up to his violent hatred of water in general. No one believed him. Telling them the real reason, though, was out of the question. He hated it almost as much as he hated the bandana around his neck, set there to cover a pendant he refused to take off. But it was for them. For their safety.

Sonic hadn’t heard from Sonia or Manic since that night.

--- “Sonic.” Sonic didn’t listen, his eyes locked off in the distance. Maybe if he stared long enough, the scene would change. Maybe if he never left this point, it would have never happened. Maybe if he stopped breathing, everyone who lost their lives could breathe again. He almost considered jumping from the cliff just to test it.

A hand—familiar, comforting, and barely noticeable through the ringing in his head—landed on his shoulder. “Sonic.” A gentler voice this time. Water filled his eyes. It mixed with the rain soaking through his fur until he could barely tell the difference, though the rain was still white with ash. “We have to go. They’ll come for us next.”

Sonic finally tore his eyes away from the still-burning factory. Sonia—his sister—had never looked worse. Soot was pressed into her fur, lodged so deep the rain wasn’t dislodging any of it. All kinds of small injuries covered her. The bandages around her torso were soaked with blood and water, but somehow managed to stay on. Sonic wanted to tell her she shouldn’t be standing.

Her eyes looked dead. He imagined his weren’t much better.

“She’s right, bro.” His brother, Manic, had fared better than his siblings. He pushed fur out of his eyes, his bandaged wrapped hands dripping with water. The rain immediately pushed it back. “Mom wasn’t in there. We know she left. She’s alive, but we can’t find her unless we go. We can’t find her if we’re trapped.”

“Aren’t we already trapped?” Sonic’s voice was void of emotion. He looked at them both, then off at the building they’d barely escaped. All of it was still raging in his mind—the explosion, the pain, the fear when he lost sight of his siblings. How much he and Manic cried as they dug Sonia out of the rubble. The fourth member of their group that Sonic couldn’t think about without breaking completely. “We… can’t keep doing this.”

Manic immediately shook his head. “Don’t say that like you’re giving up. We can’t. We swore we’d find her.”

“Sonia almost died, Manic!” Now Sonic was yelling through his broken voice. More tears slid down his face. “None of us should be here right now! What is this helping?” He was always the strong one. He knew that. But he couldn’t keep the hopelessness out of his voice. “We’ve been chasing her for years. Nothing has ever changed. That factory was full of people, and we’re—we’re the only ones who escaped with our lives. Barely.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “How many more people have to die for this?”

Manic was quiet. It was Sonia who spoke, her eyes flashing in the rain. “However many it takes to give Mobius back the life it deserves.” She glared at Sonic. “The queen it deserves.” ---

“Sonic!” Sonic blinked as his name was called, snapping back to reality. The rain sounded the same as it had back then. He hated it. His eyes focused on Amy, hands on her hips as she glared at him. “We’ve been calling you forever. The game is about to start.”

Sonic swallowed down the memories, as he had been doing for the last five years. Five years since they decided to split up. Five years since he hugged his brother and sister goodbye. Five years since he promised them this wasn’t the end, and that they would stay separate until anything about their mom came up again. He plastered on his trademark smirk and shoved all of it back—the song, the words, the memories of faces he promised himself he’d never forget—until it was just a throb in his chest. “I hope you’re all ready to lose, then.”

Amy rolled her eyes, but the gesture lacked any real weight. Sonic imagined it was because of the tremble in his voice. She turned and walked back to the table, taking her spot on the couch and immediately arguing with Sticks over game pieces. Sonic watched them for a moment before standing. Before he got anywhere, though, Tails appeared in front of him.

Sonic’s smile turned a little more genuine. Tails especially—though Sonic would never admit it out loud—had gotten him through all of this. The fox tilted his head. “Are you sure you’re alright, Sonic?”

Sonic reached out and ruffled Tails’ fur, the callouses on his fingers no doubt uncomfortable against the fox’s head. “Course I am, little buddy.” He waved a hand at the window. “Weather and all. Thanks for checking in, though.”

Tails didn’t exactly look convinced, but he shrugged. “I made a new machine for the hot chocolate. It’s supposed to take custom orders.” He nodded towards the kitchen. “Come on. I’ll show you.” He paused before walking away. “I like that song, by the way. The one you were singing. It’s nice.”

Sonic’s chest hurt a little at the words, but he brushed it off and followed Tails. Falling back into his life here was easy once he stopped reminiscing. Amy and Sticks arguing was normal, as was Knuckles jumping in as if he knew what they were talking about. Even if the echidna was one of many constant reminders of his past life. Tails’ excited voice as he explained the workings of his hot chocolate machine was as familiar to him as the strings of his guitar. He knew that once they started playing, the game would be derailed after five minutes. Knuckles would mess up the rules. Amy would be too distracted explaining them to him to notice Sticks cheating. Sonic would pick up the guitar he literally never left home without and start playing over all of them, and Tails would win despite all of it, as he always did. It was predictable.

That, he thought, was the weirdest adjustment to make when he came here. With Sonia and Manic, every day brought something different. They could spend a week pampered in Bartleby’s mansion, and the next three days wandering around in search of an abandoned hut to sleep in. It was chaos. Not that he was complaining about it, but the only thing he could rely on in Mobius was his siblings being there with him.

Here, he knew what to expect. Every day, every moment, one after the other. He knew where everyone was at basically all times. They had patterns they attacked in when Eggman showed up, regular orders at restaurants, and the same weekend plans every week. Even when some unpredictable nonsense happened, it always ended the same way. Nothing ever surprised him anymore.

Well, nothing but Shadow. But Sonic didn’t want to think about that right now.

He’d admit, there were worse places to be. He’d managed to locate some far corner of paradise, far away from Mobius and all of the things it expected from him. And that’s what it was. It was messy, sure, and things weren’t perfect. Eggman kept coming up with new ways to bother them, though he really wasn’t dangerous so much as annoying. The village was more susceptible to problems than Sonic thought was possible. Sticks still had an entire civilization of evil froglodytes living in her basement. But… this place was paradise. There was no other way to put it.

Maybe that meant he should just enjoy it. He should get his weird hot chocolate from Tails, claim his spot on the couch, and let familiarity wash away memories of the past. He didn’t even know where his siblings were. They didn’t know where he was. That was how it was supposed to be, and how it would continue to be until something changed.

Even if that killed him.

He smiled at Tails, and it only took a little more effort than usual. “So it can make anything?”

Tails nodded excitedly. “Anything! If it’s in the form of hot chocolate, anyway.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have told me that.”

“Make me something sweet!” Amy piped up from the table. “Ooh, like cinnamon! Or s’mores!”

“Does it come in dirt flavor?” Sticks asked.

“Or chocolate! That would be awesome!” Knuckles added. He paused. “Wait, that’s just normal hot chocolate.”

“All of you think too small.” Sonic had pressed a pile of buttons, and the machine was now dispensing a liquid that was so dark brown it was almost black. “With a machine that can make anything, why not make everything?”

A brief, rare moment of silence from the group.

“Sonic.” Tails sounded nervous. The machine—as if on cue—started making a weird sputtering noise. Sonic’s mug was full, spilling onto the counter and down to the floor. The machine kept dropping the dark liquid. “Just how many things did you put in that?”

Sonic took a careful half-step away from the machine. “Um… all of them?”

Tails’ eyes blew wide. “All?!” he demanded. “Sonic, that machine has over two hundred flavors!”

Tails backed up, too, and Amy stood from the table. “You didn’t tell me not to do all of them!” Sonic countered.

“I didn’t think you would do all of them!”

“Guys.” Amy interrupted their bickering. “Guys! It’s gonna blow!”

For a moment, everyone stared in the horror as the machine sputtered loudly. Black smoke poured from it, thick and rancid. “Why would you put all of them?!” Tails demanded again.

“I thought it would be fun!” Sonic looked around helplessly. “Amy, I hope you wanted to add some black to the décor of your house.”

“I didn’t!” Amy yelled. “Someone get it out of here!”

“I got it!” Everyone turned to Sticks as she piped up. Her eyes got that glint that usually meant she was about to do something very chaotic. Sonic backed further away as she plastered on a wicked grin. “Disposing of evil machines is my specialty.”

She jumped from the table, ran to the kitchen, grabbed the machine, ran back across the room, opened the front door, and flung it outside as far as she could. It flew out past Amy’s front fence, landing in a patch of cute flowers in neat little rows. “My petunias!” Amy yelled. “Sticks!”

The machine stopped pouring smoke as the rain hit it, making odd hissing noises in the outside air. For a moment, everyone stared at it. It didn’t seem like it was going to do anything else, and a breath of relief seemed to go around the room.

Sonic waited another moment, then said, “Well, that could have been a lot wo-”

The machine exploded.

“My petunias!” Amy yelled again, despair coloring her voice. It shifted to anger almost immediately. “Sticks! Sonic! Tails! You all owe me more flowers!”

“Me?” Tails demanded. “My machine worked fine! It was Sonic who broke it!”

“And it was Sticks who put it in the flowers,” Sonic added. Amy, Tails, and Sticks all turned to glare at him. He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m just saying that the blame game ain’t pretty. Why don’t we just chalk it up to a happy accident and uh…” He gestured to the table, where Knuckles was holding the rules upside down as if any of them thought he was actually reading them. “Play a game!”

Amy, Tails, and Sticks all moved to dispute that particular comment. Before the fighting could escalate to problematic levels, though, a new voice spoke up from the door. “Well,” it said, a laugh behind the word. All eyes turned to the door immediately, where a hooded figure stood just outside of the range of light. Sonic’s group went silent. “At least I know you haven’t been bored all this time.”

His friends reacted as they’d been trained to. Amy grabbed her hammer, Sticks pulled out her boomerang, and Tails jumped into the air and held himself aloft. Knuckles just carefully set the game rules down and locked a disbelieving gaze on Sonic. He had to admit, he had a good group here. They knew how to defend themselves.

But Sonic didn’t care about any of that.

Five years. Five years, and that voice hadn’t changed nearly as much as he imagined it would. A little older, sure, but that was the difference between sixteen and twenty-one. Sonic still froze, though, every one of his senses honing in on that figure. He was pretty sure he’d started crying. He didn’t care.

“Who are you?” Amy demanded. “Show yourself.”

“Yeah, or I might have to ruin more of Amy’s stuff,” Sticks growled.

“You will not.”

The figure chuckled, stopping yet another bickering match between the two girls. No one seemed to notice Sonic going through a crisis next to them. “Ouch. Cold reception.” Green fur flashed as a hand raised, reaching for the hood. “But okay. I can respect that.”

The hood was thrown back, and Sonic made a choked noise that he was sure got his friends’ attention. He barely noticed their eyes landing on him. The boy—man now, Sonic reminded himself—was shorter than Sonic remembered. His fur was different, the longer pieces he’d always kept in front cut so they wouldn’t be in his face. A new scar cut across his nose and over his left eye. But none of that mattered as much as the familiar pendant around his neck—a small, silver drum set—or the golden eyes unlike any others Sonic had ever seen. He could’ve changed drastically since Sonic had seen him. He’d still recognize him anywhere.

Manic smiled as his eyes landed on his brother, smirking in a way that didn’t match the emotion shining in his eyes. “Sonic,” he greeted. His voice shook as he opened his arms. “Long time no see, huh?”

Chapter Text

Sonic wasted no time. Between one blink and the next, he was across the room and buried in Manic’s arms. Sonic held him as if he’d disappear if he let go, tight enough that he almost worried about hurting his triplet brother. Manic held on just as tight. “Manic,” Sonic whispered, tears plain in his voice. “You’re here?”

“I’m here, brother.” Manic laughed incredulously. “It took just about forever to find you, but yeah, I’m here. You’re lucky your sister knows you well enough to track you anywhere.”

At that, Sonic pulled back. “Sonia?” he asked, barely above a whisper. He hadn’t said her name in so long.

“I figured I’d let Manic deal with any unwelcome welcomes.” Sonic pulled fully away from his brother as the new voice hit his ears, disbelief trumping any other emotion he may have felt. Sonia didn’t take her hood off until she was inside of the door and out of the rain, but her smile was genuine. She didn’t try to hide it as she looked at her brother. “Jeez, Sonic, you got tall.”

Then she was grabbing her brother, yanking him into an embrace just as tight as Manic’s. Maybe tighter. “You’re here,” Sonic whispered.

“We are,” Manic said. He joined the embrace, and something fundamental settled into place in Sonic’s chest. Triplets aren’t meant to be apart, they’d been told, back when they first found each other. Sonic hadn’t even questioned if they were really his siblings back then. He felt it the moment he saw them. Missing each other is like missing a lung, or a heart. It’s not right.

Sonic held both of them a little tighter. “We are never doing that again,” he said firmly.

Manic laughed, the sound interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind him. “Uh, Sonic?” Sonic remembered, rather suddenly, that there were other people in the room. He pulled away from his brother and sister, turning to his friends as Amy spoke. They’d relaxed, but caution was still written in their stances. Amy and Sticks still had their weapons out. “What’s going on?”

Sonic looked at Sonia and Manic, then back at his friends. He laughed a little incredulously. “Okay. Um. Yes. Introductions.” He sidestepped, giving the two sides of the room a clear view of each other. “Sonia. Manic. These are my friends, teammates, and fellow powerhouses. Sticks, Amy, and Tails.” Sonic pointed at each one of them in turn. “Guys, this is Manic and Sonia.” He took a breath. “My brother and sister.”

For a moment, nobody said a word. Silence descended as the two sized each other up, seeming to want all of the information they could get from this single interaction. Sonia’s eyes widened a little as they landed on Knuckles. Sonic held his breath. His siblings and his friends. One half of his life and the other. The most important people to him, all in one room for the first time in his life. He couldn’t breathe if he wanted to.

It was Sonia who spoke, her pristine upbringing shining through in her manners. “You have a lovely home,” she said to Amy. “I’ve always loved the color pink.”

That seemed to break the spell. “Siblings?” Sticks demanded, turning an accusatory look on Sonic. She pointed the boomerang at him. “There have been more of you this whole time?”

“Why have we never heard of this?” Amy sounded incredulous. “There is absolutely no way you’ve had siblings this long and we’re just learning of it now.”

“You’re right.” Sticks raised her boomerang again. “They’re probably life-like machines created by Dr. Eggman to get to Sonic! This is an attack!”

“Sticks, that makes no sense,” Tails—always Sonic’s voice of reason—countered. He sounded scarily unsurprised. “He knows them. How could Eggman make Sonic know them?”

Sticks growled. “He got inside of his brain! He’s infected!” She launched forward, dropping the boomerang and grabbing both sides of Sonic’s face. She yanked his head down so they were eye-to-eye. “Sonic! Can you hear me?” she yelled, loudly enough that his ears pressed down against his head. “We’ll get you back!”

“Guys, please.” Sonic grabbed Sticks's hands, carefully removing them from his head. She hopped back to her place in the group. “I know it sounds ridiculous. And… I promise, I’ll explain everything. But they really are my siblings.” He stepped between the two of them. “We’re triplets.”

Knuckles had a knowing gleam in his eye Sonic hadn’t seen in years. “Triplets? You don’t look anything like Sonic.” He was smiling, though, familiarity sparking in his eyes. “Especially now. Did you shrink, Manic?”

“Can it, Knucks,” Manic said, but he walked forward to tug the echidna into an embrace. He yanked back almost immediately. “You’re even taller than Sonic! What do you people eat here?”

“A lot of coconuts,” Sonic supplied. Sonia also walked up to Knuckles, and he ruffled her hair affectionately. Sonic couldn’t stop smiling if he tried. “Knuckles here just decided he needed even bigger muscles. You should see him in action.”

“Okay, hold on.” Amy raised a hand. “Knuckles, you know them, too?”

Knuckles looked a little guilty. “Sort of. We interacted a few times, but not often. It’s a really long story.” Amy raised an eyebrow in a way that suggested she had time. “Basically, I was in charge of keeping a super powerful artifact protected. Our paths crossed, and when I needed a change of scenery, I left. Funny how weird luck brought me right back to Sonic.”

After that night at the factory, the Resistance scattered. It didn’t completely disappear, but everyone either went further underground or decided fighting wasn’t worth it anymore. He didn’t have many details, since he’d been gone since that night, but Knuckles showed up almost two years after Sonic did. Robotnik tore the floating island to pieces and forced the echidna to retreat with the emerald, and when he ended up here, he and Sonic both agreed it was probably in their best interests to pretend not to know each other. They’d only talked about their past twice.

Sonic shook his head, addressing all of his friends. “I’m sorry I never told you guys, and I’m sorry I asked Knuckles not to, too. But… I made a promise. I wasn’t going to risk anything by breaking it.”

“Please don’t be upset with Sonic,” Manic said. He stepped forward and threw an arm around Sonic’s shoulders. “You guys know him, right? So you know how powerful he is.” He gestured to himself and Sonia. “We had to separate. Sending Sonic this far away wasn’t an easy choice, but he made it for us. He was only quiet to keep all of us safe.”

Amy looked at Sonic, then back at his siblings. Her eyes were troubled. “I guess that makes sense.” She shook her head. “Look, we already have things set up here for company. Do you guys want to stay for a while? Give us the chance to find out what’s going on?”

Sonic turned to Sonia and Manic. “You guys are here,” he said. “That means something changed.” When both of their expressions closed, Sonic gestured to his friends. “I trust these people with my life. They’ve been here the whole five years I’ve been gone, and they’ve proven that they’re on my side.” He hoped his brother and sister could see how much he meant all of this. “You can trust them, too. They might even be able to help.”

Sonia and Manic exchanged a look. Sonic could practically hear the silent conversation. Then Sonia nodded. “Okay, Sonic.” She looked past him, her gaze focusing on Amy. “We’d love to stay. And we’ll tell you everything.”

Sonic stayed off to the side, shutting the door as everyone else moved. Sticks and Knuckles took their places at the table, though Sticks set her boomerang on the game board as if it were a statement. Manic followed Amy to help get more chairs, and Sonia carefully perched on one of the couches.

After a moment, a hand landed on his arm. He turned to look at Tails as the fox’s concerned gaze landed on him. “Sonic,” he murmured. Sonic was immediately grateful for the fox’s presence. “Are you alright?”

Sonic’s gaze shifted again, following his siblings as they talked to Amy. “They’re here,” he said, maybe a little absently. “Tails, these two…” He shook his head. “It’s been five years. I… didn’t know if I’d ever see them again.”

“So they really are your siblings,” Tails murmured.

Sonic looked back at Tails, not liking the pondering expression on the fox’s face. “Not telling you was… one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Right up there with leaving them in the first place.” He set a hand on Tails’s shoulder. “You’re my best friend, Tails. You have to know I would’ve told you if I could. But this… it’s a lot bigger than you think. Bigger than this village, bigger than Eggman and this whole thing we’ve been doing.”

Tails glanced back at Sonia and Manic. They were sitting now, watching Tails and Sonic talk. “I trust you,” Tails said. “And I don’t blame you.” Sonic released a relieved breath. “But… no more secrets?”

“No more secrets,” Sonic agreed, immediately shoving down the guilt that followed the words.

“Alright, you two.” Amy waved them over. “Come on. I’ll bet we have a lot to get through.”

Sonic and Tails took their places at the table—Sonic next to Manic, Tails between Sonic and Sticks. Amy folded her hands in front of her. “Okay,” she said, putting on what Sonic and Tails had dubbed her Mediator Voice. It worked, apparently, if the way Manic straightened was anything to go off of. “So, we’ll start simple with a question we’ve been asking Sonic for years: where are you from?”

“Mobius,” Sonia answered. At the blank look from Amy, she said, “It’s a huge kingdom, but it’s far away from here. It hasn’t been very public in the last twenty years.”

“Wait.” It was Tails who spoke now, setting a hand on the table before Amy could ask more questions. “Mobius?” Sonia nodded. Sonic could practically hear the gears turning in his head. Whatever he was trying to figure out clicked, and he shot a wide-eyed gaze at Sonia. “I know you.”

Sonic started. “You what?”

Tails nodded. “I don’t know why I didn’t know sooner.” He fished something out of his pocket—some device in his collection—and set it on the table. His finger tapped a tiny symbol in the corner. “You’re Sonia MontClair. You run just about every bit of illegal shipping going in and out of Mobotropolis. The parts I buy from you are incredible.”

Something sharp hit Sonic the chest, quick as lightning and painful to a point. His eyes slowly shifted to Sonia and the now-guilty look on her face. “MontClair?” Manic was pale, so Sonic imagined he didn’t know, either. He couldn’t keep the horror from his voice if he tried. “Sonia, how long?”

She sighed, running a hand over her eyes. “This wasn’t how I wanted this to come up,” she muttered. She paused again, as if hoping her brother would rescind the question. He didn’t. “Two years,” she said after a moment.

“Two years?” Manic demanded immediately. “Sonia, we’ve been traveling together for two weeks. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to tell you both at the same time!” she defended. “I… knew you wouldn’t exactly be happy.”

“You married Bartleby,” Sonic said. “I’m… I don’t know, confused?” Something sad filled his chest. “Sonia, you always said you didn’t want this.”

“I…” Sonia sighed. “Guys, things changed when you left. I tried to leave Mobius with both of you. Bartleby, though… he stopped me. He told me I had a place in his house.” Her gaze was conflicted. “He joined the Resistance. And… we were betrothed a while, but he’s the one who called that off. Because he knew I didn’t want it.

“But… he’s changed.” Her voice softened, unguarded affection Sonic had never heard from her coloring her words. “He fought beside us for such a long time. I’ve been with the Resistance, and he’s moved up in the ranks. He’s third-in-command now.” She let out a breath. “I proposed to him, eventually. It’s… a very long story.”

Sonic and Manic exchanged a look. Something in Sonia’s voice… it had changed. She always talked about Bartleby like she couldn’t be bothered. Now…

It was Manic who spoke, voicing the question Sonic couldn’t bring himself to ask. “But you’re happy?” he asked.

“I am,” Sonia answered. “I promise, guys. It’s a lot, I know, and… we didn’t have a ceremony. Just the certificate.” She smiled, but it was a little sad. “That was his idea, too. He knew I didn’t want to have a wedding without my brothers there.”

A tear slid down Sonic’s face. He wondered if his friends had ever seen him cry before today. He didn’t care. “If you’re happy, Sonia, then we’re happy.” He grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Congratulations. You’re a wife now.” His nose wrinkled. “And Bartleby is my brother, oh god.”

The sadness left her smile. She looked between them, then nudged Manic’s shoulder. “If it helps, I hyphenated my last name. I’m still a Hedgehog. Just… also a MontClair.”

“Hedgehog,” Amy said, her eyes narrowing. “Hedgehog. Why does that name sound so familiar?”

“Because it’s mine?” Sonic suggested.

“Because we are hedgehogs?” Manic tried.

“Well, does the name Queen Aleena Hedgehog mean anything to you?” Sonia offered.

At that, Amy let out a strangled noise. She slammed a hand down on the table, her fingers curling into her tablecloth as she slowly turned her gaze to Sonic. “Queen Aleena Hedgehog,” she repeated, her voice low. “Queen Aleena… and her missing triplet children.”

Sonic winced as Manic looked at her incredulously. “How do you know any of that?”

“How do I–they’re royals. Of course I keep up!” she spluttered. She stood from the table, moving to pace around the room as she recited what she knew. “I used to go to the library and dig through old shelves until I found the history of just about every monarchy in the world. Queen Aleena–she’s something of a legend in the books. She took the throne at fourteen, when her father abandoned it in the middle of the war with another kingdom. Even with all of her soldiers refusing to answer to a kid, she ran onto the battlefield and fought herself. After that, nobody questioned her. She won and became one of the most respected monarchs in history.”

Sonic, Manic, and Sonia exchanged a look. Sonia’s eyes were proud, and Manic’s were sad. Sonic’s voice was quiet as he said, “We didn’t know any of that. Robotnik… One of the first things he did when he took over was round up every book he could find with the promise he was going to make a huge library for all of them.” He looked down at the table. “People say the smoke from the day he burned every last one of them hung in the air for weeks.”

Amy stopped pacing, her eyes growing a little sad. After a moment, she sat back down. “I thought her children were a myth. A rumor people started for recognition.” She looked between the triplets. “You’re really Queen Aleena’s kids?”

“We are,” Manic confirmed. “Word doesn’t get out of Mobius very easily about things.”

“Um…” Tails's voice was uneasy. “So… does that mean you’re a prince?”

Sonic’s nose wrinkled. “No,” he said, at the same time as both of his siblings said, “Yes.”

Everyone at the table exchanged a look. It was Amy who spoke first, her voice uneasy. “You’ve been a royal this whole time and I never knew anything about it.”

After a moment of more silence, Sticks snorted out a laugh. She gestured to Sonic. “Sonic? A prince?” she demanded. She flopped back in her seat, waving her boomerang in the air. “Yeah, sure. And I’m a duchess.”

“I’m not a prince,” Sonic interrupted immediately, before that particular comment could escalate further. “Not technically. My mother is the rightful queen, yes, but she isn’t right now. I’m only a prince in theory.”

“Um… actually.” Manic chuckled awkwardly, and Sonic immediately felt uneasy. “Yeah, Sonic, uh… the Resistance rebuilt and publicly split off from Robotnik. They recognized Queen Aleena as their queen about two and a half years ago, claiming they wouldn’t treat Robotnik as ruler unless he did it legally. He was furious.” He tapped the table. “In the eyes of about two-thirds of Mobius, you’re a prince by all rights.”

“Crown Prince, actually,” Sonia added quietly. Manic winced.

Sonic raised his hands, disbelief coloring his words. “Hold on, back up. Two-thirds?” The resistance had grown drastically since he was last there. Before he left, only about three hundred of Mobius’ near ten-thousand citizens were officially a part of it. “And… Crown? As in successor to the throne?”

Sonia looked uncomfortable. “That’s… an even longer story. And also why we came here. But yes, Sonic, you’re legally and publicly recognized as Crown Prince, heir to the throne of Mobius.”

“Wait, Sonic is actually a prince?” Sticks interrupted, her voice incredulous . “Like… fancy cape and crown and ‘hear ye, hear ye’? A real prince?”

Manic looked at Sonic. “Do they know anything?”

Sonic shook his head. “I couldn’t risk putting you two in danger. Especially not with Sonia still a public figure in Mobius.” He gestured to Knuckles. “Even Knucks and I have only ever mentioned it twice.”

Sonia sighed. “Well… don’t worry. Crown Prince is mostly just a title.” She addressed the group again. “But, yes. Sonic is a prince of Mobius. And it’s our fault he never told you.” She bowed her head to the group. “For that, I’m sorry. Sonic was doing what he could to protect me and Manic.”

Sonic looked at each of his friends. “Do you guys remember the time, about three and a half years ago, when I disappeared for about a week?” He looked at Tails. “You found me half-buried in the sand near my house, and you—”

“Called Knuckles to bring you here so Amy could patch you up,” Tails finished. “This is why?”

He looked down at his hands. “I hadn’t seen them. It was our birthday, and we were turning eighteen. That one, specifically, I just… couldn’t handle.” Sonia softly squeezed his hand, as if to say, “We missed you, too, brother.” “So… I ran. Straight across the ocean, because it’s the fastest way to Mobius. It’s why I chose to live here.”

“You came to Mobius?” Sonia demanded. “Sonic! You know how dangerous that was.”

“I didn’t get there,” he said. “I got about halfway before…” Memories flashed in his mind, of water and rain and thunder so loud he felt it through the water. He blinked them back. “Before I collapsed.” Sonia and Manic’s eyes went wide. His friends just looked grim. They didn’t talk about that day often, but he knew they remembered.

“Running on water for two days straight was apparently too much of a strain, especially without using any of my magic.” Sonia squeezed his hand a little tighter. “I lost my footing about fifty miles out from shore. Not the Mobian sea—I didn’t get that far. This ocean.” He held out his right arm, letting go of Sonia’s hand in the process. “I got back through some combination of running and letting the waves push me. At one point, I tied myself to a safety rope on a ship and basically let it drag me for a while.” He showed his brother and sister a patch of fur on his upper arm that was lighter than the rest of it. “This was my worst injury, from when I first fell. Apparently you can skid on water as if it were the ground when you’re going that fast.” He dropped his arm again. “I have a bunch of other little scars from that day, but… yeah.” He chuckled, but it was sad. “I didn’t try again after that.”

Manic reached out, yanking Sonic against him in a tight embrace. He’d always been the affectionate one of the three of them. “You could have died, Sonic.”

“He almost did,” Amy said grimly. “He was out for almost four days after that. Violently dehydrated, half-starved. We had to call in a… favor of sorts. I couldn’t help him alone.” Sonic remembered, through some half-delirious haze, Eggman standing over him and demanding treatment plans. It was… not as weird as it probably should have been. “We thought we lost him for a bit there.”

Manic loosened his grip, but Sonic stayed leaned over with his head on Manic’s shoulder. “At that point, you should’ve just used your magic,” Sonia said. “It could have helped.”

“It would have alerted both of you,” Sonic countered immediately. “You would know something was wrong, and the whole thing would be blown for nothing. It wasn’t worth that risk.”

Sonia sighed, but she didn’t protest. Everyone was quiet for a minute—Sonia and Manic keeping their worried gazes on Sonic, his friends with varying grim looks. It was Tails who spoke eventually, changing the subject to something less dark. “So… I’m almost afraid to ask, Sonic, but… I have to.”

Sonic winced. “I know, I know. You have the rest of your life to yell at me for it.” He didn’t have to ask what Tails meant. He’d known how the fox would react the second he mentioned it.

“You knew.” Tails shook his head incredulously. “We’ve had this debate countless times, and you always let me believe it. You agreed with me.”

“Not always!” Sonic defended. “Sometimes I’d side with Knuckles!”

“Not often enough!”

“Alright, wait.” Sonia laid a hand on the table. “What is this about?”

Amy chuckled. “I’ll bet it’s because Sonia said the word ‘magic’.”

Tails sighed. “I’m an inventor. The guy we fight with all the time is also an inventor. The only sign we have of anything not technological is Sonic’s power, and there’s no sign of that being magic at all.”

“We have the ‘is magic real’ debate about once a month,” Sonic explained. “Tails was very strongly on the side that it didn’t. Knuckles claimed it did, though I guess that’s sort of cheating on his part. I… kind of played the middle in a ‘let me avoid actually talking about this’ sort of way.”

“Sorry, Tails. I knew, but I couldn’t exactly tell you that,” Knuckles said. When Tails glared, he added, “Hey, at least I never let you put any money on it! It was just a… slightly unfair debate that I knew I won from the beginning.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Tails grumbled.

Before Sonic could respond, Manic stood up. “We can arrange that.”

Sonia stood, too, her eyes already gleaming. Sonic shot a nervous look between them and his friends. “Here? And right now? You’re really going to break more of Amy’s things this way.”

“Not an excuse, bro.” Manic hauled Sonic to his feet. “Come on, we’ve been waiting for years for this reunion. When was the last time you even played?”

“This morning,” Tails provided. “And this afternoon, and yesterday night, and yesterday morning, and just about every single day since he got that thing.” He pointed at Sonic’s guitar where it laid on the couch. “He never stops playing.”

Sonic, at the sight of his unassuming wooden guitar, winced before his siblings could even speak. This wasn’t going to end well. “Wait,” Manic said. He reached out and picked up the instrument. “Is this acoustic?” He strummed, and Sonia held back a laugh at the noise. “Sonic Hedgehog, lead singer of Sonic Underground, and you’ve been playing acoustic.”

“It’s not actually that bad,” Sonic defended.

Sonia just shook her head. “Your fans would be so upset.”

“My fans have bigger things to worry about than my guitar.” He took the instrument from Manic and handed it to Amy, who was always the most careful with it. She hung it on the pegs in her wall she’d set up specifically to hold it when Sonic bought it. “Besides, there are no non-magical non-acoustic instruments. Not out here, anyway. You guys do know most of these people don’t even have doors on their houses, right?”

Manic shook his head, letting out a laugh. “Well, you’d better be ready to play harder than that. Sonic Underground doesn’t do acoustic.”

“You are not bringing your drum set out in this house.”

“I am.”

“Boys,” Sonia interrupted. “Gosh, twenty-one years old and still bickering like teenagers.” She shook her head. “Sonic’s right. You know what you can do, and we’re not doing it here, Manic. No drums inside. That’s been a rule since we were fourteen.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Manic grumbled. His smile came back almost immediately, though. “Sonic, your instrument is significantly less dangerous. You should show everyone.” His eyes finally seemed to catch on the bandana around his brother’s neck. “Oh, wow, that’s new.”

Sonic rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, it’s getting stuffed very far back in a drawer after today.” He reached for the knot at the back of the bandana, untying it and dropping it unceremoniously to the ground. He ran a hand over his neck. “I actually cannot remember the last time I took that off.”

“You haven’t,” Amy said. She shook her head. “Seeing you without that may just be weirder than finding out you’re a prince with siblings. Truthfully.” Tails and Sticks murmured their agreement.

Sonic rolled his eyes. Having the pendant at his neck exposed was weird, but it was a relief he didn’t expect to hit so strongly. He reached for the necklace. “I haven’t done this in a while, so go easy on me,” he said. “I don’t know how much it’s changed.”

Even as he said it, some part of him knew it hadn’t. The necklace flashed, the familiar warmth of his magic rushing through him. Sonic couldn’t help the smile on his face as his guitar materialized in his hands. The purple, hedgehog shaped body—a tribute to his mom—was a familiar, comforting weight. Each of the three necks—the tuners color coded for him and his siblings—felt as easy to navigate as they were his whole life. Sonic laughed as the instrument settled in his hands, unable to help the huge smile on his face. “It’s the same as back then.” He weighed it in his hands. “Wow, it’s a lot heavier than I remember.”

“Smaller, too,” Manic offered. “Or maybe you just dwarf teenage you. Either way, bro, you need an upgrade.”

Sonic laughed again. “I do, don’t I?” He squinted at the guitar, feeling the magic ripple through him as if it had never left. As if he were greeting a friend who’d always been there. “How about…”

He willed his magic into the guitar, shaping it to the picture in his mind. The complicated, powerful instrument in his hands trembled, then faded into a soft blue light. The light shifted, then cleared as the instrument took shape. Sonic held it with a softer smile. “There we go.”

The new guitar was simple. Maybe not perfectly simple, since Sonic didn’t want to be boring. But the loud, electric thing he was used to fighting with had transformed into a one-neck, twelve-string electro-acoustic guitar. He strummed it, the sound settling deep in his soul. It was nothing like the guitar he’d been playing all these years. “I haven’t played electric since I was sixteen.”

Sonia gasped at the guitar, her eyes catching on the pink, green, and purple designs flowing over it to represent his family. The strings, too, were color-coded. “Ooh, nice,” she said. “You’re not the only one with an upgrade, though.”

She tapped her necklace, and the keyboard that appeared before her was far better than the one she had as a kid. It wasn’t dramatically ornate, but it definitely wasn’t boring. The pinkish-purple legs were wrapped in vines, blue and green flowers sprouting at random intervals. The keys themselves were simple, though there was writing in Mobian across a few of the keys. Sonic’s nose wrinkled as he struggled to read it.

Manic shot a pleading look at Sonia, who turned to Sonic. Sonic sighed through his nose. “You play nothing,” he said. “Nothing at all. You can show, but I’m serious. This place is not equipped for that kind of chaos, and Amy will use her hammer if she feels the need to.”

“I will,” Amy confirmed.

“I gotchu, bros.” Manic reached for his pendant, gesturing for Sonia and Sonic to step back. They did. “Not the full thing, don’t worry. Just enough to show off.” The drum kit he summoned—which was really only three drums settled around him—hadn’t changed much. The kit was still a bright yellow, though little red stripes ran through it now. Sonic wondered if they were there in honor of the red vest he’d worn everywhere when he was a kid. It had been a gift from Farrell. Other than that, the drum kit was pretty much the same. Manic shrugged at his siblings’ looks. “Why fix what isn’t broken?”

Tails stood, then, waking up to Sonic and putting his face right up to the guitar. Sonic didn’t move as the fox studied it with narrowed eyes. “So this actually is magic,” he murmured. He reached out to touch it. Before Sonic could protest, Tails's hand went right through the instrument. His eyes shot wide. “I felt it. I can feel it. Why can’t I touch it?”

“It’s a protective measure,” Sonic explained. “These doubled as weapons. Powerful ones. Robotnik was no joke, and we needed something for the Freedom Fighters to get behind.” He knocked on the guitar, and it made a solid noise. “No one can touch them but someone of the Hedgehog bloodline. It keeps them from falling into the wrong hands.”

Tails backed up, dropping back into his seat as if he were made of lead. “This is a lot to take in.”

“It would be more if we were playing.” He turned to his siblings. “We will soon. It won’t be the same here, but it will still be us. Not in the rain, though.” His nose wrinkled. “Which I hope stops tomorrow.

Sonia and Manic exchanged sad looks, and emotion tugged at Sonic’s chest. “Anyway, I think that’s all of the surprises we have for tonight.”

Sonia and Manic both let their instruments vanish, and Sonic did the same. His hands felt empty without it. “You should play for us,” Manic said, gesturing to Sonic’s guitar on the wall. “Acoustic Sonic has been on my bucket list since we met. Since before we met.”

“Not possible,” Sonia countered. “But also, same. You should play.”

Before he could protest, the guitar was shoved into his hands. Amy smiled sweetly at him as she let go of the instrument. “Unwell, please. It’s my favorite.” Before he could protest, she leaned in and said, “For the petunias, Sonic. For the petunias.”

Sonic supposed he couldn’t protest to that. He sighed through his nose, perching on Amy’s coffee table as his friends and siblings settled on the couches. “I haven’t played this one in a while,” he said, his hands finding the familiar chords. He strummed a few to make sure the guitar was in tune, a ritual that he knew was completely unnecessary. Then he tapped the guitar a few times. “Here’s to a petunia debt it’s now up to Sticks and Tails to pay,” he muttered, and started playing before either of the people in question could protest.

None of his songs had official titles, though his friends called them whatever they saw fit at any given time. Often, it was just some repeated message or word in the song. Sometimes it was something insulting, if one of them wasn’t fond of the song. Sticks called most of them, “that one with the noise.” Amy’s favorite—which Sonic knew well, considering how often she requested it at their late-night campfires—was actually one of his favorites, too. And one he wrote after getting to the island. Sonia and Manic had never heard it.

It was both a happy feeling and a heavy one, he thought, that there were so many songs of his that they didn’t know.

He played the opening chords a little louder, softening them as the actual words came in. ~~ “All day starin’ at the ceilin’, makin’ friends with shadows on my wall. All night hearing voices tellin’ me that I should get some sleep, because tomorrow might be good for somethin’. Hold on, feelin’ like I’m headed for a breakdown and I don’t know why.” ~~

Every time he played, the world around him disappeared a little. Sometimes completely. All that existed was him, the words, the notes, the music. He closed his eyes, letting the music sweep him up the way it always did. He never felt like something was missing when he played without his siblings, but it was like having three puzzles that fit together to make a bigger picture. They made sense on their own, but they made something better when they were combined. It was how most things worked with him and his siblings.

~~ “But I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell. I know, right now you can’t tell. But stay a while and maybe then you’ll see a different side of me. I’m not crazy, I’m just a little impaired. I know, right now you don’t care. But soon enough you’re gonna think of me and how I used to be, me.” ~~

He didn’t play the rest of the song, letting it trail off before the rest of the words. Amy was pouting when he opened his eyes. “Sorry, Ames,” he said, chuckling a little. “I’ll play the whole thing some other time.”

Sonia, from where she sat by Knuckles, nodded appreciatively. “I like it,” she said. “Acoustic, but not exactly quiet. Your lyrics have gotten better, too.”

“I’ve had help.” He gestured to all of his friends. “Not with this one, but they all pitch in when I get stuck.

When Sonic looked at his brother, he couldn’t help his smile. Manic immediately glared at him through tear-filled eyes. “Don’t start with me, Sonic,” he snapped, but there was no weight behind it as his voice wavered. “It’s been five years since I’ve heard you sing. I’m allowed to react a little.”

“So emotional,” Sonic said, nothing but affection in his voice. He reached out and tugged his brother into a side-hug. “Nice to know absence didn’t change you, little bro. You were always the best of us.”

Manic reached out, dragging Sonia into the embrace and butting his head into both of theirs. “I don’t care what happens. I don’t care how bad it gets. We are never leaving each other again.” He held on tighter. “Ever.”

They converged into a tighter embrace, Sonic burying himself in his siblings’ arms. Sonia and Manic had the two weeks they were looking for Sonic, sure, but that was it. Sonia had stayed in Mobotropolis. Manic drifted through the surrounding areas, spreading word of the Freedom Fighters fad and wide. And Sonic… Sonic crossed an ocean. And that was only half of the distance. They didn’t belong that far apart. They didn’t belong anywhere but together.

It was Sonia who broke the embrace, lightly pushing Sonic’s shoulder. “Acoustic, moody songs. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re going soft, Sonic. Didn’t you used to be some unserious, bratty teen who we had to fight with to get anything done?”

“He still is,” Knuckles added.

Sonic rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t play any of our old songs. It made things a little harder to think about. And when I wrote new ones, I guess I didn’t want them to feel like they needed you to be whole songs. Not that I’ve ever thought my music sounded right without you guys.”

Something in his siblings’ gazes softened. Manic sniffled loudly. “Bro, stop. You’re going to make me cry again.”

They all laughed. Sonic really couldn’t emphasize enough how right everything felt now. He remembered his friends rather suddenly, and he straightened as he turned to them. “So.” He chuckled, and it was more nervous than he’d like to admit. “There you have it. That’s all of my surprises for now.”

“Well, it’s a lot to take in,” Amy admitted. His friends nodded. “You’re sure there’s nothing else we need to know? No other secrets that need to be aired out right now?

Sonic thought of one other thing--one thing that, really, was a whole web of lies he wasn’t ready to unravel yet. He didn’t even want to talk about it now. Thankfully, Sonia started listing things on her fingers before he could speak. “Secret magic, triplet siblings, royal upbringing. I think those are the heavy hitters.” She smiled at Amy. “I think I can safely say the surprises are over.”

“Good.” She turned, walking back to her seat and calmly sitting down. “Sonia, Manic. Welcome to the village. We’re pleased to have you.”

Sonic blinked at her, then looked at Sticks and Tails. “You’re all being… shockingly calm about this.”

“Well, Sonic, what did you expect us to do? Throw you out and demand the mayor banish you again? We’re not that unreasonable.”

“Again?” Sonia asked.

“Maybe,” Sonic admitted, ignoring his sister’s inquiry for now. “I did think you’d be pretty upset.”

“Honestly, Sonic.” Amy gestured to the group. “We’re your friends. You’re our leader. I can respect why you did what you did, and any of us would have done the same for each other.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “I’m not upset, but it’s going to be a while before I stop feeling like I don’t really recognize you anymore. To a degree, anyway.” She leaned back. “And not just because of the bandana.”

That… was fair. He sighed, taking his seat at the table again. “Not everything was a lie, you guys,” he said. “I hid my past. I know that. But that’s all I hid. Until now, they were my past. And how many of us actually know where each other come from, anyway?” The group exchanged looks, all of them a little more understanding than they’d been before. “Not telling you anything killed me. But… I’m still Sonic. I’m still the chili-dog loving, water-hating, never serious guy in the beach house. I’m still your friend.”

Manic took his seat by Sonic. “Please don’t blame Sonic for this,” he said. All eyes turned to him. “Look. The three of us didn’t grow up together. We were older when we found each other, and we were only sixteen when we had to separate. Sonic made the decision to split. Sonia and I were the ones who decided how it would go.”

“You guys have seen him.” Sonia slid into her chair, too. “Even without his magic, I have a feeling he’s practically unmatched in terms of power.”

“Practically,” Tails murmured. Sonic shot him a look that was dark with warning. Tails’s eyes narrowed, a question in them, but Sonic just subtly shook his head.

Sonia sighed. “My point is that you guys have to understand why we asked him to keep quiet. He’s stronger than even me and Manic put together. All of this is done with the end goal of restoring Mobius to what it was, and we can’t do that if something happens to Sonic. He stayed hidden for himself, yes, but also for an entire country. For his kingdom.”

His friends looked around at each other, then back at Sonic. It was Tails who spoke. “Well, I’m not too worried about it,” he said. He stood, stretching his arms above his head. “What I am worried about is making a new hot chocolate machine that Sonic’s obligated to help me with as early as I see fit. Seeing as he broke my last one.”

Even as relief coursed through him at his best friend’s approval, he let out a groan. “Oh, god, not mornings. Please don’t wake me up again.”

“Bright and early!” Tails chirped. He addressed the group. “With that said, I do think we should go our separate ways. Sorry about the game, Amy, but I imagine all of us need a bit to process and sleep.”

“Wonderful, because I was about ready to kick everyone out.” Amy stood and clapped her hands together. Her smile—the sweet, friendly one Sonic knew he shouldn’t trust—was bright. “You have two minutes to be out or I’m making you replant all of my flowers yourself. In the rain. Alone.”

Sticks, Knuckles, and Tails shuffled out immediately, the latter shooting Sonic a look that said they needed to talk about all of this tomorrow morning in his lab. Sonic nodded. Then he turned to his siblings. “I can’t race you, since you don’t know where my house is. But I’m also not going to walk in that.”

“Such a baby,” Manic stated. He reached for his cloak, though, tossing it around Sonic’s shoulders and tugging the hood high on his brother’s head. “Completely waterproof. You’re welcome.”

“Life saver,” Sonic breathed. His siblings made for the door, but he paused for a moment to grab his guitar. His eyes caught Amy sitting on one of her couches. “Ames,” he said, his voice soft enough to keep his siblings from hearing. Her green eyes raised to look at him. “Thank you. And I really am sorry about the flowers.”

She smiled a little. “It’s fine. I needed Sticks to go digging around my garden for bugs and weeds again anyway,” she said. Before Sonic could leave, she added, “Thank you. For trusting us enough to tell us all of this.”

Sonic smiled, stepping back and shooting her a playful wink. “Only ‘cause you’d kill me if I didn’t.” She tossed a throw pillow at him, but he dodged it. Her smile grew. “Until tomorrow, milady.” He bowed dramatically. “Feel free to rescue me from Tails if you need anything.”

“Not a chance.”

“Yo, dude, it’s freezing out here,” Manic called from the doorway. Sonic shot one last smile at Amy, then followed Manic out into the rain. Manic tossed an arm over his shoulders. “Look at us. The Hedgehog triplets, reunited at last.” His other arm landed on Sonia’s shoulders. “Feels right, doesn’t it?”

Sonic looked up at the sky, the rain falling from it hitting him on the nose. It was almost loud enough to cover the ocean. His place, his home, his island. And now his siblings were here. “Yeah,” he said, allowing himself the brief moment of nothing but pure, unrestrained happiness. “Yeah, it does.”

Chapter Text

“This place is adorable.”

Manic looked around Sonic’s beach hut, excitement in his eyes. Sonic was almost nervous to show them the place he’d been staying. He knew it wasn’t perfect, and while Manic had grown up in the sewers and saw most things as luxury, Sonia had more refined tastes than both of them combined. Not that he thought they’d judge him or anything. He couldn’t really explain it.

Sonia tapped the tree in the middle of the room that held the roof and Sonic’s hammock up. “You sleep in one of these? Doesn’t that hurt after a while?”

Sonic waved a hand. “Less than you’d think.” He had enlisted Tails's help bringing another cot in here, and he already had one spare that Tails occasionally slept on. “Feel free to drag your beds wherever you want. I wouldn’t suggest sleeping by the back window, because that’s the direction of Tails's workshop and he’ll wake you up with all of his tinkering. Anywhere else is fine, though.”

Sonia and Manic exchanged a look that suggested they weren’t worried about any specific location causing a noise problem in a hut covered in windows with no door. Then they grabbed their beds, dragging them into the middle of the room until they were right next to Sonic’s hammock. Manic flopped over on his. “Ah, this reminds me of the good old days.”

“What, sleeping in a pile on the floor in the middle of the Resistance hideout?” Sonia settled more carefully into her bed, having changed into some pajamas Amy lent her before they left her house. She sat cross-legged and looked at her brothers. “Those was not the good old days.”

“They definitely were.” Sonic didn’t want to blatantly say how happy he was that his siblings only wanted to be close to him, even if the beds’ location would more than likely result in Sonic landing on one or both of them when he climbed out of his hammock. He pushed on Manic’s legs, and Manic scooted so Sonic could sit beside him on the bed. “Definitely my favorite old sleeping habit.”

Manic shot him an unimpressed look. “Sonic, you sleep in a hammock in your own house on the beach,” he deadpanned. “That is literally as good as it gets. You’re living in paradise.”

Sonia scoffed. “I sleep in a custom four-poster bed with a mattress created specifically to my tastes.” She pulled a brush out of nowhere and ran it through her hair. “That, brothers, is as good as it gets.”

“Yeah, but you sleep in it with Bartleby.”

Sonia’s mouth fell open, her cheeks reddening. “Manic!” she yelled. Manic cackled, rolling to his side on the bed. A pillow hit him in the face a moment later. He spluttered, overbalancing and falling off the bed. Sonic laughed as Sonia let out a triumphant hmph. “I am a lady, thank you.”

“Throwing pillows in a beach shack. Very lady-like.” Sonic raised his hands in mock surrender as Sonia glared. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.”

“It’s not shooting the messenger if you—oh, nevermind.” She went back to brushing her hair as Manic clambered back onto the bed, flopping down and throwing his legs in Sonic’s lap. “Seriously, though. How did you get this place?”

Sonic chuckled. “I built it.”

Shocked looks from his siblings. “You what?” Sonia demanded.

Sonic leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. He’d never actually told anyone this story before. “This village didn’t have much when we showed up. I found Tails and Sticks along the way. When we got here, Amy was trying to help construction along as best as she could. It wasn’t going well, since she was pretty much the only one doing anything.” Sonic smiled. “We showed up. She told us we could claim a spot and build there if we helped, so… we did.” Sonic remembered it pretty vividly, actually.

--- He wanted to collapse. They’d been walking for days, and Sonic had barely slept so he could keep watch over his companions. Sticks, at least, seemed to be used to this. She was still wandering around, finding random things on the floor and shoving them in her bag. Sonic had chosen not to question it. Tails, meanwhile, was doing badly enough that Sonic was worried the fox wouldn’t make it to wherever they were going.

Sonic had been carrying him piggyback for the last day and a half. He hadn’t woken up once.

He was ready to give up. When he left Sonia and Manic three weeks ago, he didn’t imagine it would be this hard. Running was fine until he ran out of supplies. Getting on and off those boats was torture. Tails's gentle personality and Sticks's chaos made it easier, at least, but any energy the three of them had was gone. They needed a home. Tails was young, and when Sonic saved him, he swore he wouldn’t let anything happen to the fox. They couldn’t be wandering like this forever.

It was around that thought that he heard the voices. Well… voice, singular. Female, loud, and very upset. His ears perked up. “Sticks,” he called. The badger lifted her head from rummaging through her bag. “Do you hear that?”

Sticks listened, then stopped as her eyes widened. “People,” she said. “We haven’t seen people in… days.”

“Come on.” Sonic broke into a jog, holding tightly to Tails to keep him from going anywhere. Sticks kept up easily. They ran until they broke out of the treeline, into a mostly open space just outside of the forest. He could see the ocean off in the distance.

In the middle of the clearing, a girl stood with her hands on her hips. She had pink hair tied back in a ponytail, a dust-covered t-shirt and shorts adorning her small figure. She couldn’t be much older than Sonic. “I’m going to effectively remove you guys from this village if you don’t do something!” she yelled.

About fifteen other people sat before her, all of them around a campfire in the clearing. They all completely ignored her. One of them—a short figure wrapped head-to-toe in a blue cloak—called, “We’re never going to get it done like this. You’re wasting your energy.”

The girl let out a groan. “You enlist people to build a village because they say, ‘oh Amy, we’re defenseless and need your help.’ So you come to help, and they’re all useless!” She growled. “I swear, I’m going to burn what is built of this village to the ground.”

“Please don’t,” the cloaked figure said. “You worked really hard on those two houses.”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Sarcasm, Fink.”

Sonic had heard plenty. He stepped forward into the clearing, Sticks close at his heels. Tails still hadn’t moved. “Uh… hi.” The girl’s eyes snapped up. Sonic tried for a smile. “You guys need some help?”

For a moment, she just stared at him. Then her nose wrinkled. “It looks to me like you need help, actually.” She took a step back, her hand closing around something on the ground behind her. “Who are you?”

“I’m Sonic.” He’d considered using a fake name, but… the bandana he tied around his neck was bad enough, and swearing the fox on his back to secrecy when he caught a glimpse his pendant nearly killed him. Changing his name would’ve been too much. “I’m a traveler. Kind of looking for a place to settle. This is Sticks.” He nodded towards the badger. Then he carefully adjusted Tails on his back. “And this is Tails.”

The girl’s eyes shot wide as she saw the little fox. “He’s so small,” she murmured. All of the anger fled from her gaze, replaced with something gentle. “Is he alright?”

“I… don’t know,” Sonic answered honestly. “That’s why I’m trying to find a place. All of this traveling isn't good for him. He’s just a kid.”

She looked Sonic up and down. “It looks to me like you’re just a kid, too.” She shrugged after a moment. “But so am I. I’m Amy.”

Sonic looked around. “This is a nice place for a village. But… building it on your own won’t be easy.” Amy shot a not-so-subtle glare at the crowd of people who had stopped talking and were watching all of them. “We can help, if… you don’t mind giving us a place to stay.”

Amy looked over all of them. They were dirt-covered, a little beaten up, and probably looked like they hadn’t eaten in a week. He imagined they seemed pretty ragged. She focused on Sticks for a moment, who was sniffing the air like she’d find answers there. Then on Tails, where her gaze softened considerably again. Then finally on Sonic, trying his best to keep his head held high even if he felt like giving up. Even if he’d left his heart torn to shreds in Mobius.

Then she sighed, nodding once at Sonic’s little crew. “Okay,” she said. “Help me, and you can each build your own place wherever you want and be part of the village.”

Sonic’s eyes shot wide. He didn’t really expect her to say yes. “Really?”

“Yep.” She stepped back, gesturing for him to follow her. “Now, come on. I know some first aid. Let’s get that little guy some food and see if we can help him out.” ---

Manic whistled, and the memory faded from Sonic's mind. “Dang, bro. You built your own house. Things really have changed.”

“Yeah, the Sonic I knew couldn’t tie his shoes right, let alone build a house,” Sonia added.

Sonic glared. “For the last time, ties get in the way. I know how, I just don’t want to. It’s for convenience!”

“Yup. We believe you.” Sonia was smiling, though.

The rain was still going strong, pattering softly against the windows. Sonic tried to ignore it, focusing instead on the feeling of having his brother and sister in the same room. He took the opportunity to study them a little further. Sonia’s face had evened out, her cheeks losing their teenage roundness. She’d obviously been taken care of, too. She was glowing in a way she never had been when they were living on the run. She was beautiful.

And Manic… Sonic wanted to ask about the scar on his face, but he didn’t know if he should yet. Manic would no doubt tell him. Sonic would no doubt tell them, too, about all of the things they’d missed. Manic was pretty much the same otherwise, save for the lack of most of his piercings. His voice was different. Sonic would have to get used to that.

He spoke after a moment, when he felt like all of them were done taking each other in. “So, I feel like I need to ask…” He looked between them. “Why are you guys here? Don’t get me wrong, I’m… happy. Really, really happy. But… why?”

The two of them exchanged a look. Manic sat up, crossing his legs so the three of them were sitting in a sort of circle. Sonia set her brush down. “Well… we have good news. And bad news. Maybe a little worse than bad.”

Sonic raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to continue. She looked down. “The bad news is that Robotnik is really buckling down.” Tears filled her eyes faster than he could track. “He found the Freedom Fighters’ main hideout. Only four were lost, which… is still awful. But… he took prisoners.” She wiped her eyes. “Nine hundred and twenty-six of them. Not just fighters, either. That base was… practically a community.”

Sonic’s breath caught. “They got to the Resistance?” He looked between them. “Anyone I know?”

Sonia’s hands fisted in her lap. Sonic looked at Manic, since his sister wasn’t going to say anything. “Manic?” His voice softened. “I have to know. Tell me.”

Manic looked sad. “They got Iffucan,” he said carefully. “And Amir. Jamal is okay, but he’s pretty torn up. He and Amir got married almost four years ago.” Sonic expected that one. “Captain Squeegee, too, when he tried to catch them off guard with some extra help. The rest of his crew escaped.”

Sonic let out a breath. That was bad, but… it would be okay. Iffucan and Amir would be able to hold their own, and were probably the best people to have arrested. If anyone could help everyone escape, it was those two. “Alright.” He said. “Anyone else?”

Now Manic went silent, too. Sonic’s fur stood on end. “You guys,” he said carefully. “You have to tell me. I haven’t seen anyone in five years. I need to know they’re okay.”

Manic and Sonia looked at each other again. Sonia reached out, grabbing Sonic’s hand and holding tight. She let out a breath through the tears on her face. “They, um…” She wiped at her eyes again with her free hand. “They would have gotten a lot more people. There are thousands of resistance fighters now, and most of them resided in that cave.”

She broke off again, and Manic took over after a moment. “The tunnels were destroyed.” He wouldn’t meet Sonic’s eyes. “We set up bombs in case it ever happened. A fail-safe to keep them from the information we had stored there.” Manic reached out, taking Sonic’s other hand. “Cyrus set them off,” he whispered. Sonic froze. “We… haven’t seen him since.”

Something in Sonic’s chest cracked. “No.” Cyrus was, before Tails came along, his best friend. He’d been raised in the Freedom Fighters like Sonic had, but he disappeared a year or two before Sonic went to look for his siblings. When he came back and Sonic helped him get his dad back, they reconnected. “Not Cyrus. Anyone but Cyrus.”

Sonia squeezed her eyes shut. “I was down there. I’d been running interference, collecting data… the usual.” Her voice broke. “But… they showed up. And he told me that I was too valuable to be captured. He pushed me out of the way, then… blew up the tunnels.” She let out a breath. “I didn’t see him after the explosion. I don’t know if he made it out, or if he was captured, or if—”

She broke off, but Sonic knew what she didn’t say. Or if he didn’t make it. He sucked in a breath, tears pooling in his eyes and sliding down his cheeks. He gave himself a moment to pull his shoulders in, to hold tightly to Sonia and lean into Manic when he sat forward.

He only took a moment, though, before he straightened. “Okay.” He wiped at his eyes, willing his voice to steady. “I assume you guys have communication with everyone that’s left?”

“Bartleby is serving as temporary Head of the Freedom Fighters in my absence,” Sonia said. “He and Lionel are doing everything they can, and we have ways to contact them if anything goes wrong.” Manic reached into a pocket, pulling out a radio that Sonic hadn’t seen before now.

“Oh,” he breathed. He reached out a hand, then paused. He looked between them. “Can I…”

He trailed off. Manic and Sonia exchanged a look. It was Sonia who spoke, taking the radio and turning a few dials before handing it to Sonic. “We said it was for emergencies, but… they’ll understand.” Sonic took it carefully. “They’ll want to hear from you.”

Sonic held the radio for a moment, his heart lodged somewhere in his throat. Then he pushed the button to speak. A little green light came on at the top. “Hey guys,” he said, his voice trembling. “It’s Sonic.”

For a moment, silence. Sonic was almost scared it wouldn’t work, that he’d gotten his hopes of talking to people up for nothing.

Then, a crackle from the other side. “… Sonic?”

Sonic recognized the accent immediately. He let out a shaky laugh. “Hey, Bartleby,” he said. “Yeah, it’s me. Sonia and Manic said I could check in for a second.” He sniffled. “How—how are you? How are things there?”

“Wow, Sonic. It’s been… a long time.” Bartleby laughed. “Hey, it’s weird to know we’re brothers-in-law now. Isn’t it?”

“It is weird.” Sonic smiled. “Congratulations, by the way. You and Sonia are happy, yeah?”

Bartleby chuckled. He sounded… better. Less whiny, that was for sure. He sounded real. “We are. I am. I’ve loved her for a very long time, so this is… everything I could hope for.”

Both of them went quiet for a moment. Bartleby had always seemed like he was made of porcelain. He and Manic joked about it sometimes, and Sonia would join in on her worse days. He didn’t seem that way anymore. Sonic wanted to see him. He wanted to see everyone. God, he missed Mobius.

Bartleby’s voice came back. “Here, Sonic. Someone wants to talk to you. Sonia, my darling, I love you.”

Sonia blushed. “I love you too, Bee.”

Sonic looked at his sister. “Bee?” he mouthed.

She rolled her eyes. “Shut up,” she mouthed back.

The radio came on again. “Sonic? Are you really there? Is that really you?”

Another voice followed. “Bartleby, if you’re lying about this, I’ll throttle you myself.”

Sonic laughed. “Jamal! And Saro, yeah, it’s me. I promise.” Now the tears in his eyes were happy ones. “It’s so nice to hear from you guys.”

“It’s nice to hear from you!” Saro’s voice was happy. “Jarod would be here, too, but he’s out right now. I’ll tell him you said hi, though!”

Sonic couldn’t stop smiling. “You two are still together?”

“We are!” Saro confirmed. “We, uh…” She laughed a little. “We have a baby, actually. Her name is Marnie. She’s almost two.”

Sonic’s eyes shot wide. He looked at Sonia for confirmation. His sister nodded. “She’s adorable. Looks just like Saro.”

“No better way to permanently unite our people than to have a baby!” Saro laughed. “Granny wasn’t too happy, but… soon as she laid eyes on Marnie, she was sold.”

“That’s incredible, Saro. I can’t wait to meet her someday.” He switched his tone, softening it a little. “Jamal, I heard about you and Amir. Congratulations. I remember when you told me there was nothing going on there.”

Jamal chuckled. “Yeah, I was pretty sure there wasn’t. It was actually you asking that made me think about it more.” There was a note of sadness in his voice that Sonic hated to hear. “I brought it up, and… Amir basically said ‘it’s about time’. It was all history from there.”

Sonic wanted to see his friends so badly. This was killing him. “I’m sorry to hear about Amir and Iffucan,” he said. “They’ll be okay, though. If anyone can break out of there, it’s them. Iffucan is immune to roboticizing, anyway, so… try not to worry too much.”

“Roboticizing?” Jamal sounded confused. “Sonia, Manic, does he not know?”

Sonic turned to his siblings. “Know what?”

“That was part of the good news,” Sonia said. She was smiling now. “They found out we have a way to reverse roboticizing, like we did with Lionel. Robotnik discontinued the practice. One of our spies said he got upset and destroyed the machine, and he’s been looking for alternate ways to take over the Freedom Fighters since. He hasn’t found one.”

Sonic’s eyes widened. “No more roboticizing?” He looked between his siblings. “What… what did he do with the people who were already roboticized?”

“Well, we got them back here and there as we could. And we disabled their tracking mechanisms so Sleet can’t find them.” Manic pulled a drumstick from nowhere and was tapping it on the side of the bed. “That being said, Cyrus is the only one who knows how to work the machine, since he invented it. So… we’re kind of on hold with that.”

Sonic sighed. “Well, it’s better than nothing.” He looked at the radio as if he could see Jamal. “Jamal, I… have to ask.” He wished his heart wasn’t pounding so hard. “But… Chuck? And Bernie?”

His foster mother, Estelle, didn’t survive the fire set in his old house. His foster dad did. And Chuck, the uncle he’d gone to stay with after that, was taken by Robotnik. Both were roboticized.

“We have them,” Jamal confirmed. “They’re okay. As soon as the machine is up and running…”

“They’ll be back,” Sonic whispered. “Sonia, Manic, is that why you’re here?”

Manic shook his head. “No, actually. The Resistance started getting people back a few years ago, but Cyrus’s old machine was destroyed by Sleet and Dingo. He had to build a new one. He was only almost done with it when everything happened.” Manic gestured to the radio. “Lionel is trying to finish working on it, but… it’s a process. It’s why we have so many teams trying to find Cyrus.”

Sonic tried not to let the fact that Cyrus was still missing get to him too much. “Then… why are you here? If that’s not why, I mean.”

Sonia and Manic glanced at each other. Then Sonia reached out and pushed the button on the radio. “Guys, we’re going to sign off. Check in as needed, but we’re back to necessary-only contact.”

Bartleby’s voice came over the radio again. “10-4. I look forward to hearing from all of you again. Sonia, my love, be safe. Manic, Steed is okay and being well taken care of. And Sonic, it’s great to hear from you again. I’m glad you’ve been okay all this time.”

Sonic smiled. “Alright, Bartleby. Jamal, Saro, take care. All of you watch out for each other, okay? I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

“Roger that, Blue Leader.” Bartleby chuckled. “Or should I say Your Royal Highness?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Sonic replied. He was smiling a little, though, at his title. He’d refused it for his friends, simply because it was another thing he couldn’t stand to never hear again. Not that “Your Royal Highness” was something he ever wanted to hear, ever.

The radio went dark. He handed it back to Sonia, who clicked a few things before discarding it on the floor by her bed. “So… I’m afraid to ask,” Sonic said. “Are my friends the only ones who know I’m not really Crown Prince?”

Sonia looked uncomfortable. “Um… well, by definition, you are Crown Prince.”

Sonic waved a hand. “Yeah, I know. It’s a title. Whatever.”

“Well…” Manic laughed a little. “Yeah, it’s a title, but it’s a formal one.” He set his drumstick down, folding his hands. It was an anxious sign of his that put Sonic immediately on edge.

“That’s why we’re here, Sonic.” Sonia sighed. “Look, your title… it’s a placeholder, yes. We know that the four of us will rule as the Council of Four. The Oracle of Delphius made that pretty clear, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.” She looked at Manic. “But… oh, wow, this is a long story. I don’t even know where to start.”

“Sonic.” Manic took over, reaching out and putting a hand on his brother’s knee. “We got into contact with Mom. Right before we came here, actually.”

Sonic’s eyes shot wide. “You’ve talked to Mom?”

“Not us,” Sonia said. “But she found Bartleby when he was out on a mission one day. She gave him this.” She reached into the bag she’d brought with her, pulling out a carefully folded piece of paper. “It’s the longest message we’ve ever gotten from her.”

Sonic took the letter, his hands shaking a little. His mom’s words, his mom’s writing. He hadn’t gotten anything from her in… well, he didn’t even know how long. He unfolded it, his breath catching at the familiar, flawless script on the page.

My beloved Sonia and Manic,
I am sorry this is the only way you can hear from me, but time is of the essence. Your help up to this point has been unimaginable. Unfortunately, things are about to get a lot worse for the Freedom Fighters. I need you both to stay strong for me.
In about sixteen days, on the first of next month, you will get a public message claiming my death. It is not true. I hate to lie to my people, but I fear I have no choice. I would explain all of this to you in detail, but I do not have the time.
So, I leave you with this: Do not give up hope, my darlings. Do not bring Sonic back to Mobius, either. He cannot be here yet. I want you to go find him, and to be with him until he can return. I am working closely with the Resistance to figure it all out, and I will contact you as soon as I am able.
I love you all more than you could ever know. Sonia, my dear, I am so proud of you. I look forward to meeting the man who makes you as happy as the stars one day. Manic, you’ve fought your entire life to be where you are. The Freedom Fighters would be nothing without you. Thank you.
Please tell your brother, Sonic, that I miss him dearly. I know he has suffered, and I know he has never given up. And I am sorry for what this means for him. Stay fast, Sonic, and stay true to that heart I love so dearly.
I will be in touch as soon as I can be.
Love,
Mommy.

Sonic blinked back tears. He handed the letter back to Sonia, looking back and forth between the two of them. “Chuck raised me with the politics of Mobius in mind, since he knew who I was all along.” He wiped at his eyes. “I… don’t want this to mean what I think it means.”

Sonia sighed. “If the ruler of Mobius is to die when there is no named heir, the kingdom can be claimed by anyone approved by the people. And with Robotnik’s fearmongering, people would approve him to try for a better life. He would have Mobius legitimately.”

“We don’t have confirmation, but… we think that’s what she’s going for. Remove herself, then have you take the position as ruler of Mobius. You can’t name an heir, since you’re not there,” Manic continued, “but with a legitimate ruler, Robotnik’s claim to Mobius is still just as fake as it’s always been.”

“So Robotnik will try to find me so he can claim the throne,” Sonic finished. “Wait, so… it’s not just a title?”

Sonia looked away. Manic spoke for both of them. “We know how he is. And he doesn’t know how big the Resistance has gotten. He’ll think that breaking into our base will take us down. And with the hundreds of citizens he has in his prisons…” He gestured at the letter in Sonia’s hand. “He’ll think he has the numbers, so he won’t mind wasting the resources looking for you. Right now, the Freedom Fighters’ plan is simple: Finish Cyrus’s machine, get everyone back, wait for Robotnik’s numbers to dwindle…”

“And take back Mobius,” Sonic breathed. “Manic, that’s… incredible.”

“That’s why we needed your title.” Manic chuckled a little. “Yeah, it’s formal. But… until you get back to Mobius and the Council of Four is established…”

Sonia sat up a little straighter. “You are, officially and legally, His Royal Highness Sonic Hedgehog, Regent of Mobius.” She hesitated. “And… as soon as you set foot on Mobian land, with the emergency laws put in place, you’ll be crowned by default. You’ll be King of Mobius.” She laughed a little nervously. “Looks like you outrank us, Sonic.”

Sonic looked incredulously between them. “You can’t be serious.”

“You have to understand, Sonic,” Manic tried. “It’s for Mobius. It’s purely symbolic.”

“Not to the Resistance!” he countered. “Not to… Guys, Mobotropolis is a huge city on its own. Mobius is an entire country. The mountain and valley folk, Mantu’s tribe, Squeegee’s port, the Mobian sea, it’s—”

“Yours,” Sonia cut in. “Sonic, you already planned to rule one day.”

Sonic shook his head. “Not like this.” His voice dropped to a whisper, his hand finding the medallion around his throat. “Not alone.”

For a moment, silence. Then both of his siblings descended on him, yanking him into a hug from both sides. “You’re not alone,” Sonia murmured. “Sonic, even as Regent, you make the rules. It will be your right to resign from your position and elect the Council. You’re only King until the war is over.”

“And during the war, they’ll look to me. They’ll want me to figure it out for them. I don’t know how to do that.”

“Well, I'm the leader of the Resistance,” Sonia said. “Manic is a general, even though he wasn’t in Mobotropolis, and a pile of others have command.” She waved a hand. “They’ll probably ask you for some big speech, but it’s not like anything else will change.” Her voice softened. “It’s not like you won’t be fighting right there with us.”

Sonic pulled back enough to look at them. “You guys… really think this is okay?”

“Of course it is,” Manic said. “Sonic, we all understand. We know you want to rule with us, so you’ll change things. We know this is temporary.” He nudged his shoulder. “Besides, who could be a better king of Mobius than you?”

Sonic thought about it. King. Well… Regent until he could get back to Mobius. But it was huge. He’d have a title, and formalities, and everything in between. Would people bow when he walked into the room? Would they treat him differently? God, would he have to wear a crown?

But… it was Mobius. It was Mobius that he was ruling. His kingdom, the one he’d always been destined to rule anyway. He wasn’t supposed to do it like this, sure, but… his siblings had a point. He wouldn’t be alone. He was just… a placeholder. He was just King until his siblings could do something else about it.

So, he sighed. “Okay,” he said. “I guess that isn’t too bad. If it’s temporary, I mean.” He smiled a little. “It’s also an incredible plan. I almost forgot how smart Mom can be.”

“No better way to become a pro in politics than by being a Queen,” Sonia confirmed. “She’s incredible.”

With the shock of that over, the conversation with his friends long past, and his siblings by his side, Sonic had to admit he was a little exhausted. He imagined his siblings weren’t faring much better. He yawned, reaching up and rubbing at one of his eyes. “Well,” he said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. So I think my first official move as Regent will be to declare this bedtime.”

“Bedtime? At twenty-one years old?” Sonia scoffed, but Sonic could see the bags under her eyes. She crawled back to her own bed and burrowed into the pillows. “But, if my King commands it.”

“Regent,” Sonic corrected immediately.

“Technically, you can’t be a regent for yourself. You’re King. People just don’t know that.” When Sonic shot Sonia a glare, she giggled. “My sincerest apologies, Your Royal Highness.”

“Please don’t make this a thing,” Sonic groaned. He got up from Manic’s bed, climbing into his hammock. “Especially not in front of my friends. They’ll make fun of me for days.”

Manic chuckled. “Sorry, bro. You’ll be King Sonic for the rest of your life.” He laid down, then propped his head up on a hand. “I wonder if we can get Mom in on it.”

“If Mom ever calls me ‘King Sonic’ because of you two, my real first declaration will be to ban you two to Gogoba village.”

Neither of them asked what that was, and Sonic didn’t explain. They all went quiet for a moment. The joking seemed to settle the remaining bits of tension between them, and Sonic allowed his eyes to close. Sonia and Manic were here. He didn’t think he’d ever felt this okay before.

After a moment, Manic spoke. “You guys… I missed you.” His voice was soft. “More than anything. And I’ve been with Sonia for a while now, so it’s not as bad, but…” He broke off. “I don’t know. It’s dumb.”

“You’re worried you’ll wake up and it’ll be gone again,” Sonic murmured. He didn’t need to ask what his brother was feeling. “I get it. I’m scared, too.”

“It’s not dumb, Manic,” Sonia added. “I think we’re all a little scared.”

Sonic shifted, grabbing an extra pillow from Manic’s bed and shoving it under his head so he could see his brother and sister. “How about this.” He reached into the side pocket of his hammock, pushing the button that switched all of the lights from their normal brighter hues to a soft purple color. Tails had installed his new lighting system a while ago, and Sonic loved it. Even if he almost never used it.

“We fall asleep,” Sonic continued. “We’ll wake up, and all three of us will still be here. When we go to sleep tomorrow, we’ll still be here. And every day after that, it’ll be the same.” He smiled. “Deal?”

“That’s not how it works,” Sonia said. But she leaned forward, sticking out her fist. “But, fine. Deal.”

Manic tapped his fist to hers. “Deal.”

Sonic leaned over, sticking his fist with theirs. “Then there you have it. Now it has to happen.” He settled back in the hammock. “Nothing to be afraid of anymore.”

That seemed good enough for his siblings. They both laid back down, their eyes falling closed. “Goodnight, guys,” Sonic murmured. “I love you both.”

“We love you too, bro,” Manic said.

“We do,” Sonia parroted. “Goodnight, Sonic.”

Sonic didn’t think he’d sleep, but he wasn’t going to say that. He laid back in his hammock, staring up at the ceiling and letting himself settle into this. Sonia and Manic. His siblings, who he’d known for a tiny amount of time before they all left. He didn’t think he could miss them this much, but… here he was.

He peeked over the edge of the hammock. They were already asleep, Manic with his mouth hanging open and Sonia with her hands tucked carefully under her head. Sonic took a moment to just watch them. Before he met them, he felt like something was missing. When he left them, he knew what was missing. Now….

He meant what he’d said. He wouldn’t ever let them leave again. If that meant following them to Mobius and being King until he could change it, fine. If it meant staying here and letting his people fight without him, it would be awful but he’d do it. And if it meant standing with them on the front lines, risking their lives for the people that needed them?

Well, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He settled back into his hammock, tapping his medallion and summoning his new guitar. He strummed it softly, careful not to wake his brother and sister. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed the feel of it in his hands. He should’ve known, with how much his magic felt like it was a part of him. He’d always felt more like himself with a guitar in his hands. This one, though… it was different. This one was for his family.

So, he played. His hands were gentle on the instrument, his voice careful when he started singing. The song was one he knew by heart, one he wrote as early in his life as he could remember. One for his siblings.

~~ “There’s something missing… something’s not quite right. And I can feel it calling to me every night. A little voice inside tells me someone is out there, and I must never give up… searching everywhere.” ~~

His voice seemed to meld with the sounds around them, becoming one with the rain and the ocean and the careful lullaby of his siblings’ breath. Sonic stopped thinking about all of it. The war, his title, how worried he was about everything. That could come back tomorrow. He let his eyes fall shut, confining his world to this: this beach home he’d built, the music that lived in his soul, and the people he loved with every inch of his being.

And if he had to change the tune a little to make sense with just one voice... well, it would be the last time he ever had to.

~~ “Someday, we are gonna be together,
Someday, life will be so much better,
Someday, we will build a bond no one can break.
Someday, no more dark clouds above,
Someday, united in the light of love,
The story can only end one way…
We’ll be together someday.” ~~

Chapter Text

“King?”

Sonic’s knees were pulled up to his chest, his chin resting carefully on them. The familiar sounds of whirring and beeping and metal on metal filled the air around him. It was comforting—not in the way his music last night had been, but in the sense of familiarity when everything else was different. That’s what Tails’s workshop had always been to him.

He’d barely slept the night before. Sonia and Manic woke him up when he finally did fall asleep, Manic complaining about breakfast and Sonia demanding a tour. Both of them were smiling like they’d never been happier, though, so Sonic couldn’t blame them. He probably wouldn’t be sleeping much now anyway.

He also didn’t want to do anything when he was this tired, though, so he brought them directly to Amy. She was (as Sonic knew she would be) beyond excited to give the Hedgehog royal family a tour of their modest little village. Sonia and Manic seemed fine enough with it, too, so Sonic hugged his siblings goodbye and sped out here for some much-needed time with his best friend.

“Regent,” Sonic corrected. He rolled his eyes. “I don’t exactly like it.”

“Sonic, you’re the sovereign leader of an entire country.” Tails slid out from under his plane, which he was fixing the landing gear on after an encounter with Eggman didn’t go so well. He’d given up on the hot chocolate machine after ten minutes. “Being a prince—especially one whose title was sort of stripped—was one thing. You’re a king.”

“I’m a regent,” Sonic countered again. “I’m not King until I go back.” Tails stopped digging through his tools to shoot Sonic one of the most unimpressed looks Sonic had ever seen. He groaned. “I know what I am. That doesn’t mean I want to talk about it.”

Tails chuckled, sliding back under the plane. “I don’t think you should avoid it, either. You already knew you were a prince. King isn’t much worse.”

“Not much worse?” Sonic scoffed. “I was a prince whose kingdom was overtaken by Robotnik, and I didn’t even know I was a prince until I was about fourteen years old. Then I had to leave said kingdom, and I thought that meant my title was void in a sense.” He waved a hand. “Now I’m not even there and I’m King? Tails, that is so much worse.”

A small hum from the fox. “I guess that’s fair.” He paused, sliding out again and waving a socket wrench at Sonic. “Hey, do you think Eggman will stand down if you tell him you’re King?”

Sonic wrinkled his nose. “Why would he?”

“Diplomatic immunity,” Tails said simply.

“I have a feeling diplomatic immunity doesn’t exist on an island where there isn’t technically a government.”

“True,” Tails said, “But how long do you think it would take Eggman to realize that if we just claim immunity the next time he attacks?”

Sonic dropped his knees, letting his feet swing in front of him. “We’re not telling Eggman I’m King of Mobius.” The words still felt wrong on his tongue. “For all we know, he might tell Robotnik just to get in his good favor. These evil genius doctor types probably stick together.”

Tails shrugged. “Fair enough.” Back under the plane he went. “Are you going to tell our friends, though?”

“Do you think I should?” He sighed. “I mean… I know they’d want to know. And I know I can trust them, but… does it put them in danger?”

“Hmm… I actually think it does the opposite.” Something under the plane clanked, and Tails made a frustrated noise. “Can you hand me my torque wrench and the two biggest clamps?”

Sonic helped Tails in the workshop often enough that he knew more than he ever planned to know about tools and mechanics and the like. Knowing Cyrus as well as he did helped, too. What was his thing with nerdy inventor friends? “What do you mean by that?”

He handed Tails the tools. “Thanks. Think about it. If Robotnik’s minions show up and they don’t know anything, they’re likely to say a little too much. Denying the fact that you’re King at all could end badly for you.” He tossed the socket wrench to the side. Sonic dodged out of the way. “If they know everything, they’d be prepared. Can I have that back?” Sonic handed him back the socket wrench. It was thrown to the floor again a few seconds later. “Not only that, but they’d fight with you in this war. You know they would.”

Sonic plopped on the floor where he was, staying close by so he could help Tails again if needed. “I know,” he murmured. “Does it make me awful if I don’t want them to put themselves in danger like that?”

“No. It’s fair. Especially as a monarch, it’s one of those decisions you’ll just have to make.” Tails tossed another tool. Sonic caught it before it could hit him and set it with the socket wrench. “They might hate you for it, though.”

“Also, I’m not their monarch.” Sonic gestured around them. “You’re not back on Mobian soil until you cross the ocean. This is all… unclaimed.”

The clanking sounds under the plane stopped. Tails slid out, sitting up for the first time since Sonic had been in here. He crossed his legs on the creeper and set his tools on the ground. “Unclaimed,” he parroted.

“Um… yeah? What, is it not?”

Tails shook his head. “No, it is. Just… hear me out.” He stood, grabbing Sonic’s wrist and dragging him after him. Sonic rolled his eyes at the grease from the plane that Tails was transferring to his wrist. Tails stopped by one of his desks, opening the drawer and pulling out a huge, rolled-up piece of paper. “Here, take this side.”

Together, they rolled out what turned out to be a giant map. It was of this entire portion of the world, with Mobius on one side and their neighboring kingdom, Triuvus, on the other. Tails hopped into the air and picked up a pencil. “Look.” He drew a line down the Chain—the long, flat strip of land that separated the Mobian Sea and the ocean Sonic lived beside. Then he drew one down the coast of their neighboring country. “These are the border lines of these two countries.”

“I know,” Sonic said. “Sonia made us learn all of this for diplomatic reasons.”

Tails waved a hand. “But look.” He circled a series of tiny dots somewhere off the coast of this ocean. “One of these is this island. It’s between both of you, so technically it’s neutral territory. But… only until someone claims it.”

Sonic shot his best friend an incredulous look. “You had better not be suggesting what I think you’re suggesting.”

“No, really. Think about it.” Tails drew a star on the dots. “If you make this a territory of Mobius, it means you’re on Mobian soil. You’d effectively be King. And since a new King would be appointed, Queen Aleena could start her plan to take Mobius back far earlier.”

Everything Tails was saying started to piece itself together in his head. “With a new ruler legally crowned, she could return to Mobius to help with the war. Her being alive can’t undo my title just like that.”

“Not just that,” Tails added, “But everyone here would be able to help in the war without needing some kind of formal recognition.” Tails smiled. “And… it would give them citizenship in Mobius. It would also give you the right to be here, even when you’re part of the Council.”

Sonic felt like his head was going to explode. “That’s… a lot.” He shook his head. “Can I even do that right now? Wouldn’t I have to be King to declare something like that?”

“Sonic, a Regent is, by definition, a temporary ruler who holds all of the rights of the true ruler when they’re not able to perform their duties.” He raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t a prince know all of this?”

“I was put in a basket as a baby and raised by normal citizens and then a member of the Resistance until I was fourteen.” He crossed his arms. “The only reason I know anything is because Sonia insisted on teaching us. She didn’t really get into…” He vaguely waved a hand around himself. “This.”

Tails landed back on the ground. “Well, I definitely think it’s worth looking into.” He stuck his pencil through the strap of his goggles. There were already two there that he’d probably forgotten about. “And I think you should tell Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks everything.”

“How bad are they going to be?” Tails grabbed a rag, wiping off the grease on his hands. Almost as an afterthought, he reached out and cleaned it off of Sonic’s arm, too. “Scale of one to ten.”

“Ten,” Tails said immediately. He walked towards the workshop door, and Sonic followed. “You’ve been nothing but Sonic to us for as long as we’ve known you. Wisecracking, never-serious, beach hut dwelling and chili-dog eating hedgehog. You’re our leader, sure, but learning that you’re a king?” He laughed. “I hope you know I’m never letting you live it down, either.”

Sonic groaned. “Maybe I will colonize this island just so I can build a dungeon and throw you into it.”

“For what? Hurting your feelings?”

“Insubordination.”

Tails rolled his eyes. “Amy should be the one you’re really worried about.” He pushed a few buttons on his communicator, probably tracking Amy’s wristband so they could meet up with everyone. “You know how she is with rules and the like. You being Crown Prince is one thing, but being a king is going to drive her and her etiquette through the roof.”

“Please don’t remind me.” Tails led them into the village, which Sonic could immediately tell was off. People weren’t milling about like they usually were. The few people he did see were huddled together, whispering to each other and glancing off every once in a while. Sonic paused. “What’s up with these people?”

“I imagine it’s them.” Tails tapped his arm, pointing over to Meh Burger. A crowd had gathered at the restaurant, more people than Sonic had seen there in a long time piled at the tables. More were gathered outside, the takeout line stretching past the restaurant’s little fences. Tails chuckled. “We don’t get new faces here very often. Especially not ones like Sonia and Manic.”

Sure enough, Sonic spotted his siblings and friends seated at a table somewhere in the center of the chaos. Amy had placed herself next to Sonia, her chin propped in a hand as she listened to Sonia speak. Manic was across from them, Sticks and Knuckles on either side of him. He wasn’t even pretending to listen to his sister. He had his drumsticks out and was tapping them on the edge of the table, Sticks and Knuckles both entranced by the noise. Sonic shook his head.

They fought their way through the crowd, most of the whispers going silent as people caught sight of Sonic. He rolled his eyes. “If I found out all it took to become a celebrity in this village was to have a brother and sister, I probably would’ve told everyone about them sooner.”

Manic spotted them first. His eyes lit up, his drumsticks immediately disappearing. “Sonic!” Everyone at the table turned, varying expressions on their faces. “Bro, you didn’t tell us about this place. It’s great!”

“It is?” Sonic, Amy, and Tails said in unison. They all laughed. “It’s called Meh Burger for a reason,” Sonic said. “It’s okay, but it’s kinda…”

“Meh?” Sonia finished for him. “Yeah, that’s what I tried to tell him.”

Sonic sat next to Sonia, Tails dragging a chair over and sticking it at the head of the table. “Oh, go easy on him. He grew up eating whatever he could find in people’s pockets,” Sonic said. “This is good eats for him.”

“Hey!” Manic protested. Sonia and Sonic snickered. “At least I got to choose what I ate instead of letting the fancy people feed me air-flavored single bites of food.”

“Madam, may I have some more air?” Sonic said, putting on a fake, dramatically posh accent.

“Heavens, no!” Manic said, parroting the accent. “That’s too much air! Ladies don’t consume more air than they are given.”

Sonia shot them both a glare. “Oh, give it a rest, you two.” They teased each other about their upbringing constantly. Sonic wondered if they’d ever think it wasn’t funny. “Especially you, chili dogs.”

“I don’t take offense to that.” Sonic shrugged. “If being happy is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that,” Sonia sighed. “Remember when we were staying with Bartleby and their chef cooked for us every day? Wasn’t that nice?”

Sonic nudged Manic’s foot under the table. “Someone’s ready to be a princess,” he said.

“Why would she need it when she’s already a MontClair?” Manic returned.

Tails leaned forward before the bickering could continue. “Okay, wait.” Sonia glared at her brothers. Manic stuck his tongue out at her. “I’m confused. You guys didn’t grow up together, which I’ve gathered. But… I’m kind of lost on the whole backstory thing.”

The three of them exchanged a look. Sonia and Manic, after a moment, both nodded at Sonic. “When we were… gosh, really young. A few months old, probably. No more than a year.” Sonia nodded in confirmation. “An oracle came to our mother in the palace. The Oracle of Delphius.

“He told her Robotnik was coming to take over Mobius, and he was starting here: the Capitol city, Mobotropolis.” Manic’s face fell a bit. “He told her that we would reunite one day, but that he couldn’t say when. And until then… having the whole royal family in one place was dangerous. Especially since the three of us were babies.”

Sonic gestured to himself. “I was brought to my foster parents’ place. It was a town home somewhere on the outskirts of Mobotropolis. Later, I moved to my Uncle Chuck’s. Same deal, different house.” He pointed to Sonia. “Sonia was left with Lady Windermere, one of the Ladies of Mobotropolis. She was raised by them with the whole proper upbringing nine yards.” Manic chuckled when Sonic looked at him. “Manic was left at an orphanage of sorts, but… the leader of an underground gang, Farrell, decided he wanted him as an apprentice. So Manic was taken and raised to be a pickpocket in Mobotropolis’ basement.”

Knuckles looked between them. “How did you end up together, then?” When Amy shot him a confused look, he shrugged. “I told you, we didn’t know each other long. I haven’t heard most of this.”

Sonic smiled. “Music.” He tapped his medallion. “These things are magic, as you know. And they’re connected. I played a song, and they heard and followed the sound.”

“Do you guys remember that first concert?” Sonia laughed. “People were shocked. We were shocked.”

Manic tapped on the table. “Half of the crowd was cheering for us to keep playing. It was wicked.” He sighed. “I miss those days. Rocking out with the underground.”

“Well, who knows?” Sonic gestured around them. “Maybe we can get Sonic Underground back together. Queen Aleena’s children are far more interesting than ‘random street rat, average citizen, and Lady Windermere’s ward.’”

“I didn’t ask this the first time, because part of me didn’t want to know.” Amy looked between them. “But what is Sonic Under—”

A scream cut off the rest of Amy’s sentence. Sonic’s crew was alert immediately, weapons appearing in hands and people jumping up from the table. Sonic didn’t even have to turn as a groan surfaced from his throat. “Oh god, not today.”

As if on cut, Eggman appeared over the crowd. His Eggmobile reflected the midday sun right into Sonic’s eyes. “Well, lookie what we have here.”

Sonic groaned again, looking up and throwing a hand over his eyes. “What do you want, Egghead?” he asked. Sounding bored wasn’t much of an effort. They did this all the time, and Sonic had way more important things to worry about right now. This would just be another brief session of breaking things before he could move on with his day.

“A little birdy told me there were some new hedgehogs in town.” He cackled. “Obviously, I had to come see what the fuss was—”

He cut off, his smile falling as he took in the scene in front of him. Sonic didn’t take his eyes off of Eggman as he stared, his eyes flicking between Sonic and his siblings, his face paling considerably. Sonic’s brow furrowed.

“Uh… Eggman?” The doctor still hadn’t moved. Sonic waved a hand. “Yoo-hoo, isn’t this the part where you attack us and we beat you easily and humiliate you and you eventually go crawling back to your island fortress until you can try again?” He hopped up onto his chair, tapping his foot impatiently. “Or is that pencilled in somewhere else on your calendar?”

Eggman didn’t respond to the taunt at all. He just pushed a button on the Eggmobile, landing it and stepping out. The crowd in Meh Burger had fallen to the side, so the path was clear as Eggman started forward. He held out a hand to keep Orbot and Cubot from following him. Sonic and his team didn’t move as Eggman got closer, his face never changing. When he stopped in front of them, he took a moment to look around the table. Then he focused on Sonic again, speaking in a soft, serious voice Sonic had never heard before. “Sonic. I apologize sincerely for everything I’m about to tell you.”

Sonic was pretty sure his friends would be laughing hysterically at the expression on his face in any other scenario. “What does that even mean?” He waved a hand. “Actually, nevermind. Whatever plot this is, Egghead, it won’t work. And frankly, I’m a little too busy to deal with it right now.”

Eggman shrugged. “I can imagine.” He walked over to a table, grabbing an extra chair and setting it at the edge of their table. He sat down, folding his hands. “Sonia. Manic.” His siblings exchanged confused looks. Sonic stared openly at Eggman. He chuckled. “I was a… bit of a fan of Sonic Underground back in the day.”

Sonia and Manic shot Sonic identical, lost looks. Sonic shook his head. “Wait, hold on. Stop. You know our band?”

“Of course I do,” Eggman said, as if it were simple. “I grew up in Mobotropolis.”

Sonic didn’t have a single idea what was going on. His eyes narrowed. “Alright, Egghead, this one might be a little far.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Whatever you were told, I won’t confirm or deny any of it. And if you did know our band, great. But if you’re going to talk about Mobius, I’m going to need—”

“I knew your mother, Sonic.”

At that, Sonic halted. His face fell, wide eyes meeting Eggman’s relaxed stare. “You—what?”

Eggman sighed. “I don’t think we should talk about this here.” He glanced around. “If you guys come to my fortress, I can—”

“Oh, no. We aren’t falling for that one.” Sonic’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t have any proof. For all I know, you could be using this as some elaborate plot to finally capture me. I’m not letting you have this village, and I’m definitely not letting you anywhere near my family.” Now his voice was more of a growl. “Whatever you think you know, you’re wrong. And whoever told you all of this will have to answer to me after I’m done dealing with you.”

His friends, in response, sank into fighting stances. Eggman nodded sagely. “I can respect that. Which is why I have this.” He reached into his jacket. Sonic’s team was immediately more on edge, Amy raising her hammer above her head. “Relax,” Eggman said, and he pulled out a wallet. Out of it, he produced a photograph and a folded piece of paper. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, but… I hope this is proof enough.”

Sonic glanced at his siblings and friends. Sonia and Tails nodded. Sonic took the papers, flipping over the picture first. His heart froze in his chest. The image was taken in the palace he was supposed to grow up in, and it was a group of six people posing for the photo. He recognized a few of them, even though the photo was probably about twenty years old. His mother was in the center of the photo. On her right, a woman Sonic didn’t recognize had her arm thrown around the queen’s shoulders.

In front of that woman, no more than a teenager, Eggman stood smiling at the camera.

Sonic looked between the photo and Eggman. “Why…?” He handed the photo off to his siblings, who glanced at it before passing it off to Sonic’s friends. He heard Manic mumbling an explanation to Amy, Sticks, and Tails. Sonic unfolded the paper. His breath caught. He’d recognize his mother’s handwriting anywhere.

Manny,
I am sorry for writing you like this. I know you left Mobius, and I understand why. I wish I could say I’ve heard from your mother, but she is still missing. I had hoped I could help more.
I write, though, to ask you a favor. We’re still fighting strong. My babies—triplets, Manny, can you believe it?—have been working as hard as they’re able. Things have changed, though.
Sonic is leaving Mobius. Ivo is getting worse, and my son has taken it upon himself to leave for the kingdom’s sake. As much as I agree with the plan, I hate seeing one of my children leave. I hate seeing them separate when they finally found each other. I hate sending him off on his own, because he’s never been alone before.
So, Manny, my favor is this: Find Sonic. Track him if you can, or simply locate him when he leaves Mobius. Keep an eye on him for me. I trust you as I always have, and there is no one more capable or brilliant than you. I don’t mean to involve you again, but we’re trying. We want Mobius back. Sonic is needed for that.
Do not tell him who you are. He must think he has left that life behind. But whatever you do, please make sure nothing happens to him.
I miss you dearly, Manny. Keep my boy safe until he needs you. Mobius is depending on you. I am depending on you.
With hope,
Aunt Aleena

Sonic felt his hands shake as he read the letter. He didn’t know which was worse: his mother calling Eggman Manny, his own name being mentioned, or the fact that his mom called herself “Aunt Aleena” in the letter. He couldn’t take his eyes off of his mother’s signature as Sonia spoke. “Tara,” she breathed. “You’re Tara Monae’s son. You’re… You’re Manifold Monae.”

“Wait, you know Eggman?” Sticks asked.

“No,” Sonia said, “But I know of him.” She sighed as Sticks glared at her. “Lady Windermere made me learn everything about the important families of Mobius. Nobles and leaders, but… also friends of my mother’s. Lady Windermere was part of her inner circle.” She tapped on the table anxiously. “Tara Monae. She wasn’t a noble, and she wasn’t a leader of any sort. Just someone who lived in the village. But… she was our mother’s best friend.”

“Wait… aren’t the Monaes related to the Robotniks?” Manic demanded. “Aren’t you guys brothers or something?”

“Cousins,” Eggman corrected. “Ivo—Robotnik—is my cousin.” His voice was grim. “We didn’t get along. The Robotniks were ambitious, ruthless scientists who cared more about power and advancement than they did about people. My mother had me young, and with a man Ivo didn’t approve of. He cast her out for it. We’ve been estranged ever since.”

Sonic still hadn’t looked away from the letter. “Sonic?” Tails’s hand landed on his arm. Sonic slowly looked up at the fox. “Are you okay?”

Sonic looked down at the letter, then slowly turned to Eggman. “This whole time,” he breathed, his voice barely audible over the roaring in his ears. “You’ve known who I was this… this whole time?”

“I’m sorry, Sonic,” Eggman said. “I didn’t—”

“You’ve been terrorizing us.” Sonic felt anger, fast and hot, force its way into his chest. “You’ve attacked us, and you’ve come for the village. You’ve tried to capture or even kill us, constantly. For years.” Manic slid the letter from his hand, and Sonic let him. “And you knew?”

“It truly wasn’t my plan. When I first came down to the village, it was with the intention of offering my help. Sticks saw my robots, though, and immediately decided to start a fight. I panicked.” He added, his voice wary, “Think of it as training. Keeping you on your toes all these years.”

“That was not training!” Sonic yelled. “People are scared of you!”

“I never hurt anybody.” Eggman’s voice was starting to take on a pained note. “Why do you think I always lose?” He laid his hands flat on the table. “Sonic, I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I kept up with you over the years, too. That’s how I knew your band. And I knew you were Queen Aleena’s kids, and…” Sonic didn’t want to acknowledge the hurt in Eggman’s voice. “She was pregnant with you guys when I left. She said… that I would be an uncle to you guys. That you would need someone to show you how to live.”

Sonic couldn’t do it anymore. He stood abruptly, pushing away from the table and stepping back. “I…” He didn’t know what to say. He turned to Eggman, who truly looked like he was in pain. Then his siblings, who had matching grim expressions on their faces. Then his friends, all of whom were stuck somewhere between disbelief and outright hostility. And… he couldn’t take it.

So, he ran.

He shot off, faster than he’d run in a long time, not caring about his siblings or Eggman screaming after him. He just ran. He cleared the village and was across the island in seconds, but that wasn’t enough. So, he kept going. He shot out over the ocean, fast enough that his shoes effortlessly carried him over the water. He didn’t go too far; he made that mistake once and wouldn’t do it again. He did run, though, and circled back until he skidded to a stop at the beach furthest away from his friends.

That was when he really let the emotion out of his chest. He screamed, loud and uncaring, letting the wind carry his voice out over the ocean. He felt his power brimming under his skin, little sparks of lightning shooting off of him as he panted. His power had always been tied to his emotions. It was one of the reasons he’d learned to be so laid back. Right now, though?

Eggman knew his mother. Sonia and Manic were here to eventually take him back to Mobius. His mother would be presumed dead by all of her people tomorrow. He was King, even though he never expected or wanted the title. Everything was just wrong. Wrong, and awful, and he just wanted all of it to stop.

He stood there as the clouds that stayed gathered over the island opened, and rain started to fall against his skin. It soothed little cuts on his arms and legs no doubt caused by kicked-up ocean water, washing the salt out of the wounds. He barely noticed. He collapsed to his knees in the damp sand, burying his head in his hands and trying to still his heart. “Why?” he whispered out loud. “Why all of this, why now, why?”

His questions went unanswered as, before he could react, something slammed into his side.

Sonic went flying, too stunned to catch himself as he slammed into the ground just past the waterline. Seawater soaked him instantly. He sputtered, pushing himself up to his hands and knees. “What the hell?” he demanded out loud, coughing water out of his mouth.

“Sonic.” Sonic froze, every muscle in his body tensing at the sound of that voice. God, not today. Any day but today, he thought. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the sound would go away if he just didn’t acknowledge it.

Then a hand reached out, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him back. Sonic hit the sand hard, wincing as pain lanced through his leg. “What are you doing all the way out here?” the voice demanded.

So, Sonic looked up. Shadow stood above him, his air shoes keeping him out of the water, not seeming to care about the rain soaking through his fur. His arms were crossed over his chest, a glare narrowing his red eyes. Sonic wondered if turning around and letting the ocean decide his fate would be a better alternative to this.

He sighed, though, pushing himself to his feet. Being covered in sand and thrown into the ocean were not helping his day, and he was still being pelted by rain. “I’m not doing this today, Shadow,” he stated, trying to sound harsh. It just came out tired. “I don’t have time to fight with you right now.”

“Time?” Shadow scoffed. “I told you I would face you on my own terms, not whenever it was convenient for you.” His eyes narrowed. “Besides, I thought we already discussed what you do and don’t have time for, Sonic.”

He practically spat the words, and old pain rose in Sonic’s chest. “No,” he said, trying to keep his voice level. Shadow was the most prideful person Sonic had ever met, and insulting him would just make all of this harder to avoid. “Seriously, I can’t do this now. There’s too much going on for this.”

Shadow laughed. “I get it. You’re scared.” He smirked. “You’re worried about losing to me, so you’re not willing to fight. Pathetic, if you ask me. Are you scared without your useless friends to back you up?”

Something inside of Sonic snapped. He felt his power rage, those little lightning sparks reappearing around his fur. “Don’t,” Sonic growled, “Speak about my friends.” He stood, brushing sand off. “We both know I’m not trying to avoid this out of fear.”

Something in Shadow’s gaze faltered, but he kept going. “No, I get it. I mean… I figured you’d be happier to face me without them here. Less liabilities.”

And that, after everything Sonic had been through in the last twenty-four hours, was the breaking point. He shot forward, faster than even Shadow could react to. Within a blink, the other hedgehog was on the ground and Sonic was kneeling over him, knees holding Shadow’s hands in place, an arm barred across his chest. Sonic got right in his face. “Listen, Shadow,” he hissed. “Normally, I’ll put up with this nonsense. I decided a long time ago that reasoning with you was pointless, so getting out of these fights without hurting you is all I have.” He shoved the other hedgehog further into the sand. Even now, he knew there wasn’t any real force in the gesture. “But I will not sit here and listen to this for another second. Say as many bad things about me as you want. Blame me for things I didn’t do, if that’s what it takes. But do not speak about my friends.”

“Things you didn’t do?” Shadow demanded. He didn’t try to fight his way up. “You abandoned me. You left. You left, and I had to find my own way out of that hellhole.”

“I thought you were dead!” Sonic was yelling now, his voice somehow carrying over the sounds of the rain and the ocean. “They told me there would be no survivors. They told me you were dead, and I couldn’t stay to check.”

Shadow scoffed. “Like I’m supposed to believe that.”

“Then go ask them, Shadow. Hear it from the people who were there.” The fight went out of Sonic in an instant. He leaned back, moving his arm and legs so Shadow could get up if he wanted to. That crippling exhaustion returned, replacing all of his anger with the pain and hurt and all of the nonsense of the last twenty-four hours. His arms fell uselessly to his sides. “They’re here. Go ask, since you never got the chance to before.”

The anger in Shadow’s gaze died immediately. Pain and disbelief entered his wide eyes. “Sonia and Manic?” he whispered.

That was about as much as Sonic could take. He climbed off of the other hedgehog, taking a few steps back and sinking against a boulder along the shore. Exhaustion dragged at him. “They showed up last night,” he said, his voice soft. “My mother is faking her death tomorrow, and Sonia and Manic declared me King. Regent, technically. They’re here so that Robotnik lets his guard down and separates his army enough looking for me that the Freedom Fighters can step in and get Mobius back.”

Shadow was silent. He took a few steps forward, something distant in his eyes. Sonic thought it might be the first time he saw him on this island with anything other than anger in his expression. “Sonic, I—”

“Don’t.” Sonic pulled his knees up, hugging them to his chest. He barely noticed the rain anymore. “Just don’t, Shadow. Go talk to them and find out the truth. Or keep believing that I left you by choice. I don’t care anymore.” He buried his face in his knees. “Just… leave me alone.”

Part of him—the part that closed his eyes and saw the trigger of a gun, more blood than he thought a person could bleed, fire before he could stop it—thought Shadow would stay. The rest of him knew better. Those days were behind them, and Sonic didn’t ever expect them back. He’d given up on that.

Sure enough, after a moment, Sonic heard the soft whoosh that meant Shadow used his power to blip away. Something loosened in his chest. All it did was make room for more pain. He breathed around it, wishing he could make all of it go away if he just stayed here long enough. He knew he couldn’t. This was the way things had gone, and he couldn’t change the past. He didn’t even know if he could change the future. He just knew that he needed this moment—this time to pretend, even if only for a little while, that none of it was real.

So, he did. He buried his face further in his knees, let the tears roll silently down his cheeks, and allowed the rain to soak into his skin. Maybe he was freezing. Maybe his chest felt like it was caving in. Maybe he was more lost and confused and hurt and scared than he’d been since the day he left his siblings.

Not that any of that would change anything.

Chapter Text

It was dark by the time Sonic trudged into Tails's workshop.

Shadow had slammed into him hard, and there was a bruise on his side that hurt more than he wanted to admit. Thankfully, the rain managed to wash the sand and salt water out of his fur. He still felt awful, though. He felt like someone had reached into his chest and ripped out anything vital, replacing it with something hollow and cold. He didn’t know how to help that.

Tails—who was sitting at one of his desks and scribbling something down—heard the door close. “Sticks, you’re back already? I didn’t think it would—” He turned, pausing as his eyes caught on his best friend. Something softened in his gaze. “Sonic.”

Tails didn’t have much in terms of leisure in his workshop. If anyone was in there, they were working. He did have a couch, though, so he could relax every now and then. Sonic collapsed into it, pulling his legs up and laying his head down on the back of the couch. Tails settled beside him after a moment. “Are you okay?”

“Is it true?” Sonic avoided Tails’s question, his voice soft against the sounds of machinery filling the workshop. “What Eggman said. Is it true?”

Tails sighed. “It is.” Sonic’s chest ached. “All of it. Him knowing your mother, growing up in Mobius, being Robotnik’s cousin, knowing who you were this whole time… he’s telling the truth.”

Sonic let out a breath. “Alright,” he murmured. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so he said, “Do you still have any of those ice packs lying around?”

“Yeah.” Tails disappeared for a moment, then came back a bit later holding an ice pack and a towel. Sonic took them both, shifting so he could press the ice pack carefully to his side. “Jeez, Sonic, what happened?”

“Shadow,” he answered blandly. “He found me on the far side of the island. Thought it was a good excuse to attack.”

Tails scoffed. “I’m never going to understand him.” Rare, uncharacteristic anger entered the fox’s voice. “You’ve helped him before. We all have, yet he still manages to find some reason to pointlessly—”

“I knew him back in Mobius."

Tails froze, the anger in his blue eyes fizzling out immediately. “What?”

Sonic sighed. His friends didn’t know who Shadow was when he first showed up. All they saw was someone who looked like Sonic run up, slam Sonic into a wall, and demand that he atone for what he did to him. Sonic hadn’t explained then. He refused to, though his friends begged for the story every time the other hedgehog appeared. But there was no point in keeping it to himself now, was there? Not when everything else was being thrown into the open like this.

So, he explained. “He was an experiment,” he murmured. “We’re not sure whose, but… well, Shadow’s backstory isn’t mine to tell.” He pressed the ice pack a little more firmly to his side. “We rescued him from some twisted lab—me, Sonia, and Manic. And he was… powerful.”

He still remembered that day like it was yesterday. The fighting, the chaos, the explosion. When the room collapsed, Sonic could see Shadow floating in a stasis tank. And… maybe it wasn’t his place, but this was someone who looked like him. And Sonic was only a teenager. He still believed he could save everyone. So, he did.

--- Sonic brushed shattered glass away, lifting the hedgehog into his arms. He was young—maybe even younger than Sonic. He was small, too, and extremely thin. Sonic could feel his ribs. “Sonic!” Sonia called, sticking her head back in the room. Between the alarms, the sprinklers, and the explosions, she looked no worse for wear than the rest of them. Her eyes caught on the figure in Sonic’s arms. “Who is that?”

“I don’t know,” Sonic answered honestly. He could feel his heartbeat, though, and that was good enough for him. When Sonia raised an unimpressed eyebrow, Sonic added, “I couldn’t leave him.”

Sonia stared for a moment, then softened. “Alright. Come on, then. We’ll take him back to base.”

She left. Sonic moved to follow, but the lump in his arms stirred. He paused. Crimson eyes stared up at him, bloodshot and wide. Sonic smiled a little. “Don’t worry, we’re here to help you,” he said gently. “You got a name?”

The hedgehog blinked at him, not quite seeming to comprehend the question. Eventually, though, he murmured, “Shadow.” His eyes flicked back to the broken tank behind him. “Where… are we going?”

Sonic didn’t like the tone of his voice—subdued, as if he didn’t have it in him to care about the answer. “Somewhere safe,” he promised. “Don’t worry, Shadow. I’ll get you out of here.” He held a little tighter to the smaller figure. “No one’s going to hurt you like this anymore.” ---

“We asked him to join the Freedom Fighters, since we needed him,” Sonic continued, letting the memory soften his tone. “He didn’t have anywhere else to go. It worked for a while. Me, Sonia, Manic, and Shadow. He was an incredible asset. And more than that, he… he was our friend.”

“The day that factory exploded… the day I left Mobius.” Now, his voice shook. “Shadow was in there. He was shot in the chest. We… didn’t think he’d make it.” Sonic took a small, steadying breath. “I stayed anyway. I tried to bring him with us. But…” He could still hear Sonia’s voice yelling for him, Manic begging him to come, Sonic’s own screams of ‘I won’t leave him!’ “The building exploded. Sonia managed to throw me out of the way, and she almost died for it. And Shadow… I didn’t get there in time.” Sonic buried his head in the back of the couch. “I thought he was dead. It’s… part of why I left. I couldn’t be in Mobius without him.”

Tails’s eyes were troubled. “But… he survived?”

Sonic chuckled dryly. “He did. And he found me here. That first day you guys saw him? When he came out of nowhere and attacked me?” Sonic shifted, his side throbbing. He felt a little like he deserved it. “I was so happy he was alive. But… I mean, you’ve met him. He’s always been kind of stubborn. And… with the evidence he had, he thought we left him. He thought we left him there and I left Mobius, and that was that.”

“Did you try to explain?” Tails asked. “Shadow is… aggressive, sure, but he’s always been willing to admit defeat. He recognizes a good opponent, too, and has helped us before. You don’t think he’d be willing to listen?”

“I’ve tried. Every time, I’ve tried.” Sonic shrugged, feigning nonchalance he didn’t feel. “It isn’t as easy without any proof.” He sighed. “I sort of get it. He was always cautious. It took him months to trust us, and… we left him.” Sonic’s voice lowered. “Ever since, he’s just… Well, I think part of him likes the challenge. Mostly, I just think he’s mad that we ‘betrayed’ him.”

Tails nodded slowly, his blue eyes troubled. “But… that bruise.” He gestured to the injury. “Usually, you come away from your fights with Shadow much worse than that. Why did he go so easy?”

Sonic stared up at the ceiling. “I told him Sonia and Manic were here.” He could still see the disbelief in Shadow’s gaze. The hope. “I’ve never had any proof of what I’ve said before, but they were there. They can tell him how hard I fought.” Not that he was entirely sure Sonia wouldn’t skin Shadow alive if she found out what had been happening between the two of them. “Then I told him to leave, and… he did.”

Tails, for a moment, was quiet. Sonic didn’t mind. He sank further into the couch, his quills squished against the back of it. After not sleeping the night before, everything with Eggman, using as much of his power as he did sprinting over the ocean, and Shadow… he was exhausted. He just wanted to sleep, but his mind was going too fast.

When Tails spoke, he changed the subject. As if he could tell Sonic wasn’t going to say anything more on the matter. “Well… Sonia and Manic are at the fortress talking to Eggman. Sticks and Amy went with them to make sure everything was alright.” He tapped his communicator, probably checking their locations to confirm. “Do you want to go?”

Sonic knew he should. He didn’t want to, but… He sighed. “Is the plane working again?” he asked. “I really don’t feel like running right now.”

Tails hopped up. “Yeah, she’s good. Come on, I’ll take you up there.” He paused. “But… are you okay?”

“Not really.” Sonic stood, setting the ice pack on a table and straightening his shoulders. “But I can’t let that stop me, can I?”

Sonic didn’t need to tell Tails not to talk about what he told him. Tails understood. Sonic followed the fox over to the plane, climbing in and pulling his seatbelt on. Tails settled in the pilot’s seat and pressed the button to open the garage-style door to the workshop. He turned to Sonic. “By the way… I think Shadow will come around.”

Sonic tuned cautious eyes on him. “You do?”

“I do,” he confirmed. “Shadow is… difficult. But he’s not unreasonable.”

Sonic hunkered further down in the plane, folding his hands in his lap. “Leaving him was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he admitted softly. “I… really, really cared about him.”

It was the first time he’d said it out loud in years.

Tails just started the plane, understanding in his eyes. “I know.”

The ride to Eggman’s was quiet, Sonic too lost in thought to speak and Tails recognizing his need for silence. It was comforting, though. Everything might have changed in the last day, but this was still the same. Him and Tails in this plane, Tails humming along to the song playing and Sonic just feeling the wind in his quills.

They landed after way too short of a time. Sonic steeled himself before climbing out, Tails peeking down at him from inside of the plane. “Do you want me to stay?” he asked. “I can.”

“You’re fine, Tails.” He waved the fox off. “I know you were in the middle of something. We’ll talk later, okay?”

“Alright, Sonic.” Tails waved. “And, uh… have fun explaining all of those injuries to everyone.” He winced a little. “Call me if you need me.”

Sonic waved at the fox, and then he was off. The fortress door had opened as soon as the plane landed, and Orbot and Cubot were standing in the doorway. “Sonic,” Orbot said, the little robot’s hands folded in front of him. “Dr. Eggman is waiting for you inside. He posted us here in case you showed up.”

Sonic fought down a wince. “Alright.” He followed the odd little robots, tailing them through the fortress. It was weird to be here like this. It wasn’t his first time showing up as something other than an enemy, but it was still odd. His muscles were tensed, waiting for an attack that he still wasn’t entirely certain wouldn’t come. He still trusted Eggman about as far as he could throw him.

They got to the door that led to Eggman’s main room, and it opened as soon as Sonic was in front of it. “That's what I told him. And I didn’t—” Sonia was in the middle of speaking when the door shut. She broke off as soon as she saw Sonic, though, her gaze lighting up. “Sonic!”

She jumped up, and Manic quickly followed. They reached Sonic at the same time and threw their arms around him. Sonic winced into the embrace. “Hey, guys.”

“We were worried, dude,” Manic said. “You just disappeared. We wanted to find you, but Tails said we should—”

“What happened?” Sonia demanded, interrupting her brother as she and Manic pulled back. Her eyes trailed over Sonic, taking in all of the little scrapes and the sizable bruise on his side. Her gaze narrowed. “Did someone do this?”

“It’s nothing, Sonia,” Sonic said, hoping none of his friends decided to speak up. They could probably guess what really happened. “I just tried to fight the ocean again.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and Sonic sighed. “Really. It was stupid, sure, but I needed to clear my head. I was just out running over the water, but the storm is making the waves bigger. I tripped.”

He didn’t like lying to his siblings, but he couldn’t tell them the truth. He was pretty sure Sonia and Manic still believed Shadow was dead. Shadow made it sound like he’d never seen them, like he came straight to Sonic and didn’t stop to find them and ask what happened. He knew he should tell them, but… what good would it do when the relationship he had with Shadow now was so blatantly impossible to explain? He’d explain eventually.

Sonia held his gaze for a moment, then sighed. “Okay.” Her eyes grew a little sad. “We’re sorry for all of this, Sonic,” she said. “I know it’s different for you, because you’ve been here all this time. But… we’ve been talking to Manifold since you left. He really did know Mom.”

“I know,” Sonic murmured. He glanced past his siblings. Eggman stood from his chair, his hands folded in front of him. Sonic couldn’t meet his eyes yet. “Amy? Sticks?”

“I don’t know, Sonic.” Amy looked troubled and a little haggard, but her eyes were clear. “You know he’s always been sort of… I don’t know, friendly? I helped redesign his lair. He helped you in the Temple. He was even your roommate for a while there, and… you let him be.”

He looked at Sticks. The badger seemed, for once, surprisingly serious. “Even I think it’s worth a shot,” she said. “And that’s coming from me.” An evil, more Sticks-like smile took over her face. “And if he’s lying, we’ll just offer him as a sacrifice to the froglodytes.”

Sonic sighed. “Well, there you have it.” He walked forward, not caring how much shorter than Eggman he was as he stopped in front of him. “I’m going to choose to trust you, because I trust these guys and they think you’re telling the truth.” He held out a hand.

Eggman reached down, shaking his hand carefully. Sonic used the contact to tug him down to his level. “But mark my words, Eggman,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “I’ve been going easy on you. If I find out you caused my friends or siblings so much as a papercut?” His eyes narrowed. “Getting sacrificed to the froglodytes will seem like a mercy.”

Eggman had the decency to pale a little. He shook Sonic’s hand again, though, before letting go. “I really don’t plan to hurt anyone, Sonic.” He sank back into his seat, gesturing towards an empty one for Sonic. “I’ll let the evidence speak for itself, though, because I know you have no reason to trust me.”

Sonic sat between Sticks and Manic. Sticks reached out a hand and took Sonic’s immediately, as if to remind him she was on his side and all of this would be over the second he gave the word. Sonic smiled gratefully at her. “Alright,” he said to Eggman. “Catch me up. What’s the story?”

Eggman nodded. “Well… I’ll give you the shorter version. My mom became friends with yours about two years after I was born. Aleena became queen when she was very young—I’m not sure you knew that.” Sonic did, but only because Amy had mentioned it last night. “She was fourteen. The youngest monarch in Mobian history.

“She was good at it, even as a kid.” Sonic didn’t necessarily like hearing this. Sticks could tell, apparently, because she squeezed his hand. Sonic would never stop being grateful to his friends for standing by him as steadfastly as they did. “My mom was nineteen, Aleena was sixteen. She left the palace, and some guys cornered her. My mom got her out. That was the start of that friendship.”

Eggman leaned back in his chair. “It gets kind of boring after that. I spent half of my childhood at the palace, and Queen Aleena took care of me sometimes when my mother was busy. It was peaceful. Everything was perfect, at least in my eyes.” His eyes darkened. “Until Robotnik showed back up.”

Sonic raised a hand. “Okay, so… Robotnik. Your cousin.” He didn’t like hearing about this. Eggman grew up with his mom—Eggman—but he didn’t get to? He shoved down the unfairness of it all. “You had no ties to him?”

“I didn’t even know we were related until Ivo came for my mother.” Eggman’s face fell into a scowl. “My father—who Ivo killed when he found out my mother was pregnant—was an employee in the family’s company. That’s how they met.” Eggman’s voice had gone dark. “That ‘company’ was practically its own empire. The lead in technological advancement. Ivo insisted my mother run it with him, that she was making them look bad by being as uninvolved as she was. She didn’t want to. Then she found out she was pregnant, and when Ivo heard…”

Eggman waved a hand before Sonic could let that sink in fully. “Anyway. He showed up years later, claiming he’d revolutionized the company when he took over. He tried to enter into a partnership with Queen Aleena. To get her to give him land and name him some kind of lord in exchange for battle technology that would make her untouchable. Aleena, of course, declined. She said Mobius wasn’t for sale, and she didn’t need war machines in a peaceful country.

“That… was it.” Eggman shook his head. “Ivo didn’t even find my mother, but she decided him showing up once meant it was only a matter of time until he found us. We fled Mobius the day your mother told us she was pregnant with you.” Sadness was written all over his face. Sonic didn’t know how to feel about it. “When we heard Ivo took over, she tried to go back. Made me promise not to follow. I did, obviously.” He looked down at the table. “And… I got back to Mobius just in time to see Robotnik take her.”

“So you ran,” Sonic supplied. “They had your mother. They had Mobius. That was it.” He shook his head. “Why didn’t you come back?”

“I did.” Eggman reached for a folder, pulling out an old poster for a Sonic Underground show. Most of the words were gone, but Sonic would recognize it anywhere. It was their first time going public. “As soon as I saw this, I had to go back. I realized that… maybe Mobius wasn’t gone. Maybe I could help. I was already so deep into the technological world, so maybe I could find some way to counter what he’d created.”

“Sonic.” It was Sonia who spoke. “You have to understand. You were with the Freedom Fighters from the beginning, and it… wasn’t easy. Even with Manifold as you see him now, do you think he could have—”

“I don’t blame Eggman for Mobius’s condition,” Sonic interrupted. He looked at the doctor. “I never did. I understand why you left. You weren’t responsible for keeping my country intact.”

Eggman nodded. “Thank you, Sonic. I… needed to hear that.”

“That doesn’t mean we’re friends.” Sonic let go of Sticks’s hand, crossing his arms over his chest. “You have to try and see this from my perspective. I leave my country because I can’t win my own war. I spend five years with you swearing you’re going to get rid of me one day—plots and plans and countless battles—and now suddenly you’re a Mobian?” He held up a hand before Eggman could talk. “More than a Mobian, a direct friend of my mother’s?”

Eggman reached onto the table, grabbing a black-bound book and sliding it towards Sonic. “Your mother loved photos.” He flipped it open. “I have them from the entire time I was growing up, from—”

“No.” Sonic reached out and slammed the book shut before he could hear anymore. He had to fight to keep his voice steady. “I can’t,” he admitted. “Not now, not... when I haven’t ever spoken to her before.”

Something like sympathy shone in Eggman’s face. “I’m sorry, Sonic. Truly.”

Sonic ignored the comment, turning to Sticks. “I’m leaving this up to you, Sticks, because… well, because you’re crazy and the most paranoid person I know.”

“I prefer the term ‘cautious’.”

“Crazy and paranoid,” Sonic repeated. “My point is this.” Sticks rolled her eyes, but didn’t protest again. “I want your completely honest, no-hard-feelings opinion on all of this. Whatever you tell me, I’ll do it.” He took a breath. “Should I give Eggman a chance to prove he’s on our side?”

Sticks was crazy. She was completely feral, and that one came directly from her. Sonic knew this. Normally, he and his team would write off her ramblings or take her opinions as warnings and nothing more.

But… she’d also been there from the beginning. She was crazy, yes, but she was his friend. More capable than people thought, too brutal to lie about anything, and more loyal than anyone Sonic knew. He trusted her. Maybe that made him crazy, too, but he knew Sticks wouldn’t steer him wrong. Not with this.

She held his gaze for a moment. Then she nodded. “I think you should.” She gestured to the whole table. “Look at how much has changed. I mean, Sonic… we just found out that you’re a completely different person than we thought. Even then, we’ve all been discussing how best to help you in this war. How to help your siblings. We trust them because you do.” She nodded towards Eggman. “Maybe it’s time to trust Eggman just because your mother did.”

That… was actually incredibly valid. Sonic smiled a little. “When did you get so smart, Sticks?”

“While you were off moping,” she said immediately. “And getting yourself hurt, too, apparently.” She poked the bruise on his side, laughing when he yelped in pain. “What happened here? Was it—”

“Nothing,” Sonic answered immediately. He changed the subject before she could ask more questions. “I have to ask, though… why go by Eggman?”

Eggman perked up a little. “It was Cubot, actually.” He chuckled. “I was debating what to call myself, and that dolt came bursting into the room and yelling something about my egg robots and how they were going haywire. He was talking about my old drone models, which… did kind of look like eggs. Anyway, the name stuck.”

“Orbot and Cubot are that old?” Amy asked. It was the first time she’d spoken since Sonic addressed her earlier. “They’re so well-maintained.”

“They were my first creations.” Eggman smiled. “I made Orbot, and I was incredibly proud of him, so I tried again. Cubot… went wrong somewhere.” He shrugged. “They’ve been with me since I left Mobius, though, so… I take good care of them.”

Sonic ran a hand over his eyes. “This is… a lot to take in.” His head was throbbing. God, he needed to sleep. “Look, today has been… an incredibly long day. I just want to go home and sleep.”

Sonia looked uncomfortable. “Sonic… this could be good for us. Between the village and Eggman, this could get us more allies in the war.”

“There are way too many political factors to consider for that right now,” Sonic countered. “Will the village people be willing to help just out of loyalty to me? And if they are, will they help if Eggman is involved? Is Eggman’s too close to Robotnik’s to risk? Can I even put more robots on the battlefield without the Freedom Fighters attacking them?” Sonic shook his head. “I have to look out for everyone, Sonia, and they’ll all be counting on me. That’s why I said we can discuss it tomorrow.”

“We might not have time to keep postponing this.” This time, it was Manic who spoke. “We’re just waiting on Robotnik. As soon as he finds this place, we have to go. And that could be any day now.”

“I understand that.” Sonic knew why his siblings were worried. He did. He also knew he’d been through too much for this, and he wasn’t thinking clearly enough to rule a country right now. “But it’s almost ten at night. Holding off until morning won’t hurt anything more.”

Before Sonia or Manic could protest again, Amy jumped in. “Guys, just… listen to Sonic. Let it go for now. Please?” Sonia and Manic paused, looking a little surprised that Amy was speaking out. She gestured around them. “This is a mess. Sonic has had his whole world flipped upside down multiple times in the last day and a half. And even without that, look at him. He’s exhausted. And hurt.”

Sonic tried to muster a grateful smile for his friend, even as she paired that last word with a knowing glare. Sonia sighed. “We’re not trying to push you, Sonic,” she said after a moment. “We’re just… scared. For Mobius.”

“So is he.” Sticks chimed in. “Look, I’ve known Sonic since he left Mobius. He’s been our leader for years, and before that, I met him in the middle of the Mobian sea. He's not giving up just because he's done for tonight.” She leaned back in her chair. “Besides, I can guarantee he’ll be completely useless when he’s tired.”

“Completely,” Amy agreed immediately.

“Actually, I can back that up,” Eggman added.

“Guys,” Sonic groaned.

“All we’re asking,” Amy took over, her voice sobering, “Is for you guys to… give him tonight. Let him go home and sleep. Everyone should go home and sleep.” She smiled in that placating way she had. “Mobius will be okay until strategies can be discussed. You guys know it will be.”

Sonia and Manic exchanged a look. They got in each other’s way like this all the time, so it was nice to know that hadn’t changed, at least. He usually tried to compromise with them. If they tried to make him stay, though, he’d call Tails and have him pick him up before anyone could stop him.

Manic nodded at Sonia, though, and laid a hand on Sonic’s shoulder. “I get it,” he said. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you?”

“I wanted to make sure nothing happened to you two,” Sonic admitted. “Can you blame me for being a little paranoid?”

“Not at all,” Sonia said. She kicked her brother softly under the table. “Sorry for pushing.”

Sonic waved off the apology. “You’re worried. I get it.” He stood, feeling like it took way too much effort just to be on his own two feet. He glanced over at Eggman. “I’ll… think all of this over and come back.” He didn’t know what else to say to him, so he looked at Amy and Sticks. “Should I call Tails?”

“Already did,” Amy said. “He’s parked outside.”

Sonic loved his team. He honestly didn’t know what he’d do without them. “Thank you.” He walked towards the door, waving for people to follow. “Sonia, Manic, you’ll love the plane. Tails built it himself.”

Sonic wished, just for a moment, that someone could see inside of his mind. He wished they could see that this was killing him. Every piece of this was tearing him in two. He missed Mobius, but this island was home and he didn’t want to leave it forever. He loved his siblings, but he also loved his friends and didn’t know how to see them all as on the same side. He didn’t trust Eggman, but he understood. His mind was racing.

Maybe he just needed to take a step back to think about all of it. He relaxed gratefully into his seat in Tails’s plane, answering the fox’s raised eyebrow with a shake of his head. Everyone spoke around him—mostly Sonia and Manic asking about the plane and Tails explaining—but nobody talked to him. Sonic basked in the silence. He leaned back, letting his eyes fall shut as Tails pulled the plane into the air.

That, apparently, was good enough. He started to doze off as soon as the plane left the ground. Manic yelled excitedly as Tails flew around, though Sonic knew the fox was showing off a little. Amy rattled off random things when there was a lapse in the conversation, and Sticks occasionally yelled that Tails was going to throw them all from the plane. It was chaotic, sure. Most things with his friends and family were, though, so it was… familiar.

Maybe it was that. Maybe it was just the exhaustion pulling at him from what felt like everywhere at once. Maybe he just wanted to get a pair of wide, hopeful red eyes out of his mind. Whatever it was, Sonic couldn’t stay awake long. He closed his eyes and—with the help of the sounds of his favorite people, the familiar feel of the wind in his fur, and the knowledge that he had time—fell asleep.

Chapter Text

--- “Sonic.”

Sonic—as scatterbrained as he felt—was instantly alert when he heard the voice. He turned, some of the tension in his shoulders dropping. “Shadow,” he said gratefully. “I thought you were sitting this one out.”

“And leave all of the adventure to you three?” He scoffed, stopping at Sonic’s side. “You royals think you’re the only ones who get to have any fun around here.”

Sonic smiled as much as he could manage. Having Shadow here helped, as it always did. But… he turned away from the other hedgehog, staring out at the truck they were taking for the mission. It didn’t have to be difficult. Go inside, find Mom, get out. Their source left them with a map and codes for the alarms they could use through the factory. Everything was lined up perfectly.

But… “Don’t you think it’s a little too convenient?” Sonic clutched his pendant, hoping it would still the way his heart was racing in his chest. “I have a really bad feeling about this. It seems like a setup.”

“It probably is one.” Sonic frowned, but that was what he liked about Shadow. He was honest. “That’s why we’re the only ones going. That’s your guys' thing, isn’t it? Not risking anyone unless you have to?”

“If I had it my way, you wouldn’t be coming either,” Sonic countered. “Any of you. I could be in and out in minutes and I wouldn’t have to put any of you in danger. I don’t like this.”

Shadow cuffed him on the back of the head. “Oh, give me a break.” His hand dropped, though, and twined carefully with Sonic’s after a moment. Sonic’s chest did that little fluttery thing it always did when Shadow reached first. “You know we wouldn’t let you go it alone.”

“I know, Shads.” He squeezed Shadow’s hand. “I’m glad you guys are here. I’m just… worried.” His voice lowered to a murmur. “I care about you three more than anything else in the world. I don’t want anything to happen to you guys.”

For a moment, silence. Then Shadow let go of his hand. “Hey.” He turned Sonic towards him, his red eyes bright compared to the dark, cloud-filled night around them. “Where is this coming from? You’re usually hyped for missions like these.”

Sonic glanced at the truck again, then off in the direction of the factory. They’d all agreed not to take their usual van in hopes of anonymity. “I don’t know,” he murmured truthfully. “I just can’t shake the feeling that everything about this is wrong. The location, the letters, the resources… who would even have this kind of information?” He could see Sonia and Manic standing outside of the truck, arguing over who got to drive. “What if it’s a trap?”

Shadow, for a moment, just stared at Sonic. Then his eyes flicked over to Sonia and Manic. “Then we take care of it,” he said simply. “We’ve walked into traps before. Some fine, some not fine at all. We’ve lost people. We’ve lost each other for a moment, but we came back.” His eyes met Sonic’s again. “The four of us can do anything as long as we’re together. Aren’t you the one who taught us that?”

Sonic didn’t know what to say. Shadow’s eyes were completely serious, but the beginnings of a smile shone on his face. Sonic loved him more than he’d ever tell anyone. More than he’d ever tell Shadow. “Shadow,” he said, his tone accusatory, “Are you being optimistic right now?”

He shoved Sonic’s shoulder immediately. “Can it, Hedgehog.” Sonic laughed, and Shadow’s gaze softened. “There’s that smile.” Sonic’s heart did a surprised little flip. “We’ll be okay. We all have each other, so looking out for one another should be no problem. We’ll go, deal with whatever we do find, and come back in time for dessert. Okay?”

Sonic nodded. “Alright,” he said. He managed a smile—a real one—to Shadow. “You know, sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably die,” Shadow said helpfully, throwing his arm around Sonic’s shoulders as he led the way to the truck. “Be uselessly miserable. Cry for a month and make Sonia and Manic carry you everywhere.”

“Har har.” ---

Sonic stared at the photo in his hands, eyes locked on the captured memory of his and Shadow’s matching smiles.

It was one of three things he took with him from Mobius. The first was his pendant, which he kept around his neck at all times. The second and third were photos he just happened to have with him that night. One of them was of him and his siblings, all babies in identical yellow onesies, curled up and sleeping on their also-sleeping mother. They all had that picture.

The second was from that night. Sonia and Manic weren’t stupid—and they were his best friends. They knew how he felt about Shadow. Sonia had stopped fighting with Manic long enough to snap the photo, and Sonic hadn’t let it out of his sight since. Him and Shadow walking side by side, Shadow’s arm around his shoulders, both of them smiling at each other like they didn’t have a care in the world. This was the first time he’d taken it out since he hid it all those years ago.

That night… Sonic still blamed himself. He knew they would have gone anyway, but he could have done something. He knew it was a trap. He knew his mother wasn’t there. And the way Robotnik sacrificed all of those lives just to try and kill the hedgehogs…? He didn’t even succeed. Everyone in that factory—normal citizens just working to make a living—died that night. For nothing.

It had been six days since everything happened—since Shadow showed up, since Sonic found out Eggman knew his mother, since everyone he knew convinced him to listen to the doctor. A full week of having his siblings back. A full week of being King, and Sonic… Well, Sonic was in so far over his head he felt like he was drowning.

It was the most subdued sort of chaos he’d ever seen. From the outside, it was fine. Diplomatic meetings with Eggman, talking things through with the villagers, radio chatter with the Resistance back home. Sonia and Manic really only left Eggman’s lair to sleep, since that was where their operation was kind of centered. All of it went relatively well most of the time. Even then, though… there was so much that came with being in charge. Paperwork, keeping track of people, meetings, decisions, arguments. All of it was ridiculous.

It was an immediate flip from the life he had before all of this. They had Eggman to contend with, sure, and whatever other nonsense happened on the island. Other than that? Sonic spent his days lounging on the beach or off causing harmless mayhem with his friends. He was the village hero, but that meant basically nothing here.

Now he was a King. Not just any King, either, but ruler of one of the largest kingdoms in the world.

He'd felt sick to his stomach for days.

Maybe it was just this whole thing with Shadow. He flopped backwards on Manic’s bed, holding the photo above him as if staring at it long enough would make Shadow appear. He planned on ruling one day, sure, but not alone. And definitely not while Shadow was dead. Sonia used to make jokes about Shadow being his advisor in court. Manic always shot back with, “everyone knows what rulers do with their advisors, Sonic”. Sonic shut them both down constantly.

It was a plan, though. Shadow was always supposed to be something. They’d talked about it once before, on one of the rare occasions that Shadow actually let Sonic be real with him. The cute little lake somewhere out in the woods was perfect for the rare day they had away from the chaos of the Freedom Fighters. Shadow laid there, his head in Sonic’s lap, both of them rattling off theories and ideas for what it would be like when Sonic was part of the Council. He still remembered it like it was yesterday.

Now… Sonic hated thinking about it. The picture was still in pristine condition, and it was taken with Sonia’s high-quality camera that they reserved for important, personal memories. Sonic could still see the way his fur looked against Shadow’s, the light reflected off of his eyes, the smile on Shadow’s face. Almost like he could touch it if he tried hard enough.

That would do it, he knew. That would make all of this easy. If Shadow were here… something about the other hedgehog had always calmed Sonic in a way nothing else could. Shadow was Shadow, sure. On the best days, he was standoffish. On the worst, he was downright awful. He got in fights with Sonic and Sonia constantly, and would’ve gotten into them with Manic if he wasn’t so placating. All of them were friends, but Shadow was… a character. Moments like that night, or the day at the lake? They were few and far between. Sonic could probably count them on one hand, and they’d known Shadow for years.

But… it never mattered to Sonic. He was one of few people who knew all of Shadow’s backstory, the pain and suffering and every gritty detail. He understood why Shadow was so scared to get close to anyone. It was why he didn’t exactly blame him now. Shadow had a lifetime of fighting with people to contend with. He’d watched his best and only friend die at the hands of the people who contained him. And then he finally opened up to someone, and they left him, too? Not just alone, but for dead?

Sonic wished he could blame him more, but he knew it was futile. He blamed himself for just about all of it. The explosion, Shadow getting hurt, the people who died. He should’ve never let it happen. He knew, from the beginning, that it was a mistake.

Maybe Shadow was right to hate him after all.

Not that Shadow disappearing again was helping at all. Sonic hadn’t seen him since that day. He’d been waiting, hoping he would come back and see Sonia and Manic for himself. Sonic knew he’d show up someday—it was the one thing about Shadow that he could always rely on: he hated standing around when he knew he could be doing something. He’d turn up, even if it was only to put all three of them in their places.

Sonic didn’t know if the waiting was a relief or if it made him want to rip his fur out.

“Brooding isn’t very kingly, you know.” Sonic turned as Tails walked into his house, followed by Sonia and Manic. His best friend smiled at him. “Taking a break?”

Manic flopped down next to him on the bed. “What’s that?” He pointed at the photo. Sonic—deciding it wasn’t worth trying to hide it—turned it a little so Manic could see. Manic’s playful mood immediately sobered. “Oh.”

They both sat up, and Manic immediately put an arm around him. “I didn’t know you still had that,” he said. “I noticed it was gone, but… I didn’t know you took it.”

“Took what?” Now Sonia walked over, peeking over his shoulder at the picture. Her expression fell. “Oh, Sonic. I’m sorry.”

Sonic leaned his head over on his brother’s shoulder. “I’ve never actually taken it out before now,” he admitted quietly. “Didn’t think I could take it. I still don’t think I can.”

“We get it, bro.” Manic patted Sonic’s head. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him. We should’ve listened to you and gone back for him.”

Tails immediately met Sonic’s gaze, a question in his blue eyes. Sonic shook his head. He still hadn’t told Sonia and Manic about Shadow—that he was here, or that he was even alive. Part of him felt bad for it. The rest of him wanted to give Shadow the choice to interact with them again if he wanted to, to let him see how much it would mean to Sonia and Manic to know he was alive. He wouldn’t take that away.

Tails nodded knowingly. Sonic looked between the fox and his sister. “What’s up?” he asked. “I thought you were busy all day. Didn’t think I’d have any visitors.”

“We figured we’d check on you.” Sonia climbed onto the bed on his other side, tapping his foot with hers. “And apparently we needed to. In over your head, stressed about your kingdom, and worrying about the past?” Her voice softened. “Have you… tried anything with anyone else? Since him?”

Sonic didn’t dare look at Tails. His best friend probably knew he and Shadow had been a little more than friends from the way he talked about the other hedgehog, but Sonic didn’t want to explain any of it unless he had to. “You know I can’t,” he said, too exhausted to be anything but honest. “Amy’s had a thing for me for years, but…” He shook his head. “I don’t really want to talk about this right now.”

“That’s fine.” Sonia patted his knee. “We have things to do, anyway. But we’ll be here to listen when you do want to talk.”

Sonic was grateful for the second half of that, but… “I was hoping I had longer to hide.” He buried his face in Manic’s shoulder. “What is it this time?”

Tails giggled from his perch in Sonic’s hammock. “I told you,” he said. Sonic glanced at his sister in time to see her roll her eyes at the fox. To Sonic, he said, “You’re not working today.”

Sonic finally glanced at his friend, pulling away from Manic. “I’m what?”

“You know, for the one you said was the friendliest of your group, this one has fangs,” Manic said, nodding towards Tails. He leaned back on his hands. “He ripped us a new one last night. Something about overworking you and such.”

“We tried to tell him that’s what being a ruler means,” Sonia added. “Especially when you’re in the middle of a war. It’s exhausting, but it’s necessary.” Sonic knew her well enough to know it must’ve taken Tails a lot of fighting to get her to agree to this no-work thing.

Thankfully, Tails took over. Sonic could hear the rare, underlying steel in his best friend’s voice. “And I told you that it won’t be like this when he’s actually ruler.” Tails gestured to them. “The original plan was four of you. One who had been monarch for years, one who knew high society like the back of her hand, one who knew how to lie his way through anything, and Sonic. Now it’s just him.”

“He’s only alone in title. We’re still right here to help,” Sonia countered. “Besides, he’s ready for that. He’s been aware he’d be ruler. I was training him back in Mobius.”

“Well… that was only for a short time,” Manic added nervously. Neither of them particularly liked to argue with Sonia. She was almost as scary as Amy when she was mad. “He wasn’t trained for long.”

“You seem to understand just fine!”

“I’ve also been in Mobius for the last five years helping the Freedom Fighters.”

“Guys,” Sonic interrupted. All three of them looked at him. He couldn’t even think about lying right now. Not when he was this close to getting a day off. “Tails is right.” He gestured around them, pain and exhaustion and the hole in his chest strengthening his voice into honesty. “Does this look like Mobius to you? The beach house, the villagers, Eggman?” Manic’s eyes dropped to the floor. “Does this look like taking watch shifts in a sewer tunnel, or eating once every three days, or watching our friends disappear left and right?”

He felt a little bad for throwing all of that at them, but… “I know you want to help Mobius,” he said, his voice softening. “I do, too. I love my kingdom. But, guys… you know how Robotnik works. They just got a huge hit on us. They think they just about took us out. Our best play right now is to lay low, let everyone regroup, and wait for him to come after me.”

Tails nodded subtly at Sonic. Sonic mouthed a quick thank you to the fox. “Well…” Manic leaned to look at Sonia. “He’s got a point, sis.”

Sonia still looked uncomfortable at best, downright angry at worst. And suddenly it hit Sonic why. “Sonia,” he murmured. He reached over, his hand folding with hers. Her wedding band grazed his finger. “This is about Bartleby, isn’t it?”

Manic’s eyes widened. “Oh, I didn’t even think about that.”

“No, it’s not—” Sonia broke off, burying her head in her hands. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet. “I haven’t been away from him for long since you left.” She let out a tiny sigh. “I don’t know. I know he’s capable, but leaving him there…?”

Sonic understood. “You can’t justify sitting around doing nothing while he’s still in one of the most dangerous places he could be.”

Sonia nodded. “I know we can’t do anything from here. I know we’re playing a waiting game.” She sat up, staring down at her ring as if it would summon her husband. “But… I can’t justify being here, completely unable to help with it all, while Bartleby is out there running a war like this.”

Sonic and Manic exchanged a look. “Well… have you brought that up to him?”

Sonia looked at him incredulously. “What? No.” She shook her head. “I can’t say any of that to him.”

“Why? Because he’d call you ridiculous and tell you to relax?” Manic put on a surprisingly good impression of Bartleby. “‘Sonia, darling, you simply must enjoy yourself. You work too hard, and you should be cherishing your days off.’”

Sonia hit him with a pillow. “He doesn’t even sound like that anymore!” She was smiling a little, though. “Your impression is terrible anyway.”

“You know it isn’t,” Manic protested. “Come on, sis. Take a day. Explore the island.” He gestured outside. “There’s a beach right there. When was the last time you had an honest-to-gods beach day?”

Sonia still looked a little skeptical. “Well… I guess never?”

“Never,” Manic confirmed. “Mobius doesn’t exactly allow for beach days.”

“Wait, you two have never just… had a beach day?” Tails asked incredulously. He looked at Sonic. “Is that why you chose to be here?”

Sonic shrugged. “That, and I wanted to be close to the ocean. It put the least amount of distance between me and these two.” He nudged each of his siblings’ shoulders. “There’s the Mobian sea, obviously, but not really your typical ‘beaches’. Definitely not ones where a pile of wanted, dangerous fugitives could just fool around for a day.”

“That makes so much sense,” Manic said dramatically, as if he were having an epiphany. “I was going to ask what made someone with the most irrational fear of water settle five feet from the ocean, but I figured you'd throttle me.”

“He still can’t swim,” Tails supplied helpfully. “Amy’s tried to teach him countless times, but he refuses to learn.”

Sonia shot him a disappointed look. “Twenty-one years old, King of Mobius, and you still can’t even swim.” Her voice turned teasing. “I wonder what Shadow would—” She broke off as Sonic’s face fell. “Oh. I’m sorry, Sonic.”

“Regent,” Sonic corrected, brushing off Sonia’s apology. Shadow was the only one who’d even come close to convincing him to learn how to swim. “Well, I’m team day off.” He stood, taking the picture of Shadow and stashing it back where he’d kept it all these years. “We can have a beach day. I know Mobius tends to be cloudy most of the time, but I’ve spent so much time on this island that I’m physically incapable of sunburning.”

“Sonic, you have the skin of a baby,” Sonia deadpanned. “There’s no way you don’t burn.”

“He’s right, actually,” Tails supplied. “Sonic is out and about all the time. If he were able to get sunburnt, he’d be more purple than blue. But I haven’t seen him burn since the village was built.”

Manic’s eyes narrowed. “It’s witchcraft,” he whispered dramatically. “He’s a witch!”

“A scary, scary witch,” Sonic agreed. “A witch who really loves sunlight.”

“Is that why you hate rain?” Tails swung his feet in the hammock. “So caught up in the sun that you get all broody when it isn’t out?”

Sonia and Manic shared a confused look. “Hate the rain?” Manic asked after a moment. “Sonic, you love rainy days. You always said it was the closest you’d ever get to swimming.”

Sonic didn’t like the confused looks he was getting from either side of the room. He resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands. “I did,” he agreed, deciding to just tell the truth. “But after that night… I don’t know.” His voice got a little quiet. “It just always made me think of everything I lost.”

Sonic—because his eyes were locked on his feet—missed the exchanged look between his siblings and Tails. Then all three of them descended on him at once. He was wrapped in a too-tight hug, surrounded on all sides. “Aww,” Manic said. “You missed us.”

“Of course I did, idiot.” There wasn’t any malice in the word. “Almost makes me wonder what kind of weird nonsense you guys did because you missed me.”

“Manic swore off chili dogs,” Sonia said immediately. “Or anything that resembled one. He wouldn't let anyone he was traveling with touch one either for a few years.”

“Hey! I told you that in confidence!” Manic protested. He turned it around immediately. “Sonia made Bartleby get rid of every piece of blue clothing he owned.”

“Manic,” Sonia growled.

“Alright, alright.” Sonic shook off the embrace before it could turn into an all-out brawl. “Aren’t we supposed to be relaxing? It’s beach day!”

Sonia and Manic glared at each other for a moment, then settled. “Well… the ocean does look nice,” Sonia said carefully.

Manic and Sonic cheered. “Beach day!” Manic yelled. “Aw, man, this is gonna be epic!”

Sonic chuckled. “Can you guys run over to Amy’s and let her know? She’ll take it from there, and I promise there will be way too much coordinating. But she’ll have a swimsuit for you, Sonia.” He put a hand on his heart. “Nothing blue, I promise.”

“Sonic!” Sonic laughed loudly, grabbing Tails by the arm and zipping out of the building before his brother and sister could protest. He stopped a little way from his house, out of sight but close enough to hear Sonia yelling after him. He flopped down in the sand immediately.

Tails sat next to him, pulling his knees up to his chest. “Thank you,” Sonic said, digging his fingers into the sand. “For talking to them.”

Tails shrugged. “I knew you wouldn’t. It’s a little ridiculous how much you’re willing to go along with whatever they ask.” He gestured around them. “I mean… look at us. You fired me as your sidekick because I got hurt. You tell Eggman off daily. You’ve actively spent years walking away from important conversations because they got ‘too boring’ for you. But you won't tell them no at all?”

Sonic chuckled. “I know.” He leaned back on his hands, enjoying the sun and the smell of the ocean. He really loved the beach. “I used to be like that with them, too. We were a team, but… we argued almost constantly.”

Tails tilted his head a little. “What changed?”

“Everything,” Sonic answered simply. “I mean… I’m here. They’ve been separated and fighting for Mobius. And, sure, I would’ve been helping if I could. But after everything with the factory…” He broke off, raising a knee and dropping his chin on it. “I don’t know. I kind of feel like I owe it to them after that.”

“You say that like it was your fault.”

“It kind of was.” Sonic traced patterns in the sand just so he didn’t have to sit still. “I mean… I talked to Shadow about all of it that night. I told him it seemed like a setup.”

Tails thought for a moment. “Did you tell them you thought that?”

“Of course I did.”

“Then how was it your fault?” Tails raised a hand, pausing Sonic before he could continue. “Sonic, you forget that I’ve met the people you’re talking about.” He waved off in the direction Sonia and Manic went. “Manic is cool, but he goes along with just about everything. Sonia is hardheaded enough that me and Sticks have sworn to do everything in our power to keep her from getting into it with Amy. And Shadow is probably the most uncompromising person that’s ever existed in this world. Or any other one.”

Sonic chuckled a little. “Well… that is true.”

“Exactly,” Tails said immediately. “I’m going to harbor a guess here, so tell me if I’m wrong. But I think you told all three of them that it was probably a trap, and not a single one of them listened. I’d bet you suggested calling off of the mission, and one of them told you that the chance they were right was worth the risk.”

Sonic was a little floored, but Tails had always been good at reading people. “That is… terrifyingly accurate,” he said. Tails shrugged like knowing things just came naturally to him. “Sonia told me we should go anyway. Manic said we needed to, even if the chances Mom was there were slim to none. Shadow threatened to tie me to the truck if I didn’t get in it.”

“And that’s my point.” Tails’s eyes blended in with the sky. It was one of the first things Sonic noticed about him, and one of the first things he had to watch disappear when the fox almost died way back when. “They knew what they were getting into. You probably couldn’t have stopped them no matter how hard you tried.”

Sonic slowly lowered his knee, something soft in his voice. “I guess I never thought about it like that.” He thought of Shadow—of the building exploding and his own hesitation and watching the roof collapse on Sonia. “What happened to Shadow, though… that's different. I shouldn’t have hesitated.”

Tails threw a handful of sand at him.

Sonic sputtered incredulously, wiping sand from his cheek. “Tails, what—Are you five?”

“Maybe,” Tails answered smoothly. “But that’s for trying so hard to make everything your fault.”

“Well, if it—” Another handful of sand hit him. “Tails!”

“No more blaming,” Tails demanded. Sonic shut up immediately at his no-nonsense tone. “For three reasons. First, you can’t change it now. Second, I’m sure you’ve already apologized to everyone that was hurt numerous times. And third, it’s your day off.” Tails gestured around them. “You’re in paradise! The perfect little island and a worry-free day at the beach and everything that comes with it. Go enjoy yourself.” He lightly smacked Sonic’s knee. “Stop worrying about everyone else for once.”

Sonic just stared at him for a moment. Then he laughed, no longer caring about the sand stuck in half of his fur. “You know, you’re a little short to be so serious.”

Tails reached for more sand, but Sonic zipped off before he could. “Not on my watch.” He sped forward again, skidding to a stop in front of Tails and kicking up a huge wave of sand in the fox’s face. “Ha!” he cheered. “Vengeance!”

“Oh, you’ll pay for that.” Tails shook sand off, then reached into his bag and pulled out some kind of device. Sonic immediately moved to run again. Tails pushed a button, though, and Sonic’s feet froze in place. Tails cackled as Sonic was flipped upside down, hanging in the air by his shoes. “Gotcha!”

“What the hell is this?” Sonic could move his legs, but he was still upside down. When he tried to run, his feet connected harmlessly with the air. “When did you even have time to make that?!” he demanded.

“While you were out playing politics.” What Tails was holding looked like a remote, though there was only one button on it. He was smiling that evil smile of his. “It’s my emergency anti-Sonic button. Useful when annoying hedgehogs get a little too annoying.”

Sonic tried to run. He revved as fast as he could, his legs shifting into a blue blur. Nothing happened. He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest. “Alright, fine. You got me.”

“Not for long.” Tails moved, Sonic moving with him. Sonic looked down as he shifted, horror filling him as he realized what was happening. “Beach day means swimming, right?”

“Tails,” Sonic protested immediately. “Don’t. Don’t you dare. I can’t swim.” He tried to scramble, but he was thoroughly trapped. Sometimes, it occurred to him that one wrong move would put him at the mercy of his ridiculously brilliant friend for the rest of his life. He chose not to think about it too often. “Tails, don’t.”

“You’ll be fine,” Tails assured him. He stopped moving, and Sonic stared down at him. The fox smiled innocently. “Happy swimming!”

Then he dropped him.

Sonic slammed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the salt water. Then he connected with semi-solid ground. The sand gave way under him, and he sunk into it about a foot when he hit it. But it wasn’t water. He sat up, spluttering and wiping sand off of his face before blinking his eyes open. Tails was leaning against a tree, his eyes squeezed shut and laughter pouring out of him. Sonic glared. “You’re evil.”

“In my defense, you deserved it.” Tails sobered a little as Sonic looked down at the mound of sand Tails had dropped him in. “So how about it? Are we even now?”

Tails walked over, reaching out a hand to help Sonic up. Sonic took it gratefully. He tugged before Tails could, though, pulling the fox down into the sand pile with him. Sonic laughed as Tails landed face first in the sand. “Now we’re even.”

Tails sat up, shaking sand off. He was smiling. “Fine. Truce.” He shifted so he was sitting, the remote disappearing from his hand. “Feel better?”

“Actually, yes.” Sonic flopped back into the sand, laying on his back and folding his hands under his head. “Maybe you’re right. Sonia and Manic are my siblings. I don’t need to be so… careful with them.”

Tails chuckled. “They’re definitely not careful with anyone else.” He paused. “Well, Sonia isn’t. Manic is actually incredibly polite. Amy can’t seem to get enough of it.”

“Yeah, that sounds like her,” Sonic said. “She’s always believed manners are one of the more important traits to have. Attach that to a powerful, magical royal and you pretty much have her dream guy.”

“Maybe more than you think.” At Sonic’s confused look, Tails laughed. “You’ve never seen the two of them?”

“Seen them?” Sonic was lost. “What does that even—”

“Ah, yeah, sand pile!” They were interrupted by none other than the hedgehog in question. Manic ran down the beach to them, jumping and half-tackling Sonic into the sand. Sonic threw him off immediately. “I didn’t think it would be this warm.”

“The sun is on it constantly, Manic.” Sonia walked up, too, white lines of sunscreen covering most of her. She had a huge sun hat on. “It’s probably about as warm as it is outside.”

Manic buried himself further in the sand. “Warmer, actually.”

Sonic turned away from his brother, smiling as the rest of his gang made their way onto the beach. He hopped out of the sand and trotted up to them. “Feels like it’s been forever since we’ve done this, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” Amy agreed. She set down her chair and bag, then reached for her trademark beach umbrella and started positioning it in the sand. “Which is weird, because it’s only been, like, two weeks.”

“It is weird,” Sticks agreed. As usual, she’d neglected to change out of her normal attire. She claimed everything else felt too stuffy and unnatural. “Almost as weird as you being the monarch of a foreign land.”

“You’re telling me.” He looked at Sonia, laughing as his sister found a spot that was completely shaded to settle in. She’d gotten a chair—probably from Amy—that matched the purple swimsuit she had on. “It’s weird to have them here.”

Amy looked at him, then glanced between his siblings. “Good weird, I hope.” She planted her hands on her hips. “It’s still so odd to me that you're related to them. I mean… Sonia is a relatively known name among the nobles of the world, and Manic…” Amy’s eyes landed on the hedgehog in question, who was digging a hole for lord knew what reason. Knuckles trotted over to help. “I don’t know. He’s just so… sweet.”

Tails’s words from earlier floated back to him as Manic looked over, smiling when his eyes landed on Amy. “Yo, Ames! Wanna help? Knuckles is gonna bury me!”

Amy’s smile was… well, pretty dramatically infatuated, Sonic thought. “I’ll be right there!” she called.

Sonic looked between them incredulously. Amy was still watching Manic. “Amy Elizabeth Rose,” he asked, the beginnings of a smile on his face, “do you have a thing for my brother?”

She immediately punched him in the arm, hard enough to leave a bruise. “Sonic! You’re not supposed to tell anyone!” she hissed. Sonic had promised to keep her middle name a secret years ago. As far as he was aware, he was the only one who really knew what it was. She sobered, though, a light blush coloring her cheeks. “Besides, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His eyes shot wide. “Oh my god, you do!” He laughed, but it was happy—he’d never mock her for that. “You’ve known him for like a week!”

“Shut up, Sonic.” She shoved him away. She was smiling, though. “It’s not like that. He’s just… I don’t know. He’s sweet. He has so many stories, too. Did you guys really take down Moby Deep?”

“Moby Deep was a boat, not a sea monster,” Sonic said. He brushed past that almost immediately. “I cannot believe you’re going after my brother.”

“I swear to god, Sonic Hedgehog, I will bury you. For real.” She shook her head, shoving her umbrella fully into the ground and glaring at him. “I’m going to go help them. Don’t say a word about this.”

Sonic smiled, watching as she trotted down the beach. “Oh, don’t worry! I don’t need to say a thing!”

He laughed at the rude gesture she threw back at him.

Chapter Text

“Oh, that is so cheap!”

Sonic laughed as a handful of popcorn was thrown at the screen. The sun was down, a soft breeze cooling the daytime heat into a comfortable evening. Sonic had seen the movie whirring on Tails's projector more times than he could count, but his brother and sister never had. That, to him, was a tragedy. Everyone needed to see 'Mountain’s Revenge' at least once in their life.

After spending all day on the beach, it was Amy who suggested the movie. Everyone agreed enthusiastically. After a playful fight ended with him being tossed into the water, Sonic spent the rest of the day far from the ocean. He fell asleep in the sand at one point and woke up to a complete sand castle built around him like a fort. Tails and Sticks took their sand-building very seriously. He’d wiggled his way out of it all as carefully as he could just for Knuckles to run right into it completely by accident. The poor echidna got pelted with sand as a result. He responded by tossing most of their group right back into the ocean until they were a pile of laughing, half-drenched people dragging each other back to the sand.

Now, they were making the most of the cool night. The movie was just rolling to a close. Sonia was still in her beach chair, lounging and looking content. Tails and Sonic had flopped down on top of Knuckles in the bean bag he claimed, though Knuckles fell asleep about ten minutes into the movie. Sticks was in the sand, laying on her back and staring upside-down at the screen. Amy and Manic were next to each other on a blanket, sitting a little closer than friends would sit. Sonic and Tails had been exchanging looks all night because of it. He managed to catch Manic’s eye at one point, and Manic shot him a dramatic thumbs-up behind Amy’s back. Sonic laughed so hard he alerted most of the group.

Now, the last scene of the movie was rolling through, the main character falling to his knees in front of a snow-covered mountain. He dug the point of his sword into the ground. “‘You have bested me,’” Sonic parroted, speaking with the main character. He’d seen this movie way too many times. “‘And a promise is a promise.’” The character bowed his head, laying his forehead on the cold ground. “‘In the names of my wife and daughters—in the names of Aura, Amaya, and Akira… I yield.’”

Triumphant music played through the speakers, the screen slowly fading to black on that scene. The credits appeared shortly after. “What?!” Sonia exploded, jumping out of her chair and pointing an accusatory finger at the screen. “There is no way that can end like that! He goes through all of that just to yield at the end? What about his wife?!” She turned a glare on Sonic. “You didn’t tell me this movie was terrible!”

“Terrible?” Sonic demanded. Knuckles—who was the heaviest sleeper Sonic had ever known—didn’t even flinch as Sonic wiggled into a sitting position. “That’s my favorite movie you’re dissing. It’s incredible.”

“That ending was garbage!” Sonia protested. “He should’ve won! He should’ve won and gotten his family back!”

Sonic snorted. “He was fighting a mountain, Sonia. And if you think about it, he brought it upon himself. The whole thing is a lesson in greed.”

“Oh, a lesson in greed coming from you. That’s rich.” She huffed and flopped back into her chair. “I expected a happy ending,” she grumbled.

“In my defense, I told you you wouldn’t like it.”

“I thought it was great,” Manic said, probably just to get them to be quiet. Sonia glared at him. He raised a hand—the one that wasn’t around Amy—and smiled. “Whoa, chill, sis. I just like the message. Even if the magic aspect is a little… weird.”

“All magic is weird,” Tails said in response. He hopped off of Knuckles and stretched before continuing. “At least it’s better than 'Mountain’s Revenge 2: Re-Revenge'. That one is terrible.”

“We do not speak of Re-Revenge on this island,” Sonic growled. “That movie is a disgrace and I refuse to acknowledge it as a sequel to the greatest movie of all time.”

“Sonic, your taste in movies is even worse than your taste in men,” Sonia deadpanned.

Sonic immediately shot a glare at his sister. “Says the one who went head over heels for one of Robotnik’s minions just because he called her pretty.”

“Hey! Stripes is a valued member of the Resistance now!”

“Alright, alright!” Tails stepped right in the middle of the group, raising his hands for them to stop. Sonic and Sonia stuck their tongues out at each other. “I think that’s enough movies for tonight.”

He bent down to fiddle with his projector as the whole group protested. “It’s not even ten,” Amy said. “We can’t just go home. The stars aren’t even all out yet!”

“This isn’t even all of them?” Sonia asked incredulously, casting her eyes up to the sky above them. “But there are so many!”

“Mobotropolis has too much light pollution—and real pollution, thanks to Robotnik—to see the stars,” Sonic explained to his friends. “There were times when we were out of the city, sure, but we never got to see them very often.”

Amy shook her head. “A world without stars,” she said sadly. “That’s not a world I’d want to be in.”

Tails shut the projector off, bathing them in semi-darkness. Sonic’s eyes lit up suddenly. “We could do a fire pit,” he suggested.

“Yes!” Sticks jumped up from the ground. “Fire pit means s’mores. S’mores are the best food that’s ever been created. I love s’mores!” She turned before anyone could say anything else. “I’ll go get the sticks! And some firewood! And a few rocks!”

She was gone before anyone could protest. Sonic watched her disappear off in the direction of her cave. “Well. I hope everyone planned on agreeing, because now we don’t have a choice.”

“I don’t think anyone was going to disagree,” Tails said. He looked around. “I’m with Amy. Feels too early to leave our day off.”

“Alright, fire pit prep!” Amy stood, Manic quickly following suit. “Sonia, would you mind grabbing the chairs we left up the beach a little? Tails, I imagine you’ll have your hands full with the projector. Sonic, can you run into town and get the things for s’mores? Knuckles, you—” She noticed the echidna was still snoring, then, and rolled her eyes. “Knuckles!” She didn’t yell, but she did snap. Knuckles was awake instantly. Amy smiled sweetly at him. “Hi! We’re making a fire pit. Can you dig the hole for it, get a water bucket, and start finding rocks for the border?”

Knuckles lit up despite having just woken up. “Fire pit! Yeah, I can do that!”

Amy clapped her hands together. “Great! Me and Manic will go help Sticks collect firewood. We’ll meet back here in a few!”

His friends and siblings split off in their respective directions. Sonic’s house was close enough that—for once—he decided to walk. He folded his hands behind his head, whistling as he wandered away from his little group.

All of his friends and siblings in one place and getting along like this was something out of a dream. He’d never really expected it. When he imagined Sonia and Manic coming back one day, he figured they’d grab him and rush back to Mobius as fast as they could. And he expected for them to meet all of his friends, sure, but not quite like this. He’d never pictured this chaotic, careful cut of time where they’d all be here. Where they could relax together, experience life as Sonic had, and really get to know each other.

It was kind of incredible. Knuckles chatted with Manic often, and Sonia took pride in teaching him about some of the rules she had to follow as a noble. Tails hadn’t talked to them much, but when they did communicate, it was usually about Sonic. Manic and Amy were obviously hitting it off. And Sticks was her normal paranoid self, but she was still around them. That was more than she normally gave people she didn’t know.

Sonic didn’t even feel like he was dragging himself around in the middle of it. Everyone talked like they knew each other, or at least like they were willing to get to know each other. Amy didn’t have any problem taking charge like she did with most other events like this. Tails actively told off Sonia and Manic when he thought they were overworking Sonic. They all still looked to Sonic like he was their leader. Some things could be a little different, sure, but with how bad things could have gone? This reunion was basically a gold mine.

He got to his shack in the midst of all of his thoughts and flicked on a light. He didn’t think he needed to go to town for s’mores ingredients. He knew he had chocolate and marshmallows, since both were culinary staples. He grabbed both and set them on the counter. Rummaging through his pantry and cupboards for a bit revealed a disappointing lack of graham crackers, but that was fine. He could be to town and back in moments.

He turned to race out of his house when a hand grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. “Hey, what’s—” He turned, breaking off as the figure in front of him came into focus. Red eyes—narrowed, bright, and angrier than Sonic had ever seen them—stared back at him. “Shadow?” he said, disbelief coloring his voice. “What are you doing here?”

Shadow tightened his grip and flung Sonic through a window.

Glass—which Sonic had neglected to put in for years and had finally gotten around to barely a month ago—shattered around him. He hit the ground on his porch, wincing as glass cut into him from all over. “Jesus, ow,” he groaned, dragging himself into a hasty sitting position. “I knew installing actual windows was a terrible idea.”

“This is a new low.” Shadow’s voice was dark as he climbed through the window, hitting the ground in front of Sonic. Glass crunched under his feet as he stalked forward. “You were that desperate to get away, huh? You had to throw it back in my face?”

“Wait, what are you—” Sonic broke off as Shadow grabbed him, hauling him to his feet. Sonic raised his hands. “Seriously, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you don’t?” Shadow threw him again. Sonic hit the grass and rolled a few times, no doubt pushing glass further into his skin. “Of course you don’t, Sonic. Perfect little hero can’t do a thing wrong.”

Sonic scrambled to his feet, dropping into a fighting stance even as every inch of his skin burned. “I cannot emphasize this enough—I do not know what you are talking about.” Sonic couldn’t help but scoff as everything—the relaxing day he’d had up until now, his friends on the beach, the s’mores ingredients still sitting on his counter—disappeared from his mind. “I know you’re practically incapable of explaining yourself, but I kind of think I’m owed at least something considering the window I now have to replace. Those things are expensive, you know.”

“Sonia and Manic aren’t here!” Shadow practically roared the words, raising his voice in a way Sonic had never heard before. It stunned him enough that he dropped his fighting stance. Shadow dug a hand into Sonic’s fur, shoving him back into a rock and getting right in his face. “I’ve had this village under surveillance for a week, and they haven’t shown their faces even once.”

Sonic’s eyes widened. Shadow was looking for them—for the people who could finally clear this feud between them. “Wait, no, stop.” He tried to gently push Shadow off, but the other hedgehog wouldn’t budge. “They’re here. Really, they are. If you come with me to the beach—”

“Traps laid through dishonesty are above you, Sonic,” Shadow practically spat. Even when he was mad, Sonic had always been able to catch some hint of something in his voice—something that reminded him of their past. Now there was nothing. It was just anger, darker and more violent than Sonic expected from even Shadow.

“I’m not being dishonest!” Sonic gestured towards the beach. “Literally a two minute walk that way!” He caught his voice rising and lowered it, trying his best to be placating. “I wouldn’t lie to you about that. About them.”

“See, I believed that, too.” Shadow chuckled darkly. “This many years, and you never brought them up before. I figured it was a line we didn’t cross.” He shoved Sonic hard, and Sonic’s vision went a little weird for a second as his head hit the rock. “And for what? All for you to try and use your brother and sister to get out of a fight?” He got close, now, his nose almost touching Sonic’s. “You’re a lot of things, Sonic, but until now, I never would have called you a coward.”

Sonic wasn’t going to fight back. Not this time. Not when Sonia and Manic were here, not when some desperate part of him just wanted Shadow back. “Shadow.” His voice shook. “Please. I just need you to listen to me, just this once.” He pointed towards the beach. “Walk over there with me. Drag me in as a hostage if you feel like it’s needed. Just let me prove to you that I’m telling the truth.”

“No.” Shadow scoffed, and it was only then that Sonic heard it: pain. Shadow’s voice was rich with it, with a pain so deep that Sonic’s heart hurt. His eyes, too, were filled with a pain Sonic hadn’t seen from him since that first day. Shadow was always good at hiding his emotions when he deemed it necessary, even before everything went wrong. The fact that Sonic could see it so clearly…

So, he switched tactics. “I missed them, too."

Shadow tensed, but he didn’t move to keep fighting. Sonic took that as a good sign. “You weren’t there that night. We stayed and watched the factory burn, and stood there until we heard the emergency services claim that there would be no survivors.” Sonic wished he didn’t remember it so clearly, but… he didn’t think that day would ever leave his mind. His voice fell to a whisper. “I waited for you.”

“Shut up!” Something desperate entered Shadow’s voice as he pushed Sonic again. Tears filled his eyes as he stared at the other hedgehog. “I don’t want to hear it! I can’t take more lies. Not from you. Not from—” He laughed, the sound broken and desperate and hurt. “Not from the person who promised never to lie to me.”

“Sonic?” Sonic’s protests—a desperate plea of 'I didn’t, Shadow, I wouldn’t. I still wouldn’t,' dying on his tongue as Amy’s voice cut through the trees. “Are you—”

Amy broke off, something hitting the ground with a hard thud as she rounded the corner. Sonic could see her over Shadow’s shoulder, a pile of firewood at her feet. Manic was close behind her. Sonic guessed, from the lack of anything but happiness on his brother’s face, that he hadn’t realized what had happened yet. The breath left him in a quiet whoosh.

Amy had her hammer out in seconds. “Shadow,” she hissed, dropping into a fighting stance. “Leave it to you to ruin a perfectly good beach day. We finally get Eggman off of us, and now this? Can’t a girl ever get some R&R around here?”

“Shadow?” Manic stopped next to Amy, lighthearted disbelief in his voice. Sonic felt the moment Shadow registered the voice, felt Shadow’s breath hitch and every muscle in his body go tense. Something in Sonic’s heart broke even as hope filled him. “Please tell me there’s not actually someone here named—”

Maybe the lighting registered right. Maybe the moon shone down exactly where they needed it to. Or maybe Sonic moved, lightly pushing Shadow so the red streaks in his fur were visible. Sonic heard Manic’s breath catch even through the distance between them. “No.”

Shadow’s eyes met Sonic’s, all of the anger in them gone as if it had never been there. Something desperate had taken its place, something soft and sad and broken. Sonic was almost convinced his heart had stopped beating. “Sonic?” he whispered.

Sonic found the other hedgehog’s hand, removing it from his own fur and threading their fingers together. He’d missed the feeling so much more than he’d known. “I promised I would never lie to you,” he breathed.

Shadow’s eyes squeezed shut. He slumped forward, a hand covering his eyes as all of the fight went out of him. His face landed somewhere near Sonic’s neck. And just like that—with nothing more than a few sentences from someone both of them missed so desperately—Shadow spoke the words Sonic had been craving for years. “I’m sorry.”

“Sonic.” Manic took a step forward. Sonic could see his brother’s hands shaking. He couldn’t even bring himself to care. Not when Shadow was here, really here—open and vulnerable and letting Sonic hold him up like it was the only reason he was still on his feet. Not when he'd apologized. “I don’t…”

“Manic,” Sonic said. His voice was shaking so much he could barely speak. “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but—it’s him. He’s alive.”

Shadow took that as his cue to move. He straightened, that unflinching resolve straightening his back. Then he turned. Sonic couldn’t see Shadow’s face anymore, but he saw Manic’s crumble into tears as soon as he really saw Shadow. “Shadow.”

Then he was running. Manic closed the distance in moments, throwing his arms around Shadow and half-collapsing against him. Shadow held the other hedgehog up easily. “I’m so sorry,” Manic said immediately, his voice coming out in a sob. “I’m so sorry, Shadow. Sonic wanted to go back for you. He practically begged us, but you’d been shot and we thought you were dead and I didn’t—” Another broken sob. “I never should have left you. I’m so, so sorry.”

Shadow hadn’t reached back, simply taking on Manic’s weight like it was his own. That, though, seemed to break through to him. He held Manic tightly, crushing the smaller hedgehog against him. “You’re really here,” Shadow breathed.

Amy’s hammer was still in her hands, an expression of utter confusion written on her face. She caught Sonic looking at her and dropped the hammer. “Should I even ask?”

Sonic opened his mouth to reply, but a new voice piped up before he could. “For someone who claims to be the fastest being alive, you sure are slow.” Sonic turned to look as his sister walked up, her hands on her hips. “Everyone else is already back. Except Amy and Manic, but that's probably because—"

Shadow let go of Manic, carefully stepping away and turning to Sonia. “Sonia,” he said, his voice trembling. “He was telling the truth. You—I never thought I’d see you guys again.”

Sonia stopped dead. Her expression went slack, every line on her face falling into blankness. “You’re dead.” Only her voice gave her away, the pain in it unmistakable even as incomprehension shone in her eyes. “You…got shot. You went down, and then the building fell, and then—” One of her hands raised to press over her mouth. “You were dead,” she whispered.

Something in Shadow’s eyes cracked, and he smiled. A smile Sonic hadn’t seen since that night. Sonic stumbled back, letting the rock support him rather than legs he felt would give out. “I’m not now,” was all Shadow said.

And that was enough. Sonia grabbed him by the shoulder, yanking him into an embrace that was anything but gentle. “You let us think you were dead,” she said, her voice accusatory even as it shook. “For years, Shadow. We thought you were dead, and we—” Sonic saw her squeeze her eyes shut. “I never forgave myself for what happened to you.”

Shadow didn’t say anything else, simply holding Sonia like his life depended on it. Manic appeared by his side again, and Shadow reached out and tugged him into the embrace, too. “I’m here,” he said. It sounded like a promise.

And for one small, perfect moment, Sonic could feel all of the broken pieces knitting themselves back together.

The embrace only lasted a moment, though, and Sonic braced himself for the rest. For the fall. Shadow shoved Sonia and Manic away, stumbling back as if he suddenly remembered how much had changed between them. “I thought you left me.” Some of that old hurt re-entered his voice, along with a healthy amount of doubt. Sonic saw the moment his defenses snapped back into place. “Yeah, I got shot. You guys were running when I managed to get my eyes open.” He shook his head. “Then the building collapsed, and when I woke up, you were gone.”

Manic took a half step closer. “We thought you were dead. We couldn’t stay, Shadow. We had to go.”

“I had to pull myself out of that rubble,” Shadow said, his voice breaking. He sounded a little more like he normally did now, hurt and anger coloring his voice. The fact that Sonic considered that to be normal made a few more tears slide from his eyes. “I had to drag myself up, and then I had to navigate through all of them. All of the people who died.” He stepped far enough back that Sonic could see his face, too. It was filled with pain. “And when I went to look for you, everyone in Mobius said you were gone.”

“It was a tactical plan,” Sonia said. Her voice was more level than Manic’s. “Me and Manic laid low for a while, me in the Resistance and Manic off somewhere he didn’t say.” She gestured to Sonic. “We sent Sonic away on his own. For everyone’s sake.”

“I found Sonic,” Shadow said. He gestured back at the hedgehog in question. “I found him here, building a village and laughing with his new friends as if nothing happened. As if he lost nothing that day.” Shadow scoffed. “Am I just supposed to believe that it was all fake?”

Sonia’s eyes landed on Sonic, hurt filling them. “You knew?” she whispered. “This whole time, you’ve known he was alive?”

Shadow turned to him, too. “You didn’t tell them I was here?”

Sonic shook his head, something numbing and cold settling in his stomach. He felt like someone had thrown a blanket over everything, muffling every sound around them except for their voices. Why did his head hurt so much? “It wasn’t my place,” he said. His voice was barely audible, but they all seemed to hear it.

Sonia looked back at Shadow. “So… you’ve just been here with Sonic?” Something accusatory entered her voice. Manic was crying too much to speak clearly. “You two have just been living it up while we believed you were dead?”

“‘Living it up’?” Shadow laughed, and Sonic couldn't speak up in time to tell him not to say anything. He ran a hand over his face, then flung it out towards Sonic. “I attacked him, Sonia! I thought he chose to leave. I thought you all did it on purpose, that I’d been betrayed by the only people alive I cared about. And he was the only one here, so I've spent four years taking it out on him.”

A deathly sort of quiet settled over the clearing.

Sonic’s heart pounded so hard his chest hurt.

“You what?” Manic managed eventually, his voice strangled.

“I’ve been going after him for years!” Shadow’s hands clutched at his head, something a little crazed in his eyes. “I’ve started so many fights. I teamed up with his enemies. I almost killed his friends.” He shook his head. “All this time, he’s tried to tell me it wasn’t on purpose. And I never listened.” His hands fell to his sides, his voice changing into something soft. “He told me you were here, and I… I didn’t believe him.”

Sonia—acting on some instinct that had gotten her trapped under a building back in that factory—grabbed Manic and subtly pushed him behind her. “If I go over there and my brother is hurt,” she said, her voice suddenly deadly calm, “You’re going to have a much bigger problem on your hands than an emotional crisis.”

Shadow’s eyes widened at the threat. Sonic took that as his cue to step in. He pushed off of the rock, half-stumbling forward. God, he felt awful. “It’s okay, Sonia,” he said. “It’s okay. You’re here now, and all of it is okay.”

Horror filled his sister’s eyes as she took him in. “Sonic,” she breathed. “What the hell happened to you?” She turned back to Shadow. “You did this?”

It was the disbelief in her voice—the tone that suggested she couldn’t possibly imagine Shadow willingly hurting Sonic—that made Shadow flinch back as if he’d been hit. He stared at Sonia, then turned and looked at Sonic. His expression caved. “Oh, god, Sonic,” he breathed. “I’m so—”

“I think we’re past the point of apologies.” It was Manic who spoke, his voice still broken. Sonic knew he was trying his hardest to sound angry. “You can’t really believe Sonic—Sonic, who risked all of our lives to save you when you were just some half-dead kid we’d never seen—would choose to leave you.”

Shadow looked unsure. It was odd for someone who normally had so much… conviction. “I—”

“We practically had to drag him out of there,” Sonia seethed. “He demanded that we go back for you. We told him there wasn’t time, and that you were gone anyway. He still went.” She pulled up the shirt she’d thrown on over her bathing suit, revealing the scars across her torso that Sonic hated looking at as soon as she’d walked out in a bikini. “I almost died, all because I had to run back and throw him out of the way of the whole building caving in. And he still made us wait up there on that mountain until they declared that there was no life left breathing.”

Shadow turned to Sonic, his eyes wide and sad. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried.” Sonic blinked a few times to steady his vision. “I tried. You didn’t—” He broke off, stumbling a little. “You never listened.”

“Sonic.” Alarm colored Amy’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

Sonic stumbled again. Shadow, Sonia, and Manic all moved as if to catch him. He threw out a hand to stop all of them. “I’m fine,” he insisted. “This is—this is more important.” His eyes focused on Shadow. “I promise, Shadow, everything I’ve told you is true.”

“Oh, god, you’re bleeding.” Shadow started forward. “Your head, Sonic.”

“Don’t touch him,” Manic hissed, taking on the most un-Manic-like tone Sonic had ever heard. Shadow’s eyes widened. “You did this,” Manic said. Sonic knew it was taking everything in him to say any of this. “You don’t go anywhere near him.”

“Guys, please.” Sonic’s voice came out as barely a breath. He fought to steady it. “Don’t fight. This isn’t—it’s not how it’s supposed to go.”

Shadow looked between all of them, something broken and sad in his eyes. His voice came out hesitantly, as if he were realizing this wasn’t going to go well for him. As if he finally saw what Sonic had been trying to tell him. “I… shouldn’t be here.”

“Shadow.” Sonic lurched forward, catching himself on Shadow. Shadow’s hands went around him as if on instinct. “Don’t go,” he pleaded. “Don’t go. I can’t—I can’t miss you all over again.”

Something in Shadow’s eyes broke at the unbridled honesty behind the words. Water pooled in his eyes. His hold on Sonic tightened, from a steadying touch to a warm, real embrace. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I can’t miss you again, either.”

Relief flooded Sonic. He buried his face in Shadow’s chest, and it suddenly all made sense to him. He needed all of it. Mobius, his friends, Sonia and Manic, this island, the Freedom Fighters, Shadow. All of it was right here. This was what he needed—his people, his world, standing with him as he looked for the one other missing piece in his life. As he looked for the mother he lost to an unfair fight.

“But I can’t be here.”

Sonic’s heart stopped as Shadow spoke again, the words small. He pulled his head back, looking up at Shadow as if it would make him take the words back. “No.”

Shadow smiled sadly. His hand shifted, lightly brushing the back of Sonic’s head. Sonic winced as pain exploded behind his eyes. “Oh, Sonic,” he whispered. When he pulled his hand back, his fingers were stained with blood. “How can you ever expect me to face you after I’ve done this?”

Sonic tried to shake his head, but stars lit behind his eyes. “I forgive you,” he said immediately. “For all of it, Shadow, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter at all, not if you’re here.”

“But I can’t forgive myself.” There were more tears on his face now. Sonic had never seen Shadow cry before. He was always their rock, the one Sonic went to when all of it became a little too much. “How could I? I’ve been nothing but violent to you for so long. You were… alone. You were in a new place, and you were by yourself, and it… I can’t imagine how much that hurt.”

“You can,” Sonic insisted. “You can, because you did it, too. You had to be alone, too.”

Shadow shook his head slowly. “I was never alone. Not with you here.”

Sonic could hear the finality in his voice. “Please don’t go,” he whispered, trying a different tactic. His voice was so small he was almost sure Shadow couldn’t hear it. “I don’t want to do this without you again. I can’t.” His hold on Shadow tightened. “Don’t make me beg.”

Shadow reached out, cupping Sonic’s face with a hand. Sonic leaned into the touch. “You’re a king now. Kings don’t beg.” He brushed his thumb over Sonic’s cheek. “Especially not for people who hurt the ones they love.”

Sonic’s breath caught. His heart soared, even if it was immediately accompanied by more pain than he could bear. Even if some part of him always knew. “You love me?”

Shadow smiled sadly. Instead of answering he leaned forward, only far enough to connect his forehead with Sonic’s. “I’m sorry, Sonic,” he murmured. “And for whatever it’s worth… seeing you all these years gave me a reason to get up each morning.”

And then he was gone, his Chaos Control kicking in as he blipped away. “No!” Sonic cried. Without Shadow there to support him, he pitched forward. He hit the ground on his knees, his hands curling into fists in the sand. “No,” he said again. “Don’t leave. Not again.”

A pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, though, someone’s knees hitting the sand in front of him. “Sonic, hey, it’s alright.” It was Amy. Sonic didn’t even think. He just leaned forward, burying his face in her shoulder. She froze. Then Sonic’s shoulders shook, a tear fell on Amy’s collarbone, and her tone softened considerably. “Oh, Sonic.”

So Sonic stayed there, on his knees in the sand, letting the pain of watching Shadow leave again when he was so close to getting him back wash over him. Amy wrapped her arms around him fully, holding him close. And Sonic just cried. He cried for all of it—for the home he lost, for the pain that day in the factory, for the one he loved who’d just walked away from him. Possibly forever. He cried for seconds or minutes or hours, until the pain in his head from a wound he hadn't known he had became too much. Until he slumped fully against Amy and merciful darkness finally descended on him.

Chapter Text

Sonic woke up as dawn was breaking over the waves, bundled up in Manic’s bed while his brother snoozed away in his hammock.

He pretended to be asleep for the next six hours.

His friends were all scattered around his house, some combination of chairs, bean bags, blankets, and Sticks’s couch plopped wherever they would fit. Sonia woke up before anyone else. Amy was up next, Tails quickly following. He could hear the worry in their voices as they murmured about breakfast. Knuckles, Manic, and Sticks all stayed asleep until Amy woke each of them up. And then Sonic’s house was filled with his favorite things—his friends, his siblings, and good food. He was the only thing missing.

He didn’t care.

Part of him wished they would leave. He’d shift occasionally, either because he got a little restless or because he needed to bury tears in his pillow. It was only in one of those moments that he noticed the bandages all over him, little cuts and scrapes covered in a way that had to be either Manic or Amy’s doing. There were bandages around his head, too, probably covering the spot that throbbed every time he shifted too fast. He didn’t even know Shadow hit him that hard.

God, Shadow. Sonic tried to push the thought of him away, but… it was all he could think about. There were three moments in his life when the thought of Shadow hurt so much he couldn’t breathe. The first was that night at the factory, when he had to walk away and leave Shadow—who he thought was dead—alone. The second was about six months later, when Shadow appeared in front of him, shoved him into a wall, and punched him so hard he blacked out about fifteen seconds later. And the third was last night, when he told Sonic he loved him, cried for the first time Sonic had ever seen, and disappeared. Just like that.

He hated this. He hated all of it. Feeling like this again, hurting in front of everyone here, crying over it. He was going to be King soon. More than that, he was their leader. He needed to get up, brush it off, and keep running his kingdom from afar. He couldn’t exactly find Shadow on his own. His Chaos Control only let him go so far, sure, but how often he could use it was distance-based. And that wasn’t even counting his other powers. If he wanted it badly enough, he could already be across the ocean to Mobius’s neighboring kingdom. Sonic would just be wasting his energy.

That’s what he told himself, anyway. Part of him knew Shadow was still here. He hadn’t left the island, and Sonic didn’t think he would. Not until Sonic did. Maybe he was being arrogant. Maybe it was his typical, over-confident nature talking. But… if Shadow had spent four and a half years on this island even when he hated Sonic, he definitely wouldn’t leave now. No, Sonic knew him a little too well for that. He’d be around. And if Sonic ever truly needed him, all he had to do was yell and the other hedgehog would be there.

He honestly didn’t know if that made it better or worse.

He just wanted it all to stop, really. All of this would be okay if Shadow would just come back, let Sonic and his siblings apologize, apologize to Sonic for hurting him, and move on with their lives. He would be okay if Shadow was here. Hell, he would be beyond okay. Shadow being here wouldn’t fix any of his problems, sure, but it would make them easier to deal with. It would make it a little more manageable.

It wasn’t that simple, though. He knew that. His little outburst last night was honest, but it was also desperate. He wasn’t normally like that about anything. Eventually, he’d have to get over it. He would get up, live his life, brush off his friends’ concerns, and go be a regent. He had things to do. He could hurt as much as he wanted, but he should’ve known Shadow wouldn’t stay in the first place. Shadow was a quiet, private, standoffish person. And that was being nice. That wouldn’t change just because things weren’t how he originally thought. And even if it did, things wouldn’t go back to how they were immediately. That was years of trust that couldn’t just… magically fix themselves. It needed to be earned all over again.

Sonic just wished Shadow was willing to try.

That was life, though. That was his life anyway. It was chaotic, and it was absolute nonsense from time to time, and things didn’t tend to just work out for him. He’d have to work for it. And he would. He would fight to get Shadow back with everything in his power, even though his friends would probably call him crazy for it. Even if they would all have a world of questions when he woke up. Even if he wasn’t sure how much of the truth he was willing to tell them.

He just wanted to talk to Tails. He was the only one who knew about everything, about Shadow and his feelings and their past and present. His friends knew one half of it. His siblings knew the other. And now all of them knew about the messy, somewhat-romantic nonsense they’d had going since the beginning. He would’ve chosen to keep it private originally, but he always told his siblings everything. Now… now, he didn’t know what he wanted to happen.

He just needed to talk to his best friend before he made any decisions.

He pushed the rest of his brooding thoughts back, checking back into the world around him. It didn’t take much listening to assess everything. Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks were sitting on the floor playing a board game. Sonia was gone. Manic had gone outside about a half hour ago, murmuring something about fresh air (in a house with windows everywhere that Amy refused to shut). Tails was where he had been all day—sitting on the floor at the head of Sonic’s bed, tinkering with whatever project he found lying around Sonic’s house.

Sonic shifted—hopefully subtly enough to avoid alerting anyone else. On his stomach with his back to the room, it was easy to open his eyes fully and look down at his friend. “Tails,” he whispered. Tails jumped. “Don’t say anything,” he added immediately.

Tails froze for a moment, then relaxed and went back to his tinkering. Sonic was pretty sure he was holding the toaster. “You’ve been up for a while, huh?”

“Since dawn.” Sonic tucked his head a little more securely into his pillow. He was still exhausted. “Look… those guys are going to attack as soon as I’m awake. And you’re the only one who knows anything, and I just…” He broke off, his voice softening. “I need a minute, you know?”

Tails nodded. “I get it.” Something clicked on the toaster, and Tails pulled the whole side panel off and set it next to him on the floor. Any other time, Sonic might be worried about his friend tearing apart the kitchen appliances he’d let Amy bully him into buying. Now, he didn’t care too much. “You want me to stay? Or should I leave, too?”

“Stay?” he requested. “I just want to organize my thoughts a little before I… well, before I’m thrown to the wolves.”

“On it, Blue Leader. Two minutes and we’ll be cleared out.”

Sonic closed his eyes again as Tails stood, abandoning the toaster where it was. He heard the beeping of Tails’s communicator. “Manic’s been gone a while,” he said, addressing the pile of people in Sonic’s house. “Do you think he’s alright?”

The chatter in the room stopped. “He said he just needed some air,” Amy said from across the room. “He said he would go get some food and come back.”

Tails hummed. “I don’t know. It’s a small village, but… he’s barely spent any time in it. What if he’s lost somewhere?” After a moment, he added, “Even the further places to get food only take ten minutes from here.”

Sonic wanted to laugh. Manic never got lost. He could look at a map of something one time and know where everything on it was for the rest of his life. Sonic and Sonia puzzled about it for years. Manic would always just shrug it off and make some comment about needing to know directions to get around the maze of tunnels under Mobotropolis. Sonic wasn’t entirely convinced that was all there was to it.

“Do you really think so?” Amy sounded nervous now. “I mean… he can handle himself. It’s just to the village and back.” She paused. “Not that that’s without its problems, too. Mrs. Walrus, Fink, the Gogoba, Dave…”

“I’m not trying to freak anyone out,” Tails said. “I just don’t want Sonic to wake up and have to tell him no one knows where his brother is, you know?” His voice quieted a little. “He seems like he has enough to worry about.”

Silence. Then Amy clapped. “Alright! Guys, change of plans. We need to go look for Manic.”

“Wait, all of us?” Sticks demanded. “It’s not that big of an island. He can’t have gone far.”

“All of us,” Amy said, putting on her authoritative voice. “It’s what Sonic would do if he was awake, and he’s not. So, we’re going to go look.”

Sticks and Knuckles grumbled a bit. Amy added, “If you guys help find him, I’ll make pizza for dinner.”

“Pizza!” Knuckles and Sticks said in unison. Sonic heard both of them get up and run out the door. “I’ll find him!” Sticks yelled.

“Not if I find him first!” Knuckles parroted.

With both of them gone, the house was much quieter. Sonic held his breath in the silence, waiting for Amy to follow the other two out. Instead, she said, “You’re not coming, huh?”

Tails—where he was still stationed by Sonic’s bed—sighed. “I would.” He broke off, and Sonic heard him sit down on the other bed. “But…”

“But you’re worried about Sonic,” Amy finished softly. “I get it, Tails. We’re worried, too.”

“I just don’t want him to be alone when he wakes up,” Tails murmured. “I don’t mean to not help. If you want to stay, I can—”

“Tails.” Tails went quiet. “You’re his best friend. I understand.” She paused, a smile entering her voice. “Besides, I think Sonic would kill you if he plotted to get everyone out and I stayed behind.”

Sonic and Tails both froze. After a moment, Sonic let out a quiet sigh. Of course Amy knew he was awake—she probably hadn’t taken her eyes off of him since last night. “I’ll distract them all for a bit. Keep an eye on him for me, okay Tails?”

Tails hesitated before speaking. “I will. Thanks, Amy.”

She didn’t say anything else, and Sonic waited for her footsteps to disappear outside before opening his eyes. Tails was still sitting, his gaze fixed on Sonic as the hedgehog rolled over. “Dawn, huh?” he asked.

Tails looked… bad. There were bags under his eyes, exhaustion lining his posture as he blinked at Sonic. His blue eyes were clear, though—way clearer than Sonic felt. Sonic had a feeling he was to blame for the fox’s current state.

“Yeah,” Sonic said. He sat up, wincing in pain at all of the bandage-covered cuts. The bandages were thicker on his left bicep and around one of his thighs. “What are all these for?”

“Window got you good.” Tails gestured to his arm and leg. “You had a pretty big shard in your leg, and your arm was all kinds of cut up. Amy and Eggman spent about two hours just picking all of the individual pieces of glass out of your cuts.” His voice lowered a little. “It was bad, Sonic.”

Sonic didn’t like the tone Tails took on—mostly worry, but there was a little sadness there. “How about my head?” He knew he’d been bleeding, but he didn’t know the extent of the injury.

Tails pulled his legs up, resting his chin on his knees. “You didn’t lose too much blood, but you have a concussion. I’m supposed to call Eggman over now that you’re awake and have him check on you. He said there could be more damage to your head than we originally saw.” Before Sonic could ask the question, Tails said, “Manic was too shaken to be much help in patching you up, and Amy needed more hands. We called Eggman to help since I only know basic first aid and Sonia, Sticks, and Knuckles are useless at it.” His eyes clouded as he broke off. “Sonic, why was he so angry this time?”

Sonic reached up to feel the bandages around his head. He sighed. “When he found me that day on the beach, I told him Sonia and Manic were here.” His voice was quiet. “In all of these years of fighting, neither of us ever brought them up. It hurt too much. So when I did, he stopped. That’s how I got away with just that bruise.” A bruise that had barely healed by the time Sonic had new injuries to replace it. “But… he looked for them. And since they’ve been spending all of their time with Eggman, he never saw them. He thought I was lying.”

“Oh.” Tails’s tails flicked behind him, swishing softly against the bed. “That makes a lot of sense, actually.”

Sonic shrugged. “I didn’t think he’d look for them, and Eggman’s is the last place he would check.” Sonic buried his head in his hands. “And now he’s gone again, and I… I don’t know what to do.”

Sonic could practically feel Tails roll his eyes. “He’ll be back.”

The response was immediate. Sonic stilled, lifting his head to stare at the fox. Tails just calmly met his gaze. “What?”

Tails scoffed, but there was no malice behind it. “Sonic, look around you. Most people who hate somebody will go out of their way to avoid them. They won’t seek them out—especially not if they hurt them as much as Shadow thought you hurt him.” Tails nodded towards Sonic’s injuries. “He’s started all of these fights, yes, but… why do you think he did that?”

Sonic’s eyes dropped to his hands, which were both wrapped in a thin layer of bandages. His fingers were free, but there were little cuts here and there on them. “You think he did it to see me?”

“To keep up with you, definitely.” Tails held up a hand before Sonic could protest. “Think about it. He’s never started a fight when you were already dealing with something. He’s helped us before, though it took pretty detrimental circumstances. And I have a feeling he didn’t exactly enjoy going after you like that.”

Sonic shook his head, folding his hands in his lap to try and still some of the nerves. “Then why would he?”

“Three reasons.” Tails counted on his fingers. “First, there was probably some brief satisfaction in beating the living daylights out of you.” Sonic supposed that was probably fair. “Second, you’re kind of all he had left of the only home he’d ever known. And third…” Tails's voice softened a little. “Think of it from your point of view. Is there anything Shadow could do to you—just to you—that would make you never want to see him again?”

“No.” Sonic’s answer was immediate, and suddenly it all made a little more sense. He sat up a little straighter. “He didn’t want to hate me. Even when he thought he did.” Something sad entered his voice. “But… I think he wanted me to hate him.”

“That, and I mean… he loves you.” Sonic flinched at the words. Tails caught the movement and frowned. “Was that the first time he said it?” Sonic nodded. Tails looked thoughtful for a moment. “Can I ask a personal question?”

“Pretty sure this whole conversation is sort of personal, Tails,” Sonic pointed out.

“Fair.” Tails still hesitated a moment, though. Sonic felt like he should brace himself for the question. “Were you guys… together? Really together?”

Sonic blinked in surprise. Then he turned away from Tails, his eyes going to the broken window across the room. His friends had cleaned up all of the glass. He’d have to thank them for that when they got back later. “No.” Memories flashed behind his eyes, but one in particular seemed to snag in his head. “We weren’t, but… we both knew there was something there.”

--- “I knew it.” Sonic swung, his fist connecting hard with one of the water tanks in front of him. The metal dented considerably. Pain shot up his arm, rendering him a little useless for a moment, but it helped with the anger rolling through him. “I knew this was going to happen.”

“Sonic, breathe.” Shadow’s eyes were as clear as they always were, but Sonic could see the worry in them. “We’re going to be fine. We just need to find a way to get out.”

The sirens were almost silent from the room he and Shadow had found. Manic and Sonia were together, but Sonic still didn’t know where. His communicator wasn’t working. “We should’ve never come here.” Sonic knew the factory was a trap, but he didn’t press hard enough. He should’ve pressed. His hand throbbed, and he hissed out a breath as he cradled it to his chest. “I really shouldn’t have done that.”

“Let me see.” Shadow stepped close, carefully taking Sonic’s hand in his. His knuckles were raw and bleeding, but there wasn’t any bruising. “Good thing I taught you how to properly throw a punch.”

“You mean good thing I taught you.” Sonic smiled—just a little. It fell almost immediately. “I don’t know what to do from here.”

Shadow shrugged. “Well, first, we have to get out of here.” His trademark scowl found its way to his face. “Robotnik is sure to have this place crawling soon. Sonia and Manic know the rendezvous point. We just have to get out before any of the civilians are hurt.”

Sonic opened his mouth to reply, some comment about how he was surprised Robotnik would put so many citizens in jeopardy. He’d gone far, but never this far. There had to be more than a hundred people in this building.

Before he could say anything, though, the entire building shook. Sonic heard screams, then a loud crash that felt like it resonated through his bones. Dread filled his stomach faster than he could process. He stared at the door of the room. “That… that was a bomb.” His voice was quiet, the smallest note of panic entering it. Suddenly, this felt much more real than it had before. People died in this war, but not like this. Not this many at once. “Bombs, Shadow, he’s—he’s trying to kill us.” His voice shook. “Sonia and Manic, they—”

“Sonic.” Shadow reached out, his hands landing on Sonic’s shoulders. Shadow had snapped into that cold focus he always adopted when things got bad. “Listen to me. Sonia and Manic are okay. We need to go find them before more people get hurt. He won’t blow up anything if we’re not here.”

Sonic knew he was right, but some foreign fear had settled in his stomach. He was almost never scared for his little group. They were powerful enough—and trained enough—that they were nearly invincible as a unit. But this factory was full of normal citizens, people who had no part in this war.

Sonic remembered, very suddenly, how mortal all of them were.

Sonic grabbed Shadow’s hands, holding him in place. “Promise me we’ll all get out.” His voice came out as a whisper. “This is bigger. It’s worse than anything we normally do. I can’t—I can’t keep doing this without you guys.” He held tighter. “Promise me we’ll get out.”

Shadow’s eyes softened—just for a moment. “We’ll get out, Sonic.” He didn’t let go. “All four of us, and everyone else we can save. We’ll be okay.” He reached up and tapped Sonic’s forehead. “Now, I need you to straighten this out and tell us where to go. You’re our leader. You need to act like it.”

Shadow was right. Sonic held his gaze for a moment, then let out a soft breath. “Okay.” He steeled himself, straightening his spine. “Okay. You’re right. We have to go—the rendezvous is easy enough to find, and I have that map memorized. Out this door, first left, fifth door on the right, down the stairs, second set of double doors on the right.” Repeating the directions made him feel a little better, and he nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Sonic rushed for the door, yanking it open. He immediately froze. “Oh, god,” Shadow whispered, stopping behind Sonic in the doorway. Horror filled Sonic faster than he could process, and he stumbled back into Shadow.

It was the worst thing he’d ever seen. The wall across from them had a hole blown through it, not quite big enough to fit anyone through. But they could see. The explosion had been close. What they saw beyond the wall was chaos—fire, people screaming, sprinkler systems going off. There was one woman crouched next to a pile of rubble, a haunted look in her eyes. Sonic watched as someone else grabbed her and hauled her to her feet before running out of the room with her in tow. “Shadow,” Sonic said breathlessly.

Shadow’s hands landed on Sonic’s shoulders, spinning him around. “Sonic. Listen to me.” He shook him a little, focusing Sonic’s attention. “We will be okay. We will get out. This will all be behind us.” Sonic tried to protest, but Shadow didn’t let him. “Don’t tell me I’m wrong. I refuse to leave this place without all three of you beside me. I won’t do it.”

Sonic wasn’t usually one to be afraid, but something in his chest just felt wrong. Maybe it was the people who had already been hurt. Maybe it was the knowledge that Shadow couldn’t guarantee their safety. Maybe it was the awful feeling he’d gotten before coming here that something would go terribly wrong. “And I won’t leave without you,” he whispered.

Something in Shadow’s eyes changed. He held Sonic’s gaze for a moment, then looked past him to the destruction their presence had already caused. Sonic could see the flames reflected in his eyes. Shadow swore. “This is bad,” he said, more to himself than to Sonic. Sonic’s eyes widened a little. Shadow was always the last person to show anything other than unflinching confidence.

Before Sonic could say anything, Shadow fixed his gaze back on Sonic as if he would find any kind of answer there. And apparently he did, because before Sonic knew what was happening, Shadow was grabbing him by the back of the neck and yanking him into a kiss.

Sonic’s eyes flew wide. Shadow—Shadow, who Sonic had loved for months, who almost never showed affection, who was known for his standoffish demeanor—was kissing him.

Sonic wondered if he would die from this alone, exploding factory be damned.

He wondered if he cared.

Shadow pulled away before Sonic could react, his eyes grim. “Don’t die,” he ordered, his eyes searching Sonic’s. “Please,” he added a little more quietly. “For me.”

Sonic’s heart was beating painfully fast. But Shadow kissed him—Shadow asked him not to die for him, Shadow made all of the pining and looks and back-and-forth real. It was real. Sonic couldn’t help his smile, even if he knew they were in the middle of a disaster. They would be okay. After all of this was over, with this new door open before him, they would be more than okay. “I won’t,” he promised. ---

Part of him wished he didn’t remember the whole thing so clearly. The rest of him cherished the memory like it was all he had left. It had been, for a while. “There was one thing that night at the factory. The night I left,” he told Tails. He wouldn’t meet the fox’s eyes. “Right when things got bad, once it clicked in his head that it wouldn’t be easy to get out of there alive, he… kissed me.” Tails's eyes shot wide. “Maybe he thought he had to do it, even if it was just once. Maybe he realized we were in too much danger to keep waiting. I don’t know why he did it.” His voice quieted. “I never got the chance to ask.”

Tails was quiet for a moment. When he did speak, his voice was careful. He didn’t mention the kiss. “And… do you love him?”

Sonic froze. He didn’t expect the question from the fox. “What?”

“Do you love him?” Tails repeated. “Look, the way I see it, this is just a waiting game. Shadow will come back—he always has. But… after all of that, I don’t think you should go into this halfway.” Tails dropped his legs, leaning on the edge of the bed. “So do you love him?”

Sonic didn’t need to think about the question. He’d known how he felt about Shadow for long enough that there was no denying it. “I do.”

“Despite everything that’s happened?”

“Because of everything that’s happened.”

Tails smiled, settling more comfortably on the bed. “Then, there you go.” He shrugged. “Wait for Shadow to come back. Tell him that, even if you think he already knows. Maybe that’s all you guys need to fix this.”

Tails had a point. But… “And… what about now? What about before he comes back?”

“He’ll be around.” Tails chuckled. “If there’s one thing we know about Shadow, it’s that he doesn’t quit. He’ll be keeping an eye on you, and… he’ll come back when he’s ready.”

Sonic smiled a little. He wanted to thank his friend, to tell him he appreciated the spare time to talk. Before he could, though, Sticks’s voice filtered through the doorway. “I found him!”

“You didn’t! I saw him first, that means I found him!” Knuckles yelled back.

“And I touched him first! That’s how it works!”

“He was literally in the middle of the road,” Amy said over them both. “Neither of you found him, he was—” Sonic turned right as Amy stepped into the doorway, something sparking in her eyes. She smiled a little. “You’re awake.”

“He’s awake?” Sonic heard his brother before he saw him. Amy scooted to the side as Manic stopped in the doorway, relief breaking out over his brother’s face. “Sonic.”

Manic—who was holding a few paper bags that Amy quickly took from him, ran across the room. He plopped down next to Sonic and dragged him into a hug. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “All of this, the thing with Shadow, that night at the factory… I’m sorry for all of it.”

Sonic chuckled, not caring about the little stinging feeling everywhere Manic was touching. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Manic. I’m okay.”

Manic sat back, looking Sonic up and down. “Are you okay? I mean… physically, obviously, you kind of took a beating. But…” He frowned a little. “Everything else. How is… all of that?”

Sonic saw his friends—who had walked into the kitchen to separate the food—subtly pause to listen to whatever he said next. Sonic rolled his eyes, though not without affection. “Come on, you three. Get over here. I’ll explain everything.”

“Oh, thank god.” Sticks grabbed a bag and ran, jumping on the bed Tails was still on. Tails raised an eyebrow at her before focusing back on Sonic. “Amy said we shouldn’t ask, but we’ve had bets going on about whatever Shadow’s deal is for years. I gotta know if I won.”

“Sticks!” Amy scolded. She followed, though, handing a bag to Manic and sitting on the bed next to him and Sonic. Knuckles flopped in the hammock. “I’m sorry, Sonic. We really weren’t trying to meddle.”

Sonic shrugged. “Eh, we’re all meddlers.” Manic reached into his bag, pulling out a burger and handing it to Sonic. Sonic eyed it, but eventually took it. “I’ll make my own bet, though, and guess that Amy’s gonna win.”

“Don’t speak too soon, Hedgehog,” Sticks said dubiously. “My robot theory could still be true. Especially if Shadow came from Mobius. He was someone’s creation all along, and he was sent here to destroy you!”

“Yeah, that’s not true. I think.” Sticks let out a groan, but was immediately distracted by Tails reaching into her bag and pulling out food. Sonic scooted a little so Manic and Amy could fit more comfortably on the bed. “But… we did know each other. And he did come from Mobius.”

So, Sonic launched into the explanation. To his friends, he shared their past. Finding Shadow, training him with the Freedom Fighters, his role in helping Mobius. That was probably why their fights always went like they did, Sonic explained—they taught each other everything they knew. They were equally matched in every way save for Sonic refusing to actually hurt the other hedgehog.

Telling the story of the factory was getting a little easier. All of his friends still went silent. Tails’s look was knowing, but grim. Amy looked like she wanted to cry. Even Knuckles sat up and listened avidly. Sonia and Eggman walked in at some point during the explanation, Sonia’s eyes immediately going to her brother. She just murmured a thank-you to Amy for calling her and crowded in next to Sonic, sliding a subtle hand into her brother’s.

Then came the fun part—the part Manic and Sonia didn’t know. He directed his attention more to his siblings as he dove into the details of what happened on the island—how Shadow showed up, the fights they got in, a few key events over the years. He told them how mad Shadow was, and how he never told his friends anything that happened. He painted himself as he was: the sole person, save for Shadow, that knew everything the whole time.

When he stopped talking, nobody spoke for a moment. Everyone had eaten while he talked, and food trash was gathered in the bags on the floor. Sonic hadn’t touched his burger. The varying looks of pity, understanding, and confusion were the only indication of anyone’s feelings until Amy spoke. “I just have… one question.”

Sonic had been waiting for it. He didn’t bring up the words on the beach at all—when Shadow said he loved him—or any of his and Shadow’s romantic past, really. He didn’t plan to unless someone asked. “Go ahead,” he said. “I’m a little surprised you didn’t ask sooner.”

Amy leaned forward, immediately speaking. “Shadow said he loved you. He said it out loud, where all of us could hear him. Clearly.”

“He what?” Knuckles pitched forward fast enough to fall out of the hammock, and Sticks slammed her hands down on the bed as both of them yelled. Tails flinched away from her. “When did he say that?” Sticks demanded.

“Right after he was done giving him a concussion,” Sonia deadpanned. Sonic shot her a look.

Amy hadn’t taken her eyes off of Sonic. “Well, the backstory makes sense. Except… what about that? Were you two together back then? You looked… surprised, to say the least. When he said it.”

Sonic fidgeted with the bandages on his hands. “No.” Amy’s face went blank very suddenly. Knuckles and Sticks both froze in place. “We weren’t ever together. I mean… I’ve had feelings for him forever, sure, and I was always pretty sure he had them back. But we never… I don’t know. Made anything official?”

For a moment, none of them spoke. Then Knuckles’s voice came from the floor, where he hadn’t gotten up after falling out of the hammock. “I won?”

“Hang on,” Amy said, raising her hands. “Let’s not be rash. I think we need to ask a few more questions.” She paused. “Besides, you knew them before. You should be disqualified.”

“I saw them three times, Amy. I didn’t even know who Shadow was.”

“I don’t know, Amy,” Tails added, his voice pleasantly surprised. “I kinda think he won.”

“Wait, Knuckles won?” Sonic looked between them incredulously. “How?”

Knuckles laughed. “Amy thought you guys were broken up! She thought you were together and then weren’t!” He put his hands on his hips proudly. “I said you were probably never together, and all of this was some ridiculous, backwards way of expressing your love for each other. That puts me closer than her, at least.”

“Um…” Manic broke in. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but… neither of you were right.” Everyone stared at him. He scratched his head nervously. “I mean… that’s true, sure, but it wasn’t the reason for anything. The reason was because he thought Sonic betrayed him.”

They all stared at each other for a moment. Then Sticks said, “Technically, betrayal was part of my theory.”

That’s when the fighting broke out. Knuckles protested, and he and Sticks started yelling over each other trying to claim who won the bet. Tails looked between them, boredom evident in his eyes. Eggman, from the doorway, had pulled out popcorn and a chair from god knew where. Sonic was trying to figure out if his affection for his friends or the desire to crawl under the covers and go back to sleep was winning out. His head hurt too much for this.

“Alright, alright!” Amy yelled over the cacophony. Knuckles and Sticks fell silent. “Tails has everything in writing. We can figure out who won later.” She turned to Sonic before anyone could protest. Completely ignoring everything about the bet that had just happened, she said, “Are you okay? This… can’t be easy.”

Sonic didn’t want to really consider that question. He knew what the answer would be. “I’m… fine.” Everyone in the room looked at him as if they knew it was a lie. He scoffed. “What am I supposed to say, you guys? That I feel like I did that night back in Mobius? That I already miss him more than I ever did before? That I love him and I’d take all of the fights and losses and all of it if it just meant that he was here?” His voice broke a little on the last word. He steadied it before he started crying again, ignoring the pitying looks he was getting from every angle. “I can’t. Not now. I have a kingdom to run, and a war to fight, and an entire civilization of people to try and save. Sure, maybe I want nothing more than to sleep for the next month, but I can’t do that.” He looked down at his hands, one of which Sonia was still holding. She squeezed. “I can’t.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Then Amy let out a tiny sigh. “Alright.” She mustered up a smile, convincing enough that Sonic actually felt a little better. “Well, you’re not doing any work today. Eggman’s going to check you out, and you’re going to relax.” At Sonic’s protests, Amy rolled her eyes. “Sonic, you’re hurt. You’re hurt pretty badly, actually. Take a day to heal. Just one, and then you can go back to being the hero everyone knows and loves. Deal?”

Sonic didn’t like the idea of sitting around all day and not doing anything. He planned to use his title to keep himself busy, to keep his mind off of everything with Shadow. Amy had that uncompromising look on her face, though, and he knew better than to fight with her by now. He sighed. “Fine.”

She nodded. “Thank you.” She stood, gesturing for Sonia and Manic to do the same. “Clear out a little, guys. Let Eggman come over here.”

“Don’t any of you think it’s weird that you still call him Eggman?” Sonia spoke with curiosity, reaching into the bag Sticks was still holding and taking one of the few remaining burgers the badger had claimed as her own. Sticks let her surprisingly easily. They got along weirdly well. “You know his name. And Manifold, don’t you… I don’t know, dislike the name? Find it a little offensive?”

Eggman walked over, setting the bag he’d brought on the bed beside Sonic. “I actually don’t mind it,” he answered. “I’ve gone by Eggman for so long now that it’s normal. And I mean… I sort of started the nickname thing myself, so.” He shrugged. “The last person to call me Manifold—besides Orbot and Cubot, who I reprogrammed after settling here—was my mother. It’s actually more odd hearing that than Eggman.”

“Good, because I would rather let you implant a robot in my brain that will eat through it and make a home there and turn me into one of you than call you Manifold.” Everyone looked at Sticks as she spoke. She briefly looked up, met their varying looks, and went back to rummaging in her bag for stray fries. “What? I felt like that was reasonable.”

“It wasn’t.” Sticks rolled her eyes at Amy’s response. “What I think Sticks is trying to say is that we’ve only ever known you as Eggman. Calling you anything else would feel… odd.”

“Abnormal,” Tails agreed.

“Bad,” Knuckles added.

“Really, really wrong,” Sonic finished. “I guess we could stop with some of the nicknames, but… no promises.”

Eggman shrugged. “They don’t bother me too much. Besides, accepting weird nicknames is the least I can do.” He pulled some things from the bag—bandages and some kind of salve and a few other medical things Sonic half recongized—and glanced at Sonic. “Is it alright if I check your head wound?”

Sonic’s nose wrinkled. “I’ll never get used to you being… helpful.” He scooted to the edge of the bed, though, and nodded for Eggman to continue. “I suppose I should be thanking you for helping in the first place.”

Eggman started unwinding the bandages around Sonic’s head. “Again, least I can do.” He paused for a moment. “I know I haven’t said it much, Sonic, but I truly am sorry for everything I’ve done. I guess I never stopped to consider how it could be harmful to you.” He sighed. “And… I’m sorry for bringing Shadow along that time, too. I didn’t know you knew each other. I definitely didn’t know he could be that… violent.”

Sonic looked away from Eggman, which was hard with him standing so close. “I still don’t understand why you did it.” He winced as the last of the bandages came off, pain stinging through the back of his head. “There were more ways to go about it. But you’ve also been a huge help here. So…” He shrugged. “Help us win this war. I care more about my kingdom than… whatever we’ve had going on all these years. So if you do that… I’ll restore your place in Mobotropolis. Should you want that.”

“My resources are yours,” Eggman said. “All of them. The robots, the devices, whatever I have in my fortress. I am at your service.”

Sonic managed to catch Sticks’s expression, mostly because she was the only one he could see. She paused as soon as she heard the words “I am at your service,” right as she shoved a handful of fries into her mouth. Her eyebrows furrowed and her nose scrunched up, some mix of shock, disapproval, and outright disgust on her face. Coupled with the food stuffed in her mouth…

Sonic burst out laughing.

Everyone in the room froze. Sticks’s expression smoothed out, her eyes fixing on Sonic as everyone else’s did. Eggman took a confused step back. “Um…” Eggman said.

“It’s not you,” Sonic gasped out. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s—” He broke off laughing again, wishing the motion didn’t send so much pain through him. “Sticks, my god, your face.” He grabbed his side, still laughing half-hysterically. “Oh, god, ow.”

“What’s wrong with my face?” Sticks asked, reaching up to pat around at her fur. Nothing had been on it before, but she left salt wherever she touched. “Your face is the problem! You should look at you! See!”

She reached into the bag and grabbed a handful of fries, tossing all of them right at Sonic’s face. Chaos broke out immediately. Sonic ignored the pain in his head and Eggman’s requests for him to sit still as he picked up the fries and started throwing them back at Sticks. One hit her square in the nose, and it was only Amy’s ridiculously fast reflexes that kept Sticks from launching herself at Sonic. Amy grabbed her around the middle, shoving her at a waiting Knuckles and yelling for everyone to stop. Sonia and Manic just watched, identical smiles on his siblings’ faces as they got a true taste of Sonic’s life here. Tails was just watching Sonic with a small smile on his face.

And Sonic laughed. He laughed, the sound real despite everything happening around him. He knew what Tails’s smile meant. Maybe things weren’t the best right now, sure. Maybe Sonic had a moderate amount of pain and a ludicrously large amount of work to get through before he could even hope to relax. Maybe thinking about Shadow would ruin him for weeks to come. But… his life had always been chaotic, hadn’t it? He’d always managed to get through it before. This was just another rough patch that would end the same way all of them did: with him and his friends sprawled out on the beach, complaining about how difficult life was while they munched on fruit and watched the stars spread out over the sky. It would be fine.

And hopefully when it was, Shadow would be there, too.

Chapter Text

~~ “Honey, now this house feels like a grave. And now I cannot help but take the blame for every stain, for messes I’ve made with your heart. They’re up, ready, they’ve been six feet underneath. Can’t you see?” ~~

On the roof of Sonic’s house, his voice carried better than it did in most places. This was his favorite place to bring his guitar, to bask under the sunlight or the stars and play to his heart’s content. Sometimes, when he was up here, his friends would sit in his house or on the beach and listen for a while. No one but Tails ever followed him onto the roof. They knew to leave him when he was up there.

People had been in and out of the shack all day, keeping an eye on him and making sure he didn’t need anything. He didn’t. It was nice of his friends, though, to watch out for him. He knew they were worried. He understood why they were, too. He wished they wouldn’t be, but… that was who they were. They were nicest people he knew, chaos and all. They’d do anything for him. He would do anything for them, too, so he couldn’t blame them.

He’d been bored though, so… scribbling out songs in his songbook helped. Sitting in his house with a guitar and his friends was the most normal thing that had happened in the last week. Amy, as per usual, was fascinated with watching him play. Sticks would occasionally make some backhanded, joking comment about his lyrics. Knuckles kept asking him to play songs he didn’t know. Tails just sat at the head of his bed and listened, ears perked to hear the music, fidgeting with the toaster he’d broken that morning.

After a while, though, he’d needed the peace of the roof. Part of him wanted to say it was just for the fresh air and time to think alone. Something in him told him Shadow was listening, though, and he knew that was part of it. Maybe he felt a little ridiculous about sitting up here like this, singing to someone who might be too far away to listen. It just made him feel a little less powerless over the whole thing. A little more in control.

So, he sang.

~~ “So our times come around, and our wounds run deep. There ain’t no words to speak. Honey, bury me. Watch it fall, let it drown in a deep blue sea. Baby, bury me. Honey, bury me.” ~~

Part of Sonic knew the song reeked of finality, but he also knew Shadow was too smart to think it meant he was done with all of this chaos.

Despite the somber lyrics, the song’s melody wasn’t as slow as they suggested. Playing something on his magical guitar instead of the plain, acoustic one he was used to… it made him feel more like his old self. He kind of loved it. Not that he was saying anything bad about his current self, because… he had to be honest. They were two different people. He’d grown up the ragtag, beat up freedom-fighting kid who lived for danger and acted like he knew everything. Now, he was still sarcastic and fun-loving, sure. A little arrogant, too. But he was also an adult. He had a house, and a job, and a significantly more comfortable lifestyle than he’d had in Mobius. He didn’t dislike his life here on the island. Not at all.

He still missed Mobius, and it would be a different place when he and his family were ruling. But he would miss this, too, when he was gone. Especially because he still had so many questions. Would his friends come with him? Could this island really be official Mobian territory? Would they even like the capital city after living carefree on a beach for so long? Would he? He didn’t know if he was built for building-lined streets or people everywhere or mainstream technology or any of it anymore. He loved this island. What would he do when he had to leave?

It was one of the reasons he wanted to talk to Shadow so badly. Shadow always understood. Sonic had a longing for freedom that his brother and sister couldn’t relate to. Sonia and Manic would’ve both happily stayed in Mobotropolis for the rest of their lives. Shadow was the one Sonic would always go talk to when he couldn’t relate to that, when he was worried he’d be letting his siblings down if he didn’t want to stay, too.

He did love Mobotropolis. But it always felt so… small. Especially now. He’d travelled so far since leaving. And if he thought Mobius was big before… there was a whole world out there. Endless space for him to explore and learn and see. Even here, he was spending every day and night staring out at the ocean. It made him feel small. Like the world was just out there waiting for him to have the courage to get up and explore it.

When he got home, what if he just felt…. trapped?

He sighed, pausing in his strumming and singing. Maybe this wasn’t what he wanted to hear right now. He switched tactics, the next melody he started a more upbeat one. He wrote this one with Shadow ages ago. Shadow knew as much, since Sonic had played it for him back in Mobius. The other hedgehog loved hearing Sonic sing. It was the one thing he had no problems with admitting, the one bit of vulnerability Shadow allowed himself to constantly show. Sonic wrote songs about everything he felt. He’d often run them by Shadow, since his siblings could be kinda judgey. It also gave Sonic an excuse to play Shadow the songs he wrote about him.

Not to mention Shadow was a lyrical genius, and he’d helped Sonic with words he was stuck on more times than he could count.

He cleared his throat before he started singing again. ~~ “I’ve been reading all the papers, everything is going down. Got this feeling like I’m waiting for someone like you to come around.” ~~

He could almost still picture Shadow turning away as he sang that line, thinking it would keep Sonic from seeing the way he blushed. It didn’t work. Sonic smiled a little.

~~ “Let’s get lost, lose ourselves, and get away from here. See if we can make it to another atmosphere.” His voice rose a little, a bit of his old confidence returning with the song. “Let’s get high, let’s get low, let’s get lost tonight. Cause only you can make it seem like everything’s alright.” ~~

It was probably one of the most honest things he’d ever written, covered up with a fun beat and background vocals his siblings usually sang. Everything in Mobius was always falling apart. Sometimes, it was nice to think they could just leave. To picture them off somewhere, away from all of the chaos, some anonymous face just living a life free of pain and loss and the war he was destined to be a part of.

They had that right now, if he thought about it. Here on this island.

Sonic wondered if they’d ever forgive themselves for wasting all of it fighting.

“Sonic?”

Sonic stopped playing as a voice sounded below him. He used a hand to shade his eyes, looking down off the side of the roof. Amy was standing there, green eyes staring up at him. “Sorry to bug you. Dinner’s ready, though.”

Sonic glanced out at the ocean. The sunset cast an orange glow over the beach, bringing Amy’s fur from its normal baby pink to an almost reddish hue. “Oh. I didn’t realize how late it was.” He looked down at the guitar in his hands, wondering if he should tell her he wanted to finish his song first. He didn’t. “I’ll be down in a second.”

He moved to climb off of the roof (using a ladder, god forbid, because Manic made him) when he heard a clanking sound from somewhere on the beach. It was one usually followed by a fight, thanks to all of his years of dealing with Eggman and Robotnik, and all of his senses went on alert as if on instinct. “Oh, man. What are those two up to this time?” Amy asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “Not one night of peace from their machines.”

‘Oh, yeah. Eggman’s not attacking us anymore,’ Sonic remembered. He relaxed a little, climbing down the ladder and landing in the sand. Part of him wondered if he’d ever be able to see a robot again without immediately going on alert. “Which one of them do you think built this one?” Amy asked, reaching out to steady the ladder as it wobbled. “Tails or Eggman?”

“Maybe both. They’ve been—” Sonic turned, his eyes searching for the source of the noise. His voice trailed off as he saw it. Half of his instincts screamed at him to run, to disappear and hope it left on its own. The rest of him froze, horror filling his chest. Not now. It’s too soon. “No,” he breathed.

It looked almost completely different than Sonic remembered. Newer. The Swatbot still had Robotnik written all over it, though. The bulky frames had been condensed to something more humanoid, something with blinking red eyes and hands that ended in weapons Sonic didn’t like seeing at all. The red and purple coloring was the same, as was the logo of Robotnik’s empire stamped on its chest. It was much smaller, though, as if Robotnik finally realized his disadvantage rested in speed and not in power. As if he were trying harder.

Sonic felt, rather suddenly, like he couldn’t breathe.

Amy turned to him, her expression confused. “Sonic?” She must’ve seen the look on his face, because her hammer was already out and in her hands. Sonic wanted to beg her to put it away and leave. “What’s wrong?”

The Swatbot moved, then. Something like words came out of its mouth, but they were garbled and incoherent. It half-turned, revealing a wire loose and sparking in the back of its head. Its eyes flicked around in a confused sort of way before they landed on Amy. More garbled sounds came out, followed by a brief whirring noise from the bot.

Then it raised its arm.

“Amy, move!” Sonic shouted. He disregarded his injuries completely, launching forward and shoving Amy out of the way as the bot shot. It missed, but Sonic heard the beam hit a tree. “No no no, they can’t be here yet. It’s too soon.”

Amy ducked out from under Sonic, raising her hammer and glaring at the robot. “Got it. Fight now, talk later.” She shot Sonic a wicked smile. “It’s been too long since I’ve smashed something.”

“Amy, no!” Sonic grabbed her arm, pushing her back and reaching for his medallion. He gestured to the robot, which had lowered its arm again and was walking in slow, confused circles. “You can’t fight that. It’s one of Robotnik’s. They’re called Swatbots, and I promise, they make all of Eggman’s robots look like Cubot.”

Sonic squeezed the medallion, willing the guitar still slung around his neck to change. It morphed into its more brutal form, the three-necked electric guitar he’d sported as a teenager. Amy shook her head. “I’ve got it, Sonic, I promise.”

“Amy—” She was already gone, though, running towards the monster with her hammer up. Sonic scrambled to get his guitar in place. “Amy, don’t!”

Amy jumped. She reeled the hammer back, letting out a battle cry and slamming it down towards the bot. Sonic didn’t have a clear shot—not with Amy there. He tried to run, to get to her in time, but his hurt leg gave out and he skidded on the sand. All he could do was watch in horror as the bot looked up, its eyes blinking as it registered Amy’s oncoming attack—

And caught the hammer.

The weapon at the end of the bot’s arm morphed into a hand in an instant, its fingers locking around the hammer. Amy dangled from the other end as if she didn’t know what had just happened. For a terrifying, still moment, it just stood there.

Then it threw her.

It pulled the hammer back and flung it, sending Amy careening with it. She was smart enough to let go of the weapon, letting it crash into a nearby boulder hard enough to crack the stone. She was still thrown hard, though, and she hit the sand and practically bounced off of it before rolling to a stop.

She didn’t move after that.

“Amy!” Sonic screamed. He barely spared the bot a glance, slamming his hand down on the strings of the guitar and sending way too strong of a beam at it. It exploded, thoroughly enough that there was barely even shrapnel to worry about. Sonic didn’t care. He let the guitar vanish, scrambling to his feet and skidding to a stop at Amy’s side.

He carefully turned her onto her back, resting her head against his arm. Her eyes were closed. “Amy,” he whispered. One of her arms was bent wrong, probably a dislocated shoulder. Other than that and a huge scrape down her leg, though, nothing looked outwardly wrong. “Why didn’t you listen?” he whispered.

He was incredibly gentle as he lifted her from the ground, cradling her against his chest. “Hang on,” he murmured. He shot one glance back at the vague remnants of the bot, held Amy a little tighter, and shot off towards Tails’s workshop. He didn’t care that he wasn’t supposed to be running, or about the pain in his leg. Tails could yell at him for it if he really wanted to.

He got to the shop in record time, barreling straight through the door. Tails, Manic, Knuckles, and Sticks all looked up, the latter hissing and dropping into a defensive stance. She dropped it as she saw Sonic. “Sonic?” she asked.

Manic saw Amy first. His eyes shot wide. “Amy!” He ran forward, stopping in front of Sonic. He reached out as if to touch her, but stopped before he could. His gaze went to Sonic. “What happened?”

“Swatbot,” Sonic said immediately. Manic paled. “I tried to tell her to let me handle it, that it was worse than anything she’d dealt with before. She didn’t listen.” He shuddered as he remembered her body hitting the ground. “She needs a full check. Her shoulder is dislocated, but I don’t know anything else.”

Tails was there in an instant. “I called Eggman.” He gestured to one of his work tables. “Knuckles, clean that off. Just push everything onto the floor. Sticks, go grab a blanket from that cabinet.” He gestured to Sonic. “Come on, she can go here for now.”

“She’s the one who knows how to patch everyone up,” Sonic said, unable to keep the worry from his voice. “Eggman, sure, and you and Manic have gained enough knowledge from fixing me over the years. But… she’s the one who’s good at this stuff.” Knuckles and Sticks worked fast, and by the time Sonic got to the table, Sticks was laying out the blanket. “That thing, it… it just stopped her hammer mid-swing. And then it threw her. She let go of the hammer, but… I’m worried she hurt something I can’t see when she hit the ground.”

“Set her down,” Tails murmured. Manic was hovering, his eyes worried and sad as he stood by the table. Sonic carefully lowered Amy. “First thing’s first, her shoulder is dislocated. Manic, do you know how to put that back into place? I don’t want it to affect blood flow if we leave it too long.”

Manic nodded. “Yeah, I—I can.” He shot a wobbly, trying smile at Sonic. “Remember when you fell off the roof?”

“Dislocated my shoulder and three fingers in one go,” Sonic answered. He nodded at Manic, his voice softening. “You know how to do this. She’s going to be okay. Take a breath.” Manic pulled in a deep breath, then let it out. “Amy’s resilient, and she’s the scariest person I know. She wouldn’t let one Swatbot take her down.”

Manic chuckled. “She’s not all that scary.” He moved forward, though, his expression shifting to something serious. “Alright. Knuckles, you’re strong, so come here. Put your hands there and there, and hold her tight.” Knuckles did as instructed. “Sticks, go get a rag and some hydrogen peroxide so I can clean that scrape. Tails, you make Sonic sit down so you can fix those stitches.”

“Fix what?” Sonic looked down, his eyes going wide as he saw his leg. “Oh.” The bandages around his thigh were soaked in blood, some of it having trailed down his leg, too. “I didn’t even feel it. Or know I had stitches.”

“Seventeen of them,” Tails supplied. “Might need more than that depending on how they tore.” He dragged a chair over and lightly pushed Sonic into it. “Luckily for you, that’s one thing I can do. Thanks to a certain someone.”

Apparently his adrenaline was still up, because Sonic still couldn’t feel anything more than a mild sting from the cut. He chuckled dryly. “It was pretty funny, watching Amy lecture you when you did them wrong the first time.” Years ago, Sonic managed to injure himself (as he had a habit of doing) pretty badly, and Amy was out for the day. Tails took it upon himself to stitch up the cut. When Amy came back, she took one look at it and gave the fox a thorough scolding, and then made him learn how to do proper stitches for future reference. He’d stitched Sonic up countless times since then. “At least now you’re better at it.”

“I’ve had plenty of practice,” Tails deadpanned. He disappeared for a moment, then returned with a small suture kit, some bandages, and a few rags. “Alright, let’s see the damage here. Don’t move.”

Sonic didn’t even pay attention as Tails unwrapped the wound, his eyes flicking back up to Manic and Amy. Manic’s eyes were focused despite the pain in them as he tugged Amy’s arm, and Sonic winced as it cracked back into place. Amy let out a strangled cry, jerking against Knuckles’s hands. Manic was there immediately, one hand cupping her wrist and the other trailing over her hair. Amy’s eyes opened. “Manic?” she asked softly.

“I’m here, Amy,” he murmured. “You’re okay. Eggman is on his way, and he’ll make sure you’re alright.”

Amy mustered a small smile at Manic. Then her eyes slid shut again. Manic let out a harsh breath, the fingers on Amy’s wrist pressing down. Sonic imagined his brother was feeling her pulse, making sure she was okay. His heart hurt a little at the sight.

So, Sonic tried to distract his brother. “Robotnik sure has put a lot into those Swatbots.”

Manic turned, his hand still resting against Amy’s pulse. “I know,” he said grimly. “He’s spent years perfecting them, and that’s what he has now. They’re small, they’re fast, and they’re completely ruthless.” He shook his head. “We’ve lost countless Resistance members to this new batch.”

“They never used to be easy, but they were… manageable.” Sonic winced a little as Tails worked on his leg. “The Resistance members could take them down. They had to learn, but… Amy’s skill is nearly unmatched. My whole team is.”

“They can be stopped.” Manic had gained a little color back, but he still hadn’t loosened his grip on Amy. “Not just by us, either–Sonia and I were laying low. The Resistance can deal with them. They have their weaknesses, as all other bots do.”

Sonic thought of the garbled speech, of the blinking red eyes and the loose wire. “Do they talk now? This one was making all these weird noises before it attacked either of us. Something on it was damaged, but I don’t know how badly.”

“They can typically have semi-coherent conversations. Not sentient, but not useless, either.” Manic’s gaze darkened. “If a broken one did this to her…” His voice lowered. “She can’t die, Sonic. Not like this. Not for a war she was never supposed to be a part of.”

“You’re crazy if you think Amy would let herself get taken down that easily.” Sonic let himself smile a little, his voice softening. “You really care about her, huh?”

Manic didn’t take his eyes off of Amy. “Yeah,” his brother murmured. “I do.”

The door burst open before Sonic could formulate a reply to that, Eggman and Sonia pausing in the doorway for a moment. Then Eggman ran in, dropping his supplies at the end of the table Amy was on. “Alright, someone talk to me. What am I looking at here?”

“She hit the ground. Hard,” Sonic filled in, sitting forward a little as if he were going to get up. Tails immediately pushed him back. “A Swatbot stopped her hammer in midair, then it threw both of them. She let go, but if you need to know how hard she was thrown in the first place, the rock her hammer hit cracked.” He tried to keep his voice steady. “Her shoulder was dislocated, too, but Manic put it back.”

Manic held fast to Amy, an almost threatening look on his face as Eggman moved closer to her. He went to her arm first, lifting it and examining quickly. “Good job, Manic. You did the right thing. I’ll take it from here.”

Manic didn’t move. Eggman paused, looking between the two of them for a moment. His gaze softened. “She’ll be fine. I know what I’m doing. But I can’t examine her properly with you here.”

When Manic still didn’t move, Sonia stepped forward. “Manic,” she murmured. She reached out, wrapping an arm around her brother’s shoulders. “Come on. Let him help her. You have to let go so he can fix anything that might be wrong with her.”

Manic looked at her, then turned back to Amy. He leaned down, gentler than Sonic had ever seen him, and pressed a careful kiss to her forehead. “Please be okay,” Sonic heard him whisper. “Please?”

He finally backed away, then, letting Sonia tug him over to where Sonic and Tails were sitting. Both of them just plopped down on the floor, Knuckles and Sticks quickly following suit. Knuckles sent Manic a reassuring nod, as if to say, “Yes, she’ll be okay. She’s Amy. She’s survived worse.” Manic returned the nod with a wobbly smile.

Sonic supposed the silence descended over the group meant he needed to say something. Even if it was just to keep everyone from staring worriedly at Eggman and Amy. So, he started with the easiest and worst part. “Robotnik knows where I am.”

Sonia anxiously twisted her wedding ring on her finger, a gesture that would’ve made Sonic smile a little any other time. “Not necessarily,” she tried. “He never sends those things out alone. The fact that there was only one here means it was probably malfunctioning.”

“It was making all of these garbled noises,” Sonic offered. “Like it was trying to talk and couldn’t. And it didn’t seem driven by that instinct most of them have that seems to target specifically the three of us.” He gestured at his siblings.

“So, really, it might not know anything.” Sonia shook her head. “But… we can’t assume all of its functions were down just because some of them were. And if Robotnik is checking the input from them—which he would be ridiculous not to be, since he’s probably specifically looking for you—he’ll know where it was destroyed.”

“And how,” Manic added grimly. “They have some of the best recording features I’ve ever seen. They don’t always work, because he has thousands of those things and keeping that many cameras accessible at all times tends to lead to interference. But still.”

“We need to prepare for the worst,” Sonic said. “Whether he knows I’m here or not, the fact that they’re that close means they’ll end up here on purpose soon enough. We need to be ready to take on whatever he throws at us.” Sonic let out a sigh, already hating what he was about to say. “And I think I have a plan.”

Tails looked uncomfortable. “Sonic,” he said, his voice low with warning. “Remember who’s on this island. You have us, yes, and the group of us is more than enough to deal with whatever he could throw at us.” He gestured outside of the workshop. “But other than the people in this room and maybe a few select others, these people aren’t fighters. Most of them are here to escape the fighting. We can’t expect them to stand up to Robotnik’s army.”

Sonic wasn’t surprised by Tails practically reading his mind. “I need to think about it more. I believe I know the best way to do this, though, and… I can’t do it alone.” Sonic looked down at his hands. “We can’t do it alone.”

“Shadow,” Sonia supplied immediately. Sonic nodded. “We’d stand a much better chance if he was here, too. If he fought with us.”

“Will he even show up?” Sticks asked. “I mean… he seemed to make it pretty clear last time that he didn’t want anything to do with you. Or any of us, for that matter.”

Sonic looked down at his hands. “I… don’t know,” he answered quietly. “I hope so. I’d like to think he will. If I really needed him…”

“If you really needed him, he would be here,” Sonia said firmly. Sonic looked at his sister with wide eyes. “Sonic, I don’t know what the last five years have been like for you two. But I know this: Shadow loves you more than I have ever seen anyone love anything. Hell, part of the reason it took me so long to warm up to Bartleby like I did was because I didn’t believe in love unless it looked like what you two had.” Her gaze was certain. “He will be there. If you need him, ask for him. He’ll show up.”

Sonic tried not to let the words get to him too much, but something about his sister’s confidence made some of the pain in his chest subside. “Thank you, Sonia.” Sonic looked at his group. “I need to work out the details of the plan. For now, here’s what we’ll do:” He looked at his siblings. “Starting tomorrow morning, we’re training to fight Swatbots. Sonia, Manic, you guys will work with Sticks since she’s the only one who hasn’t seen them before. Give Knuckles a refresher, too. Tails, you’ll be with them for some sessions and with Eggman for others.” Tails looked skeptical. “I want the two of you to try and build something that can take the bots down from the inside. Some device that will fry their circuits, override their commands, anything. Make them beatable.

“I’ll… try to find Shadow.” Sonic looked down at his hands. “And I’ll work with the villagers. If any of them want to fight, I’ll send them to you guys to be trained, too. Anyone with any tech knowledge will be sent to Eggman’s lair with you two. Any extra hands and heads could make or break this.” He looked at each of his friends, meeting all of their eyes individually. “We will not lose. We will not forfeit. It will be hard, but… that’s a given of war. What matters is that we do everything we can to make sure this works.”

“Wait wait wait,” Sticks said. Sonic looked at her. “What even is this plan? Just to fight them off? There’s got to be more to it than that.”

Maybe it was the anger in his chest at seeing one of his friends get hurt. Maybe it was the five years of waiting for his kingdom to one day be available to him again. Maybe it was a little bit of everything. But resolve filled Sonic, turning into the kind of determination he hadn’t felt since his days with the Freedom Fighters. “Oh, we’re going to do more than fight.” His eyes hardened, a grim smile finding its way to his face. “We’re going to make Robotnik send us his whole army.”

Chapter Text

If there was one thing Sonic was sure of, it was that his team could do anything at all if they set their minds to it.

Preparing for Robotnik’s attack was far from easy. Not only was it a huge test of their physical endurance, but it required them to use every ounce of brainpower they had. Between the training, politics, and constant arguments about the whole thing, he knew all of them were exhausted.

On the beach, Sonia and Manic were taking training incredibly seriously. Sticks, Knuckles, and Perci—the only villager willing to join the fight—were training hard. Sonia and Manic insisted on only keeping them a few hours a day, demanding they rest and practice the rest of the time. Exhausted soldiers wouldn’t do in a war. Tails went with them occasionally, though Sonic didn’t expect he’d be doing much ground fighting. Tails wasn’t one for close combat.

At Eggman’s lab, things weren’t much easier. Tails, Eggman, and Dave (who asked to join, quoted his doomsday machine as proof that he was good with tech, and promised not to cause problems for the villagers with people’s lives on the line) were working tirelessly to find anything to counter the Swatbots. Sonic knew if anyone could do it, it would be them. He wished they had something to go off of, but since he ruined the Swatbot that attacked Amy, all they had was knowledge from Sonia and Manic and Sonic’s outdated advice. Hopefully it was enough.

Amy, at least, was doing better. With two broken ribs, a sprained ankle, her shoulder still purple and healing, and something Eggman called a linear skull fracture (small, he assured them, and would heal in a few weeks) she was livid. Sitting still and healing, for her, was apparently harder than it had ever been for Sonic. She insisted on sitting on the beach with Sonia and Manic, “training” with the rest of them even though she couldn’t get up. Or lift her hammer. Eggman had ordered her into a sling and a wheelchair, since crutches and a beat-up shoulder didn’t go too well together, and that was only for the few hours she wasn’t stuck in bed to help her head heal. She was ridiculously upset about it. Her presence calmed Manic down, though, so that was something. But Sonic knew his brother hated seeing her hurt. He hoped it wasn’t getting to either of them too much.

Sonic himself wasn’t faring much better. He bounced back and forth between both groups, throwing in his input or offering help wherever he felt it was needed. Sonia and Manic were always happy to have him, and Tails liked running his ideas by Sonic. He spent the rest of his time in the village, trying to prepare the villagers as best as he could for anything that could happen.

Well… most of the rest of his time. A ridiculous amount of it had been spent trying—not with much result—to secure the other piece of the puzzle. The one that would ensure everything went as well as it possibly could rather than working on the gamble he had now.

Shadow was nowhere to be seen.

Sonic tried everything. He didn’t stop singing, finding any roof or tree or random point on the island to sit down and sing his feelings out. He searched, doing his best not to invade Shadow’s privacy while trying to find him. He asked around, travelled to different parts of the island, and even tried visiting the places he knew Shadow frequented. Nothing worked. It was as if he’d simply disappeared.

He hated how scared he was of that. Without Shadow, his plan went from a high success rate to somewhere around 30%. His power was incredible, sure, and would be a huge help to them in fighting Robotnik. Sonic knew that. It wasn’t even that, though, that changed their chances so drastically. It was something else—something Shadow had taken pride in back in Mobius, and something the four of them used to their advantage constantly:

Robotnik was terrified of Shadow.

When Shadow first came around, Robotnik was taken aback by the new, fourth hedgehog with the triplets. He was used to three. Three, their mother, and no other hedgehogs. Shadow threw him for a hard enough loop at the beginning that Robotnik retreated multiple battles, unwilling to see what kind of power the other hedgehog brought to the table.

When he did finally stay long enough to see what Shadow could do… Well, that was the first time Sonic ever saw Robotnik’s infuriating arrogance falter. Shadow’s Chaos Control gave him the ability to almost entirely blindside Robotnik’s forces. The Swatbots were never able to fully register when Shadow blipped around like he did, since their targeting function required seeing, identifying, and then attacking a target. Shadow didn’t give them time to do that.

He also made it very clear—from the beginning—that Robotnik wasn’t safe just because he wasn’t a bot. Typically, Sonic and his siblings tried to keep any violence away from Robotnik himself. He was a person, after all, and not some lifeless hunk of metal. Shadow had no such qualms. There was a time, once, when Shadow grabbed a Swatbot and spoke directly into the camera in its eye, promising Robotnik that he was done for as soon as Sonic gave him the okay to end his life. Robotnik had a habit of sending extra bots if he knew Shadow was around, trying to account for the record number of them the hedgehog had taken down. It never worked.

Sonic needed that fear factor near desperately.

He needed Shadow.

It was exhausting, he would admit. In the beginning, Shadow opened up to Sonic incredibly slowly. It was faster than he warmed up to Sonic’s siblings, at least. Sonic liked to think it was just because they shared some unidentifiable bond. Shadow told him once that the day Sonic carried him out of that building was the only time he’d ever trusted someone immediately. Manic and Sonia always joked that it was because they were soulmates. Sonic didn’t know. He just knew that getting Shadow to trust him now was way more difficult—and way more necessary than it was originally.

That didn’t stop him from trying. He didn’t think anything would stop him from trying. He loved Shadow a ridiculous amount—enough to hope, secretly, that the other hedgehog never would show up. Just because it would guarantee his safety from this. Sonic knew he needed him, though, and it was tearing him in half. He wished Shadow knew just how much all of this meant to him. He wished he knew how to say that if he could never even find the other hedgehog.

So, that left him with this: standing on the beach, guitar in hand, singing what he felt to the sea and the sky and whatever else would listen. Shadow responded to Sonic’s music better than he ever had to his words. Sonic was better at talking like this, anyway. He was pulling out every stop he had. Songs he wrote in Mobius, songs he wrote when he found out Shadow was alive, songs he’d written just this week. He knew Shadow. In the end, it would be the right string of words that would bring the red-streaked hedgehog back.

He just needed to find those words.

~~ “Tracing all these steps I never took while reading every line inside your book. All the empty pages that you wrote were signing off with all our favorite quotes.” ~~ This song was… maybe not his best bet in getting Shadow back. He’d found it, though, when rifling through old sheets of lyrics. It was one of his favorites.

He really had tried everything. Loud songs, soft ones, happy ones, sad ones. This one was somewhere in between all of those things. ~~ “Tell me how to be what you need… whisper with words stuck in the past.” ~~

He was starting to get restless. It had been three weeks since they started all of this, and… well, it wasn’t exactly getting easier. His friends were better trained, sure. It was giving his and Amy’s injuries time to heal, too, and Eggman and Tails had made progress with their devices. But Sonic? Sonic hadn’t done anything. He’d spent the better part of those weeks chasing someone who didn’t want to be found like a lovesick puppy. And yes, Shadow had a purpose in this whole thing, but did Shadow know that? Or did Sonic just look desperate in the face of someone who very clearly said no?

He let all of it—the frustration and worry and heartache—leak into his playing and singing. ~~ “Darling, please don’t cry. Darling, could it be we’ll make it out? Distance seems to be the only thing that we can talk about. So tell me, what is your silver lining?” ~~

He tended to switch songs in the middle a lot, but this one…? For some reason, it just hit a lot harder than most of the other ones. He closed his eyes. ~~ “Tell me everything will be alright, and the lie through your smile shining bright. You dance like you want me in your life, then why write your letters with a knife?” ~~ It wasn’t really an angry song, but… maybe it was coming off that way now. ~~ “Darling, am I sad? Darling, could it be that I have my doubts? Since you seem to be the only thing that I prioritize. So tell me, what is my silver lining?” ~~

He strummed the last chords, breathing hard as the song seemed to reverberate through him. He lasted all of about three seconds before the frustration took over him. He collapsed into the sand, his guitar disappearing and his hands raising to cover his eyes. He curled himself in as small as he could get, his fingers digging into his fur. “Why can’t you just listen?” he whispered.

It hurt. He’d been trying his best to hold it together all this time, but… he didn’t know how. Not with this. Before that day in the factory, he’d known three things for sure: First, he’d do just about anything to get his mother back and make his family whole again. Second, he could rely on his siblings, Shadow, and the Resistance for absolutely anything. And third, he loved Shadow more than he thought he could ever love anything.

None of that had changed. There was more now, sure. But… how could something be the same and so different at the same time? How could he be here and there, part of Mobius and part of his island life here? He was Sonic the Hedgehog, son of Queen Aleena, partial heir to the Mobian throne, and temporary King of Mobius until this war was over. But he was also Sonic, beach-dwelling simpleton and local protector. How could those two things fit together?

Shadow was the only bridge. Sonia and Manic were getting along here, sure, but they belonged to Mobius. His friends loved this island, and they’d probably follow him if he asked, but could he ask that of them? Shadow, though… Shadow had done it all. Mobius, the Freedom Fighters, the island, the simpler life. Sonic knew what people said about soulmates: they were the other half of one’s own soul, the piece they were always meant to find. But Shadow was his entire soul, the only one who knew him and everything that meant. The only one who really knew all of it.

And not having that on the brink of the most important point in Sonic’s life…?

Well, it was a tragedy. It was that simple.

“Sonic?” Sonic didn’t lift his head, able to recognize Amy’s voice blindly. He heard the sound of her chair as she stopped beside him. “Hey, you alright?” she asked gently.

Sonic shifted, pulling his knees up and burying his head in them. “No,” he answered honestly. “Not really.”

“Yeah, I know.” She let out a soft sigh, clicking the brakes on her chair in place. “You know… you’re missing a beautiful sunset out here.”

Sonic didn’t lift his head. “I don’t know why he won’t listen, Amy.” She always loved when any of them talked about their feelings, so… Sonic figured this was a good opportunity to get some of them off his chest. “He apologized. I told him I forgave him. And I need him—he knows that. I’m so sure he’s listening.”

“He is.” Sonic wanted to brush off the certainty in her voice, but after a moment, she quietly added, “I saw him that day on the beach. When the Swatbot got me.”

Sonic whipped his head up, not caring if Amy saw everything swirling around in his eyes. He stared at her incredulously. “He was there?” Amy nodded. “Why didn’t he… I don’t know. Come say something? Help? Anything?”

“Before you get upset,” Amy said, her voice placating, “I told him not to.”

Sonic was upset—angry, really—but it faded a little at that. “You what?”

Amy turned away from him, casting her eyes out over the ocean. Even in the chair, with her arm in a sling and one of Manic’s sweaters on because it was the only thing that fully covered the bandages, she looked untouchable. She really was the strongest person he knew. “Well, Sonic… he wasn’t ready.”

At Sonic’s responding silence, Amy explained. “Look. This whole thing… it seems like it’s been torture for you both. You had to watch him vanish, believe he was dead, and leave him behind when you left Mobius. That killed you.” Sonic hunched a little further down. “But… he had to wake up, alone and half-dead in a collapsed factory, and try to make sense of it all. And that couldn’t have been easy, either.”

Sonic hesitated a little, listening a bit more carefully to Amy’s words. “Manic’s told me a little, and… you guys were the only thing Shadow ever had.” Sonic knew that much. “So, when he woke up, the first place he’d think to go is to you guys. And when he did…”

“We were gone,” Sonic finished carefully.

“Who knows how long he searched?” Amy’s voice was still soft—not accusatory, but not sugarcoating it, either. “Sonia was there, sure, but not where anyone could get a hold of her. Manic wasn’t in Mobotropolis anymore. And you… you were across an ocean.” Sonic let his chin rest back on his knees. “He may not have even known you were alive. He probably thought you weren’t.”

Sonic didn’t know why he didn’t think of it like this before. “And then he found out Sonia and Manic were alive, and I still wasn’t there.” Sonic looked down at his feet. “It probably would have been easier to assume I was dead.”

“Probably,” Amy agreed. “But do you think that would have made him give up?”

“No,” Sonic whispered immediately. Something in his chest tightened into a million little knots. “He probably would have stayed at that factory, digging through every bit of rubble until he found us. Or until he was absolutely certain we couldn’t be there.”

“That’s why, Sonic.” Sonic turned back to Amy, her gaze serious. “I know you three had a lot more on your plate. You had a whole kingdom to think about. But Shadow? All he had was you. He would have done every single thing he could to make sure you were alive. He did, if him coming here was any proof of that.”

Sonic understood. “And I… didn’t return that.” He reached for his pendant, holding tightly to it. “I didn’t even go back to the factory. I didn’t look for him. I just… accepted that he was gone. I left.” Tears filled his eyes. “I did the one thing I swore to him, time and time again, that I would never do.”

Amy smiled a little. “I know you want him back. And… if what I saw that night was any indication, staying away from you like this is probably killing him.”

“But… maybe that’s what he needs.” Sonic looked back out over the sunset as he spoke. “He said he hasn’t forgiven himself, but… maybe he hasn’t entirely forgiven me, either. Maybe he shouldn’t yet.”

“You know Shadow better than anyone. You know he’ll be back when he really needs to be.” She shrugged. “Until then… some space could do some good for him.” She smiled. “Not that I think you should stop singing. It’s the best you have right now.”

Sonic slowly let go of his pendant. “I don’t know,” he murmured. “All of the songs I have are… Well, they don’t really feel like enough. I’ve played all of them by now.”

“Then play something new,” Amy said simply. Sonic looked up at her. “You write all these songs, don’t you?” She gestured at the pendant around his neck. “Write another one.”

Write another one. Sonic slowly uncurled his legs, sitting criss-cross instead of wrapped into a ball. He still brought his acoustic guitar with him despite the pendant, and he opted for the former this time. He strummed aimlessly for a moment. He’d written a song in one go before, but… not in a while. Not since he lost Shadow the first time.

None of this was easy, though, was it? He thought about everything Amy told him. Shadow was there, and he was listening. He was hurt. He was scared of being hurt again. He was trying. The fact that he was listening at all was incredible, because Sonic wasn’t honestly sure if he deserved that courtesy. He probably didn’t.

So, what did Sonic want to say to him?

The words came quickly, as did the simple, soft chord pattern. ~~ “It’s not what you think. These tears aren’t some sweet response to tragedy. Today, I can’t say why they fall. Honey, it’s all chemical.” ~~

He let his eyes fall shut, allowing the music to carry itself. ~~ “Don’t be deceived, and don’t take my bitterness as empathy. Darling, it’s a broken bridge. Can you still get over it? If you’re not afraid of the water, you should dive right in. I’m not so brave, but I’m gonna give it a try. But it’ll take a little while.” ~~

The soft notes seemed to carry on the breeze, feeding into the wind and the waves and the sky above him. Amy was right about everything. Shadow didn’t exactly react well, sure, but Sonic should have tried harder. If he’d stayed at that factory to look for Shadow, how different would things be? Shadow would’ve left Mobius with him. They could’ve had these five years to be happy, to be together. He was too caught up in a future he thought he lost to worry about one he could still have. He gave up.

~~ “Can you fix my flaws? Are you a bad excuse for therapy? How am I supposed to live one foot out and one foot in? I fear the fall. Right now, I just can’t find the energy. Weighed down by a ton of bricks, I’m forgetting how to swim. If you’re not afraid of the water, you should dive right in. I’m not so brave, but I’m gonna give it a try. But it’ll take a little while.” ~~

The whole water metaphor felt kind of fitting for this. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the beach, the ocean that he’d grown so fond of despite his dislike of water. Maybe it was his only real comparison to fear. Maybe it was the way Shadow made him feel a little more brave about everything. ~~ “Now, I’m not afraid of the water. I’ll dive right in. And I can be brave, so I’m gonna give it a try.” ~~

Maybe this wasn’t just about how he felt anymore. And… maybe Shadow wasn’t the one who needed to apologize. It was Sonic’s job to make him feel safe. When he needed that most, Sonic failed. How was he supposed to fault Shadow for being afraid? How could he do anything but promise him, right now, that it would be different if he tried again? That Sonic would be right here, and that he’d never give up on him again?

~~ “Now I’m not afraid of the water. I’ll dive right in.” ~~ Now, there were tears on his face. He didn’t try to hide them. ~~ “And I can be brave, so I’m gonna give it a try.” ~~ He stopped strumming, letting his voice carry the last line alone. ~~ “‘Cause you’ll be on the other side.” ~~

For a moment, everything went silent. Even the waves and the breeze seemed to halt for a moment, which could have been the magic running through his veins or just his imagination.

Amy spoke, though, after a moment. “I think… you need to think really hard about what you want to do after this war.”

Sonic hadn’t been expecting that. He opened his eyes, turning to Amy. “What?”

Amy was smiling, something gentle and understanding. She looked out over the ocean. “Sonia and Manic… they don’t belong here.” There was something almost sad in her voice. “I’m not sure Eggman does, either. Not that I’m saying they should leave. But… I think you see it, too. There’s some part of them, whether they know it or not, that just… doesn’t fit with this place.

“Sticks, Knuckles, and Tails are the opposite.” Amy gestured to the ocean, as if trying to encompass what was beyond it. “They wouldn’t do well in a city like that. I’ve never seen Mobius, sure, but they wouldn’t belong there. I think you know that, too.” Sonic nodded.

“You?” Amy turned back to him. “Well… I don’t know where you belong.” The fading sunset was turning her fur from its usual soft hue to a dark, rich shade of pink. “I always thought this island suited you, but I’m not sure how much. And Mobius… well, it’s your home. But I don’t think you want to stay there.”

Sonic looked down at his guitar. He started strumming—soft, simple chords that wouldn’t hinder the conversation. “I don’t know what I want,” he admitted. “I don’t want to leave Sonia and Manic again. Not after last time. But… I don’t know if I could live my whole life in Mobotropolis.”

He immediately felt awful for saying it. “Not that I don’t love it there. It’s my home, and I would do anything for the people of Mobius. Especially with this whole war going on. I owe it to them to give them the happy, peaceful life they’ve fought for.”

“That’s true.” Amy paused for a moment. “But don’t you also owe it to yourself to try and be happy?”

Sonic stopped strumming. He looked back up at Amy. “What?”

She gestured around them. “Sonic, look at all of this. Look at this world, and look at you. How old were you when you joined the Freedom Fighters?”

Sonic smiled a little sadly at the thought of his foster parents. “Seven.”

“You’ve been fighting for over half of your life.” Amy tapped her chair. “First with the Resistance. Then with your siblings. Then with us, when you came here and had to deal with Eggman. You fought with Shadow through all of it. And in the end, all you’ve ever done is try to be everything for somebody else.” She leaned down, poking him in the chest. “What about what you want? What about your happiness?”

My happiness? Sonic wished he could say he’d never thought about it, but… he just didn’t know how to express any of it. He wanted to stay here. He wanted to be in Mobius. He wanted his friends, his siblings, Shadow, all of it. His title and his freedom. This life and his former one.

“I don’t know, Amy,” he murmured. He started strumming again. “I don’t really think my happiness was part of the outcome of all of this. Not if it could hurt anyone else in the process.” He smiled, hoping she couldn’t see the sadness behind it. “It’s a nice thought, though. Thank you.”

A hand flicked him in the forehead before he could say anything else.

“Ow! Amy, what—” Sonic broke off as he lifted his head, all of the breath leaving him in a whoosh. Time seemed to hold its breath, too, as the black-furred figure in front of him came into focus. He blocked the sunset almost entirely, arms crossed over his chest, red streaks invisible where they bled into the vibrant sky. “Shadow?” he breathed.

“I don’t ever want to hear you talk like that again.” Shadow’s voice was firm, but… the narrowed look in his eyes that Sonic had gotten used to was gone. His gaze was still hard and uncompromising, sure, but not… angry. “You have a duty to this war and to Mobius, yes. You’ve been working for it your whole life. But once that’s over, Sonic, it’s over. And nobody is ever going to fault you for wanting to be happy. Least of all Sonia and Manic.”

Sonic still couldn’t quite breathe. “Shadow, I—”

“You have a war to win. You’ve been working longer than any of us for that. And if anybody deserves a break, it’s you. If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you.” Shadow uncrossed his arms, reaching up a hand to rub at his exhaustion-lined eyes. “I know I’m not helping with that right now, but… I’m trying. All of this?” he gestured to himself, to Sonic, and around them, “It’s a lot. But… I haven’t given up.” His voice hardened again. “So you don’t get to either.”

Sonic didn’t know what to say. Shadow filled the gap for him, his eyes still covered by his hand. “I’m going to say something right now that I’d rather die than say in most other scenarios, but… things are different now. I know that. And we’re not stupid, hardheaded teenagers anymore.” His eyes opened again. The sincerity in them made Sonic hold his breath, not daring to move as Shadow searched his gaze for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

“Please don’t give up.” Sonic’s heart wrenched, a hand raising to clutch at his chest as pain tore through it. “I know I haven’t made it easy. Not then, and definitely not now. But five years is a long time, and I’m… not there yet. I’m not.” Shadow’s voice softened. “But I will be. I’ll get there, because I don’t think I could live this life without you. I don’t want to. I just need… time.”

He smiled—that odd, half-smile he had that wouldn’t look like a smile at all to someone who didn’t know him. “I know I can be stubborn,” he murmured. “And unreasonable, and mean, and downright awful sometimes. But… you’ve never cared.” His eyes softened. “I’m going to be stubborn and unreasonable and mean and awful for just a little while longer. Will you wait for me? Until I can stop being those things?”

“Yes.” The word was out of Sonic’s mouth immediately. He didn’t move, worried the motion would spook Shadow or cross some boundary he didn’t want to cross. Shadow’s eyes widened a little. “Oh, don’t look so surprised,” Sonic said, his own little smile finding its way to his face. “I think I’ve made it kind of obvious by now that I’d wait lifetimes for you, Shadow.”

For a moment, Shadow only looked lost. Then he smiled again. “There’s my Sonic.” Sonic’s breath caught again. “All of this… the fighting is almost over. We’re this close to ending it.” Shadow took a step back. Sonic let him. “You should listen to Amy. She’s pretty smart. Think about what you want, Sonic. No one’s going to fault you for wanting to be happy. You’ve earned it.”

Then he vanished.

Sonic didn’t move. He just stared at the footprints in the sand, the only proof other than the fluttering in his chest that Shadow had been there at all. ‘Wait for me.’ Shadow knew Sonic would wait. He didn’t need that promise. He’d done it for Sonic, for the tears and the songs and the pain he’d expressed so clearly over this last week. It was Shadow’s own promise that yes, there was something to wait for. There was a purpose for the pain.

Sonic let his eyes fall shut, leaning back on his hands and tilting his face up to the sky. The setting sun dried his tears. It felt like it cleared some of the pain in his chest, too. “I’ll wait, Shadow.” He whispered the promise to the breeze, to the waves, to the hedgehog who he was sure could hear the words. “As long as you need, I’ll wait. I’ll be right here.”

“This is why Manic is scared of what he feels for me, mind you.”

Sonic looked up as Amy spoke. He hadn’t exactly forgotten that she was there, but… “You saw all of that,” he commented blankly. “I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that.”

“Because you’re not the brightest.” Amy was smiling, though. “You two are something else, you know that? Something else entirely.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sonic scuffed the toe of his shoe in the sand. “Sorry about the Manic thing. He’ll come around, if that helps.”

Amy shrugged. “I know he will. He’s just worried that he’s never going to have what you and Shadow do. Or that he will.” Amy chuckled. “He said that and Sonia pointed out that she didn’t have that, either, but she was still married. I don’t think I was supposed to overhear that particular conversation.”

Sonic looked back out at the sun. It was almost gone by now, the last orange hues fading into soft purple. “I’ll admit, it’s kind of a mess. What he and I have going on.” He smiled, though. “Would it make me crazy if I said I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world?”

“Nah.” The sound of Amy’s brakes unlocking caught his attention. “I think you’re kind of incredible for hanging onto it this long.”

Sonic stood, walking over and dropping his guitar in Amy’s lap before grabbing the handles of her chair. She liked moving on her own, but Sonic knew it wasn’t easy with one hand. Amy smiled gratefully up at him. “Or I am crazy. But that would be okay, too.” He shot one last look back at the nearly faded sunset, remembering the sound of Shadow’s voice as it softened. Wait for me. “I’m smart enough to know I won’t ever love someone like this again. Nor do I want to. Shadow’s it for me.” He chuckled and started pushing Amy across the sand. “I know that was corny. Don’t mention it.”

“I think corny suits you.” She turned to look up at him, a smile on her face. “I will admit, seeing you this lovesick over Shadow makes me feel a little better for chasing you like I did all these years.”

Sonic laughed. “I thought my strategy of playing oblivious worked well enough.”

“It did. I genuinely thought you were that dense. It was starting to worry me.” She settled back in the chair. “Now I see you might actually have more romantic knowledge than anyone on this island. Except for Sonia, maybe. She is married.”

“I keep forgetting about that.” Sonic shook his head. “Sonia hated Bartleby. They had an arranged marriage worked out. She wanted to be part of the Resistance and lead her country, though, so she wanted nothing to do with him.” He couldn’t stop himself from sounding incredulous if he tried. “Now he’s heading the Resistance in her stead and married to her?” He gasped. “Oh my god, I have a brother in law.”

Amy laughed. “How is that still surprising you?” She launched into a ramble, babbling about how nice it seemed to have siblings and how Sonic should be glad to have another one. Sonic countered that Bartleby—as Sonic knew him—was not sibling material. Amy smacked him for that comment, and Sonic threatened to dump her out of the chair in response. It was easy, and it was comfortable, and Sonic let most of the pain and worry and fear stay behind on that beach, leaving it for another time to worry about it all. Now, he had enough. The rest of it could wait.

And if he noticed the red eyes on him as he made his way back to his house, noticed the subtle way the breeze changed when Shadow used his power to vanish again?

That was between him, the unseeing sky, and the hedgehog who held everything Sonic was in his hands.

Chapter Text

“You can’t be serious.”

Sonic let out a sigh, burying his head in a hand. Here in Tails’s workshop, where a table had been cleared and was now covered in papers and maps, was where they’d agreed upon as a base of operations. Eggman had a stash of maps of Mobius he’d brought with him. They were ridiculously accurate. Maps of the palace, the sewers, the Resistance base, all of the territories around Mobotropolis. Manic had a pile of his own, too. They had written plans, strategies, color-coded attack patterns, and whatever else they’d thrown on the table over the last set of days. It was a lot to take in.

It had been a week since Shadow asked Sonic to wait for him, and Sonic had thrown himself into work. Half of the papers on the table were written by him, and the other half had notes all along them that he’d made in the hours he spent poring over them. He spent most of his time here in the workshop. He slept on Tails's couch most nights.

He’d finally worked out all of the logistics of his plan, though, so here they were. He called everyone here earlier this morning, a mandatory meeting of the group Amy affectionately referred to as “Team Hedgehog”. Sticks, Knuckles, Amy, Sonic, Sonia, Manic, Tails, and Eggman made up the group. Perci still showed up to training, and Dave helped with the gadgets, but this was Sonic’s crew. This was the trusted circle.

“This will work,” Sonic stated. Sticks raised an eyebrow, her previous incredulous comment still stark on her face. “I know Robotnik. I know how he works, how he fights, all of it. I know how he thinks.”

“So, let me make sure I have this,” Eggman said. He picked up the paper Sonic had handed him, scanned it, and set it back down. “You want us to bait Robotnik into sending us his entire army?”

Sonic sighed again. “Not the whole army. Just… a lot of it.”

“Most of it,” Sticks said.

Sonic ran a hand over his eyes. “Okay, look. When Robotnik found out about me, Sonia, and Manic, he threw everything at us. Most of the inside information the Freedom Fighters have came from missions where we lured out enough of his forces that our friends could sneak in and out unnoticed. He knows we’re supposed to overthrow him one day, and that scares him.”

“Even more now that you’re King, Sonic,” Sonia murmured. She and Manic had stayed mostly quiet during the discussion. “If we’re all in one place and he takes us down, Mobius is his. No one else can stop him.”

“Isn’t the Queen not actually dead?” Knuckles asked. “Sorry, I’m a little confused.”

“She’s alive,” Amy confirmed. When the reports were officially sent out about Queen Aleena’s death, Sonic and his siblings had taken a few hours aside to mourn despite the fake announcement. Bartleby, over the radio they kept on for those hours, had to switch locations multiple times to avoid the wails of Mobotropolis’s citizens. None of them slept that night. “Robotnik doesn’t know that, though. If he gets rid of the triplets, in his eyes, there’s no one left to stop him from taking Mobius legally.”

Knuckles nodded slowly. “I think I get it.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “So, Sonic, you want us to meet the patrol Robotnik sends to see if you’re here. And you want us to give them everything we have.”

‘The only one who understands my plan is Knuckles. This is going well,’ Sonic thought. Out loud, he said, “Exactly.” He gestured at all of them. “I want a simple scouting mission on Robotnik’s end to reveal a well-oiled, incredibly powerful, near-unstoppable fighting force. I want him to expect overkill and send overkill in response.”

“Because the more of his army he sends here, the less the Freedom Fighters will have to work through,” Tails said slowly. “Sonic, do you really think we can handle that many Swatbots?”

This part of leading—which he’d been doing with his friends and siblings since before becoming Regent—was the hardest. Sonic knew it was his job not only to choose just how much danger to put everyone in, but also how to relay that to them. He chose the honest route. “I don’t know. Look, I truly think you guys can handle anything. I’ve seen Sonia and Manic fight with the Resistance, and you four have been with me for years now.” He looked down at his hands. “Swatbots… they’re bad. Whatever Robotnik surely has up his sleeves is bound to be bad, too. And I’ve never seen any of you fight them.” Amy’s eyes darkened. “But I think we can handle it.”

“Do you have a backup plan?” Amy asked. “I know you mentioned it, but… if we definitely can’t handle it.”

Sonic glanced at Tails, who nodded and stood up. Tails walked across the shop, opening a panel on the wall and revealing the safe he kept for his most important things—a safe only Sonic and Tails knew the code to. Tails opened it, reached in, and produced a small metal box. He closed the safe, walked back to Sonic, and set the box down with a grim expression.

“What’s that?” Sticks asked.

“This,” Sonic said, opening the box, “Is plan B.” Inside of the box was a row of eight small, red buttons. He took one out and held it out to Tails. “Tails?”

Tails reached out, taking the button and Sonic’s wrist. Eggman wordlessly handed Tails a tiny screwdriver. Everyone at the table watched as Tails set Sonic’s hand on the table. “This is a device Eggman and Tails worked together to design,” Sonic explained as Tails opened Sonic’s communicator. Everyone watched as Tails reached inside and secured the red button to the inside of it with a pair of very small screws. Sonic held it up to show everyone when he was done.

“Each of you will get one of these put in your communicator. Sonia, Manic, and Eggman, we have communicators for you that Sticks will be showing you how to use.” Everyone stared at Sonic as he spoke. “In case of an emergency—a no-way-out, end of the line sort of emergency—push this button.” Sonic pointed to it. “It’s a cloaking device. It will grant you sixty seconds of invisibility. It can only be used once.”

“On the beach off the side of the island, there’s a ship,” Tails took over. “Eggman and I worked out a way to store some leftover power from Sonic in it, so it will be fast. It’s our escape vessel if we need it.”

“The villagers will already be gone,” Sonic said. He slid a map into the center of the table. “At the first sign of danger, Eggman has a low-flying airship. The villagers will evacuate there, and the ship will take them across the sea to the neighboring continent. The villagers have already been informed and are preparing to leave.”

“If one person hits their button, your communicators will flash red. That’s your sign to go.” Sonic appreciated the way Tails was picking up the extra bits, saving Sonic some talking. “It will tell you who it was. Whoever can be spared, we’ll rendezvous here.” Tails grabbed a map and pointed to a space on it somewhere between where they’d be fighting and where the boat was. “Help however you can. If they’re hurt too badly, push your button, too. Two or more buttons means we all run immediately.”

Amy held up a hand. “Wait wait wait.” Tails and Sonic stopped. “Our plan B is to sacrifice the island?”

“There’s no reason for them to go after the island,” Sonic explained. “The boat is meant to be slow enough to keep them on our tail and fast enough to outrun them.” He let out a small sigh. “It’s not a foolproof plan, but… if they do overrun us, getting out is our best bet. Our only goal is to hold them off long enough for the Freedom Fighters to get inside and take down Robotnik.”

Sonia’s eyes suddenly shot wide. “The central control circuit,” she breathed. Sonic nodded in confirmation. “Sonic, that is asking an awful lot of the Freedom Fighters.”

“That’s why I need Bartleby to head the operation.” Sonia’s face paled as Sonic spoke. “You said he’s undergone combat training. I know he’s gone on enough missions into the palace to know it inside and out, not to mention he was raised in and out of that place. He’s our best shot.”

Sonia was still pale. She reached for her ring, twisting it anxiously on her hand. After a moment, though, she let out a soft sigh. “He can do it,” she said. “If anybody can, it’s Bartleby. He can do it.”

Sonic nodded. “I know. He’ll be okay, sis.” He looked back at the rest of the group. “I know it’s not perfect. We can go over everything else we have in time, because it’s a lot of detail. But for the most part… this is what I have.” He tried to look confident, but… he wasn’t fully convinced it worked. “This is a war, though. I don’t expect it to be perfect. I can only try to make it manageable.”

For a moment, the table was quiet. Then, Manic spoke for the first time since the meeting started. “I think it’s the best plan we’re going to get.” He looked up from the table, his eyes meeting Sonic’s. “All that time, Robotnik still feared us. Patrols were constantly looking for us, our allies were rounded up, and the bounty for all three of us got higher and higher. He knows we can stop him.” He looked around the group. “And we can. As soon as we’re done here, we can go help the Freedom Fighters with whatever they need. All of us working together could turn the tide of this war.”

“That’s the hope,” Sonic said. “Thank you, Manic.” He paused again. “I don’t like putting any of you in danger. Especially not you three who are from here—or you, Knuckles, because you’re not technically a citizen of Mobius. You guys never asked for this. But… I know asking you to sit out would be futile, and honestly, we need all of you guys to make this work.” He looked at each of them individually. “Thank you, on behalf of me, my kingdom, and the people of Mobius. I have faith we can win as long as you guys will be there, too.”

His friends smiled, Knuckles letting out a whoop and Sticks happily tapping her boomerang on the table. Amy just shook her head a little. “It’s going to be so weird calling you King Sonic when this is all over.”

“Councilman Sonic,” Sonic corrected. “I’m only King until we get Mom back, and right now I’m technically still Regent. After that, Mobius’s system is… changing a little.”

“Same thing.” Amy pushed her chair back from the table. “Anyway, though. Now that we all know the plan, we have to finish preparing.” Amy raised her arm—which was out of its sling now—with a wince. “Eggman, we have more physical therapy today, right?”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t want you to be hammerless for the big fight.” Sonic caught Manic’s small wince. Amy was doing some small exercises to heal her arm faster, though her head was still an issue. They all let it happen, but Sonic knew he might have to tell her she couldn’t fight. That would be a fun conversation. Eggman stood, Tails following suit. “Plane back, Tails?”

“Yup. Help me grab a few more tools for the barriers.” The three of them went off to the other end of the workshop, piling tools in their hands and on Amy’s lap.

Knuckles stood, too. “I’m meeting Perci for some extra strength training, so I’m out, too.” He shook his head. “That girl’s going to have bigger biceps than all of you by the time this war’s over.”

“I’m coming, too,” Sticks chimed in. “Sonic, feel free to holler if you need us. You know where we’ll be.”

The two of them piled outside just as Eggman, Tails, and Amy did, closing the workshop door behind them. That just left Sonic and his siblings. Sonic immediately let out a tired sigh, leaning his head forward and letting it thump on the table. “I really hope this works,” he murmured.

Manic and Sonia both moved, scooting to the chairs beside Sonic. Manic patted his head. “It will. It’s the best we have.”

“Well… almost the best we have.” Sonic let out a groan as his sister spoke. “I’m sorry, Sonic, but I have to say it. It would change things drastically.”

He knew she was talking about Shadow. Sonic banged his head on the table a few more times before Manic slid a hand under his face, stopping him from hitting it more. “I know, Sonia.” He tried not to sound frustrated, but… “I can’t ask that of him. Not after all of this. He’ll be back when he’s ready, and until then, I’m going to leave him be.”

“He could help us win.” Sonia dug through the papers on the table, pulling one out and setting it in front of Sonic. “I’ll bet you’ve done the math. I know it. The amount of extra bots Robotnik would send just to accommodate Shadow could mean the difference between life and death for the Resistance.”

This was why Sonic didn’t tell anyone but Tails the plan before today. He didn’t even bring up Shadow’s place in the whole thing. Sonia was… not as close to Shadow as Manic and Sonic were. They cared about each other, yes, but Sonia tended to look at him the way she looked at everybody: as a factor in this war they were all a part of. She was a little more lenient with Sonic and Manic, but not with anybody else. She measured people by how much they could contribute to the cause, and everything else came after that.

Shadow always understood Sonia’s mindset, but the two of them got in fights about it every now and again. Sonia would make a comment that landed wrong and Shadow would get defensive and tell her he wouldn’t be used again. Sonia (since she was almost incapable of apologizing when she was a teenager, as was Sonic) took the bait most of the time. They always butted heads because of it.

Not that they disliked each other. They were good friends when things were calm enough. Shadow had more of an appreciation for the finer things in life like Sonia did, and the two of them bonded over things Sonic and Manic couldn’t care less about. And that was without mentioning the fact that both of them had an almost violent sweet tooth. Any rare, sweet thing they came across was given to Sonia and Shadow to share, since Manic and Sonic didn’t care as much. It was one of the things that made them fast friends.

Sonic just wished Sonia understood that Shadow needed friend Sonia right now, not future ruler Sonia.

Not that she was wrong about any of it. Sonic hadn’t been out singing for Shadow as much, since he knew the hedgehog would come when he was ready. He still made time, though, for at least one song every night. He didn’t want Shadow to think he’d given up.

Sonic sighed. As soon as his mind went to Shadow, working was near impossible. He stood from the table. “He’ll come around. And if he doesn’t, I’m not going to hold it against him.” He turned for the door. “I’m going home. I think I need a nap.”

Sonic walked out before Sonia could say anything else. He wasn’t upset with his sister; he knew why she was thinking the way she was. It was the way she had to think, the way they all had to think if they wanted a shot at winning this war. But… it was tiring. Considering everyone as a pawn was weighing on him more than all of it. He hated it.

“Sonic, wait up.” Sonic paused just outside of the warehouse door. Manic jogged up next to him, circling so he could stand in front of Sonic. There was concern written in his gold eyes. “Something’s bothering you,” he observed. “You’ve been quieter since you started working on planning. What’s wrong?”

Sonic shook his head. “It’s just this thing with Shadow, Manic. I’m alright.”

He moved to walk past his brother, but Manic reached out and grabbed his arm. “Sonic.” Manic’s tone was patient. “You’re my brother. I know it isn’t just that.” When Sonic said nothing, Manic tilted his head, observing his brother silently for a moment. Then he said, “You don’t like being Regent.”

Sonic’s eyes shot wide. “What?”

Manic smiled. “Ah, hit the nail on the head.” His smile fell almost immediately. “You know this is only temporary, right? And we’re still right here to help you. It doesn’t mean you have to do it by yourself.”

Sonic let out a sigh. “I know that,” he said. “It’s not that, Manic, really. It’s fine.”

“Then what is it?” Sonic cast his eyes to the floor. “Sonic, I’m your brother. Sonia’s your sister. We want to help you, but… we can’t if you don’t tell us what’s wrong.”

I can’t. Sonic couldn’t tell Manic or Sonia—the people he was meant to rule alongside one day—that he didn’t know if he wanted to. His siblings believed that leaving Mobius was the worst thing that ever happened to him. They believed he’d do just about anything to go back. And once upon a time, he would have said that was true.

It just wasn’t that simple anymore, though. Yes, Sonic craved his kingdom more than anything. But he loved life on this island so much more than he thought he would. His friends, his house, his freedom. He couldn’t just choose one. He honestly didn’t know if he could live without either.

So, he just smiled. “It’s nothing, Manic, really.” He gestured around them. “All of this, it’s just… stressful. I know it’s not the case, but I feel like I’m the sole decision in who lives or dies. It feels like too much.”

Manic softened a little. “Yeah. That’s what it means to rule.” He patted Sonic on the shoulder. “But you know we’re here for you. And we’re all here because we want to be. Nobody is making you go it alone, bro, King or not.” He smiled. “But that also means you can tell us if you’re stressed. We can handle it for a little while if you need a break.”

A break. Sonic hadn’t thought about that, but… “Thanks, Manic,” he said. He gestured out towards the beach. “Speaking of breaks, though, I’m gonna go out to the beach for a little while. It’s what I’ve got until Eggman gives me the okay to go on runs again.”

Manic winced. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you go this long without running before. Should be any day now, though.” Manic reached out and dragged his brother into a quick hug. “Take it easy, please? You’ve done a lot. All we can really do right now is wait.”

Sonic nodded. He paused for a second, though, as his eyes caught the pendant around Manic’s neck. A smile started to form on his face. “Hey, actually, what are you and Sonia doing right now?”

Manic scratched his head, then shrugged. “Nothing much. Sonia wants to go get some extra training in I think. But that might be it.”

“Training can wait.” Sonia walked out of the workshop, one hand holding the door open. Her blue eyes met Sonic’s. “I’m sensing a jam session.”

Manic’s eyes brightened. “Oh for real?” When Sonic smiled, Manic let out a whoop. “Let’s go man, Sonic Underground reunion!”

Sonic couldn’t help but match his siblings’ energy. “Everyone is scared right now. I think we could clear a space in Meh Burger, do a quick concert. Sing a few songs to help people out.” He shrugged. “I think it could work.”

“I think it will work. Nothing raises morale like music.” Manic’s smile was wide. “Sonic, you still have all of our old music?”

“Wrote it all down over the years.” He gestured to the beach. “I’ll go get some of our songs, and can you guys go set up in town? We’ll plan it for tonight, meet there, and make a whole thing out of it. Maybe Amy and Eggman can do some cooking, too.”

Manic cheered again. “Ah, yeah, concert time!” He grabbed Sonia, dragged her over to Sonic, and threw an arm over both of their shoulders. “Let’s raise some spirits!”

“Alright, I’ll get in touch with Tails and meet you guys over there.” He smiled at the two of them. “Nothing says war like music, right?”

Sonia swatted him in the arm. “Stop that.” She was smiling, though. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Sonic Underground reunion!” Manic yelled again, grabbing Sonia and dragging her away. “This village won’t know what hit ‘em!”

Chapter Text

“Try that cord, maybe?”

Manic climbed over the speaker on the ground, reaching for a cord in the back of it and pulling it out. He wrinkled his nose at it. “Whoever set this up has obviously never seen music before.” He plugged the chord back in somewhere else. “Try it now.”

Sonic tapped softly on his mic, the sound reverberating through the speakers around them. He smiled. “And we’re up. Nice one, Manic.”

Manic nodded and went back to his drum set. The sun had already gone down, and the last bits of light were fading as the stars started to appear. After talking with his team and the mayor, they managed to arrange an impromptu concert here in the village. They’d moved all of the tables at Meh Burger, using some of Eggman’s extra materials to make a raised platform on the restaurant’s patio. Tails and Eggman set up lights all around the stage and the village, Amy and Eggman cooked up a buffet for everyone, Knuckles helped look for and set up all of their equipment, and Sticks went to all of the villagers and let them know what was going on. They’d pulled it all together almost insanely fast.

Now, people were already starting to gather. Half of the village was there, milling around the stage or grabbing food from Amy and Eggman. Some of the kids from around the village were standing right at the fence around Meh Burger, eyes wide as they watched the triplets set up their instruments. Sonic already felt more relaxed than he had in weeks.

“Sonic!” Sticks jogged up on the stage, pausing by Sonic’s mic. Sonic stopped rifling through his music and looked at her. “Remember how you asked me to stop by your house and bring that box of guitar picks you have?”

“Uh… yeah?” Sonic leaned on the mic stand. “Were you not able to find it? I’m pretty sure it’s on—”

“I have it.” She set the box on the ground as if it were an afterthought, and that was when Sonic noticed there was something else in her hand. “But… you know, I think it’s just better if you take a look.”

She reached out her hand, her eyes unreadable. In it was a piece of paper. Sonic’s eyes narrowed a little. “Sticks, what—” He took it carefully, his eyes catching on handwriting that was immediately so familiar his breath caught. “Where did you find this?” he breathed.

“It was pinned to your front door.” She scuffed the toe of her shoe on the ground. “I read it to see what it was, but as soon as I saw Shadow’s name on it, I stopped reading. Sorry.”

“You’re fine, Sticks,” he murmured, his eyes locking on the top of the page. “Thanks for bringing it to me.”

“Yeah.” She paused, then reached out and awkwardly patted his arm. “Uh… you okay?”

Sonic looked up from the paper for a moment. Sticks wasn’t the comforting type, but the fact that she was trying… “I’m okay,” he confirmed. He wasn’t, and his heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest, but he knew that would be a little much for his friend. “Thank you, Sticks.”

Sticks nodded, then turned and jogged back off. Sonic sank to the floor almost immediately. He looked back down at the paper, shaking hands trying to hold it in place as he read the words written carefully at the top.

I know it’s a little out of nowhere, but this has been floating around in my head for a while. Figured you could do something with it.
I’m sorry. For everything.
— Shadow

Sonic’s eyes scanned the paper, drinking in the lyrics—song lyrics—like they were water. It wasn’t uncommon for Shadow to help him with his songs, or to come up with his own lyrics for Sonic to make a full song out of. This wasn’t complete, though it was a full first verse and chorus. Half of a song, written by Shadow, given to Sonic as some kind of peace offering in the midst of everything going on.

As an apology.

Sonic sat on the ground right there, reaching for his guitar and positioning his hands on the chords Shadow had scribbled by the lyrics. He sang quietly to himself. ~~ “Our coming of age has come and gone. Suddenly, this summer, it’s clear.” ~~ He played the first verse a few times, fidgeting with it until it sounded right. The chorus was easier with the melody already established. Sonic sang the whole thing anyway, keeping his voice low and completely ignoring the people around him watching as he quietly played on the edge of the stage.

The rest of the song… Sonic found the lyrics easily, taking their last few minutes of setup to scribble down words and chords under Shadow’s own writing on the page. Sonic felt his eyes water a little as he finished the song, turning the promise clearly written in the words into a matching one of his own. He didn’t want to let it take over, but the hope that filled his chest was far stronger than it had been in years. Hope that this was done, that they could move past it, that they’d be okay. Hope that he could get Shadow back.

He was finishing the last of the words when Sonia came up behind him, crouching down on the stage. “Sonic,” she said. “We start in… now, actually. What are you doing?”

Sonic held up the paper, then stuck it in Sonia’s hand. “My finale,” he said a little breathlessly. “You think you can get this chord pattern down by then?”

Sonia read, her eyes scanning the paper quickly. She looked like she wanted to say something about him throwing in a random, new song at the end. Something on his face must have made her pause, though, because she just rolled her eyes affectionately. “Always have to be the center of attention,” she commented. She smiled, though. “Better make it a good one, huh? I’ve got you.”

“It will be,” Sonic promised. “And thank you.” He took his place at the mic stand, turning to Tails at his perch by the control panel. He nodded, and the fox shut off all of the stage lights but the spotlights, one on each of Sonic and his siblings. A hush fell over the crowd.

Sonic glanced at Sonia, who nodded. Then he looked at Manic. His brother shot him a wicked grin. Sonic winked in return. Manic raised his drumsticks and counted them off, and Sonic didn’t even look down at his guitar before strumming the first loud chord.

The song picked up quickly after that, one of the more in-style songs Sonic tag-teamed with Sonia on. Sonia had the idea, Sonic had the songwriting talent. They made a pretty great song out of it. Sonic leaned into the mic and started singing. ~~ “All of me, half of you, on an island in your bedroom. Up all night, seeing sounds, wondering where you spend the night now.” ~~

Sonia and Manic picked up on the pre-chorus, adding in background vocals as they usually did. Sonic’s smile was almost too wide to sing, memories of Mobius and music and the family he never knew he had washing over him. He’d missed this—playing with them—more than anything. He couldn’t make out any figures in the crowd past the spotlights. Manic’s drums rocked the ground under their feet, Sonia’s voice cut through Sonic and Manic’s perfectly, and Sonic wondered suddenly why he ever left. Performing like this was his whole life.

The chorus hit, the song picking up as Sonic really focused on the music. ~~ “Even if I had to lose you to know you, I’d still be that temporary phase that you grow through. I wouldn’t change, wouldn’t change, wouldn’t change how it ended. I think I could manage being collateral damage.” ~~

Sonic let himself fall into the music, reminiscing in the feeling of playing with his siblings. The music surrounded him in a way nothing else ever did. Sonic remembered their first show, that impromptu performance under the streets of Mobius. That was the first time they played together, but there was a sense of familiarity that none of them could deny. This felt like that.

The song eventually ended, Sonic strumming the last chord and taking a half-step back from the mic. For a moment, silence greeted them. Then Knuckles let out a loud whoop from the crowd. The villagers followed suit immediately. Sonic turned an excited look back to Sonia and Manic as cheers filled their smaller audience. Both of them stared back, identical smiles on their faces. Sonic loved them so much he felt like he might die.

He turned back as the applause quieted. “Well, hey there, everyone.” Another cheer. Sonic paused for a moment before speaking again. “I know you’ve heard me sing before, but you’ve never heard me with my band mates.” He gestured behind him. “My brother Manic, taking care of us on the drums.” Manic slammed a symbol for emphasis. Sonic chuckled and pointed to Sonia. “And my sister Sonia on the keyboard.” She played a quick melody, and a few more cheers sounded. Sonic turned back with a smile. “And you all know me. Sonic the Hedgehog, lead singer and guitarist.” More cheers this time. “Now, who’s ready to kick back Sonic Underground style?”

The cheers of the crowd carried them into their next song, one of Sonic’s personal favorites and one of the only ones Manic ever helped write. ~~ “I need another story, somethin’ to get off my chest. My life gets kinda boring. Need somethin’ that I can confess. Till all my sleeves are stained red from all the truth that I’ve said.” ~~

That song—and the next few—seemed to blur together for Sonic, but in a good way. They played through some of their old classics, songs they played in the Underground and songs they never got the chance to. Playing like this again—not just with the crowd and lights and microphone, but with the added sounds of Manic’s drums and Sonia’s keyboard—was like stepping back into a person he thought he left behind in Mobius. Sonic Hedgehog was a prince, a fated ruler and Freedom Fighter and band member known around his country. Sonic the Hedgehog, as he’d gone by the whole time he was here (as ridiculous as it sounded) was a fun-loving, wisecracking, notoriously lazy hero who spent his time saving the village or lounging on the beach. Here, on this stage, he was both. His friends, his siblings, the village, the music. Sonic felt, as he strummed the last chord of their second-to-last planned song, like he was right where he was supposed to be.

He waited for the applause before switching his music, pulling out Shadow’s paper and handing it to Sonia and Manic to review. Sonic felt like he already knew it by heart. “It’s crazy how fast this goes by,” he said into the mic. “You guys have been an incredible audience.” He paused, and someone in the crowd (Amy, though she looked away as soon as she said it as if he wouldn’t recognize her voice), yelled, “Speech!” A few calls followed it, encouragement for him to say something. Sonic rolled his eyes affectionately.

“Alright, alright.” He sobered. “Everyone gathered here tonight has one key thing in common: this island is our home.” A few cheers from the crowd. “Some of you have been here as long as I have. Some of you are more recent residents. Everyone here, though, belongs here. From the people who helped build the island in the first place,” he winked at Amy, “to those who have only been here a short time. Every single one of you has contributed to this place, made it what it is today.

“And I would like to thank all of you.” The crowd went silent. “By coming here, I brought war to a place of peace. I brought a huge threat into your simple, pleasant way of life. And for that, I’m sorry.” A quiet murmur ran around the stage. “But you’ve all handled it wonderfully. Offering your help, refusing to back down, keeping a brave face. I know you’re scared. I know you’re worried about your homes, your families, your lives.”

His voice gained a bit of confidence. “But I make you this promise as the longtime protector of this village: I will do everything in my power to keep you and your island from harm. I will fight harder than I’ve ever fought, because that’s what it means to protect somebody. And I will not rest until all of you are safely back in your homes right here on this island.” He smiled a little. “Thank you all for being here tonight, and for doing everything you can to help me while I try to save my kingdom. While I try to save my family”

For a moment, everyone was silent. Then the applause broke out. It was louder than any cheers before, people cheering and clapping and yelling their support. Sonic’s eyes filled with tears. This village… Sonic wished he could express how much these people meant to him. Sure, they could be a little ungrateful. And yeah, they’d turned on him a few times when they felt the need to. But here they were, letting him guide them and trusting him with their safety. It meant the world to him.

He waited for a lapse in the applause. “Alright, alright,” he chuckled. “Well folks, me and the sibs only had one more song for you, but plans changed a little. I have something to say at the end.” He let Manic and Sonia pick up the back beat of the song while he spoke. “Thank you all again for being here. This song goes out to you guys.”

He picked up the beat, starting to sing almost immediately after he stopped talking. ~~ “I don’t wanna die or fade away. I just wanna be someone. I just wanna be someone. Dive and disappear without a trace… I just wanna be someone. Well, doesn’t everyone?” ~~

Sonia and Manic joined in, the beat picking up a little. ~~ “And if you feel the great dividing, I wanna be the one you’re guiding. Cause I believe that you could lead the way.” ~~

The music slowed down, Sonic and Sonia stopping as Manic’s drums carried the music. ~~ “I just wanna be somebody to someone, oh I wanna be somebody to someone, oh. I never had nobody and no road home, I wanna be somebody to someone.” ~~ Sonia and Sonic joined back, the music coming back in full force. ~~ “And if the sun starts setting, the sky goes cold. Then if the clouds get heavy and start to fall, I really need somebody to call my own. I wanna be somebody to someone, someone to you.” ~~

The audience clapped along to the beat. Sonic couldn’t help his huge smile as he looked out over them, even if it took a little time to focus in the light. Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks were right up front, Sticks and Knuckles dancing along while Amy clapped happily in her chair. Eggman was near the back of the crowd, giving the villagers that were still wary of him space. Tails was still beside the tech, and he shot Sonic a smile as their eyes met. Sonic nodded back.

~~ “I don’t even need to change the world. I’ll make the moon shine just for your view, I’ll make the starlight circle the room. And if you feel like night is falling, I wanna be the one you’re calling. Cause I believe that you could lead the way.” ~~

He let Sonia and Manic take the chorus, leaning away from the mic and focusing on the instrument in his hands. The more simple electric-acoustic guitar fit the song well. He stepped back to his siblings, walking over to Manic first and leaning over a little on his brother’s head. Manic kept singing, but he saved a moment to lightly swat Sonic’s leg with a drumstick. Sonic laughed, moving over to his sister and leaning forward. She tapped her forehead to his for a moment before both of them separated again.

Sonic made his way back up for the bridge. ~~ “The kingdom come, the rise, the fall. The setting sun above it all. I just wanna be somebody to you.” ~~

~~ “I just wanna be somebody to someone, oh, I wanna be somebody to someone, oh. I never had nobody and no road home, I wanna be somebody to someone. And if the sun starts setting, the sky goes cold, then if the clouds get heavy and start to fall. I really need somebody to call my own, I wanna be somebody to someone, someone to you.” ~~

Sonic let Manic and Sonia take over for the end, the words someone to you repeated a few times while the music faded out. Sonic laughed out loud as he played. His friends around him, his siblings playing with him, the night breeze coming off of the beach cooling him? This is what he fought for. For nights like this, for his people, for freedom. For the knowledge that one day, this could be it. This could be their lives.

The song ended, and Sonic was smiling wider than he ever had. The crowd erupted. Cheers and yells, loud clapping, even louder cheers from his friends. Sonic had played for audiences ten times this size, for almost everyone in the Resistance back in his days in Mobius—yet, somehow, the cheers here shook him more than those ones ever had.

He walked back to the mic a little breathlessly. “Everyone give it up for Sonia and Manic!” His siblings smiled, coming to the front of the stage and waving at everyone. Sonic grabbed one of each of their hands and raised them above their heads. It was a little corny, sure, but that was alright. They deserved corny for a bit.

Then Sonia leaned over. Her voice was only a whisper, but he heard her above the crowd anyway. “I’m proud of you,” she murmured. Sonic’s breath caught. “Sing like you mean it, Sonic. Make it the best they’ve ever heard.”

Sonic shot a watery smile at his sister. He dragged both of his siblings into a hug, holding them close to him. “I love you guys,” he whispered. “Thank you for being here.”

“And thank you for making us look good,” Manic returned. He was smiling. His voice sobered. “Knock ‘em dead, bro. Give them something to remember.”

With that, Manic hopped off of the stage, jogging over to Tails to murmur something to him. Sonic watched as Amy caught sight of him on his way back to the stage. She reached out, dragging him into a hug before he could pass her. Manic returned it with a smile. Amy leaned forward, whispering something quietly to Manic. Sonic saw the way his brother froze from where he was standing. He nodded, an almost imperceptible gesture in the dark.

Then Amy’s hand locked in the front of his vest, and she dragged him down into a kiss right there in front of everyone.

Sonic’s eyes shot wide, Sonia letting out a victorious whoop from behind him. Sticks looked away with a screech, and Knuckles cheered and pointed to Tails to yell, “That’s twenty bucks, fox!” Tails just rolled his eyes. Manic pulled back, Amy flushed a deep pink, and Manic pulled her back into a hug. Sonic was so happy for his brother and his friend that tears filled his eyes.

It steadied him a little as he walked back to his mic, and he subtly high-fived Manic as his brother hopped back up onstage. The crowd went quiet again. Sonic tapped his medallion, his guitar disappearing as he reached for his real, acoustic instrument. Who knew that loud, chaotic, 15-year-old Sonic would spend so much time with an acoustic guitar in his hands? He wondered if it was still odd for Sonia and Manic to see. He’d ask later.

He was about to lean back into the mic when his communicator beeped. He looked down, then turned the mic away and held his wrist to his ear as Tails's voice came through. “Up and left,” Tails said, nodding to Sonic from his place by their tech. “Your audience has increased by one.”

Sonic knew without looking. His eyes still raised, though, to the roof of a building just outside of the crowd. Sure enough, there he was. His black fur blended seamlessly into the night, making him almost impossible to see. The light hit him at an angle that made his crimson eyes shine, though. Sonic knew he did it on purpose. Shadow was a master of stealth, able to sneak around completely unnoticed by everyone and everything. Sonic could only see him because Shadow wanted him to. Sonic let out the quiet breath he was holding.

“Lights, Tails,” he murmured into the communicator. Almost immediately, all of the lights in the village went out. The crowd gasped. Then one single light flipped back on, a small, dim spotlight pointed at Sonic. Sonia and Manic losing their own spotlights was their idea. He could see the crowd more clearly now, could feel every eye on him as he pointed the mic towards himself. He didn’t care. This was for one person and one person only, the only audience member he needed. The only person who needed to hear this.

“I’ve written a lot of songs in my life,” he started, his voice soft compared to the loud tone of the rest of the concert. The murmurs around the crowd started to quiet. “Most of our songs, actually. Sometimes with help, sometimes without it. Some just for fun. Some with more meaning than I could possibly explain. Some just because they sounded cool.

“This one… it’s different.” He let out a small chuckle. “I won’t get into the gritty details. But… it was started by someone important to me. I finished it, sure, but this is his song.” He started strumming, his eyes finding Shadow’s on the roof. “I love you. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Sonic shut his eyes before he could see Shadow’s reaction. ~~ “Our coming of age has come and gone. Suddenly, this summer, it’s clear: I’ve never had the courage of my convictions as long as danger is near. And it’s just around the corner, darling, cause it lives in me. No, I could never give you peace.” ~~

Manic’s part of the song was quiet, and Sonia played along with the melody. They’d both memorized the song impressively fast. Sonic’s own guitar was a background instrument, his voice the main thing he needed for this particular song. He could feel Shadow’s eyes on him as he sang the chorus.

~~ “But I’m a fire, and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm if your cascade, ocean wave blues come. All these people think love’s for show, but I would die for you in secret. The devil’s in the details, but you got a friend in me. Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?” ~~

Sonic knew it wasn’t his best song. It wasn’t the most important thing he’d ever write, and it wasn’t some huge message to everyone and everything around him. It was all he cared about right now, though. Shadow knew what he was saying—that he was sorry for all of this chaos and pain, yes, but he was accepting it as a part of who they were. Maybe not the fighting, because Sonic knew they could both go without that. But the pain. The war, the potential casualties, the near-losses that kept all of them up at night. More than that, though, Sonic knew what Shadow was saying about himself. And he loved him anyway.

~~ “Your integrity makes me seem small. You paint dreamscapes on the wall.” ~~ This part—the rest of the song that Sonic himself wrote—worried him a little. He hoped Shadow understood what he meant. ~~ “I talk shit with my friends. It’s like I’m wasting your honor.” ~~ If Shadow’s lyrics were a message about his personality, which most people found to be incredibly difficult, Sonic’s were a promise that he wasn’t perfect, either. Shadow was difficult. Sonic wouldn’t change him for the world.

He took a deep, steadying breath before the next part—probably one of his favorite things he’d ever written. ~~ “And you know that I’d swing with you for the fences, sit with you in the trenches. Give you my wild. Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other, family that you chose now that you see my brother as your brother. Is it enough? But there’s robbers to the East, clowns to the West. I’d give you my sunshine, give you my best. But the rain is always gonna come if you’re standing with me.” ~~

Shadow meant the world to Sonic. He was his heart, his soul, his reason for fighting as hard as he did. If this was what having a soulmate meant, Sonic was grateful. If what they had was more than that, he’d spend the rest of his life finding the words for it. Hundreds of songs, thousands of words, and he hadn’t even scratched the surface of what Shadow meant to him. He was his world. And Sonic needed him to know it, needed him to believe it. He needed to know Shadow felt the same.

So, he opened his eyes. He looked past the crowd, past the lights, and straight to the roof. Shadow’s eyes were wide. Sonic let everything show on his face. I love you. I’m sorry. I know I broke my promise, but I would never, ever do that to you again. As soon as you’re ready, I’ll be here. I am yours.

~~ “But I’m a fire, and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm if your cascade, ocean wave blues come. All these people think love’s for show, but I would die for you in secret. The devil’s in the details, but you got a friend in me. Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?” ~~ The smile on his face was soft. ~~ “Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?” ~~ To Sonic’s infinite surprise, Shadow smiled back. ~~ “Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?” ~~

Silence followed the song. Sonic didn’t bother putting his guitar down, his heart pounding as he leaned against the mic. Even if the people in the village didn’t get it… he let out a trembling breath, never taking his eyes off of Shadow. “Thank you all for being here. If you need anything at all, you know where to find me. Thank you.”

Cheers erupted yet again. Sonic wasn’t even listening. Shadow stood from his perch on the roof, taking a half step back so he was just barely in the light. Sonic’s heart dropped as the hedgehog moved to leave. He meant it when he said Shadow could take his time, but… part of him hoped. Even if that made him selfish.

Then Shadow caught Sonic’s eye, nodding for him to follow before he disappeared.

Sonic’s breath caught. He looked immediately to his people, gathered at the front of the stage, then back to his siblings. Every one of them waved him on. “Go!” Sonia yelled, pointing towards the beach. “We’ll clean up!”

That was all Sonic needed. He ran, the crowd parting as he made for the beach. He didn’t rev, mindful of Amy’s watchful eye on him. He sprinted, though, carrying himself through the village as fast as he could without hurting himself.

He ran all the way to the beach, sliding to a stop on the sand. The moon was out now, reflecting off of the water. The smell of salt washed over him, the gentle breeze blew his fur around, and despite it all, the world felt like it was standing still. “Shadow?” he called.

“Fifteen minutes.” Sonic turned, Shadow’s soft voice coming from behind him. The hedgehog was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes softer than they normally were. Sonic held his breath. “You wrote that in fifteen minutes.”

Sonic didn’t want to move, didn’t want to breathe, didn’t want to give Shadow any chance to walk away again. “You gave me the hard part,” he murmured. “I just added a few extra touches.”

“You and I both know that isn’t true.” He was smiling a little, though. It fell almost immediately, and suddenly the way his arms were crossed seemed more like a protective measure than anything. “Did you… really mean all of that?”

“I did.” Sonic didn’t even hesitate. He took a breath, trying to still his heartbeat at least enough that Shadow couldn’t hear it. He probably could anyway. “I’m… sorry I didn’t say any of it sooner. I didn’t have the words.”

Shadow didn’t respond, and Sonic took that as an opportunity to speak again. “Shadow, I’m sorry.” The tears came fast, filling his eyes until trying to blink them back was futile. “You stayed. You stayed, and you searched, and you didn’t give up until you found me. You did everything you could, and I can’t say the same.” He shook his head. “I don’t have any excuse. I was scared, and… my whole world ended when I watched that building fall on you. I stopped thinking, stopped caring, just… stopped all of it. I didn’t know how to exist without you anymore. I didn’t know how to breathe.”

Shadow’s eyes were unreadable, but Sonic didn’t care. “You don’t have to forgive me.” It hurt to say, but… Sonic had to make sure Shadow knew that this was his choice. “I spent a long time chasing that, and I think it made me forget that I hurt you. I was so focused on getting you back that I didn’t realize it was my fault you were gone in the first place.

“And I know it might not be enough.” His voice trembled, and he pointlessly tried to clear the sound of tears from his throat. “But… I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it in any way I can. Anything I can do, any bridge I can cross, anything in the world. I will never hurt you like that again. And if proving that for the rest of my life is what it takes, I’ll do it. I will.”

Shadow was silent. Sonic had worlds more to say, but… that was what was most important. He’d given Shadow what he had. He braced himself for whatever decision the other hedgehog made, whether Shadow would accept his apology or tell him he needed more time. He was almost sure he wasn’t breathing.

“You… never cease to amaze me.”

Sonic looked up, his eyes meeting Shadow’s over the distance between them. Shadow scoffed, shaking his head. “How can someone be King when they’re this dense?”

Sonic blinked at him. “Um?”

“I actively wrote a song saying I’m sorry for my part in all of this. Not directly, but… you understood. I know you did.” He laughed, but it was a little strained. “All of this, Sonic? The fighting, the pain, the five years that we lost because of all of this? It’s… exhausting. I’m tired of it.”

Sonic didn’t dare move until he was certain of what was being said to him. “So… what does that mean?” he asked a little hesitantly.

“It means I’m sorry.” Shadow’s voice evened out a little, losing the exasperated tone and softening into something more caring. “I was… hurt. Finding you took everything I had. In the beginning, I thought you were dead because that was the only way it made sense. And I still looked. So when I found you, and you were just living it up in your island paradise…” He looked down. “It hurt. A lot. And… I don’t know. I just saw red. I think I blacked out for a bit, because the next thing I knew you were on the ground and bleeding and I was standing over you, and it… it made me hate myself even more than I thought I hated you. So after that, I figured, ‘I’ve already gone this far. May as well just lean into it because I can’t be saved anymore.’

“But you stayed.” His voice was almost a whisper now, tears evident in his eyes. Sonic could count the number of times he’d seen Shadow cry on one hand. “All of those years, no matter how much pain I caused you, you tried. There wasn’t a single fight where you didn’t try to convince me that we could be okay again. Five years of being used like a punching bag, and you love me anyway.” He shook his head, his eyes sad. “Why?”

Sonic couldn’t help but be a little incredulous. “Why?” He ran a hand over his eyes, trying to keep his tone even. “That day I found you, Shadow, everything started to make a little more sense. We’ve saved hundreds of people. Thousands, maybe. We never kept a single one of them with us. Before we knew your power, or who you were, or any of it, Sonia and Manic were going to hand you to the Resistance and let them help you like we did with everyone else.”

Shadow’s eyes widened a little. “We didn’t have the time or resources to take care of someone, and life with the Freedom Fighters was much simpler, much better than what we had going on. So… it was probably selfish of me when I told them no,” Sonic explained. He chuckled. “We fought about it the whole time you were asleep. So as soon as you woke up, I looked at you and asked if you wanted to stay with us. Sonia and Manic chewed me out good for that one later.”

“And I said yes,” Shadow murmured. “Because letting you carry me out of that building was… the first time I ever felt safe.”

Sonic smiled, gentle and a little sad. “I knew from the moment I saw you that letting you go would be the stupidest thing I ever did,” he whispered. “And I did at that factory, because if I thought too long about you being gone, that would’ve been it for me. I would have thrown myself into the Mobian Sea and let it decide my fate. I only didn’t because Manic could tell, and he begged me to be alive when he saw me next. I couldn’t say no to that.”

That one was… one of the harder memories. Sonia wrapped in bandages and resting, Manic’s wide eyes, the hollow feeling in Sonic’s chest. Manic had grabbed his shoulders, shaken him until their eyes met, pleaded, “I almost lost one of you tonight. I can’t lose you both. You need to promise me, Sonic, that I’ll still have a brother when I find you next. Promise me you’ll be alive.”

Shadow’s eyes were so, so sad. “Sonic.” His voice was broken. “I didn’t know that.”

“I didn’t want you to.” Sonic shook his head. “I just… didn’t know how to care anymore. Finding Sonia and Manic—after losing my whole family for the third time—put me back together. Finding you made me understand that I could be happy in all of this chaos.” Sonic shrugged. “So when you disappeared… I didn’t see the point. I had to repeat it in my head sometimes, over and over and over until I could get up and keep walking. ‘You can’t die yet. Manic needs you. Sonia needs you. Mom needs you. Your life is theirs. Don’t do that to them.’ And it worked.”

Shadow was there in an instant, dragging Sonic into the tightest embrace he’d ever been in. “I’m sorry,” Shadow whispered. Sonic’s breath caught. “Sonic, I’m so sorry I ever put you through that. Any of it. When you found out I was alive and all I did was fight with you?”

“I didn’t care,” Sonic said immediately. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Tails found me that day after you left. After that first fight. And when he asked what happened, why I was hurt, why I was crying?” Sonic chuckled. “I looked at him and said, ‘Pain is temporary. I’m going to wake up one day and all of this will be gone. And I’ll hope every second that it will happen again, because it means he’s alive and I can be with him.’”

Shadow went quiet for a moment. Then he said, his voice uneven, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

Sonic laughed. He pulled out of the embrace, just enough to meet Shadow’s eyes. “Pain is temporary,” he repeated. “Loving you, caring about you, being happy you’re alive?” His voice softened, nothing but honesty in it. “Those aren’t.”

Another tear slid down Shadow’s face. He leaned forward, tapping his forehead to Sonic’s. Sonic let his eyes fall shut. “It’s done, Sonic,” Shadow whispered. “All of it. The fighting, the arguments, the pain, the anger. All of it is done.” Shadow let out a trembling sigh. “I’m sorry for hurting you. And… I forgive you. For hurting me.”

Sonic pulled back a little, his eyes wide. “You… what?”

“I’m so tired of it.” Shadow shook his head. “There’s a war going on. Everyone is in danger. Almost nothing is certain.” He searched Sonic’s eyes. “So I’m sticking with what I do know for sure. And… what I know is that I love you, and I want to be with you, and one more second of this rivalry would break me into pieces.” A little uncertainty flashed in his eyes. “Assuming… you want that too, of course.”

Almost before Shadow was done speaking, Sonic had grabbed his chin, tilted his head up, and pulled him into a near-bruising kiss.

Shadow’s breath caught. He relaxed after a moment, though, leaning in and kissing Sonic back. Sonic’s heart was beating so hard his chest hurt, his hands were shaking more than they ever had, and he was so light-headed he was a little worried he might pass out. But for the first time in what felt like forever, his head was clear. There wasn’t a war to fight. There wasn’t a crown or a kingdom. There was just this: Sonic, the night breeze blowing on the beach, and the hedgehog in his arms that he would never let anything happen to again.

Sonic broke the kiss, but stayed as close to Shadow as he could get. “Of course I want that.” Shadow let out a breath. “I love you, Shadow. And none of this—not the kingdom, not ruling, not this stupid war—none of it matters if you’re not here with me.”

Shadow let out a trembling laugh. “Five years. That’s all it took for you to kiss me.” The hedgehog pulled back, a smile on his face as he looked at Sonic. Sonic felt like he could see the whole galaxy reflected in Shadow’s eyes. He’d never seen anything more beautiful. “That’s gotta be some kind of record.”

“Oh, that doesn’t count and you know it.” Sonic was smiling, though. He didn’t know if he’d ever stop again. He didn’t know if he’d ever let Shadow leave the circle of his arms, either. “You can’t even pull that.”

“I think mine was better, too. When I kissed you that night,” Shadow commented, completely ignoring Sonic’s protests. “You’re lagging. I’m winning. Fifteen seconds into a relationship and I’m winning already.”

“Oh, is that how it is?” Shadow tried to move, but Sonic slid an arm around his waist and held him tightly in place. Shadow’s eyes went wide as Sonic cupped his cheek, the competition sparking in his eyes. “Challenge accepted, then.”

So, Sonic kissed him again. Maybe it was a little cliche to say he finally felt whole, but hearing the word “relationship” come out of Shadow’s mouth made him feel like his mess of a life made sense. Maybe he should care a little more about the war he was supposed to be leading, but Shadow’s trembling hands on Sonic’s shoulders felt like they belonged there. Maybe he should be thinking about anything else, but Shadow kissed him back like he never planned to stop. He couldn’t take his mind off of it even if he wanted to.

And yeah, this would obviously be more complex than this. Shadow was still a confusing topic for everyone they knew. He would probably pull back after this moment, stay his usual closed-off self and only be affectionate in specific moments. A lot of things might be just like they were in Mobius. Sonic didn’t care. He didn’t care, because Shadow was here. Shadow was here, he was here, and Sonic could hold him and tell him he loved him and be with him in a way he never thought would be possible.

And all of this? Even with the war looming over their shoulders, even with all of the uncertainties, even if he wasn’t sure he’d live to see the rest of his life after all of this was over? Something had settled into place in his chest despite it all. Some small certainty, a mantra to keep him going as he dragged all of his friends into the hardest thing they would ever face:

This was enough.

And he would fight like hell to protect it this time.

Chapter Text

“You’ve been… quiet.”

Sonic didn’t open his eyes as Shadow spoke. Settled on the beach, side-by-side in the sand, Sonic didn’t think he ever wanted to move. He didn’t know how much time had passed. He hadn’t opened his eyes in long enough that part of him wondered if he was dreaming. He didn’t want to wake up if he was.

Shadow had been the one to suggest they sit down, voicing Sonic’s desire to not let the night end yet. As soon as they hit the floor, Sonic leaned his head on Shadow’s shoulder. Shadow hadn’t asked him to move yet. Sonic was enamored by it, completely fascinated with this being he loved so much. The similarities, the differences, all of it. He’d be content to just sit here with Shadow for the rest of his life.

He let out a soft breath. “I’m just… thinking,” he murmured.

“Oh, no, anything but that.” Sonic’s heart hurt a little at Shadow’s joking tone. He’d missed it. “Thinking about what?” he asked a little softer.

“You,” Sonic answered immediately.

Shadow chuckled. “Why do you need to think about me when I’m right here?”

Sonic imagined it was everything about tonight—all of the things that had happened and changed and fallen into place—that dragged the honesty from him. “I don’t know. I’m just… not used to that yet.”

Sonic felt Shadow’s shoulders dip a little at that. Sonic wondered if he should feel bad for the comment, but… he wasn’t accusing Shadow of anything. He really was just being honest. Wondering about Shadow had become a longtime hobby of his, and not having to wonder anymore? It was weird. He’d probably still do it out of habit every time Shadow walked away.

“Hey. Thinky.” Shadow reached out, catching Sonic’s chin and lifting his head. Sonic blinked wide eyes at him. Shadow just leaned down, pressed a soft kiss to Sonic’s mouth, and whispered, “Sing for me?”

Sonic’s eyes widened more. “Really?”

Shadow sat back, handing Sonic the guitar he’d leaned against a log earlier. “Really,” he answered. His eyes shifted to the ground. “I, um… would listen to you sometimes. When you thought no one was around.” He chuckled a little. “I missed hearing you sing almost as much as I missed you.”

Sonic’s twin instincts when it came to Shadow were competition and immediately wanting to give him anything he asked for. He wondered if those two things would cause him problems sometimes. They probably would. Now, though, he caved immediately at Shadow’s words. “Alright.”

Sonic took the guitar, shifting so he could settle it comfortably in his lap. He smiled at Shadow. “Any requests?”

Shadow thought for a moment. Then he smiled a little. “Play me something nobody’s heard before,” he asked softly. Sonic’s heart squeezed in his chest. “Something you’ve never played unless you were alone.”

Sonic knew what to play almost instantly. “Something I’ve never played for anyone,” he repeated. “It’s a little… well, you’ll see. But you should know it’s been a while and I’m only mostly sure I remember it.”

Shadow just sat back, smiled, and nodded for Sonic to continue. Sonic set his hands on the guitar, strumming the intro to the song. He played it a few more times than it called for, making sure he had a feel for the instrument and remembered the words. He was almost sure he had it when he started singing.

~~ “Call it divine intervention, the way you’re reading my mind. Feel like I’ve known you forever even though I just met you tonight.” ~~ Sonic ignored the way Shadow’s eyes immediately narrowed. ~~ “People in every direction. Nothing but small talk in here. Trying to steal our attention, but I wish we could disappear. Yeah, I wish we could disappear.” ~~

Sonic shut his eyes as the chorus rolled around. ~~ “So, can we pretend that we’re invisible? Kiss me like nobody’s watching us. Two ghosts alone in the middle of a crowded room, my love. Can we pretend that we’re invisible? For all I care, we’re the only ones. Holding each other in the middle of a crowded room, my love. Just the two of us.” ~~

Sonic wondered, briefly, if this could be his life. Sitting on the beach, singing to Shadow, nothing to worry about except whether or not the breeze would get too cold if they sat too long. He knew almost immediately that it could. He wished he could just… pause time. Give them another moment to be okay before everything fell apart again. Before everything they were meant to do came back to them.

~~ “So here’s a toast to the moment, to being young and alive. Don’t need to know where we’re going. It’ll all make sense when we arrive. Dance with me under the neon, until the sun starts to rise. It doesn’t matter where we are as long as I got you here by my side. And won’t you disappear with me tonight?” ~~

He sang through the second chorus softly, letting the song speak for itself. Shadow had probably guessed by now that the song was about him, but… honestly, weren’t most of them? Sonic wrote things he cared about. He wrote how he was feeling, what he was thinking, and everything in between. And with Shadow… Well, it wasn’t like he could ever run out of things to say. He’d be writing songs about Shadow for the rest of his life.

He opened his eyes for the last chorus, holding Shadow’s soft gaze. ~~ “Can we pretend that we’re invisible? Kiss me like nobody’s watching us. Two ghosts alone in the middle of a crowded room, my love. Can we pretend that we’re invisible? For all I care, we’re the only ones. Holding each other in the middle of a crowded room, my love.” ~~ He stopped strumming. ~~ “Just the two of us.” ~~

For a moment, quiet followed the music. Shadow had closed his eyes, and Sonic took a bit to just watch him. Sitting here like this, his expression unguarded and his hands resting against cool sand, Sonic wondered how often he would get this version of Shadow. How often he’d see this quiet, relaxed person and not the standoffish brute he normally was. He decided he didn’t care. Shadow being here, brooding and all, was good enough for him.

Shadow smiled a little. “So, uh… when did you write that?” There was a gleam in his eyes as he opened them that almost made Sonic nervous. “I’m only asking because of that line about only having met tonight.”

Sonic felt himself blush. He hoped it didn’t show in the darkness surrounding them. “Yeah, uh…” He chuckled sheepishly. “It wasn’t actually that night. But… do you remember the first Resistance meeting you attended?”

Shadow’s eyes shot wide. “Sonic, that was like a week after we met.” He was smiling, though. “You were already writing sappy love songs about me that soon?”

“Oh, shush,” Sonic said, playfully pushing Shadow. “I told you, I’ve been obsessed with you from the beginning. Did you not believe me?” He pushed a pile of sand around with his foot. “Besides, those lyrics are updated. They weren’t that bad when I first wrote it.

“I did know,” Shadow said. “That you were obsessed with me, I mean.” He softened a little. “I just didn’t know to what extent.”

Sonic chuckled. “If you think that one’s bad, you should hear the collection of post-Mobius songs. Those ones are—”

Shadow held up a hand, stopping Sonic mid-sentence. Sonic froze immediately. Shadow’s eyes shifted, looking past Sonic into the darkness. After a moment, Shadow relaxed a little. “Hey, guys.”

Sonic turned around. Sonia and Manic were walking towards them, Manic pushing Amy’s chair with him. Sonic set his guitar to the side. His sister’s expression was guarded, as was Amy’s. Manic was unreadable. “What are you all doing here?” Sonic asked.

“We came to check on you.” Sonia looked at Shadow. “Both of you,” she added. “That was a pretty intense performance. I wanted to see if you guys were okay.”

Sonic looked at Shadow. Shadow stood, then reached out a hand to help Sonic up. Sonic took it. Shadow didn’t let go, twining their fingers together once Sonic was upright. “Yeah,” Shadow said. “We’re okay.”

Something in Manic’s expression shifted. “Like… okay okay?” There was hope in his voice. “Real okay? No more fighting okay?”

“Manic,” Sonia cautioned.

Shadow shook his head. “It’s alright, Sonia.” Shadow looked between Sonia and Manic. “I’m sorry. I know you guys were just trying your best. And… I know I never did anything directly to you two, but… I hurt Sonic, and I know he means the world to you guys. And I’m sorry.”

Manic shot a glance down at Amy. Amy nodded. Manic let go of the chair, walking up and stopping a few steps away from Shadow. “We should be sorry, Shadow. Not you.” He held Shadow’s gaze as he spoke. “I know Sonia couldn’t have done much, and we told Sonic to leave, but… I had no excuse.” His eyes watered. “I should have gone back. I should have gone back for you, and I didn’t. And I’m sorry.”

Shadow let go of Sonic’s hand, reaching out and pulling Manic into a hug. “It’s okay, Manic,” he murmured. “Sonic explained some of it to me. Sonia needed you. Sending Sonic away couldn’t have been easy, especially not in the state he was in. And you immediately had to turn around and leave Mobotropolis. You did what you could.”

Manic hugged him back, something in both of them seeming to relax a little. Shadow pulled back and looked at Sonia. “I’m sorry I blamed you guys, too. Sonic told me how badly you were hurt.”

“Not as badly as you,” Sonia answered. “How did you manage to get out of there? I was there when they shot you. That wound should have been fatal. And that’s without the collapsing building.”

Shadow looked down. “It wasn’t easy,” he murmured. “I woke up in more pain than I’d ever been in. It took the last of my energy, but I managed to use my chaos control to get out from under the rubble.” He put a hand to his chest. “I think the building managed to miss where I got shot, so that was already healing while I was passed out. The rest probably should have killed me, but…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought, ‘I have to find them’ and I kept going.”

Sonia’s eyes softened a little. “And then you found out we left you,” she said. “I’m sorry, Shadow. The boys are right. We should’ve helped.”

“Well, from what I hear, you were pretty beat up yourself,” Shadow said.

Sonia chuckled. “Yup.” She tugged her shirt up a little, showing off the scars across her abdomen. Shadow’s eyes shot wide. “Sonic went back for you. And maybe he could have gotten there, but… he would have died.” Sonia looked down. “I had to make a choice between losing both of you and saving my brother, and… I chose him.”

“I would’ve chosen him, too,” Shadow said immediately. “I don’t blame you. Any of you. I realize now it was… a bad situation all around. All of us could have done things differently, and blaming each other… it’s exhausting.”

Sonia smiled a little. “It is,” she agreed.

“Does… that mean we’re okay?” Manic’s voice was filled with poorly concealed hope. “All four of us? We’re alright now?” He looked between Sonic and Shadow. “And you guys are okay?”

Shadow glanced at Sonic. Then he reached out, tugging Sonic towards him and folding their hands together again. “Yeah, we’re okay.” He smiled at Sonic. “More than okay.”

Sonia must have seen it in their eyes. “Oh my god, finally,” she said, her voice playful now. “It took you guys this long to actually acknowledge all of those feelings, huh?”

“Actually, he kissed me in the factory,” Sonic said, speaking for the first time. “So… technically it didn’t take too long.”

“He what?” Sonia and Manic said simultaneously. Sonia added, “And you never told us?”

“You never told us you married Bartleby!” Manic jumped in. “It’s the same thing.”

“It is not.”

“Wait, you married who?” Shadow asked, incredulous. “Don’t you hate Bartleby?”

“That’s what I said!” Sonic and Manic both yelled.

“Alright, alright.” Amy jumped in, holding up a hand to stop their bickering. She was smiling, though. “It seems you all have some catching up to do. Not that I think it should be done tonight, because it’s already been a very long night and I think we all need sleep.”

Shadow glanced at Amy. “Amy.” She looked up at him. “I owe you and your friends an apology, too. For all of the fights over the years.”

She waved a hand. “Eh, it was fun sometimes. Assuming we won, that is.” She reached out and patted his arm. “We’re good, Shadow. Just don’t do it again.”

“I won’t,” he promised. “Are you… okay?”

She tapped the chair. “Oh, this old thing?” She waved him off. “I’ll be fine. But I will say, for some Swatbot-destroying legend, those things hit way harder than you.”

“I was also never trying to actually kill you.” Shadow tilted his head. “Though, yeah, the Swatbots aren’t fun.”

“And now they’re worse,” Sonia added. “I imagine you’ll see if you’re there when we fight them off.”

Shadow looked at Sonic, a question in his eyes. Sonic chuckled nervously. “Yeah, uh… I haven’t brought any of that up yet,” he said to his sister. “Though I’m a little surprised you never heard any of it with all that listening you do, Shadow.”

“Couldn’t get to any of the meetings,” he said simply. “That fox friend of yours is too smart for me. His workshop is basically impossible to eavesdrop on.”

Sonic smiled. “That sounds about right.” His smile fell a little, though. He looked down at his hands, fidgeting with them as he spoke. “Guys, can we… hold off the war talk for tonight?” His voice was soft. “I know it’s important, but… just one night without it. That’s all I want. We can spell the whole thing out to Shadow tomorrow.”

Nobody spoke for a moment. Then an arm slid around Sonic’s waist. Sonic glanced at Shadow, who pushed himself onto his toes to place a soft kiss on Sonic’s cheek. Sonic couldn’t keep his shock at Shadow’s open affection off of his face. “It can wait,” he said. “We can save the politics for tomorrow.”

Sonic smiled gratefully. He turned back to Sonia, Manic, and Amy, immediately holding in a scoff as he saw them. Amy’s eyes were lasered in on the hand on Sonic’s waist. Manic was smiling so widely Sonic was almost sure it had to hurt. Sonia was just staring at them, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. “You are the most unsubtle group of people I’ve ever met,” Sonic said.

“As someone who is close friends with Sticks and Knuckles, you know that isn’t true,” Amy deadpanned. Her eyes met Sonic’s. “But I’m happy for you. Truly.”

Sonic smiled at her. He looked between the group of them, then glanced up at the moon. It wasn’t until then that he realized how exhausted he was. “Thank you, Ames.” He looked back at his friends. “I think you’re right about needing sleep, though. It’s been a long day, and it’ll be a long day tomorrow. And… every day after that, really.”

Manic stepped forward, throwing his arms around both Sonic and Shadow. “I’m glad this is all okay now,” he murmured to them. “I don’t think I could handle another day of all of it.”

“That makes two of us.” Sonia didn’t hug either of them, but she did rest a hand on Shadow’s shoulder. “Good to have you back, friend.” She nodded towards Sonic. “You’ve got him?”

“I’ve got him,” Shadow confirmed. Sonic wanted to point out that he didn’t need a babysitter, but he kept his mouth shut. He just waved along with Shadow as the three of them left, Manic offering to carry Amy’s chair so she could get up and walk for a bit. She was only in it for her head wound now, and Eggman told her she could get up sometimes if she didn’t do too much.

In the silence that followed with the two of them alone on the beach again, Sonic couldn’t bring himself to look at Shadow. There were a million things swirling through his mind, all of them rolling into one desperate message of “Don’t go. Don’t leave, not tonight.” Not that he knew how to say that out loud. Not that he knew if Shadow wanted him to say it.

Was he allowed to ask for that right now? Maybe Shadow would want a little bit of space. Maybe he would want to go back to wherever he’d been staying all these years, sleep on his own, and come back tomorrow. Maybe he wouldn’t come back tomorrow. Maybe he’d see all of this and realize it was too much and wish it hadn’t happened and not want to—

“Stop that.” Sonic’s thoughts were interrupted by Shadow speaking. He’d shifted, moving in front of Sonic and crossing his arms over his chest. Sonic just blinked at him. “The overthinking thing. Whatever it is, stop. I’m here. We’re okay. If you have something you want to say, just say it. It’s not going to hurt us.”

Sonic just stared at him for a second. Then he laughed. “You’d think I would’ve lost way more fights considering you tend to just know what I’m thinking at most given times.” He sobered, though, the questions still swirling in his head. So he reached out, pulling Shadow close and tapping their foreheads together. The touch gave him enough confidence to murmur, “I want you to stay.”

Shadow leaned back a little, tilting his head. “With you? Tonight?” Sonic nodded. Shadow’s eyes were clear and open, a rare thing that Sonic knew he shouldn’t get used to seeing. Shadow smiled a little. “I kind of figured that was the plan already.”

Sonic’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“If you wanted me to, of course.” Shadow’s hands rested on Sonic’s shoulders. “But, yes. I want to stay. Maybe partially because your house is far more comfortable than my cave is.”

Sonic couldn’t contain his smile if he tried. “I do want you to.” He hesitated. “Do you… want to?”

Shadow rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot.” He grabbed Sonic’s hand, tugging them both towards the beach house. Sonic shot one last glance at the beach, sending a silent thank-you to the waves and the shore and whatever else he thought was there. Why did he feel like every important thing in his current life happened on this beach? “Come on, you. Let’s go to bed.”

Sonic pushed back thoughts of the beach, smiled one last time at the moon, and let Shadow drag him away.

Chapter Text

“Absolutely not.”

Sonic let out a silent sigh, dropping his head to the table with a dull thump. A collective groan went around the table. Gathering at Tails’s workshop at seven AM was Amy’s idea, though everyone protested at least a little after the long night they all had. Now, it was almost nine. And despite getting the best sleep he’d probably ever had the night before, everyone at the table agreed: it was far too early for this.

Even if that was the only thing they could agree on.

“Sonia—” Manic tried, countering his sister’s protest. She cut him off immediately.

“Manic, I don’t know why you’re not on my side about this.” Sonia’s voice was angry. “Sonic hasn’t been home in five years. Not just that, but he’s the king. Mobius needs him. If we show up with Sonic, it will boost morale to a level we’ve never seen before and give us our most realistic shot at winning this thing. Leaving him here is unfair to him and to the Freedom Fighters. He’s not staying.”

“Alright, look.” Amy raised her hands, stopping the conversation before it got out of hand. She was staying surprisingly calm despite spending the morning putting fires out. “I understand where everyone is coming from, but we really have to talk about this. And not just say no to everything,” she added. Sonia’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not blaming anyone,” Amy clarified, “but this is starting to get out of hand. We need a plan.”

“Maybe if everyone’s plans weren’t awful, we’d get somewhere,” Sticks grumbled.

Amy chose to ignore that. “We’re going to try this one more time.” Sonic was listening, but he didn’t bother to lift his head. It had been nearly two hours, and all anyone had done was fight. They’d accomplished nothing. The whole point of meeting so early was that Robotnik could attack at any time, and they needed to be prepared in case something happened. Which, in Sonic’s opinion, made the whole thing pointless considering they’d figured out nothing.

“We’ve worked out what to do with the bots,” Amy continued. “Now our problem is this: if we run, they follow. Not only could that mean losing this battle on the water, but it could mean bringing more problems to Mobius if we do manage to outrun them. So, we need someone to stay behind. Not to fight them off alone, though there will no doubt be some of that. But to distract them while everyone else is busy getting to Mobius.”

“Shadow is the obvious choice,” Manic said. “Robotnik is terrified of him as is, and he’s powerful. He has the best chance of… um…”

“Surviving,” Shadow filled in from beside Sonic, speaking up for the first time in a while. When Sonic woke up that morning, Shadow was already awake and watching him with one of the softest expressions Sonic had ever seen. He was gentle and open for those few moments in a way Sonic couldn’t help but love. As soon as they left, though, his normal closed-off demeanor returned in full. “I have no problem staying here. I’ll meet up with you in Mobotropolis as soon as I get the okay.”

Sonic started to raise his hand. Knuckles spoke up before he could. “And Sonic doesn’t want Shadow staying alone because it’s dangerous, and because they have a better shot together. So he’ll stay, too.” He let out a chuckle that was only a little exasperated. “Did I get all that, Sonic?”

“Yep,” Sonic said, keeping his head on the table.

“Sonic isn’t staying,” Sonia said firmly.

“And we’re back to square one,” Amy said dejectedly. “This is pointless.”

The arguing started up again, and Sonic decided he’d had enough. He clamped his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes shut and thumping his head against the table a few times. He wished there was an easier way to do this. Sonia had a point, and Sonic didn’t like the idea of having to wait to go back to Mobius, either. Leaving Shadow alone wasn’t an option, though. The two of them were the only ones who could hold off the bots for that long, though he was sure Shadow could do it alone. But he wouldn’t risk it. Not when they’d finally worked everything out.

He understood where Sonia was coming from, too, though. It wasn’t just about Mobius, though that was definitely a factor. It was about leaving again. They’d known each other for such a short time in Mobius, and even less time now. They’d spent the majority of their lives being apart. Now, they didn’t have to do that. They were here. Losing that again might break him, even if it was only temporary. He promised they wouldn’t be separated again.

But… he was their leader. Wasn’t it his job to make the hard decisions, to fill in the gaps when they were left? It wasn’t even about being King, because that wasn’t for this group of people. His siblings and his friends—two groups that didn’t even know the other existed until recently—always looked to him for leadership. It was sort of his role.

And he was their leader for a reason.

He needed to act like it.

“That’s enough.” Sonic didn’t have to yell; everyone quieted down as soon as they heard him. He lifted his head, taking a moment to look around at everyone. They all stared back with varying degrees of caution and anger. “Guys, what are we doing? We can’t fight right now. Not when so much is at stake.”

A couple of people at the table had the decency to look guilty. Sonic took a breath, then started talking again. “I don’t make a habit of bossing you guys around for fun. Typically, I know you can fend for yourselves when you need to. I trust all of you wholly.” He paused. “But… you all chose me as your leader for a reason. And sometimes, that means making the hard decisions when everyone else can’t.

“I’m staying.” Sonia immediately shot him a glare that would send most others packing. “Listen. Shadow and I have the best chance of making it out of here alive, and every single person at this table knows it. Sonia, I’ll be back in Mobius anyway, so the delay won’t mean much. And I will not leave anybody to fend for themselves. The whole point of this is to have backup if something goes wrong. None of us are an island. We have each other, and that might be all we have. We have to stick together.”

Sonia’s expression smoothed out a little. Everyone else looked like they weren’t going to put up a fight. “This is a war, guys,” he said, his voice softening. “A real one. Some of us have experienced that before, but some of us haven’t. We’ll need all the help we can get. So, here’s the plan.” He tapped his communicator. “Everything else goes as initially planned. We fight until someone can’t, and then everyone but me and Shadow will get on the boat and head to Mobius.” Sonia’s nose wrinkled, but she stayed quiet. “When you get there, our only chance is to divide and conquer. Manic, check in with the Resistance and see where the fighting is worst and which people we have to spare. Sonia, you’ll take Tails and Eggman to Bartleby so they can figure out the plan to free the prisoners before moving on to the motherboard. Amy, you’re in charge of the crew until I get back. Go where Manic tells you; split up if you have to, but nobody is to be alone, ever. If someone is hurt, bring them back to the Resistance base.”

He stopped talking, letting the information settle for a moment. His voice softened. “Some of us were born into this fight,” he murmured, looking at his brother and sister. “Some of us brought into it by choice.” He glanced at Shadow, then at Eggman. “And some of you didn’t even know it existed until very recently.” He sighed. “Whatever your reason for being here… thank you. Your help means more to me than you will ever know.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Then, Sonia said, “I’m… sorry I was so uncompromising.” She looked at Sonic. “Our whole lives, you’ve been sacrificing so we didn’t have to. You fought for the Resistance as a little kid despite not even knowing your true place in the fight. When we met, you took care of me and Manic even though you were the same age. And when everything went wrong, you left everything you’d ever known so we didn’t have to.” Manic reached over, grabbing his sister’s hand. She squeezed gratefully. “I just… wanted to give you one thing. One thing you didn’t have to give up.”

Sonic smiled, hoping it didn’t look as sad as it probably felt. “It’s alright, Sonia. Really.” He glanced at Shadow. “Besides, I could use some extra Swatbot kicking. It’s been a little too long since I—”

A scream cut him off mid-sentence.

Everyone immediately jumped up. Sonic threw up a hand. “Freeze,” he commanded, and everyone stopped dead. He looked at Tails. “Go.”

Tails nodded, hopping up on the table and using it to vault into the air. He flew up to one of the windows at the edge of the room, cracking the blinds just enough to see through them. He turned back to Sonic with wide eyes. “Sonic,” he said, his voice low. “Outside. Now.”

Sonic gestured for everyone else to stay. He zipped outside, his eyes scanning the sky in the direction of the beach. His heart immediately froze in his chest. “Oh, god,” he murmured. “That’s… not a patrol.”

There were at least thirty Swatbots flying towards the village. Sonic had expected eight, maybe even twelve. He expected Robotnik to send a search party and nothing more. Not this. He ran back inside, stopping hard enough to leave marks on Tails's floor. “Three dozen,” he said breathlessly. Sonia and Manic paled immediately, Manic reaching out to put a hand on Amy’s shoulder as if on instinct. “There are three dozen of them here. Not just one patrol.”

“There are what?” Knuckles and Sticks stood up.

Sonic held up a hand. “I know we had a plan, but that’s void now.” He glanced at Shadow. “Shadow, you’re up. Keep them away from the villagers. Take out as many as you can.” Shadow nodded, immediately getting up and speeding out the door. “Knuckles, Sticks, and Tails, provide backup. Eggman, wait for a bot in good enough condition and drag it back to your lab. Do not let it out of your sight. Sonia, Manic.” His siblings perked up. “We still need Robotnik to believe you’re in Mobius. You do not leave this lab under any condition. I don’t care what you hear, or what you think you see, or how worried you get. You stay hidden unless you get a command directly from me to do otherwise. Amy, make sure they stay put.”

Manic chuckled, even as worry settled in his gold eyes. “Really feeding into that leadership role, huh bro?” He walked over, though, and dragged Sonic into a tight hug. “Be careful. Please.”

Sonic returned the brief embrace. “I will,” he promised. He pulled back and looked around. “This is it, guys. Worse than we thought, but we’ll be okay. Do not forget your training.” He hardened his voice. “We have this.”

With that, everyone ran for the doors. Sonic zipped out first, his eyes immediately turning to the sky. Shadow blipped into place on the back of a Swatbot, immediately knocking it into two others. Four of the surrounding bots locked onto Shadow, raising their guns at him. Shadow blipped again as they all shot at him. Shrapnel from the middle bots shot into some of the other ones, and a total of nine Swatbots fell out of the sky. Pride swelled through Sonic as Shadow fell with them, spin-dashing one of them into the floor.

Sonic left Shadow to do his thing, reaching up a hand without looking behind him. Tails grabbed him a moment later. The fox lifted him into the air, spinning and flinging Sonic into the crowd of Swatbots. Sonic collided with the nearest one, landing on its head and latching on like some kind of bug. He sent a wide grin into the bot’s cameras. “Hey, Buttnik! Miss me?”

The bot made an alarmed noise, as if even the new ones were programmed to recognize him. Sonic spun, cutting into the Swatbot’s neck and severing its head. The bot fell, and Sonic grabbed the feet of two others and dragged them down with him. Both of them turned their guns on him, and he hit the ground just as they shot. He managed to skid away before they hit him. Sand flew everywhere, and Sonic used the temporary blindness to summon his guitar. Each of the bots exploded as blue lasers hit them.

After that, the cold of battle took hold. Sonic was aware of his friends around him, battling bots wherever and however they could. Knuckles and Sticks were tag-teaming the ones that landed in front of them, and Tails tossed a handful of small, blinking red dots to Shadow. Shadow blipped in and out, sticking the dots to a few of the bots. Then Tails pressed a button, and a wave of electricity cut through the four of them. All of them went dark and hit the floor.

Hope lit in Sonic’s chest. This wouldn’t be as bad as he thought. Not only had he underestimated his friends, but he underestimated Shadow. In five years, he’d stopped fighting Swatbots and started fighting Sonic and his friends, who were marginally more powerful. Sonic didn’t even think about how much stronger he’d gotten. Shadow was nearly unstoppable.

Sonic threw his guitar strap over his head, securing the instrument before launching himself into the battle again. There were still double the amount of bots than they planned for. He chased down two of them that were headed a little too close to the village, whistling to get their attention. They turned. Neither of them made a sound as they raised their arms to shoot at him. “What, nothing to say, Robotnik?” he called. He sent a beam from his guitar at both of them before he could get a response, watching them explode as they hit. Shrapnel rained everywhere.

“Sonic!” Sonic turned as Tails flew up behind him, yanking his goggles up from where he’d dropped them over his eyes. Already, a thin layer of soot covered most of his face. “Eggman can’t use the bots if they’re smashed. You have to be more careful.”

Sonic gestured around them at the intact bots on the ground. “We have plenty!” he called back. “Magic wasn’t made to preserve them. I’m more worried about making sure the village is safe.”

“This was your plan,” Tails pointed out.

Sonic groaned loudly. “Yeah, alright. Um…” He turned in a circle, his eyes catching on one of the bots headed towards Knuckles and Sticks. “Be right back!”

He sped over to the bot, letting his guitar disappear into a soft blue light. “Hey, ugly!” he called to the bot, grabbing its attention as it got closer. Sonic skidded to a halt in front of it. When it raised both arms to shoot at him, Sonic smiled before spinning and launching himself at the arms of the bot. Both of them sheared off as he hit them, falling to the ground and shooting as they connected with the floor. Sonic jumped out of the way of the beams, but not fast enough to prevent one of them hitting his leg. He ignored the pain. “Here, Tails!” Sonic called. “Call Eggman!”

Sonic knew his friend could handle it from there, so he moved to help Knuckles and Sticks. Knuckles had been hit by a stray shot and was bleeding from his left shoulder, his arm pressed securely against his chest. Sticks was in front of him fending off three bots at once. Sonic sped in, grabbing his guitar again and stopping in front of the group of them. “Sticks, duck!” Sticks didn’t even look at him before dropping to the ground, dragging Knuckles down with her, too. Sonic sent out a beam from his guitar, hitting one of the bots and knocking it into the other two. They all collapsed, and Sonic took the opportunity to deliver a spin-dash directly into the pile of them. The two remaining bots sparked and then went still.

Sonic grabbed Sticks, dragging her to her feet before helping Knuckles up, too. “Knucks, Amy is on standby in the workshop. She’ll patch you up. You’re out for now.” Sonic reached for his watch, pushing the button to talk. “Amy, Knuckles coming your way with a hit to the shoulder. Shadow, Tails, what are we looking at?”

“They’re gone.” Shadow spoke not from the communicator, but from right next to him. Sonic let go of the watch and turned to Shadow, a little surprised by how easily he snuck up on him. “Tails and I took out the last few of them. One tried to fly back towards Mobius, but he took it down.” His eyes scanned Sonic up and down. “You’re hurt,” he observed.

Sonic hadn’t thought about his leg. He opened his mouth to respond, but Shadow reached out and swiped a thumb across his cheek before he could. It came away red. “Oh,” Sonic commented. “I didn’t feel that one.”

“It’s small,” Shadow assured him. “That isn’t, though.” He pointed to his leg. “Go let Amy patch you up.”

“In a minute,” Sonic said. He turned to Sticks and Tails. “We need to get the rest of these bots out of here. Tails, take your plane up to Eggman’s fortress and borrow that weird magnet thing he has in the Eggmobile. Sticks, make sure they’re all actually down. Kick a few of them for good measure. Shadow, you—”

“Are taking you to Amy,” Shadow filled in. At Sonic’s blank look, Shadow rolled his eyes. “That’s enough tasks for now. I can handle cleanup. You go back inside and let Amy fix that leg of yours.” Shadow held up a hand before Sonic could protest. “I didn’t ask. You’re no use to us if you’re bleeding out on the floor. Go, and we can handle this.”

Sonic held his gaze for a moment, rising to the challenge resting in it. He backed down almost immediately. “Yeah, okay,” Sonic relented. “I’m going to send Amy to check in with the villagers when she’s done with me and Knuckles. You’ve got the bots?”

“I’ve got them.” Shadow pushed him gently towards the workshop. “If I need anything, I’ll come get you. Don’t worry about us.”

Sonic rolled his eyes affectionately. Shadow had never exactly been bossy, but he was the most stubborn person Sonic knew. Telling him no was easy, but getting him to listen was near impossible. He’d always been the same way back in Mobius, demanding Sonic and his siblings stop and take a break whenever they were hurt. He didn’t take injuries lightly, and he knew which ones were going to be a problem and which weren’t without more than a glance.

Sonic had the brief thought that maybe that was the reason he never came away from his fights with Shadow with major, long-term injuries.

He smiled a little to himself.

He walked back to the workshop, carefully closing the door behind him. Almost immediately, his siblings were there. “How did it go?” Sonia demanded. “Is everyone okay? Are they gone? Did Manifold get one of the bots? Is—”

“Sonia. Relax. Everything is fine.” Sonic glanced past his sister to Amy, who was bandaging Knuckles's shoulder. “Room for one more?” he asked.

“Come sit,” she instructed. “I’m almost done with Knuckles.”

Sonic gestured for Sonia and Manic to follow him. He settled in the chair next to Knuckles, glancing at the bandages being wrapped around his shoulder. “Nice one, Knucks,” Sonic commented. “How bad?”

“Amy says I’m fine as long as I don’t use my arm for everything.” He shrugged, then winced. Amy glared at him. “Little worse than a surface wound, but not bad. Bullets hurt.”

“They do,” Sonic confirmed. Then he turned to his siblings. Manic was nervously biting at his nails, Sonia just glaring at him. Sonic batted Manic’s hand away from his face. “Everything is fine,” he said again. “What you see here is the worst of it. Eggman has an armless and otherwise unharmed bot in his lab, and he’s going to figure out how to disable the microphone and cameras before he does anything else. Sticks and Knuckles handled themselves well, and Tails’s devices worked better than we thought. Shadow probably took out about twenty of them.” Sonic chuckled. “Robotnik is probably running around arresting anyone who didn’t know Shadow was alive. More people to free when we take Mobius back, I guess.”

Sonia let out a breath. “I was worried when that many showed up.” After a moment, though, she smiled at Sonic. “But, hey, looks like you’re not as rusty as I worried you’d be. Or Shadow.”

“Shadow didn’t even flinch,” Sonic said, unable to keep the awe from his voice. “He was just taking them down like it was nothing. Robotnik might have made all of his bots stronger, but Shadow’s been keeping up, too. I guess I have my friends to thank for keeping him on his toes all these years.”

“Maybe he always planned to go back to Mobius,” Amy commented. At Sonic’s blank look, she shrugged. “Maybe some part of him still wanted it to be his war. Maybe he stayed trained for that reason.” She tapped Knuckles. “You’re good to go. Go help, but take it easy on that arm.”

“Thanks, Ames,” Knuckles said. He stood, shifting his shoulder a bit in its wrappings before heading for the doors. Sonic turned the chair Knuckles vacated and raised his leg, setting it down on the seat.

“Pairing him and Sticks is smart,” Manic murmured, coming up behind Amy and watching Knuckles as he walked out of the workshop. “Amy’s kind of a powerhouse, and Tails is your tech guy. Taking two of your strong fighters—especially ones that know each other well—and putting them together is going to make them much stronger.”

Sonic looked down at his leg as Amy started to clean it. “Everyone has a specific task except for those two. They’re both incredible fighters, but their expertise isn’t in anything specific. So, their job is to take care of each other. Losing either of them would be a huge detriment to our team, and with them looking out for each other, I can be sure they’re alright.”

Amy chuckled and shook her head. “I always thought you were a little too unserious, especially as a leader.” She met his eyes. “Seeing this, though, I get it. Taking the time to goof off when you could.” Her voice quieted a little. “I’m sorry I gave you so much trouble for it.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I never told you, so you were just doing your job.” He winced as she hit a sore spot in his wound. “Ow. How bad?”

“Not. It’ll heal on its own after a while, but there’s no real risk of anything happening to it.” She turned his leg so he could see the dark wound on his ankle. “It isn’t even bleeding. Is that normal with Swatbots?”

Sonia rolled her eyes. “Robotnik randomizes them,” she said, her voice flat. “Different types of weapons on different bots, all outwardly the same until one of them shoots you. That’s why Knuckles had a bullet wound and Sonic has this.”

Amy shot her an incredulous look. “Really?”

Manic nodded. “He thinks it catches us off guard, and he’s right. Sometimes, you expect a bullet and get a beam. Sometimes, it’s just different types of bullets.” He gestured to Sonic. “Those are lasers. They’re nice, because they instantly cauterize wounds and usually don’t bleed. But they hurt more than any of them.” His eyes shifted to Sonic. “All of this is new. They just shot beams the last time you saw them. Why are you being so calm about this? And doesn’t it hurt?”

“It does,” Sonic confirmed. It hurt a lot, actually, and far more than it should have. Why was it always his legs? “And, yeah, it threw me a little. But I’m just… rolling with the punches. Scooping water off the boat as it finds its way on, you know?”

“Sonic using water analogies is crazy,” Sonia said. After a moment, she added, “Actually, so is you living on an island. How do you get around that one?”

“By being the only person on said island who can’t swim,” Amy deadpanned.

“I’m not the only one!” He gestured vaguely towards the village. “Mrs. Walrus’s kid can’t swim!”

“Mrs. Walrus’s kid is a baby, Sonic.”

“Semantics.”

Amy shook her head, but she was smiling. She tapped Sonic’s leg. “You’re good,” she said. “It’ll leave a nice scar, but it shouldn’t bug you too much. No risk of re-opening if you run, either.”

“Perfect.” Sonic dropped his leg, standing up and taking a few experimental steps. “It feels fine enough.” A lie, but he couldn’t exactly let this take him down. “I’m going to go check on everyone else.”

“Wait.” Sonia reached out, grabbing his arm before he could run off. “We need everyone back here, and fast. We have to start preparing everything for an all-out war on this island.”

Sonic paused, then carefully lifted his sister’s arm off. “After,” he said. “First, I need to make sure no one was hurt. An army of Swatbots will take days to get here, anyway.” Sonia looked angry, but didn’t protest. “Amy, come with me into the village and help me check on everyone. Sonia, Manic, I’ll have Sticks let you know when she’s sure they’re all actually down so you can go help with picking up the mess we made.”

Manic saluted jokingly. Sonia hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, Sonic,” she said. “Be careful.”

“I will,” he promised. “You guys, too. And Sonia, make sure you have the radio for Bartleby with you at all times. If his scouts can tell us when Robotnik sends his army here, it will make everything a lot easier for us.”

Sonia nodded. Sonic turned and headed out of the building, holding the door open for Amy to follow. Sonic was still nervous about letting her walk around, but her head was almost healed and Eggman said it was fine. He didn’t protest as she fell into step beside him. “Are you worried you won’t be able to fight?” he asked after a moment.

Amy shrugged, but her eyes darkened a little. “Well, Eggman says I should be fine, and it’s only my head that’s a problem now. If I can’t fight, I can’t fight, though I wouldn’t be happy about it. You’re probably more worried about it than I am.”

“I am.” Sonic didn’t try to lie about it. “The good news is that you’d be a great secret weapon if he takes long enough that you’re good to go.” He paused. “I’m not letting you fight unless I know you can, though. You were hurt pretty badly.” His voice quieted. “I won’t risk you like that.”

Amy waved a hand. “Eggman helped, and I’m up and walking. That means I’m basically fine.” Her ankle healed shockingly fast, a point Eggman chalked up to sheer stubbornness. At Sonic’s raised eyebrow, she smiled. “What? Let me pretend nothing is wrong with this.” Her voice softened. “It helps. With the anxiety.”

Sonic reached out, tugging her into a side hug for a moment before letting go. “You’ll be alright,” he said. “If you can’t fight, we’ll have you run background with the Freedom Fighters. They could use someone smart like you.”

“That’s why Sonia’s been telling me how to run it.” They got to the village, and Sonic winced a little at the Swatbot remains everywhere. “He’s been walking me through all of the Resistance channels, how they work, your fighters. He doesn’t want me fighting at all after everything.”

Sonic smiled a little. “It’s sweet. How close you two have gotten.” Amy glared at him, but she was blushing. Sonic laughed. “Hey, I can say whatever I want. You’re one of my best friends and he’s my brother. Besides, I owe him for all of the things he said to me about Shadow over the years.”

Amy shook her head. “It’s still so weird,” she said. “Shadow was such a taboo topic, especially with you. You wouldn’t even let us say his name if he wasn’t there. And this whole time, it was a lovers’ quarrel. I should have known.”

“Eww, don’t call it that,” Sonic laughed. “But, yeah. It’s weird for me, too, sometimes.” Speaking of Shadow, the other hedgehog was in the village, the mayor talking quietly to him while a pile of villagers watched from a distance. Sonic smiled. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Shadow turned as they walked up, his eyes immediately flicking to Sonic’s leg. He nodded his approval at the bandages. “Hey, Shads,” Sonic greeted. “And hello, Mayor Fink. Is everyone okay?”

“Oh, yes. Thanks to you guys.” Mayor Fink leaned closer to Sonic, his voice dropping to a very loud whisper. “Amy said Shadow was on our side now, but I didn’t believe her. But the way he took down those robots! Who knew!”

Shadow, who heard the whole thing, rolled his eyes. Sonic managed to keep his own response to a polite smile. “Yes, it’s definitely an adjustment. But he’s our best bet at saving the village, so I’d like you to trust him.”

The mayor waved a hand. “Oh, of course! You’ve been protecting this village long enough that I don’t think any of us could imagine not trusting you.”

Sonic wanted to point out that they’d chosen not to trust him multiple times. They’d banished him, for goodness sake. He kept the comments to himself. “Thank you for that. He’ll be a huge help.” He gestured to the mess, which was mostly contained to just outside the village. “Me and Shadow are going to start cleaning up, but I’m going to leave Amy here with you guys. She’ll make sure everything is okay.”

“Sonic, wait.” Mayor Fink’s eyes clouded suddenly, worry filling them. It was rare that anyone in the village took everything seriously, the mayor included. “Does this… mean we have to evacuate? Go to that nice little place you told us about a little while ago?”

Sonic, Shadow, and Amy exchanged a look. Sonic let out a quiet sigh. He didn’t want to bring it up yet, didn’t want to throw out the villagers’ way of life so soon after the attack. But… “I’m sorry, Mayor,” Sonic murmured. “But… yes. Everyone in the village will be instructed to pack their belongings by the end of today, and as soon as we receive word that the Swatbots are on their way, the ship will come get you.” He hated the hurt in his own voice, especially as it reflected in the mayor’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no,” the mayor murmured. “The people will be so upset.” He stood there for a moment, eyes cast to the ground, pain lining them. Then he looked up, his expression clearing. It was one of the rare moments he actually looked like a leader. “Alright. Well, I suppose I should let them know. Thank you for everything, Sonic. You as well, Shadow.”

Sonic wanted to say more. He wanted to find some way to make this easier, to prevent an all-out war in these people’s homes. The mayor walked away, though, and all Sonic could do was watch. He felt… powerless. It made him hate all of this more than he already did.

A hand slid into his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I hate it, Shadow,” he murmured, his voice low to keep the mayor from hearing. “This isn’t their fight. They shouldn’t have to suffer because of it. What am I doing to them?”

“What you have to,” Shadow answered, his voice firm. “Look, this place didn’t exist when you showed up. It was just Amy and some unwilling villagers. Almost everyone showed up after, in a town you built with your own two hands. You’ve protected them for years, and you’ve gotten zero reward for it. The least they can do is let you protect them now, too.” Shadow bumped his shoulder softly. “Besides. You built a village once. You can always build it again, don’t you think?”

Sonic thought, briefly, about how torn he was over where he wanted to be. He brushed it off immediately. “You’re right,” he murmured. “Thank you.”

“I just didn’t want to listen to you whine,” Shadow joked. Sonic smiled a little. “Now come on, Hedgehog. These bots aren’t going to clean themselves.”

Sonic cast one last, worried look after the mayor. Part of him wondered, briefly, what the point in being a leader was if he couldn’t help people. He’d been fifteen the first time someone died on his watch, a Freedom Fighter who didn’t see the beam coming until it was too late. It was the first time he realized he couldn’t save everyone, and the first time the full weight of his position came down on him. He hadn’t spoken for a week after that. He knew that was how things went, and he couldn’t expect a war with no losses. Memories of the factory and all of the innocent, untrained people inside were still burned into his mind, though. A repeat of that would break him. Having it happen with people he knew personally would put him down for good.

That, he knew, was why he had to evacuate the villagers. He was saving their lives. Not that it helped, he thought. When he first showed up on this island, he promised himself his problems would never become theirs simply because this was where he chose to settle. He broke that promise once with Shadow. Now he was doing it again, and worse. Now he was putting them in real danger.

He didn’t want to think about it. Shadow looked at him like he was going to ask what was wrong, but Sonic didn’t think he could handle the conversation right now. So he pulled his hand away, shooting Shadow a smile they both knew was fake and walking a few steps ahead of him. “You’re right. They won’t clean themselves.” He scratched his head. “Probably should have considered that before I blew all of them up, huh?”

He walked away before Shadow could respond, ignoring the worried, crimson gaze that trailed after his limping steps.

Chapter Text

~~ “Four a.m. in the middle of November, as quiet as it ever gets. I had left the window cracked. But the rain blew in, the floor was soaking wet.” ~~

Sonic wondered if he should start paying this beach rent with how often he sat out here. It was the first not-perfect night they’d had in a while, clouds covering most of the sky and blocking out the moon. He wondered if it would start raining. He wondered if he still had a reason to leave if it did, or if he would sit here and let it soak through his fur despite the memories it might drag to the surface.

~~ “And right then, I was ready… ready to make it all stop. But the sun comes up, steady. This’ll take everything I’ve got.” ~~

Cleaning up took almost all day, especially with Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks assigned to helping the villagers load their things into Eggman’s ship instead. Sonic wanted to make their trip as comfortable as possible. Sonia and Manic weren’t given the okay to come outside until almost two hours later, and Tails was helping Eggman subdue the bot they’d captured for a bit before flying the Eggmobile down to help drag robots away. Sonic and Shadow did a lot of it by themselves. It was exhausting.

~~ “Keep this shirt on for a week or two, only eat when I remember. Hold onto every impulse and try to see them through. I am never gonna leave this world without you.” ~~

He was… well, stressed. That more than anything. The patrol coming by meant Robotnik knew where he was, and everything was up in the air now. Would he send bots at all? Would he overcompensate for Shadow? Would he lie and say Sonic was dead and just go after Manic and Sonia, who weren’t even in Mobius anymore? Everything about this plan was based on guessing. Educated guessing, sure, but he hadn’t seen Robotnik in years. Sonia and Manic seemed to have enough faith, but… some part of him wondered if all of this was futile. If he’d just upended everyone’s lives for nothing.

~~ “And right now I can see it over the dashboard out ahead. As the sun comes up, steady. This is not how it’s gonna end.” ~~

Not to mention the small, secret part of him that was a little relieved by it all. Waiting was just about killing him at this point. He knew the extra time was incredible, and that each hour could make or break the war. Tails had plenty of gadgets to use against the Swatbots, his friends knew how to take them down way more effectively, Amy was healing, and the villagers were going to be safe without a doubt, now. Being happy the waiting was over probably made him crazy. But everyone knew he was impatient. Something about sitting around and doing nothing when there was a war going on? When lives were at stake? It drove him insane.

~~ “All of us are made out of dying stars. All of us are made out of dying stars. Cut the radio and lean back, I can hear my heartbeat loud and clear. This is not the first or the last or the worst. But I’m gonna make this feeling surrender right now.” ~~

He just… needed to not think, right now. Normally, when there was too much on his mind, he’d sing about Shadow. It gave him something else to focus on, something he knew how to feel about. Now, though, it was a little harder. Shadow wasn’t some constant, sure thing anymore. He was when they were fighting. Sonic knew he’d come back one day, he knew what to expect, he knew exactly where he stood on all of it. That wasn’t true anymore.

Not that he was complaining about it. He was beyond happy about how things were between them. It was… new, though. Really, really new. As much as he wanted to trust it with his whole being, nothing was certain. Especially not with a war going on. Especially not when any one of them could be gone any day now. Sonic was torn between treating every moment like their last and thinking that was bad luck. He didn’t know what to do.

~~ “And right now I believe it, and there’s a movie in my mind. As the sun comes up, steady. I am gonna make it out alive.” ~~

This was his alternative. He had a collection of songs—a small one—that relayed his deepest, more hurt feelings about things. This particular one was written after he tried to run back to Mobius, when Tails found him barely breathing on the beach. The week straight of being unable to leave bed made part of him wish he hadn’t washed back up at all. It was… hard.

Tails came in one day, though, when Sonic had refused to eat again. And it was one of three times he ever saw the fox cry. He’d begged Sonic, demanded that he stop giving up and try. There was no long-winded lecture. There was no obligation to the village, to the world, to whatever he’d run away from. The fox just met his eyes, wiped away the steady flow of tears, and said, “You don’t get to quit, because I refuse to have to talk about you in past tense. You’re my best friend. And I’m only going to say it once, but you have to keep fighting for me. For the person whose life you fought so hard to save, and who is now going to do the same for you. Fight, Sonic.”

So, Sonic did.

He’d clambered out of bed for the first time, walked over to his guitar, and settled back into bed with it. He picked at his food while he wrote that song, running the whole thing by Tails. It still hurt, since it was always something he’d done with his siblings and Shadow. But Tails was there, and Sonic hadn’t ever forgotten that day. Tails probably saved his life, then. He still thanked him for it sometimes.

Sonic tilted his head up to the starless sky as he sang the last lines, a repeated ~~ “All of us are made out of dying stars.” ~~ That particular line was Tails’s. He called the whole thing corny afterward, and they both laughed about it, but Sonic held the song close to his heart. He thought about it as a promise to himself, and to everyone else he’d promised to. He wouldn’t give up. He would fight until there was no fight left, because that was how he could save the people he loved. Even if it took his whole life to make all of it right.

Even if it killed him.

“I haven’t heard that one before.” Sonic had just stopped strumming when Sonia’s quiet voice sounded behind him. He didn’t turn around as she walked up, followed by Manic and Shadow. Sonia settled on his left, Shadow on his right, Manic next to Shadow. Shadow followed Sonic’s gaze to the sky. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t supposed to listen,” his sister added.

“I sing on this beach with the knowledge anyone could show up at any time,” Sonic said softly, his eyes falling shut. “You’re okay. Besides, this is one people have heard. Tails helped me write it.”

Shadow hummed in thought, and Sonic relaxed automatically at his quiet voice. “I didn’t know Tails knew music.”

Sonic chuckled. “He didn’t,” he said, his eyes shifting to watch Shadow for a moment. He'd discovered, back in Mobius, that there were only two states he could ever be in: with Shadow and without Shadow. Despite whatever else he was feeling, something shifted when the other hedgehog appeared. Sonic couldn’t quite explain it. It felt like something was tied to his ribs, like some kind of rope or chain holding him to Shadow. When he was there, it was okay. When he wasn’t, it would tug on the other end as if to let him know he was still there. He’d always believed things he heard that said people knew when their loved ones were dead or alive, could feel the imbalance or the way the world was different with or without them. He always thought that’s how it would be. So when the factory collapsed and that tether snapped, he thought Shadow was gone. It was one of the reasons he didn’t search.

Shadow calmed him, though, in a way nothing else really could. Sonic shook his head. “He didn’t,” he repeated, making up for the brief lapse in his thoughts. “He mostly just sat there and told me if something I wrote sounded stupid. Phrased it like that, too. No remorse from that fox.”

“So you’re just a moocher,” Manic said. Sonic turned, raising an eyebrow at his brother. “You know, one who mooches. Everyone’s helped you write songs. You just need all of our wonderful ideas.”

“I don’t think ‘moocher’ is a word.”

“It is.”

“It really isn’t.”

“Then it is now.” Manic smiled a little, then let it fall into a soft, concerned expression. “Are you okay, though?” His voice was gentle. “I know all of this is hard on you. You can talk about it, you know. To any of us.”

Sonic moved his guitar, setting it in front of him in the sand. “I don’t know,” he said honestly. He pulled his knees up, wrapping his arms around them and setting his chin down. “How am I supposed to feel? About any of it? Logically, I know I should be scared. I know I should be worried out of my mind, and stressed out, and… terrified. And I am. But…”

“But you’re relieved, too,” Shadow finished quietly. Sonic glanced at him. “This war has been going on your whole life. For the first half of it, you were right there in the mayhem. Then you spent five years sitting aside, waiting for something to happen. And now, for better or for worse… it’ll be over soon.” Shadow shrugged. “That has to be a huge weight off of your chest.”

Sonic sighed, not all that surprised that Shadow knew exactly what was going through his mind. He scuffed the toe of his shoe into the sand. “I’m their king. And for everyone who knows that’s just a placeholder title, I’m either their leader or their protector. I’m liable for every single life in this war.” That was one weight he hadn’t talked about at all. It scared him beyond words. “I just want it to be over. I just want to be able to go to sleep knowing I don’t have to take responsibility for someone’s death tomorrow, and wake up not thinking this could be my last day with someone I care about. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

Sonic buried his head in his knees, hating the way he was trembling. “It’s exhausting. I know you guys have always had a part in this war, but… I’m in charge of it. Everything that happens, one way or another, falls back on me. Me. And I can’t help but have this fear that someone—you guys or my friends or anyone in the Resistance—is going to die and it’s going to be my fault. How—how am I supposed to just live with that?”

For a moment, only silence greeted him. Sonic didn’t like saying any of this out loud, hadn’t said any of it to anyone before. Especially not his siblings. These were the kinds of things he wasn’t supposed to feel. It was the kind of stuff he was responsible for, the harsh truths of leading a war that he couldn’t do anything about. What would talking about them do? What could telling his siblings—who had just as much at stake as he did—possibly help?

It was Sonia’s soft voice that broke the silence. “I… didn’t really consider how hard it would be on you. Being named Regent.”

Sonic squeezed his eyes shut, hating the guilt in his sister’s voice. “It was supposed to be all of us,” he whispered. “It was never supposed to be just me. And… I know it’s a placeholder title, I know it’s not going to last, but it’s here now. I might know the truth. We all might. But none of the Resistance does. They’ve all had their moments where they questioned my mom for leaving us, so how will they feel about me? What will they do when it’s my fault—the reckless, Freedom Fighter prince who abandoned them one day and was never heard from again? What will they do if I fail?”

When no one responded, he sighed. “I’m not trying to blame you, and I know you did it for a reason. A good one, too. But… in their eyes, it’s going to be on me. How do I know they’ll even trust me anymore after all this time?”

“They do.” Manic’s voice was soft. Sonic slowly lifted his head, his eyes finding his brother in the darkness. Manic was staring into the sand. “I’ve been all over Mobius. I went back to everyone we met, all of the allies we made, and explained all of it to them. Most of them have relocated to Mobotropolis for the remainder of this war. Most of them are there now, doing everything they can to help all of this along.”

“They don’t blame you for leaving, Sonic.” Sonia hesitated. “Well… there are some bitter members, sure. People whose opinions are less than great.” Sonic tried not to let the comment bother him as much as it did. Shadow subtly pressed their legs together, as if he could sense the pang in Sonic’s chest. “But… the majority of the Resistance understands. You left for them—because having all of us in one place almost killed the whole royal family in one go. Separating us was the only smart move.”

Sonic still didn’t like it. He didn’t mention the other half of it—the fact that he was still debating leaving again after all of this. If the Freedom Fighters didn’t hate him now, they would after that. They would if Sonic abandoned them immediately after they won their freedom back. “I don’t know, you guys,” he murmured. “I don’t mean to complain, really, but I really don’t know how to deal with all of this. I don’t know how I’m just supposed to be okay with it.

The silence that followed that comment was long enough that Sonic wondered if anyone would respond at all. Then Shadow spoke, though, his voice soft. “I think you just have to… do it.” His crimson eyes were still focused on the sky. “It’s one of those things you kind of have to live with. Something you can’t fix, can’t get away from. Something that just is.”

Sonic followed Shadow’s gaze back to the unmoving clouds as he continued in that same, soft tone. “Like Amy, being hurt and staying in that chair. Like the villagers, leaving their home for some unknown place. Like me,” he said quietly, “And knowing you’d left me intentionally.” Sonic’s heart hurt all over again at the comment, though he knew it wasn’t an accusation. “Some things we just have to live with. We wake up with them, go to sleep with them, feel them like some awful shadow looming over us. And we just wait, and keep telling ourselves, ‘it will get better. I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, but it won’t be this way forever. It can’t.’”

Sonic looked back down at the sand. “That’s why I hate waiting,” he grumbled. “It just gives me more time to think. More time to worry I’m not doing enough.”

“You are.” It was Sonia who spoke now. “Sonic, don’t you realize how much you’ve sacrificed for all of us? Because you left, Manic got to stay in Mobius and I got to stay in the city. Robotnik backed off of the Freedom Fighters for almost three years because he thought they were powerless without you. Shadow being gone helped too, sure, but that wasn’t planned. You’ve given your entire life to this war. What more could you possibly offer them?”

Sonic wished any of this was helping, but the weight on his chest wouldn’t budge. All of this was easy for them to say. His friends, his sibling, Shadow… All of them knew what was going on. All of them knew where they stood, knew Sonic was trying his best. None of them had the heart to tell him it wasn’t good enough. Part of him believed it anyway, believed there was more he could do if he tried harder.

The rest of him wondered why he should bother. He knew he needed to relax, knew he needed to lay low for now and keep his strength up. Running himself rampant wouldn’t help anything. The Freedom Fighters were in Mobius, though, gathering people for a full-scale attack on Robotnik. Sitting around and waiting while they prepared for the fight of their lives made him feel sick. He debated, for a brief moment, trying to run over there again. He shook the thought off almost immediately.

The silence didn’t last long. Sonia’s radio crackled, and all eyes immediately turned to her. Bartleby’s voice came through. “Hedgehogs, do any of you copy?”

“We’re here,” Sonia said immediately, holding the device close to her face. Sonic barely caught Shadow’s brief wince at the sound of Bartleby’s voice. “All of us. What’s up?”

“They’re leaving.” Sonic’s heart dropped to his stomach, everything else disappearing from his mind as Bartleby spoke. “The bots. Robotnik has been running around and screaming all day, and one of our spies just reported that he’s sending out a huge number of bots. Word is going around that they found you, Sonic. Your name is officially back in the Mobius mayhem.”

Sonic couldn’t find the strength to speak. Shadow did instead. “How many? Do they have an estimate?”

“They think it’s—” Bartleby broke off, letting out a choked noise as he registered the voice on the other end of the radio. “Sonia,” he said, his voice unsteady, “Who is that?”

“It’s Shadow,” Sonia answered quietly. “He survived in the factory that night, and he’s been here with Sonic ever since. We didn’t know he was alive until recently.”

Bartleby made another strangled sound. The two of them had interacted plenty of times before, though most of said interactions went badly. Bartleby knew what he meant to the triplets, though, and always tried to be civil with him. “Oh,” he breathed. “Shadow. It’s… nice to hear from you. I’m glad you didn’t die.”

“Thanks, Bartleby,” Shadow said. “Sorry I didn’t say anything to anyone.”

Manic interrupted before Bartleby could respond. “How many, Bartleby?” he repeated. Sonic still hadn’t moved, still barely registered the brief exchange between Shadow and Bartleby. “The bots. How many did he send?”

Bartleby went quiet. Sonic felt like his heart wasn’t beating anymore, like the stillness in his chest was going to drown him. He forced his mind to stay frozen, forced back all of the panic and worry and fear coating his tongue. Bartleby's silence meant one of two things: either Robotnik wasn’t sending enough and their plan had failed, or Sonic had set his friends up for failure before the fight even started. He felt like he was listening from behind a glass wall that cracked a bit more every second he didn’t have an answer.

“We’re not sure.” Everyone held their breath at Bartleby’s quiet voice. “A thousand, at least. My sources say he’s completely emptying his stores. He’s still sending out waves of them.”

The wall shattered.

Sonic stopped hearing, stopped seeing, stopped feeling any of it. He stood from the sand, ignoring the hand Shadow set on his wrist. He didn’t even notice the eyes on him or Sonia’s frantic words said into the radio as he walked to the edge of the beach. He stood there for a moment, gazing out over the ocean as if he could see the bots flying towards the island even from the distance between them.

Then he walked straight into the water.

The wind was gentle tonight, so the waves didn’t push against him too hard as he stepped further and further into the ocean. It had always been shallow on this beach, and he had to go out pretty far for the water to reach his knees, then his waist, then his chest. He walked until he couldn’t anymore, until the water was pushing against him and tugging him back towards the shore.

One thousand. When Sonic made this plan, he expected something dramatic. He expected to greet an entire army. Robotnik wouldn’t underestimate them, and with both Sonic and Shadow here, he’d want to take both of them down in one go instead of letting them show up and cause more problems.

The most Swatbots he’d ever seen in one place, though, was when Robotnik sent a little over a hundred of them to deal with a rescue mission the four hedgehogs were conducting off of the coast of the Mobian Sea. They’d managed it, but it wasn’t easy. A hundred Swatbots at once were incredibly difficult to overcome.

This was ten times that.

Sonic ducked under the water.

One of the reasons Sonic hated water—more than his inability to swim and how awful the feeling of water sticking to his fur was and not knowing what lurked beneath the surface—was this. The silence. The water seemed to swallow up all sound, filling his ears and head with a roaring noise that somehow didn’t drown out the ringing in his head. Thousand. He held his breath, his eyes squeezed shut against the salt water and the world and the mistake he’d made as the water tugged at him. Thousand. He was sending a thousand.

A pair of hands latched onto his waist, and Sonic didn’t fight back as he was yanked back above the water.

“What the hell are you doing?” Shadow yelled, everything coming back to Sonic all at once. In the few seconds he’d been underwater, the clouds hanging in the sky had opened. Rain was pouring down around them, pelting Sonic as Shadow shook him—hard. “You can’t swim, Sonic! And you can’t come out here and drown yourself just because something didn’t go according to plan!”

Sonic met Shadow’s eyes, and it was the fear in them that seemed to drop Sonic back to reality. He couldn’t breathe. “I killed them,” he whispered, his voice barely audible against the rain and the waves. “A thousand Swatbots—I killed them, Shadow. Everyone. They can’t survive that.”

“So we’ll figure it out!” Shadow loosened his hold on Sonic, letting the other hedgehog’s feet find the floor. “You can’t—you don’t get to give up because of this. We will find something, Sonic, but you don’t get to give up just because the risk you took backfired.” His voice broke. “You don’t get to die for this.”

Shadow’s words hit home, and Sonic let out a broken sound. Shadow’s eyes were sad under all of the anger burning in them. “I wasn’t trying to,” he whispered. “I wasn’t—that wasn’t what that was. I just needed to—to stop. I needed to stop and think and I can’t do that here, not where—” He broke off as a sob tore from his throat. “Not where I have to face everyone I failed.”

Some of the anger in Shadow’s gaze died. “You didn’t fail, Sonic.” He walked backwards, pulling Sonic with him back to shore. Sonic somehow managed to make his feet move. “We’ll figure it out. We always do.”

When they got back to shore, Sonic immediately dropped to his knees in the sand. “Not this,” he said, wrapping his arms around himself. His forehead hit the sand. “Not this.”

“Sonic.” Sonic didn’t look up as his siblings walked over, and didn’t respond to Bartleby’s voice over the radio. “We’re going to figure this out. It’s not going to be easy, but we can do it. I’m already trying to mobilize some of the plans early so I can potentially get a ship of Resistance members out there to help you. Not everyone, but people we can spare. People who can help.”

“No,” Sonic said, the word coming out on a sob. “No, you can’t—you can’t put more people in danger.” He lifted his head, tearing desperately through his mind for a solution. “He doesn’t need to know we’re here. We have a ship already, and we can get everyone out. We can send you guys on the boat ahead of the army, have you go around. I can stay and distract them, maybe even—”

“Sonic, no.” Sonia’s voice was firm. “The plan doesn’t change, save for maybe how we go about some of it. We’re not giving up just because of this.”

“They’re going to die, Sonia!” Sonic yelled the words, his power shooting out in little pricks of lightning all around him. His sister’s mouth shut in a firm line. “All of them. If we do this, no one will make it out. What good is there in winning a war if no one survives it?”

“And if you stay alone, you will die.”

Sonic pulled in a breath, the tears on his face mixing with the rain until he couldn’t tell what was what. “Maybe that’s the price I have to pay for doing this to all of you.”

Everyone went silent. Sonic couldn’t do this. He couldn’t sit with this, couldn’t meet any of their eyes, couldn’t face the decision he’d made. He stood before anyone could respond. “I already thought I lost one of you to this war, and it almost killed me. Twice. I won’t let anyone else die.” His hands clenched into fists. “No matter what it takes.”

He shot off without another word, his eyes barely catching the last, hard look Shadow sent after him before he was gone.

*************************

No one found him.

Part of Sonic wondered, buried deep in the ruins of the Buddy Buddy Temple, if they somehow knew where he was anyway. Shadow had this uncanny way of finding Sonic, of somehow tracking him down across beaches and islands and oceans. Sonic imagined it would be fair if Shadow silently followed him as he ran, simply marking the Regent’s position before making his way back to the village. He didn’t really care.

He just hoped nobody bothered him.

Hours passed, the night wearing on as Sonic stared silently at the walls. Before the temple collapsed, it had been covered in carvings and drawings and some strange language demanding they work together. Fighting through it with Eggman was still something his friends teased him about every once in a while. Sonic just waved them off and said they had to be there to understand.

Robotnik was sending a thousand Swatbots—multitudes more than he’d ever sent. Sonic imagined there would be some kind of formation, some kind of order or ranks about them. There had to be some kind of strategy here, even if it involved all of them hiding out in the mouth of a cave so the bots could only come in three at a time. Their magic was made for this, and Shadow could handle his own perfectly, but this wasn’t what Sonic prepared them for. It wasn’t odds he was prepared for.

On most of their missions in Mobius, Robotnik would send about ten of the bots to deal with them. Maybe twenty, if it was demanding enough. They were ruthless and horrible, and taking care of even that many sometimes put the hedgehogs out of commission for days. They could handle a hundred—a couple hundred, maybe. That’s what Sonic prepared for. Five years ago, the most bots Robotnik ever had at one time was around four hundred. That included all of his stores and the ones he just had stationed around the palace as guards. That was all of them.

What did this say for the Resistance? Was this truly Robotnik’s whole army? Was he leaving himself open for a full-on assault? He wasn’t that stupid, Sonic knew, but how many more could there possibly be? A few hundred? Another thousand? Double that? Robotnik was a genius, yes, but he didn’t have enough people to create that big of a force with two-thirds of Mobotropolis joining the Resistance. He couldn’t have this twice.

The more Sonic thought about it, the fewer ideas he had. Sticks and Knuckles had no power of any kind. Amy wasn’t healed yet, but she would be in the two weeks it would take an army that size to get here. Sonic needed something, and he needed something now. He couldn’t let all of his friends face this alone.

He couldn’t be responsible for sending them to the chopping block.

He leaned his head back, not caring about the puff of dust it kicked up when he connected with the wall. He should have seen this coming. They still had their escape plan, yes, and the villagers would be long gone by then. The village would probably be fine, too. Robotnik had no reason to destroy a ramshackle pile of structurally questionable huts. Technically, this could still work. They could still be fine.

But… they could also not be. If Robotnik dropped all of the bots on them at once, they didn’t stand a chance. Not like this. Eggman’s robots, Tails’s gadgets, his siblings’ power, and Shadow’s skill admittedly gave them more of a chance than he originally expected. Still, though, Sonic knew Robotnik better than most people in Mobius did. He wouldn’t send a force he thought was capable of losing. Not when it was about this, not when the entire kingdom he’d stolen was on the line. He wasn’t doing this because of his friends; the guarantee of sending this large of a force was that Sonic would not make it off of this island alive.

Sonic… because he was what stood between Robotnik and the throne.

Something cold settled deep in Sonic’s chest, some ancient sadness he pushed as far down as it would go. Resolve slowly took its place. Robotnik was doing this for him. Sonia and Manic being here was an added bonus, yes, but he wanted Sonic. The most powerful sibling, the power he’d always craved for his own that had been lost to him for half a decade. Sonic knew what it was like to have what he always wanted right in front of him. He knew Robotnik would stop at nothing to keep it.

Slowly, with an idea he knew he could never tell anyone forming in his head, he stood from the cave floor. They would hate him for it. His friends, his siblings, Shadow. His mother, too, when they found her. Did it matter, though, if it would keep them alive? Did it matter how angry they were if Sonia got to go home to her husband and Manic got to build a life with Amy and they all got to see Mobius saved? He started this, created the plan that brought them all here in the first place. It was his job to finish it. He was Sonic the Hedgehog, Blue Leader, temporary Regent and soon to be King of Mobius. He was their protector, and he would not fail.

When he walked into Tails’s workshop two minutes later, he was met with varying looks of sadness, anger, and defeat. No one asked where he went. He didn’t explain, either, walking up to the head of the table and resting his hands on it as he met each of their eyes individually. When he rested on Shadow, those crimson eyes narrowed as if he could see all of the things Sonic wouldn’t say.

And he didn’t. He just held Shadow’s gaze, reached out for a pen Tails immediately set in his waiting palm, and said, “I have a plan.”

Chapter Text

Sonic wished he could ask Shadow any of the questions swirling in his mind.

The days passed horribly slowly. Sonic felt like he was running at full speed, never stopping while the clock ran down the minutes until Robotnik’s army arrived. Eggman had sent out a single flybot as soon as the news came to him, and it was slowly tracking the army’s progress. Sometimes, Sonic just sat and watched the series of red dots blip across the screen. Sometimes he wanted to throw the machine into the ocean. He hated waiting.

Everyone took it in their own way. Tails threw himself into work, barely speaking to anyone as he designed new gadgets that might help them. Sticks got shockingly quiet about the whole thing. Knuckles and Manic were out training constantly, working themselves from dawn until the sun disappeared and then falling asleep to repeat all of it the next day. Eggman worked with Tails, Sonia kept her sights firmly on the radio and Eggman’s map, and Amy tried her best to keep everyone in high enough spirits as she finished healing and permanently ditched her chair. They were all doing their best.

And Shadow… Sonic almost didn’t recognize him. When he told all of them his plan that night—an attack strategy that would hopefully give the bots a run for their money—it was met with varying degrees of enthusiasm and worry. His friends, ever the optimistic bunch, joked and laughed as best as they could as they promised it would be alright. Sonia and Manic were quieter, but they agreed his plan would work better than anything else they had so far. Shadow stayed silent through the whole thing, never taking his eyes off of Sonic as they talked until dawn broke out over the ocean. He just stared.

Over the last days, though… something changed. Shadow changed. He was by Sonic’s side constantly, never breaking the points of contact between them. An arm around Sonic’s shoulders, their hands entwined, Shadow’s leg tapping his under the table. He was being affectionate. Openly, too. He never snapped, never raised his voice, never sneered or protested or fought. He just agreed with whatever Sonic said and quietly asked if they could go somewhere a little less loud.

That scared Sonic more than anything. He complied with everything Shadow asked, which was often a soft request for Sonic to sing something. They slept with Sonic tucked protectively in Shadow’s arms, and they woke up together every morning. Sonic wasn’t going to complain about it. He knew without asking, though, that something was wrong. Shadow would never be like this if he wasn’t scared half to death of something. And that was the worst part—Sonic knew he was scared, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask why or whether or not he could help. Part of him wondered if Shadow knew more than he was letting on.

If he knew Sonic planned on sacrificing himself to Robotnik.

Sonic didn’t like the idea. Hated it, really. But… as soon as the plan formed in his mind, he was set on it. Robotnik wanted him. Sonia and Manic would come next, sure, but Sonic was his problem now. Without Sonic, his victory was practically guaranteed. Without Sonic, who knew if Shadow or Sonia or Manic would even keep fighting? Sonic didn’t want to leave all of them, didn’t want to let Robotnik use him against them. If he could, he would find a way to use Sonic’s power for his own gain. That was the main flaw in his plan. If it came to that, he didn’t know what he would be forced to do to keep everyone safe.

He didn’t want to think about that.

Shadow, on his back in the sand, didn’t ask Sonic why he was being so quiet. He was always quiet these days. Eleven days had passed since Robotnik sent his army out, and according to Eggman’s calculations, the army would be here sometime tomorrow or the morning after. Sonic was trying not to think about it. The villagers were evacuated two days ago, along with anyone else who chose to get on the ship from around the island. Sonic and his group were alone. Alone, and this could be their last night to be together like this—all of them at one time. Anything could happen after today. Anyone could disappear in an instant.

Sonic sat up a little suddenly, pulling away from the arm Shadow had around his shoulders. Shadow sat up, too. “Is this supposed to be something I’m proud of?” Sonic asked quietly, the words almost drowned out by the quiet noise of the beach around them.

When Shadow stayed silent, Sonic continued. “I’m leading them into disaster, Shadow. All of them. My friends didn’t sign up for this, my siblings have too much to do without a fight I dragged them into, and you’ve only been back on our side of things for such a small amount of time. I’m their leader. Even without this stupid Regent title, I’ve always been their leader. How am I supposed to get behind a plan—no matter how well it might work for getting my kingdom back—that’s just going to put all of them in danger?”

Shadow was quiet for long enough that Sonic almost thought he wouldn’t answer at all. Eventually, though, his voice broke through the quiet night. “None of them blame you for any of this, you know.”

Sonic pulled his knees up to his chest. “That might just be the worst part of it all.” He shook his head. “They should blame me. Amy already almost died because of this. The rest of them shouldn’t even be involved, and Sonia and Manic could have probably made a plan that was worlds more successful. It was me, though. I was put in charge, and I made the choice that could get everyone killed tomorrow.”

The sky was dark around them, but the full moon illuminated the beach enough that Sonic could see the way Shadow’s hands dug into the sand. “And we would still follow you.” His crimson eyes remained locked on the star-filled sky. “All of us. Your friends have been by your side for every bit of nonsense that’s happened here, and Sonia and Manic continued to trust you even after you led them into more than a few disasters.”

“Like the factory?”

“Hey, no. We’re not doing that.” Shadow lightly swatted Sonic’s arm. “You know as well as I do that we all would have ended up there anyway. It’s because of you that we went together, and because of you that we all lived.”

Sonic didn’t point out that countless more lives were lost that day, and that Shadow and Sonia were almost two of them. “I don’t know, Shadow. Don’t you think there’s a point when it’s enough? When loyalty shouldn’t be worth any of your lives? Sonia and Manic will fight no matter what I say, because Mobius is their home. Everyone else… they’re doing this out of obligation to me. How does that not make it my fault if something happens to them?”

“I never said it wouldn’t be your fault.” Shadow’s words were clipped, and Sonic turned a disbelieving stare on him. Shadow shrugged. “We call you Blue Leader for a reason. Every single one of us made the decision to put our lives in your hands. That’s what being in charge means—you’re responsible for all of it, however hard it might be, and every single consequence will be seen by at least someone as your fault.

“That doesn’t mean their lives are forfeit because of you,” he continued. “They’re not stupid, Sonic. All of them know exactly what they’re getting themselves into. They’ve all seen the bots now, they know how many there are, and they know the only way they can guarantee their own safety is to run and not look back.” His gaze met Sonic’s, and his voice softened. “Do you really think any of them would take that opportunity?”

Sonic knew they wouldn’t. Everyone fighting beside him would be here for the long haul. They knew the risks, knew they were putting everything in Sonic’s hands. None of them cared. Sonic hesitated a moment, then leaned over and buried his face in Shadow’s shoulder. “I can’t lose any of you. I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

“And we wouldn’t forgive ourselves if we lost you,” Shadow said gently. His arms went around Sonic, tugging him closer. “We all know the risks. And you being in charge… You’ve been so focused on the fact that they named you Regent that you don’t even realize that to us, you’re still just Sonic. You’re a too-fast, never serious, food-loving jokester who would do literally everything in your power to make sure the people you care about are safe. You’re you. That’s what’s getting to people the most right now. You have all of this weight on your shoulders, and somewhere along the way you forgot that all of us are willing to share it.”

Something in Sonic’s chest cracked. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to cry. He’d done enough of that. “I’m just scared,” he whispered. “I’m so, so scared of losing you guys.”

For a moment, Shadow was quiet. Then he slowly pulled back, pushing Sonic upright with gentle hands to his shoulders. Crimson eyes met green. “Will you wait here for a second?” he asked. “I’ll be right back, I promise. But I need to go get something. You’ll be alright here?”

Sonic hesitated, then nodded. Shadow dropped a kiss on his forehead before standing and disappearing from the beach. In the silence that followed, Sonic found himself staring out over the ocean. Shadow’s terrified expression was burned into his mind, the thought that Sonic would hurt himself over this stark on his face. He really hadn’t been trying to drown himself that night. He just needed something to stop the ringing in his head, and his roaring fear of the ocean seemed like a good enough way. If he lost his footing and got dragged out, well… maybe Robotnik’s army would find him and leave the village alone.

Sonic knew, without having to say it out loud, that mindsets like that were the reason Shadow hadn’t left his side. Sonic would never outright say he wanted his life to be over, but sometimes he wondered if it would be easier. Sometimes he wondered if his friends and siblings would have easier lives if he forgot to dodge a stray attack one time. How many times had he been on that ledge, so close to just giving up and letting fate decide if he deserved to live or die? Three, now? Four? He was a flight risk, and he knew that better than anyone.

Not that he would ever act on it. This was the life he was born into, and the solution wasn’t making said life stop. He just had to keep fighting. He had to fight, and when that fight was over, he had to make sure everyone was okay for the next one. Firing Tails as his sidekick, benching Amy all these weeks, trying to convince Sticks to move out of her froglodyte-infested cave, fighting with Knuckles until he agreed to stay far away from Mobius and the floating island he’d once called home. Sonic spent all of his time trying to protect everyone, trying to keep them safe from themselves almost as much as the world around them. Without him, who would keep them out of trouble? Maybe it was a stupid reason to keep breathing, but it was what he had. It had to be better than nothing.

Shadow reappeared after a few minutes, his eyes immediately noting the darkness in Sonic’s. “Stop that,” he murmured gently, sitting beside Sonic and handing him his guitar and a notebook. “I know what’s going on in your head, and I don’t like it. Stop.”

Sonic sighed a little, settling the guitar in its proper position in his lap on instinct. “I know. I was just thinking.” He strummed the guitar a few times, the sound immediately chasing some of the darker thoughts from his mind. “I’m sorry.” His eyes landed on the simple, black leather notebook Shadow had placed in his lap. “What’s this?”

Shadow let out a quiet sigh, his hands folding in his lap. “I… haven’t shown this to anyone. Ever.” He hesitated for a moment. Sonic put a hand on his knee, and Shadow shot a grateful smile at him. “You know I love music. I always have. Listening to you play… the first time I saw you, I felt safe. And the first time I heard you playing, some quiet melody made incredibly awkward by the ridiculous electric guitar you were using, I knew I was home.

“Some of these are from Mobius.” Shadow shrugged. “Most aren’t. And… I kind of thought I would never show this to anybody, but… desperate times, you know? I think you need it.” His voice quieted. “I think I need it, too.”

He paused again. Sonic softly tapped his knee. “Whatever it is, you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Sonic said quietly.

Shadow lifted his eyes though, searching Sonic’s for a moment. Then he smiled. “Nah,” he said. He stared at the book for a moment, as if ensuring it was really there. “I’m smart enough to know it’s really only here for you to see it, anyway.”

Sonic stared down at the book for a moment, then carefully took his hand off of Shadow’s knee. The leather was warm in his hands. The pages were a little worn, the edges weathered from Shadow’s habit of running the paper between his fingers when he was thinking. As soon Sonic opened the book to the first page, his breath caught. “Shadow,” he breathed.

It was… songs. Pages and pages of them, front and back, Shadow’s spiky handwriting filling every available space on the pages. Some of them had chords written under them, some of them were missing lines here and there. Some of them were half finished. But… there were so many of them. Almost every page in the book was filled, some of them with lines drawn down the middle and another song scribbled on the other side. Notes, scribbled out sections, blots of ink where Shadow no doubt got frustrated. It was… incredible.

And they weren’t just catchy lyrics for fun, either. These were real. Sonic skimmed through the pages, trying to take in as much of it as he could without sitting there reading all night. And he could read all night—he could spend forever here, taking in all of Shadow’s thoughts and words and truths. He didn’t think he’d ever look at a song the same way again.

One of them, somewhere in the middle of the book, caught his eye before he could keep flipping. It had a title scribbled at the top, the words neat as if Shadow had put extra care into it. Sonic skimmed over the words and chords, the melody already playing in the back of his mind. “Shadow…” he murmured, pausing halfway to reaching for his guitar. “Can I…?”

Shadow gestured for him to continue. “It’s what they’re there for,” he murmured. “You know I don’t sing.”

Sonic rested his hands on the guitar, carefully setting the open notebook on his leg. Shadow reached over and held the page open for him. Sonic started strumming, the song more vocals than it was melody. The chords barely came into play. He sang, though, his voice soft as if he were using it to carry something precious. He supposed he was.

~~“Who am I to say what any of this means? I have been sleep walking since I was fourteen. Now as I write my song, I retrace my steps. Honestly, it’s easier to let myself forget. Still, I check my vital signs. Choked up, I realize: I have been less than half myself for more than half my life.” ~~

Sonic sang slowly, hoping it was close to what Shadow envisioned when he wrote it. ~~ “Wake up. Fall in love again. Wage war on gravity. There’s so much worth fighting for, you’ll see. Another domino falls either way.” ~~

Shadow wasn’t moving, might not have even been breathing as Sonic sang. Sonic was more aware of the world than he ever had been. Shadow’s hand holding the book on his leg, the sound of the ocean, the taste of the salt in the air. He could feel the calluses on his hands from his guitar, the sand surrounding him--the only throne he’d ever asked for. He held onto it, knowing he’d have this memory for the rest of his life.

~~ “It looks like empathy to understand all sides. But I’m just trying to find myself through someone else’s eyes. So, show me what to do to restart this heart of mine. How do I forgive myself for losing so much time?” ~~

Sonic’s eyes watered on that last lyric, thinking of all of the years they spent fighting. ~~ “Wake up. Roll up your sleeves. There’s a chain reaction in your heart, muscle memory remembering who you are. Stand up and fall in love again and again and again. Wage war on gravity. There’s so much worth fighting for, you’ll see.” ~~

The chords picked up towards the end, and Sonic let his voice carry a little heavier with them. ~~ “A little at a time, I feel more alive. I let the scale tip and feel all of it. It’s uncomfortable, but right. And we were born to try to see each other through. To know and love ourselves and others well is the most difficult and meaningful work we’ll ever do.” ~~

The song ended, and for a moment, neither of them moved. Then Shadow shifted, carefully letting the book fall shut. “That one’s kind of old,” he murmured. “But, uh… yeah. Now you know.”

Sonic turned to him, his eyes wide. “Shadow,” he whispered. “You’re… incredible.” Shadow opened his mouth to protest, but Sonic leaned forward and pressed a hand over it. “No, you can’t argue. You’re insane. Truly, in the best way. This is… how did I never know?”

Shadow shrugged. “I mostly wrote them here, and we weren’t exactly… talking, then. And until now, I didn’t really know how to show it to you. It’s… well, you know what music is to me. You understand better than anyone.”

Sonic did. Music, even before he met his siblings, was his escape. Too-long days with the Freedom Fighters, his foster parents being taken, his uncle eventually following the same course. When he found Sonia and Manic, it became part of them, too. Sonic used music for everything, between communicating and getting his thoughts in order and simply needing a break. Shadow didn’t sing or play himself, but Sonic knew he loved music just as much. Sonic liked to think he was the reason.

He flipped further into the book, scanning song after song while Shadow watched. When he got to the last page, Shadow sucked in a breath. “Oh, that one’s not—it isn’t finished. I’m still—”

Sonic stopped listening. He stopped hearing anything, really, as he slowly read the lyrics on the page. He could tell this one was recent. There were no ink smears, no out-of-place lines, no notes filling the page margins. It was just lyrics on paper, the lines written carefully as if it were the most important thing Shadow would ever put into words. Sonic stopped breathing.

He managed to tear his eyes away from the page, unable to keep them from watering as he rested them on Shadow. “Shads,” he breathed. “What… what is this?”

Shadow let out a quiet sigh. “I’ve been working on that one for a while now,” he murmured. “Well… actually, I wrote the whole thing weeks ago. I don’t know. Part of me just… never believed I got the words right.”

The word Sonia was written above the melody—a note that the song was meant to be played on piano. Sonic didn’t care, didn’t mind as he fidgeted with his guitar until he got the notes to sound right. He knew it would sound better on piano, and he was sure he’d make Sonia memorize it before long, but he couldn’t wait. He felt like his entire soul was crying for this song.

Shadow didn’t stop him as he started singing. ~~ “I’ve been around the world, seven wonders, seven seas. But when all is said and done, you’re the only thing I see, my love. So tell me what you’re looking for. You’re written in the stories, a living masterpiece. So when all is said and done, why you standing next to me, my love? So tell me what you’re looking for.” ~~

Sonic couldn’t help the way his voice broke on the chorus, the melody becoming a background to Sonic’s voice. ~~ “And you said, ‘I don’t need a symphony. I just want your voice and a melody. I don’t need your diamond rings. I just want your love, stop selling me. I don’t need the wind that’s underneath your wings. I just wanna know when you’re landing. You don’t need to be the king, cause I just want the last man standing.’” ~~

Sonic couldn’t help but think about how wonderful this song would sound with his siblings playing, too, even as he had to fight back tears. ‘You don’t need to be the king.’ Sonic wished his heart would stop pounding the way it was. The fact that Shadow wrote this…

~~ “I’ve been around the world, lived a hundred fantasies. But when all is said and done, you’re the only one I need, my love. Just tell me what you’re looking for. Cause you don’t gotta fight so hard. Darling, this is love, not war. All I want is who you are. That’s what I’ve been looking for.” ~~

~~ “And you said, ‘I don’t need a symphony. I just want your voice and a melody. I don’t need your diamond rings. I just want your love, stop selling me. I don’t need the wind that’s underneath your wings. I just wanna know when you’re landing. You don’t need to be the king, cause I just want the last man standing.’” ~~

Sonic let his eyes fall shut, let his chords soften as he sang the final chorus. There were tears on his face now. ~~ “I don’t need a symphony, I just want your voice and a melody. I don’t need your diamond rings. I just want your love, stop selling me.” ~~ He stopped playing entirely. ~~ “I don’t need the wind that’s underneath your wings. I just wanna know when you’re landing. You don’t need to be the king, cause I just want the last man standing.” ~~

For a moment, only silence greeted him. Sonic didn’t know if it was the magic running through his veins or the song itself, but everything was still. There were no waves, no breeze, no soft rustling of small lives in the brush. Even Sonic’s heartbeat seemed to still, as if the world itself was waiting to see what happened next. Sonic didn’t dare move.

Then Shadow spoke. “I… really, really mean it,” he said quietly. “Look… I know I’m not the best with words. I’m not great at talking, and I’m even worse at saying what I really mean when I do manage to have a conversation. But this…” He sighed. “You act like everyone expects you to hand them the world, perfect and unbroken and whole. You expect that of yourself. And I understand why, but… none of us ever asked for that.

“All we expect from you as our leader is to use your best judgement. We follow you because we want you to do what you think is best, not what all of us do. And we do it because none of us have the courage to make those kinds of decisions.” He reached out, wrapping Sonic’s hand in both of his. “You do what is best for us, and that’s it. No one expects you to be perfect, Sonic. We just need someone to guide us. If we really didn’t want to listen to you, we wouldn’t. But we let you take this burden because we think you’re the only one who can handle it. Because you’re the only one who can.”

Sonic was still staring down at the lyrics in his lap. When he lifted his face, there were tears on it. “You can’t honestly believe that,” he said, his voice trembling. “You can’t trust me that completely.”

“We do.”

Sonic turned at the sound of his sister’s voice, his breath catching as he saw—well, everyone. They were all here. Sonia was in front, a blanket draped over her shoulders. Amy and Manic followed, their hands entwined. Knuckles dragged a flat, rolling cart behind him, Tails flew behind, and Sticks sat on the cart holding everything piled on it in place. Sonic looked at each of them individually. “What are you doing here?”

“Robotnik’s army should be here by tomorrow afternoon,” Sonia said quietly. All of them stopped in front of Sonic and Shadow. “None of us were asleep. Shadow came and told us to grab some things, though, and meet you guys out here.” She smiled a little. “How does a movie night sound?”

Sonic’s eyes just watered further. Shadow took the guitar and notebook from him, letting Sonic climb to his feet. “You guys came out here for me?”

Amy smiled a little. “You would do it for us,” she said simply.

“You’ve been working way too hard, Sonic,” Manic said. “Which… might be mine and Sonia’s fault. And we’re sorry.” He smiled a little. “Besides, Shadow’s right. We all might be stubborn, and annoying, and downright defiant at times. All of us collectively decided, though, that the burden of making the hard choices was yours.”

“We never even thought to ask if you were okay with that,” Sticks murmured. There was a rare, careful sincerity in her usually feral gaze. “When you found me, you were so quick to offer help. When Tails got weaker and I got exhausted, you kept going for both of us. You were going through the worst time of your life and you still managed to keep both of us alive. I don’t know if I ever really thanked you for that.”

“I know I did, but still,” Tails continued. Sonic looked at each one of them as they spoke. “When we got here, Amy was in charge. Even she eventually handed the reins to you. Leading isn’t easy, and few people are cut out for it. You were born for it. You take care of us at your own expense, and you have to make every decision while knowing that each one of them could cost us our lives. It’s why you fired me all those years ago.”

“He fired you?” Manic asked.

“Long story,” Knuckles replied. “But I’m with these guys. I was stubborn when we met, and I wouldn’t listen to a word you guys said. All I cared about was doing my job. Robotnik destroyed the island, though, and I was forced to make a decision: leave and let him win, or stay and go down with my home. It was the worst choice I ever had to make, and you make those kinds of decisions daily. For more people than just yourself.”

A hand slid into Sonic’s, and he turned wide eyes on Shadow as he stood beside him. The other hedgehog smiled. “You are our leader, Sonic, and all of us are grateful for that every single day.” The group nodded. “Yes, tomorrow is going to be awful. And yes, tonight marks the last night before everything changes forever. But we followed you here willingly. We knew what we were getting into the moment we agreed to this, and we agreed anyway. You’ve earned every ounce of trust and loyalty we have for you, and then some. We’re just… repaying everything you’ve done for us in the only way we know how.”

Sonic looked at all of them, all of the people who gave him the strength to be who he was today. There were tears on half of everyone’s faces. “You don’t have to repay me for anything,” he said. “But… it means the world to me. The fact that you’re willing to do all of this for me.” His eyes landed on his siblings. “I know you two are different, since Mobius is your kingdom, too, but you still waited and agreed to go along with whatever ridiculous plan I formed this time.”

Sonia waved a hand. “Last time I made my own decision, I ended up getting a huge crush on one of Robotnik’s supporters.”

“Actually, the last time you made your own decision, you married Bartleby,” Manic supplied. “And the jury’s still out on whether or not that was smart.”

Sonia took off her shoe and threw it at Manic, who dodged it with a laugh before tossing it back. Sonic smiled—a real, actual smile—for what felt like the first time in weeks. “The point,” Shadow said, “is that we all know exactly what’s coming tomorrow. We all know the risks. And none of us plan to do anything about it except follow half-blindly, because we know you wouldn’t send us into a death trap like that. We know you wouldn’t just throw our lives away like that.”

“And even if you would, we would go,” Sonia said. “This is for Mobius, Sonic. For our people, for our kingdom, for Mom. Bartleby is already making preparations, and as soon as you land the first hit, the Freedom Fighters are moving. Everyone is gathered, Jamal is ready to lead a jailbreak, and Bartleby is going to start working on tearing down defenses so people can get to the main control circuit. We’re ready.” She smiled. “And it’s all thanks to you.”

Manic stepped forward, dragging Sonia and Sonic into a hug as if he couldn’t help himself anymore. “You’re almost done, brother. The hard part is almost over.” He pulled back and smiled, more honest than Sonic had ever seen his brother. “Mom’s going to be so, so proud when she sees what you’ve done.”

More tears slid down Sonic’s cheeks. He dragged them back into a hug, then gestured for the rest of the gang to join in, too. Sonic was surrounded by his people, by the ones he’d trained and led and watched grow into a group of adults he could rely on for anything in the world. He buried his face in the nearest shoulder—which happened to be Sticks’s—and let himself feel, just for a moment, like everything would be okay.

Then he pulled back, offering all of them a watery smile. “I hope you’re all ready to watch ‘Mountain’s Revenge’ until you agree it’s a perfect movie.”

Not even Sonia’s shout of protest could wipe the smile from his face.

Chapter Text

Sonic was woken by a careful hand shaking his shoulder.

He blinked his eyes open, the soft light of dawn illuminating the beach around them. The sun still hadn’t crested over the island. A quick glance around told him everyone was still asleep, piled together in the giant blanket-bed they’d opted for in the middle of the beach. Amy was resting on Manic’s chest, his snoring somehow not deterring her. Manic’s foot rested dangerously close to Sonia’s head. Tails and Sticks were both curled into a tight ball beside Knuckles, who was using the bean bag none of them were sleeping on as a pillow. Sonic sat up carefully from his place beside his sister, careful not to wake her as his eyes found the only other conscious person on the beach.

Shadow’s eyes, in this light, were the color of garnets. “Come on,” he murmured softly.

Last night was… perfect. None of them were quite able to forget the day looming ahead of them, and it kept them awake well into the night. They only watched ‘Mountain's Revenge’ once before Sonia threatened to tear her eyes out. After that, it was whatever random rom-coms Amy supplied. They talked and laughed and threw popcorn at each other, and eventually the whole group migrated out of their seats and into the pile on the floor. It reminded Sonic of his Resistance days, when they would all sleep curled next to each other to preserve warmth when Robotnik found a way to cut their power. Sonic had fallen asleep last. He waited until everyone else was out, until he was sure they were all safe and resting. It was his job.

Now, he followed Shadow off of the blanket and a little ways down the beach. Shadow was silent as they walked, his pace unhurried and his fingers threaded through Sonic’s. Sonic didn’t mind being woken up. He’d barely been asleep, anyway, and would have been fully awake within the hour. Besides, this gave him a little time with Shadow before it was back to war and fighting.

Shadow stopped when they were far enough away, tugging Sonic to sit beside him in the sand. Sonic immediately leaned his head on Shadow’s shoulder. Neither of them spoke for a while, watching the sky around them lighten and the ocean change from a deep gray to a soft, almost-blue color. Sonic would miss this beach. He wondered, after today, if he would ever see it again.

“I know you want to give yourself over to Robotnik,” Shadow said eventually, his voice as soft as the morning waves.

Sonic had a feeling. Shadow had a way of just... knowing things, especially when it came to Sonic. “It’s only a backup plan,” he murmured. “I won’t let anyone die for me.”

Shadow was quiet another moment. “I know it’s futile to tell you we don’t want you dying for us, either, but I’m going to say it anyway. You deserve your life as much as the rest of us. Maybe even more.”

“There’s no guarantee he’d kill me.” Sonic still wasn’t sure exactly how much he believed the words. “He’s always been after my power. Now he has my title to contend with, sure, but that wouldn’t mean anything without Sonia and Manic anyway. He’ll probably keep me contained and find a way to extract my power before making me surrender the throne.”

“That’s worse.” Shadow sighed, forcing his voice down again as it rose. “All of this fighting wasn’t just so you could give up. You’re fighting for your freedom, too. None of us will hold it against you if something happens.” He gestured down the beach. “We still have the buttons, and the boats, and the whole island to hide in if we need to. We have the advantage of terrain here. We still have a chance.”

Sonic knew that. “I’m not just going to immediately surrender when he shows up,” he said. “We’re still going to fight like hell. But the second I think it’s needed…” His voice quieted. “My mother gave up everything—her throne, her life, her children—to keep her people as safe as they could possibly be. Even when this is over, she’s going to have to get to know us as adults and just be okay with the fact that she missed everything.”

It was something Sonic thought about often, something that kept him up more nights than he could count. His mother was the one thing he could never write songs about. He didn’t know how to express everything he felt about her, especially since he’d never even met her. He was too young when they separated to remember her face from anything more than the posters around Mobius. He hated Robotnik for that more than any of it.

“If she can give up all of that, I can sacrifice a little, too,” he finished quietly. “And you guys are just going to have to find a way to be okay with that.”

When Sonic lifted his head to look at Shadow, there were tears on the other hedgehog’s face. He reached for Sonic’s hand and held it as tightly as he could without hurting him. “I won’t ever give up,” he said, his voice raw. “I don’t care if it means I spend the rest of my life fighting. I will save you one day, the same way you saved me back then. I swear it on everything.”

Sonic smiled sadly. He leaned forward, catching Shadow’s chin and tugging him into a soft kiss. Shadow tasted like tears. He let Sonic kiss him, let the words die between them as they shared the same breath, the same air, the same fear. Sonic wondered, briefly, if this was the last kiss he’d ever get. It didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would.

“I love you, Shadow,” Sonic murmured, his mouth still brushing Shadow’s. “More than my kingdom, more than this world, more than my own life. Promise me you won’t ever forget that.”

More tears slid from Shadow’s eyes as he pulled back to look at Sonic. “Don’t make that sound so much like a goodbye,” he pleaded.

Sonic just smiled again. “Promise me, Shads.” He reached out and carefully brushed a few of the tears from Shadow’s face. Shadow’s eyes fell closed as he leaned into the touch. “I won’t let it go until you do.”

Shadow hesitated a moment longer, then nodded. “I promise.” He reached out, then, tugging Sonic forward and tucking him into an embrace. “And I love you, too. Always.”

Sonic stayed in the embrace for a moment, a sort of calm descending over him. However it went, this ended today. His siblings and mother would hopefully get their throne back. Mobius would hopefully be free of all of this. And if not… Well, Sonic would find a way. Maybe surrendering to Robotnik would distract him enough to let the Freedom Fighters truly win this war. He didn’t actually believe Robotnik would keep him alive. He wouldn’t say that out loud, though, would hold it close to his chest until the moment itself came.

He and Shadow stayed there until his friends found him down the beach, until the group of them walked up with matching grim expressions and already dressed in whatever would be best for fighting in. It was Amy who spoke, her chin held as high as the hammer over her shoulder as Sonic and Shadow stood from the sand. Her green eyes were clear when they met Sonic’s.

“It’s time.”

Chapter Text

Stormclouds.

It was all Sonic could think about as the bots became visible along the horizon. They looked like a huge, black cloud, like a storm he couldn’t even dream of outrunning. Sonic stood beside his friends on the beach, trying not to let himself get too lost in memorizing every single detail of them. Eggman and Tails stood beside the plane and the Eggmobile, both already lined with an artillery of weapons they’d been designing and perfecting. Sticks was beside them, Knuckles to her left, standing a little closer together than Sonic thought they had been initially. Amy had her hammer in one hand, the other threaded firmly with Manic’s. Sonia hadn’t stopped twisting the wedding ring she now had on a chain around her neck to keep it safe from the fighting. Shadow was holding her free hand, and Sonia was letting him. Sonic didn’t want to think about how much that said about how worried Sonia was.

Sonic didn’t know how to look any of them in the eye. Shadow had been staring at him since they got here, his eyes tracing every line of Sonic as if he could commit them all to memory. It made Sonic’s chest hurt. He knew Shadow wouldn’t stop him, wouldn’t keep him from turning himself in to Robotnik if it was their only shot. He also knew it would kill him. Sonic had to leave Shadow behind once, and it still haunted him five years later. Making Shadow do the same for him was more than Sonic ever wanted to ask of him.

Tails’s quiet voice broke the silence long before Sonic was ready.

“Ten minutes,” the fox said, looking down at the device Eggman had crafted him to allow access to every one of the doctor’s bots. His blue eyes were grim when he raised them to meet Sonic’s. “If you guys want the element of surprise, we have to go now.”

Sonic shared a brief look with Shadow, then stepped out in front of the group. Eyes locked on him as his own dropped to the floor. “We’re playing this safe,” Sonic said. He didn’t know how he managed to keep his voice steady. “Our goal is not to take down every Swatbot in this army. Our goal is to take out enough of them that when we lead the rest back to Mobius, we can either take them out over the journey or allow the Resistance to help us when we get there. We are dwindling. Do not try to be a hero.

“You all know the drill with your devices, and you all have your partners. Stay in your groups. Sticks, Knuckles, and Amy, you’re on close combat. Any bots that get too close to Sonia, Manic, Tails, and Eggman are yours to take care of. You four—” He pointed to the group he’d just mentioned, “—are ranged. Sonia and Manic, you have your magic. Don’t hold back. Eggman, Tails, keep to the skies when you can. Eggman, if you have to land, do it away from the main fighting. You’re not combat-trained like the rest of us.”

Sonic finally turned his eyes to Shadow, whose gaze was set with determination. “Me and Shadow are going to run out there now and start taking them down over the water. Even if they’re waterproof, it should slow them down a little.” Sonia nodded in confirmation. “Hopefully, with the way they’re programmed, their sights will be set on me. We’re going to try and break their ranks before they get here.”

He broke off, taking in the determined looks on everyone’s faces. Not one of them showed even a hint of fear. “No matter how this ends up, guys…” His voice quieted, losing the authoritative tone. “I’m incredibly thankful to every one of you for following me into this mess. You’re the most capable group of people I know, and I truly believe nothing in the world could take you guys down.” He managed to muster up a half-smile. Something in his throat caught, and Shadow’s eyes filled with an immeasurable sadness. “I’m proud of you guys. You have this.” He met each of their eyes. “We all do.”

For a moment, his friends were quiet. Sonia was the first to speak, a small smile on her face as she regarded her brother. “Look at you, speeching like a King.” She sobered a little. “Mom would be proud of you, Sonic. And even if she can’t see it right now… I’m proud of you. We both are.” She winked at Manic.

Manic nodded. “Really showing us up with this whole King thing, bro.” He stepped forward, throwing an arm around Sonic’s shoulders. “Though I vote ‘speeching’ time is over. It’s been a while since I got to go all out on some Swatbots!”

Sonia nodded her agreement, a wicked gleam in her eye despite the worry still on her face. Sonic couldn’t help reaching out and dragging her over to him and Manic. He locked both of them in a hug. “Stay safe, you guys. I love you.”

They both hugged him back tightly. “We love you too, brother,” Sonia said.

“And the same goes for you,” Manic added. “Safe, okay?”

Sonic pulled out of the embrace, and his eyes found Shadow’s behind his siblings. There was still nothing but sadness in the other hedgehog’s gaze. “It’ll be okay,” he said, more to Shadow than to his siblings. “We’ll all be okay.”

His brother and sister nodded. Then Manic pushed him towards the water. “Well, off you go to run across another ocean. Again. You really could not escape water if you tried, could you?”

“Except you’ll be careful this time,” Tails said, his voice hard. He marched up to Sonic, poking him hard in the chest. “Do you hear me? If I ever have to drag your half-dead ass away from this ocean again, I’ll kill you myself.”

Everyone in the group went silent, varying looks of shock on Sonic’s friends’ faces. They all stared at each other for a moment before Sonic’s own disbelieving gaze landed back on Tails. “Tails,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before.”

The fox blushed a little. “Yeah, well, you deserve it.” He poked Sonic again, this time a little softer. “Seriously, though. Come back to shore as soon as you need to.”

“I will,” he promised the fox. He stepped back from the group, turning to Shadow and reaching out a hand. “You ready to show this guy just how much more powerful we’ve gotten?”

Shadow stepped forward, reaching out and taking Sonic’s outstretched hand. He used it to yank the other hedgehog into a bruising kiss. Sonic made a small noise of surprise, then completely ignored his friends’ noises of protest and his siblings’ cheers as he kissed Shadow back. Shadow kept his face close when he pulled back, his eyes staring into Sonic’s. “Not unless you have to, Sonic,” he said, his voice low enough that only they could hear it. “Not unless it is your only option. Promise me.”

Sonic squeezed Shadow’s hand. “I promise.” He kissed Shadow again before pulling back. “Just like the good old days, Shads. You and me.” He smiled, pushing back all of the worry and fear and sadness so the cold, calculated battle feeling could take over. “We fight like hell, and we remind Robotnik exactly whose home he decided to mess with.”

Shadow only let the sadness in his gaze show a moment longer before it disappeared, his crimson eyes glowing as all of the years’ worth of rage at Robotnik surfaced. “And then we make him pay for it.”

With that, one last glance at his people, and a quick squeeze of Shadow’s hand, they were off.

Sonic always had a theory—as ridiculous as it sounded whenever he said it out loud—that the water had a mind of its own. He believed it understood fear, sensed the world around it, reacted to things like any of them did. The sky was clear, the sun was out, and the breeze over the water was slight at best. It made Sonic wonder—as it always did—why the waves were higher and far more restless than a perfect day suggested. He told himself it was nothing. The little voice in the back of his mind whispered that the ocean wasn’t happy about the invasion, either. Sonic ignored both thoughts.

Running on water, once he did it once, was something he’d forced himself to practice. It was better than learning how to swim. Shadow’s feet didn’t even touch the water as his air shoes carried him beside Sonic, and Sonic ignored the spray of water his feet kicked up that would soak him if he didn’t go fast enough. He pushed his power into his legs, willing them to keep upright and steady as they launched over the ocean. He needed to go faster.

The bots couldn’t track them as easily over the water, and they were under the mass of them in no time. Sonic shoved down the strangled sound that tried to push its way from his mouth. They were everywhere. The whole sky was blacked out by them, and as they got to the center of the swarm, the world went dark. Sonic willed himself not to panic at the sheer mass of them.

“Shadow, now!” he yelled when they reached the end of the swarm, flying out from the other end and stopping behind them. Sonic skidded on the water, the momentum carrying him as his legs stopped moving. Shadow came up behind him just before he fully stopped and pushed. The momentum threw Sonic up, into the open air above the ocean. He didn’t quite make it above the crowd of bots before he slowed down. Shadow was there again, though, using his Chaos Control to blip into existence above Sonic and grab him by the arm. Then Shadow threw him, and this time, Sonic landed squarely on the back of one of the bots.

The bot made an alarmed noise, instantly alerting all of the bots near it. Sonic grabbed the head of the one he was stationed on, turning it fully around so he could look into the cameras on its face. “You didn’t think I’d let you take this fight to land that easily, did you, Buttnik?”

The bot spoke in a shockingly clear voice. “Regent located,” it said, its red eyes staring up at him. “Sonic the Hedgehog has been found. Final row, section K. Prepare for full assault.”

Sonic whistled as he summoned his guitar, the instrument a comforting weight in his hands. “Wow, you guys have gotten smart,” he said. “Almost makes me want to reconsider the firework show I’m about to start.” He strummed down on the guitar, and a beam shot at the bot. Its head exploded. Sonic hopped to another bot as that one fell, the lights on its body blipping out as it crashed towards the sea. “Almost.”

The bot’s command did its job, though. A chunk of the bots—almost a third of them—stopped flying completely. They all turned while the rest of them kept moving towards the island. Sonic didn’t let the fear in as they started focusing on him one by one. “Well, that’s convenient.”

After that, Sonic stopped thinking so hard. The sky became a whirl of chaos, of Sonic’s guitar and narrowly missed shots and Shadow’s barely visible form darting through the crowd of them. Sonic wasn’t sure where his beams hit, wasn’t sure which bots fell or how many. Not all of them could get to him at once, though, and he hopped from bot to bot as stray shots hit the ones he was standing on over and over again. This isn’t so bad, he thought.

The thought hit him just as something else did, something strong slamming into his arm. He managed to dodge the brunt of the shot, but pain still shot through him. “Ow!” he said, his eyes scanning the crowd until he found the offending bot. It had been thrown into him by another bot, and it looked like Sonic had taken a full metal leg to the shoulder. “Really? You throw each other now?”

“Regent located. Shoot to kill order: active.” the bot intoned back. It raised its arm to shoot, and Sonic sent another beam from his guitar at it. He shoved down a shudder at the bot's words. Shoot to kill. Robotnik ordered his bots to shoot to kill sometimes, but not often. Worry filled Sonic’s chest as he continued to shoot down bot after bot. He hoped the order applied to him and not to anyone else.

“Sonic!” Sonic paused mid-fight, taking a half-second to locate Shadow before going back to kicking away the bot locked on him. He couldn’t risk taking his eyes off of them for long. “The rest of them have reached the shore. We have to ask Tails about Plan X!”

Sonic actually paused this time, taking way too long of a moment to stare at Shadow. Tails had made all of them memorize his lettered plan system over the last few days. “We can’t dip out of this fight that early, Shads,” Sonic called back. “They need us too much! Incapacitating both of us will ruin our chances!”

Shadow grabbed a bot by the arm, flinging it into another crowd of them. They were everywhere. The two of them would’ve been long gone by now if not for a program Bartleby suggested to Robotnik that saved them from shooting each other when needed. He claimed too many bots were dying by their own weapons, showed some statistics Sonia claimed could have actually been real, and Robotnik implemented it in all of the bots. It was the only reason they didn’t run immediately when they heard how many were coming. They wouldn’t have stood a chance if not for the extra layer of consideration the bots had to put into each shot they took.

Shadow fought his way right next to Sonic, the two of them putting their backs to each other so they could fight and talk more easily. “It might be our only shot,” Shadow said grimly. “Me and you will just have to be fine after.”

Sonic didn’t like it. When they were initially discussing every possible plan they could make (and lettering them, despite Sonic’s insistence that naming them would have been easier) Shadow had been the one to suggest this one. According to most of Tails’s calculations, Sonic and Shadow’s power could potentially cause ridiculous amounts of damage if combined. When Shadow mentioned it, Tails told them that spin-dashing directly into each other at full speed would cause an explosion that he couldn’t exactly measure. That was Plan X.

“That was supposed to be last resort. That’s why it’s at the end.” Even as he said it, Sonic looked around them. They’d taken down maybe fifty of the bots, and that was only knocking them out of the sky. There was no guarantee that they weren’t fine and joining their companions on shore. At this rate, he and Shadow probably wouldn’t even make it out of this group. “Tails might kill me if I ask.”

“Then I will.” Shadow reached for the communicator Tails had given him, pressing the button that went directly to the fox. “Tails, what’s our ground situation?”

“Sticky.” Tails’s reply was immediate. “Eggman and I are taking down however many we can, but there are a lot of them. Manic opened this huge hole off of the beach, and we’re sending as many of them as we can into there. I didn’t know he could do that!”

Shadow nodded, a little pride entering his eyes at Manic’s success. “Good. Sonic and I are going to go for Plan X.”

Tails made a frazzled noise over the communicator. Sonic narrowly dodged a shot to the head, grabbing Shadow by an arm and swinging the other hedgehog towards the offending bot. Shadow delivered a hard kick straight to its chest and sent it careening back into three others. “It’s that bad?”

Sonic took over then, hating that he had to say any of this. “We won’t be able to take them down on our own. We have maybe a couple hundred of them, and running across bots in the air isn’t exactly easy.”

Tails was silent for a moment. Then he let out a frustrated noise. “I’ll get everyone further back on the beach. Thirty seconds and you’ll be a go.” After a few moments, both Sonic and Shadow’s communicators lit up. “Plan X is a go. Everyone back away from the beach and get near cover.”

Hearing Tails give orders wasn’t abnormal. Sonic glanced at Shadow. “You go towards the beach. I’ll go away,” Sonic said. “Think our robotic walkway is stable enough? Or do we need to lure them to the water?”

“No time. We do it here.” Shadow grabbed a bot, snapped its arm off, and hurled the weapon at another pair of bots advancing on him. He ducked, and Sonic shot a beam over his head and into both bots. By now, he and Shadow were both covered in little shrapnel cuts. “Run now!”

Sonic was a little taken aback by the speed of the order, but he obeyed. He shot off like lightning, letting his guitar disappear as he sprinted across the tops of bot after bot. He spun around as he got to the edge of the crowd, then immediately started running back. Shadow was a blur as he ran towards Sonic. Sonic curled into a ball about halfway to him, Shadow did the same, and Sonic braced himself for the impact as they both revved.

For an encounter that took all of two seconds to set up, the results were catastrophic.

Sonic felt it everywhere. He and Shadow collided hard, hard enough that he only had a moment to feel bad for Shadow before he was too focused on the pain stabbing through him. Even that only lasted half of a moment before the situation got immeasurably worse.

Sonic didn’t even have time to prepare before the explosion.

Hitting Shadow like that was one thing. This—the way their power collided at that high of a level—was another entirely. The rebound sent them flying in opposite directions, Sonic not even considering that he’d earned himself a one-way trip right into the raging ocean. He couldn’t open his eyes, couldn’t process much of anything except the sound of metal shearing against metal from everywhere at once. He remembered, briefly, that he couldn’t swim. He didn’t even have time to panic before he crashed into the ocean.

Everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Sonic knew the time between him passing out and the hands dragging him out of the water couldn’t have been long, considering he was still breathing. He coughed as he surfaced, holding on tight as he was lifted above the water line. “I’ve got you, Blue Leader!” Tails. Sonic couldn’t hold himself upright, couldn’t make any of this easier on Tails as the fox flew in the direction of the beach. Everything hurt. “We’re almost there, don’t worry.”

After Sonic almost drowned the day he fired Tails, the fox decided he needed to be strong enough to carry Sonic around, soaked or not. Sonic didn’t know about the extra training sessions he was taking with Knuckles until a fight with Eggman had him tossed into the ocean again. Tails didn’t even flinch as he dragged the soaked hedgehog out of the water, and he’d been keeping up on his strength training ever since. Sonic had to thank him for it again when all of this was over.

As soon as his knees connected with solid ground, Sonic was pitching to the floor. A pair of strong hands caught him. “Okay, easy.” Shadow. Sonic coughed until he could expel the water he did inhale, his whole body shaking from the impact or the explosion or the water or all three. “Are you okay? You hit the water a lot harder than I did.”

Sonic finally managed to peel his eyes open. Shadow and Tails were both standing in front of him, their eyes grim. Shadow was soaked, and he was bleeding from a pretty big cut on his head. Little scrapes and cuts practically covered him. “Don’t stand until you can.”

Sonic ignored him. He pushed out of Shadow’s hold, half-stumbling to his feet. He winced as he put weight fully on his right leg. Shadow let out a small, bothered noise. “That doesn’t look good, Sonic. At all.”

“It’s fine,” Sonic managed to croak out. He was lying. When he hit the water, with the combined force of the explosion, the fall, and his own speed, he hit directly on his right side. It was worse than the time he tried to run back to Mobius. The wound on his right leg—which was scabbed and almost healed before now—had reopened and was trailing blood down his leg and onto the sand. A huge scrape practically covered his right side, starting just above his knee and stopping just below his chest. With how much it hurt to breathe, he had to imagine he broke at least one rib. He prodded softly at the worst parts of the scrape before straightening. “I’m fine. I can fight.”

“You can’t,” Shadow and Tails said together. Shadow shot an approving look at the fox before his eyes locked back on Sonic. “Those are bad, and you can’t run around with your leg bleeding like that. We’ll find somewhere to put you until you can stand.”

Sonic took a defiant step back. “No,” he said. Shadow’s eyes narrowed. “I can have this wrapped to stop the bleeding in about thirty seconds, and then I’ll be fine. None of this is bleeding.” He gestured to himself. At Shadow’s angry look, he added, “I won’t walk away from this so early.”

“Well, if it helps, you definitely did your part.” Tails gestured behind him. Sonic turned, his eyes blowing wide as he took in the sky and sea. The waves were riddled with scrap metal now, pieces of it bobbing up and down in the water. The whole ocean was almost black with all of it. And the sky…

The sky was empty.

“You took out all of them,” Tails said. “That explosion—I knew it would be big, but I didn’t think it would be that big. A third of the bots, gone just like that.” His voice was filled with awe. “You two are something else entirely.”

Sonic stared at the open sky for a moment longer, hope filling his chest. “Three hundred Swatbots,” he murmured. He turned a smile on Shadow. “I’ll bet Robotnik is finding more people to throw in jail for not knowing you were alive all this time.”

Shadow rolled his eyes. “You’re not fighting,” he said, ignoring Sonic’s comment. “Not like this. I’ll tie you to a tree myself if I have to.”

Sonic gestured to the wound in Shadow’s head. “That’s worse than any of mine.” Shadow reached up a hand to wipe blood out of his face. “You know it, too. Head wounds are worse.”

“And it’s shallow and will be closed completely within five minutes. You know I heal fast.” He gestured to Sonic. “How is your breathing, Sonic? A little difficult?”

“Alright, stop.” Tails’s voice was firm as he looked between both of them. They listened. “We don’t have time for this. Shadow, go sit until you stop bleeding. Even if it’s only for a few minutes. And if it’ll make you less antsy, go find something to eat in Sonic’s house and shovel it down so you can make up for the blood loss.” Shadow rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue. “Sonic, you’re on ranged duty. I’m not kidding. You’ll come with me in the plane, and you’ll use your magic to take them down from the air. I’m not letting you run around with your leg like that.”

Sonic wanted to argue, but Tails’s plan was better than him sitting around and waiting. He and Shadow exchanged a look, both of them waiting for the other to argue with the fox. Eventually, Sonic just said, “Fine. I can do that.”

Shadow nodded once. “Me, too.” His gaze hardened. “But I’ll be keeping an eye on you, and the second I think you can’t do this anymore, I’ll take you out of this fight myself.”

With that, he shot off towards Sonic’s house. Sonic let out a small, relieved breath. “Alright,” he said to Tails. “What are we looking like here on the ground?”

Tails reached into the fanny pack (or, as he called it, his “inventor’s pouch”) and pulled out a bandage, which he knelt down to wrap quickly and tightly around Sonic’s bleeding ankle. “Everyone is doing great, actually. Manic’s been using these rifts he opens in the ground to drop the bots into them, then closing them to crush however many he manages to trap. Sonia’s taking them out like they’re made of paper, and Amy isn’t far behind. Knuckles found out how to use their own weapons against them. Sticks is having the time of her life, and Eggman has been using what we found out from the one he captured to go through and have his bots pull enough wires to shut them down. We’re holding our own incredibly well.”

The hope in Sonic’s chest grew. They were doing well. No one was injured badly enough to leave, and the bots were dropping like flies. This whole crazy plan might actually work. “And the Resistance?”

“Attack launched. Robotnik has responded in full, though so far that isn’t much. Jamal is already inside to hopefully free the prisoners, and Bartleby is out scouting the path to the main control circuit.” Tails tied off the bandage and stood. “It looks like your crazy plan is working.”

“It’s not over yet,” Sonic said, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel pessimistic. They could do this. All of the fighting, all of the chaos, all of those years of war… they were going to mean something. He tested out his leg, then nodded at Tails. “Let’s get to it, then.”

Tails’s plane was nearby, but out of the fighting to keep it from being destroyed. Sonic didn’t bother with the seat or a seatbelt. Tails prepared for these things. Under the seat, Sonic fished out a pair of huge magnets with metal buckles attached to them. He strapped them to his shoes before stepping out onto the wing of the plane. The magnets held fast, sticking Sonic to the plane’s wing and giving him a clear, secure view of the fighting. “Ready when you are!”

Sonic realized, as Tails brought the plane off of the ground and into the air, that he needed to listen to his friend more. The Swatbots were still everywhere. His team was fighting them back in waves, the bots still coming at them from the front instead of circling around the back. Hoards of them still littered the beach. There were a few survivors in the water, though most of them were dragging themselves out of the water by their arms or stumbling crookedly towards the beach. Sonic’s new angle made his job easy. He summoned his guitar again, all of the pain becoming nothing more than background noise as he aimed at the middle of the crowd. “So long, suckers!” he crowed.

The bots, at first, didn’t know where the beams were coming from. They went down one by one as Sonic fired at them over and over, the beams only strong enough to take them out rather than obliterating them entirely. Even inherited, royal magic had its limits; using too much of it at once would put him down for hours. He had to be careful.

In a spare moment between shots, while Tails circled the plane around, he pressed the button on his communicator. “Manic, Sonia, where are you both at? You can’t fight as well if your magic is gone.”

“I’m fine!” Sonia responded almost immediately. “Knuckles and Sticks have been keeping them off of me, and I’m only doing enough to keep them from getting back up. Clean shot through the head is all it takes.”

Sonic nodded his approval. For a terrifying moment, Manic was silent. Then his voice crackled over the watch. “I’m down,” he said. He sounded exhausted. “Took down maybe a hundred of them, but putting that much concentration into earthquake stuff isn’t easy. Drumset disappeared a few minutes ago and I can’t get it back.”

That wasn’t good. Sonic made a small, flustered noise. “Okay. Manic, you’re on close combat with the gang. If you need a break, let Sonia cover you. Sonia, make sure he’s actually okay to fight.” He didn’t wait for them to respond before he said, “Gang, check in when you can. I’m with Tails on the plane taking them out from the skies.”

“Here and fine!” Amy called almost immediately. “Can’t say the same for these guys, though. No one puts me in a wheelchair and gets away with it that easily.” As she said it, Sonic located her on the ground. She slammed her hammer down in a group of bots, sending six of them back into the advancing group. She took a moment to wave up at Sonic. “They’re not so bad anymore!”

“I’m fine,” Eggman said next. Sonic couldn’t see him anywhere. “Had to run back to the workshop to get some things—I’m bringing out the net. Tails, able to help with it?”

“We’ll be there,” Sonic answered for the fox. Tails nodded once and circled back. “Knuckles, Sticks, how about you two?”

Silence.

Sonic saw Amy pause, saw her bat some more bots away before turning to scan the crowd. Manic jumped in the way as a bot aimed for her and kicked it back. The two of them went back to fighting side-by-side. Sonia had her hands full, Eggman was still gone, and Tails couldn’t fly the plane and watch the ground at the same time. Panic started to settle in Sonic’s chest as he hit the button on the communicator again. “Knuckles, Sticks, check in.”

He couldn’t see them anywhere. The Swatbots were red, so he supposed Knuckles could just blend in. Sticks wasn’t anywhere, either, though. He scanned the ground frantically. He barely paid attention to Shadow as he launched back into the mayhem, immediately taking down the circle of bots advancing on Amy and Manic. He shoved his communicator close to his mouth and yelled, “Someone get eyes on Knuckles and Sticks now!”

As soon as he pulled the device back, it flashed red.

Sonic’s heart dropped to his stomach.

Knuckles’s name flashed across his screen. Knuckles had hit his emergency button. He was down there somewhere, possibly hidden by the mound of bots and in enough trouble to use his sixty-second window to get away. Sonic tried to keep his breathing under control. “Tails, I have to go look for them!”

“Sticks is down.” Before Sonic could unlatch his shoes and jump from the plane, Knuckles’s voice crackled over the communicator. Even as relief hit Sonic, he didn't dare breathe until Knuckles finished speaking. “Something got her—shot her right in the stomach. I’m taking her to Sonic’s. I don’t have enough time to get her to the boat, and I need someone to make sure she’s not going to die before I try to move her that far.” He made a distressed sound. “It wasn’t a bot. I don’t know what hit her.”

Sonic stopped seeing.

‘I need someone to make sure she’s not going to die.’

His plan failed. His plan to keep everyone safe—to keep all of them upright and fighting and breathing—failed. Sticks was hurt, she’d been shot, and Sonic couldn’t do anything about it right now. Not when he was strapped to a plane.

Something hit him hard in the side, and Sonic blinked back to reality. “Sonic!” Tails yelled, letting the whip he’d pulled from his communicator to smack Sonic with retract. Sonic turned to look at the fox. “Do not panic. We need you to listen.” When Sonic didn’t say anything, Tails said, “He said it wasn’t a bot. What else could have hit her?”

Sonic shook his head, trying to clear the panicked fog from it. He went back to the communicator. “Knuckles, how do you know it wasn’t a bot? What shot her, I mean?”

“It came from above. All of the bots are on the ground.” Sonic heard the sound of something crashing, and imagined Knuckles was shoving things out of the way so he could lay Sticks down. “The angle it hit her—it hit just below her chest and came out at the end of her back. It couldn’t have come from any of them.”

“And it was a real bullet?”

“Yeah. I picked it up, if that helps.”

“It does,” Sonic confirmed. He straightened. “Manic, go see Sticks. Fast. You know more about Robotnik than anyone, so you can try and find out what did it.” He scanned the sky, but everything was still on the ground save for himself and Tails. Did the bots have a cloaking device he didn’t know about? Could it have been a stray shot from one of Eggman’s bots? “Wrap her up, and if she’s good enough to move, take her to the boat.”

“Roger, Blue Leader.” Sonic watched as Manic took off in a run, sprinting around the back of the group and avoiding bots left and right as he headed towards Sonic’s. A few of them followed, but Shadow tailed him and took down everything heading in his direction. His eyes stayed on Manic until he disappeared around the bend that led to the beach hut.

He turned back to Tails. “What’s the plan with this net? Some fancy gadget you made?”

Tails turned the plane lower, aiming towards the ground. “It’s simple, actually. It’s just a net made of wire. We’re going to drop it in the middle of the bots. Then we’re going to shock it. We figured out how high of a voltage we would need to shut them down.”

Sonic would have smiled if he wasn’t so worried about Sticks. “Wonderful. How can I help?”

“You’ll be the one taking the net. Eggman is going to bring it and hand you one side. I’ll have you hook it to this.” He held up a small, black box. “Then I’ll fly low, and you’ll drop it. This button activates the electricity.” He poked a black button on the plane’s control panel. “Make sense?”

“Yeah, sounds easy enough.” Into his communicator, he said, “Eggman, how close are you?”

“Turn left.” Sonic did, swiveling as the Eggmobile approached them from above the crowd. Tails slowed the plane so he could catch up. The doctor stopped as close as he could, lifting a rock tied to one end of the huge mess of copper in his Eggmobile. “It’s heavy. Ready?”

Sonic nodded. Eggman tossed him the rock, and Sonic caught it easily. It was heavy. Not the rock, which he imagined was just to weigh it down enough, but the net itself. Eggman turned the Eggmobile away, holding another corner of the net and letting the rest of it drop between them. “I’ll tell you when to let go!” He called as he flew away.

“This should take out another hundred of them,” Tails said to him. “That’s the hope, anyway. We can—”

“Sonic.” Tails was interrupted by Manic’s voice over the communicator. Sonic immediately went rigid at his tone. Tails shot him a worried look over his shoulder, not failing to catch the flat way Manic spoke.

Sonic held the communicator close to his face. “Manic, I need you to tell me right now that Sticks is breathing.”

Manic took a moment to speak again. “Sticks is fine. Fine enough to demand I let her go back to fighting, anyway.” Relief hit Sonic, so strong his knees almost buckled. She was okay. “She’s bandaged. She’ll be okay.”

Sonic took a moment to send a silent thank-you to whatever force in the universe was watching out for them. “Sonic,” Manic said again. “Don’t celebrate yet.”

Sonic immediately lifted his eyes to scan the crowd of friends and foe. Shadow, Amy, and Sonia were still fighting. Knuckles, Sticks, and Manic were in his house, and Tails and Eggman were in the air. That was everyone. “What else? Did someone else get hurt?”

“The bullet.” Manic paused, pulling in a hard breath before letting it out. “It’s specially made. There’s an insignia on it, and the bullet didn’t actually go off when it was shot. They’re made to be reusable. Obsidian bullets, sharpened and spiral-cut for maximum damage.”

There was something he wasn’t saying. “Okay,” Sonic said carefully. “What does that mean? Who does it belong to?”

Manic went quiet again. Sonic said, “Come on, Manic, we don’t have time for this. Just tell me.”

Still, quiet. Then Manic said, quieter than Sonic had ever heard him, “Robotnik.” Sonic stopped breathing. “It’s Robotnik’s.” For another horrifying moment of silence, Sonic felt all of the plans he’d made crumble around him. “He’s here.”

Sonic forgot about the net, though he was pretty sure he heard the sound of it hitting the wing of the plane as it slid out of his hands. Tails’s alarmed shout meant nothing to him. His eyes slowly turned to his communicator, locking on the still-red face of it as if Manic would take back the words. “He can’t be,” he said half-blindly.

“I’ve only ever seen these from Robotnik before. He has a gun—one he made to make some kind of statement. It fires these. I’ve only ever seen it once before.” He made a frustrated sound. “What do we do now? We can’t retreat with him here; if he’s controlling the bots from this close and not from cameras in Mobotropolis, he can change their commands instantly. We’ll never make it back ahead of them with him here.”

Fighting an army of robots was one thing. Fighting an army of robots with a leader was another entirely. Robotnik couldn’t be here—Sonic had rarely ever seen him leave the palace, let alone leaving Mobius. All of this depended on him being in too much of a panic with the rebel attacks to focus on what was happening here on the island. And if he was finding out about the Freedom Fighters’ assault remotely… he would be way more focused on organizing his forces, on locking down the fortress so people couldn’t get in. Sonic couldn’t breathe.

“Sonic!” The communicator stopped flashing red, and a new voice came over it. Sonia. “Listen to me! This is good! It’s not great, but think about it! One less set of eyes on our backup!” Sonic scanned the sky and ground, but Robotnik was nowhere to be seen. “We can still do this!”

Sonic fought back the panic rising in his throat. Robotnik was here. He could have already called more bots to come out here after the first three hundred went down. What did he care about not having Mobius if all three Hedgehogs were here? Who would stop him from just taking it back if he killed the whole royal family in one go? No, this was planned. He never would have left if he knew Manic and Sonia were in Mobius. He wouldn’t forfeit his kingdom like that.

Sonic stopped. He stopped thinking, stopped feeling, stopped wondering how he would get out of this. Resolve settled in his stomach. He planned for this. This was why he had backup. There was no way they would be able to get to Robotnik, especially if they couldn’t see him. He had the upper hand here. Sonic knew his friends would keep fighting, but for how long? How long could they? Amy was barely healed, and he could see her hammer strikes getting slower from here. Manic’s magic was already down. Sonia’s beams were getting smaller, and Sticks and Knuckles were both out of the fight entirely. They couldn’t keep this up much longer. At least half of the army was left, and even if they managed to take them down, Sonic couldn’t run the risk of Robotnik summoning more.

He took a quiet, slow breath.

“Shadow,” he said into the communicator, bending down to start undoing the metal buckles holding him to the plane. “On my mark, get everyone to the boat. Run them individually if you have to. Everyone, follow Shadow. Get out of here, get Sticks out, and run. The Resistance is going to need your help.”

Sonic watched Shadow skid to a stop, his eyes locking on the plane. Sonic could see them, red and familiar, even from his place in the air. “Sonic, no,” he said.

“I’ll meet up with you guys after,” Sonic said. A lie. “Just go, and don’t look back. This war doesn’t end just because the fighting here does.”

“Sonic!” Shadow was yelling now. “Don’t do this! I swear to you we will find another way, there has to be—”

“Get them out, Shadow,” Sonic interrupted.

Then he unlatched the communicator around his wrist and let it drop off of the edge of the plane.

He turned to Tails, the fox’s gaze locked on him. “Sonic,” Tails warned.

Sonic smiled. “Sorry, little buddy. Take care of them for me.”

Then he jumped.

Chapter Text

Sonic, as he was falling towards the ground, summoned every ounce of power he believed he had left. His hands balled into fists at his sides, blue lightning crackling around him as he aimed for the floor. He hit the edge of the sand where his friends had been fighting. Power radiated out from where he landed, sending the first three rows of bots flying backwards into the rest of them. His power winked out shortly after.

‘Okay, Sonic,’ he thought. ‘You’re down to the last bits of power you have. Don’t waste them.’ Out loud, he said, “I know you’re here, Robotnik.” His voice was loud, carrying over the beach and the bots and the wind. “Stop your bots for a moment. I want to talk.”

For a moment, nothing happened. Then a low, hauntingly familiar laugh sounded. Sonic’s eyes flicked up as Robotnik materialized in front of him. “Well, well, well.” He looked the same as he had when Sonic saw him last, from his awful mustache to the calculated grin that lit his face. Everything Sonic fought to escape in coming here—the fighting, the chaos, Robotnik himself—came flooding back. He curled his hands into fists. “You, Hedgehog, are annoyingly difficult to locate,” Robotnik drawled.

Sonic shrugged. Maybe if he pretended his heart wasn’t pounding, it would stop. “I’m here now.” He gestured around him. “Nice place, isn’t it? Mobius doesn’t have any beaches like this.”

“Maybe it does. You haven’t been back to see it in too long to know.” The comment sent a pang through Sonic’s chest, years of guilt and homesickness and missing everyone he’d ever known flooding back. Robotnik must have seen it in his eyes, because his smile grew. “What did you want to talk about, Hedgehog? Because I will have you know, if this is some kind of surprise attack, I wouldn’t try it.”

Sonic's reply was cut off by an awful crash behind him. He spun just in time to see Tails’s plane collide with the ground, the landing gear half-frantically thrown out. It managed to land on its wheels, but one of the wings scraped the ground up until it crashed directly into a tree. Sonic stopped breathing. “Tails!” he screamed. Tears filled his eyes as he spun back to Robotnik. “If you hurt him, I swear I’ll—”

“Oh, relax. You’re all so dramatic.” He snapped, and a Swatbot moved out of the crowd. It held Tails—who looked unharmed—by both hands. The knot in Sonic’s chest loosened even as his hands trembled. “Your little fox is fine.” Robotnik tilted his head. “I don’t recognize this one from your little group of traitors, though.”

Sonic fought back a growl. “Let him go, Robotnik. Your fight isn’t with him.”

“Oh, it isn’t?” Robotnik gestured behind him. “Because he just shut down a chunk of my army like it was nothing. You think I don’t recognize talent when I see it?” He stroked his moustache—which truly did look as awful as it did when Sonic was a teenager. “I’ll bet he even built that plane of his.”

“Sonic, don’t listen to him!” Tails yelled. “He’s—” He broke off as another bot walked up and clamped a hand over his mouth. The fox’s sky-blue eyes narrowed at Robotnik.

Sonic fought to keep his voice calm as he spoke. “Just listen,” he said, putting his back to the fox and drawing Robotnik’s attention away from him. “Leave Tails out of this. He’s not even a part of this.” He took a step forward. “Your fight is with me.”

“And with them.” Sonic didn’t have to look to know Robotnik was gesturing to Sonia. He silently cursed her for not leaving faster. “Sneaking out of my city. You were both right under my nose, and then you disappeared.” He shook his head. “I guess, in the end, I can thank you for it. All three living Hedgehogs in one place.” His smile turned dark. “It’s a real shame about your mother.”

Sonic knew his mom was alive, but something in his chest still hurt at the words. “You don’t get to talk about her,” he hissed. “My mother represented everything good about the kingdom you stole from her. She’s everything you could never dream of being.”

Robotnik laughed. “Why would I want to be Queen Aleena?” He leaned forward in whatever moving device he’d made this time; it was a black cube, green lines running through it, with a set of six black, robotic arms holding it upright. Sonic couldn’t even imagine how he’d gotten that thing across an ocean. “The main difference between your mother and I is that she lost.” He tapped the side of his block-car with each word. “And I. Don’t. Lose.”

Sonia appeared rather suddenly, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she stopped by Sonic’s side. “I’m surprised you left your cowardly little hideout, Buttnik. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“And I didn’t think Bartleby had it in him to marry… well, you.” Robotnik’s nose wrinkled. “He was such a good boy when he was young. What happened to him, that he would sink so low so fast?”

“He grew up,” Sonia growled, her voice low and deadly.

Sonic turned to his sister, lowering her voice so only she could hear him. “Sonia, you have to go. Let me deal with him.”

“Alone?” Sonia pushed his shoulder back. “Not a chance. We’re in this together. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Sonia, please.” Sonic glanced around, but Shadow was nowhere to be seen. He hoped he was dragging Manic to the boat. “Just go. You’re not staying here for this.”

Before Sonia could ask what he meant, Robotnik let out a loud groan. “This is no fun if you just yap at each other this whole time.” He glared at Sonia. “Listen to your brother, Princess. Get out of here while you still can.”

Sonia took a threatening step forward, her eyes blazing in a way Sonic had never seen. “I’m not leaving until I get my mother back.” The hurt in her voice was raw, and Sonic felt his own heart clench in response. Not pain over her faked death—pain for all of the years of their lives she was forced to miss. The pain of growing up without the one person they needed by their side.

Robotnik’s eyebrows raised. “Oh?” Then he smiled again. “I think we can change that mindset a little.”

Sonic could only watch as Robotnik pulled a gun—no doubt the one Manic told him about—out of the block somewhere. He pointed it right at Tails. Sonic made a strangled noise, moving even as Sonia grabbed his shoulder. “Leave, Sonia,” Robotnik said, his voice calm. “Go find wherever your useless brother is and try to save your friends in Mobotropolis. This is a show I’ve been waiting on for years.” His smile fell. “Or I kill the fox. Your choice.”

“No!” Sonic yelled, right as Tails let out a protesting noise Sonic knew meant he didn’t want Sonia to listen. Sonic ignored his best friend and turned to his sister. “Sonia, please. He’s my best friend. I can’t lose him.”

Sonia looked between Sonic and Tails, between the desperate plea in her brother’s eyes and the stubborn defiance in his best friend’s. Eventually, her hands balled into fists. She turned to Robotnik. “One of these days, Ivo,” she said, her voice low and deadly. “One of these days, you’re going to have to answer to all of the people you thought you could control. One of these days, they’ll show you you were wrong.”

Robotnik laughed as she stalked off. “Oh, this reunion is going better than I expected!” He looked around. “Where’s Shadow? I’d love to see how he’s doing. Five years, and all this time, I thought he was dead! Everyone did!”

Shadow, thankfully, didn’t appear. Sonic hoped he was still getting everyone to the boat. “Your quarrel is with me, Robotnik. Not my sister, not Shadow, not Tails. Just me.” He stepped forward again. “That’s what you want, right? Me? My crown, my title, my power?”

The doctor leveled him with a hard glare. “Your title is a sham,” he growled. “You can’t rule if you’re not in the country you’re ruling from.”

“It’s not a sham legally,” Sonic said. “I’m all that stands between you and the permanent throne.”

“I have the permanent throne!” Robotnik yelled, slamming a hand down on the edge of the box. He pointed an angry finger at Sonic. “Do you know what they think about you, Your Majesty?” He used the title mockingly. “They think you left them. They think you chose to run and leave them to their own devices. They think you were too weak and cowardly to be anything like Queen Aleena, and they’re right.”

Sonic shoved aside the words. “I left Mobius because I had to,” he said. “You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to leave my kingdom on its own and abandon the two people that mean more to me than anything? You think I wanted to abandon them all—my uncle, my friends, my family—and leave them to you?” Angry tears filled his eyes. “I have spent every day of the last five years hating myself because I left them all. I have spent the last five years wondering what I can possibly do to ever, ever make it up to them.” He paused, taking a quiet, steadying breath. “And now I know.”

Robotnik didn’t have time to react as Sonic dropped to his knees in the sand. “I surrender.” Tails let out a broken sound. Sonic ignored him. “I know I’m what you want. Leave these people. Take your army back to Mobius, leave my friends and family alone, and take me.” He raised his head to look at Robotnik. “I’m their Regent. Take me back with you, and I’ll surrender my throne in front of all of them. Publicly.”

Robotnik’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t immediately agree or disagree. “How do I know this isn’t another one of your tricks, Sonic Hedgehog? Another ploy you’ll use to turn all of this in your favor?”

“Tricks?” Sonic laughed. He wished it didn’t sound so defeated. “What tricks could I possibly have? You have my best friend, and you could kill him at any moment. Shadow, Sonia, and Manic are nowhere to be seen. Even if it was a trick, what could I do? I’m sure you’ve ensured your own protection, and you can get back to Mobotropolis faster than they can. Besides, you still have hundreds of Swatbots here.” He gestured at the crowd of them. “What could I possibly do?”

Robotnik, for a moment, just stared at him. Sonic could see the thoughts flitting through his mind, could see him weighing all of the pros and cons of the decision. Sonic would figure it out. Shadow, Sonia, and Manic still stood a chance—they could still get Mobius back. Maybe his giving up the throne wouldn’t matter if his mother was alive. He was just a placeholder anyway, right? Maybe she could show up and it would be fine.

Sonic didn’t really care about the details right now. Sticks had a bullet wound, Manic was out of magic, Tails had a gun pointed at his head. All Sonic could think about was getting his friends, his siblings—everything he had left in this world—to safety. Nothing mattered more than that.

After what felt like forever, Robotnik’s gaze went blank. “You’re right,” he murmured, more to himself than to Sonic. “I can get back to Mobotropolis faster.” Before Sonic could contemplate why that was the specific thought that stuck, the smallest hint of triumph shone in Robotnik’s gaze. “Thank you for this, Sonic.”

“For what?” Sonic asked. He knew it was a stupid question. He had to ask anyway.

Robotnik smiled. “For my throne.”

The gun went off.

Chapter Text

~ 'How did I miss it?' ~

“Sonic!” Sadness, rage, the kind of hurt Sonic never wanted to hear from his best friend. His best friend, Tails—Tails was okay. He was okay if he was yelling like that. He was okay.

~ 'I'm trained to be better than this.' ~

Loud, triumphant laughter. “Retreat!” the voice called. That voice that haunted every moment, every movement, every memory. “Everyone back to Mobius! Our work here may be done, but we have a crown to claim and a Resistance to crush!”

~ 'I'm trained to be faster than this.' ~

“Sonic, no!” His best friend’s voice was sad now. Sonic wanted to reach out, to tell him it was going to be alright. The little fox—the one Sonic put everything he could into saving all those years ago. He was crying. Sonic supposed that was better than being dead.

~ 'But they're okay.' ~

“What happ—oh, god.” A new voice, this one even more familiar to him than the fox’s. Sonic wanted to smile, wanted to reach out and feel those familiar hands and tell him it was going to be okay. He was always so bad at believing in the good. Wasn't it Sonic's job to help with that? “Tails. What happened?”

~ 'Everyone is alive, and that means everything is going to be okay.' ~

“I don’t think Sonic saw him move—he didn’t even see Robotnik move until—” A sob. “I wasn’t fast enough, Shadow. I wasn’t fast enough.”

~ 'Everything is okay.' ~

Sonic slowly looked down.

It had to be a miracle of some kind. The fact that he was still upright. ‘I’m supposed to be blue,’ he thought distantly. But all he saw was red—red, coating everything from his chest down the front of him, his stomach and his legs and his shoes and the sand under him. ‘Oh, well. Red’s a nice color.’ He barely registered the hole in his chest, barely noticed the source of all of that red. Blood. He tilted his head a little as he saw it. “Oh,” he murmured out loud, nothing past careful curiosity in his voice. “I thought it was Tails.” He looked up at the fox in question, a small smile finding its way to his face when he found him unharmed and the bots holding him gone. “I’m glad you’re alright, little buddy.”

Then he collapsed.

He didn’t know why it didn’t hurt, why taking a bullet to the chest didn’t feel worse than this. Did Robotnik hit his heart? Sonic had to imagine he did if he left so fast. He wouldn’t have left unless he was sure Sonic was dead, unless he was positive nothing was going to stop him from claiming the throne as soon as he got back to Mobius.

So if he was gone…

Sonic only noticed Shadow’s face above him when it covered the sun. “Damn you, Sonic,” the other hedgehog growled, his voice rough as he shoved something—some kind of cloth, probably—against the wound in Sonic’s chest. “Damn you for having to be such a martyr. We would have been fine! We would have gotten out of here, we would have—”

Sonic waved a hand—or, he tried to. None of his limbs would listen to him. “S’okay,” he mumbled. “Everyone’s alive, so it’s okay.”

“And I already told you none of them wanted you to die for them!” Shadow’s voice was desperate. Behind him, Tails was screaming something Sonic couldn’t quite make out. “It wasn’t worth this! It was never worth this!”

Sonic’s brow furrowed in confusion. He did manage to move this time, reaching up and dropping a hand over Shadow’s on his chest. “Shads.” Shadow froze, his panicked eyes meeting Sonic’s. “He almost died when I found him. I couldn’t have saved him for nothing.”

Everything in Shadow’s expression disappeared except for a raw, horrible sadness. He stared openly at Sonic. Sonic just smiled. “It was worth it for him. For all of you.”

Sonic knew Shadow needed him awake—knew the other hedgehog was only still coherent because he could see Sonic’s eyes. But he was so tired. “You don’t get to make that decision,” Shadow whispered, his voice breaking. “Not for everyone else here. You don’t get to.”

Sonic couldn’t fight it much longer. “Isn’t that what you said, though?” He fought to focus on Shadow, fought to keep his eyes locked on that crimson color he’d loved from the beginning. God, he loved Shadow. He hoped he kept his promise to remember that. “I’m the leader so I can make the hard decisions for all of us.”

Something in Shadow’s eyes broke. Sonic was going to let his own eyes close, but something about the expression didn’t sit right. Talking again was a struggle. “Hey,” he murmured. Shadow’s eyes cleared for a moment, just long enough for Sonic to see his own reflected in them as Shadow stared openly—waiting for what Sonic had to say. Sonic just smiled. “That’s better,” he murmured, his eyes finally, mercifully closing.

He didn’t even get to hear Shadow’s heartwrenching scream as the world around him went dark.

*************************

~ 'Water. It has to be water. Nothing else makes me feel this nauseous, this... unsteady.'

'I hate water. They know that. Why would they put me on a boat?' ~

*************************

Knuckles stared blankly at the center of the boat. He’d settled in one of the corners as soon as they loaded, tucking Sticks securely against him and promising to keep her steady for the ride. She was still there, laying back even as Knuckles knew she wanted nothing more than to run to them—to everyone else, huddled in the middle of the floor and screaming about needles and medicines and bandages.

When Sticks got shot, he ran faster than he ever had. Sticks had always been his closest friend of this group. He didn’t dislike anyone else, but he thought the two of them got along better. Neither of them were fast, or smart, or particularly good at being a reasonable part of society. They were always able to be themselves around each other. Just a feral badger and a muscle-headed echidna. Knuckles valued their friendship more than he’d ever say out loud.

He was grateful, he knew, that she was upright and staring grimly at the still-growing pool of red sinking into the boat’s wood.

Grateful.

The word felt like poison now.

*************************

She was powerless.

Sticks wanted nothing more than to run, to jump up and sprint to the middle of the boat and throw herself into the chaos. She would find some way to help. Even if she knew nothing about medicine, even if she couldn’t do anything on her own, even if she would just be in the way. She could’ve been there for him. For Sonic, who’d sacrificed himself so all of them could get off of that island alive.

For her leader. Her friend.

Knuckles’s hand tightened on her shoulder as if he could sense where her mind was going. “You won’t help anyone by dying here, Sticks,” he said, his voice low. She didn’t know why. Nobody would hear him even if he screamed. “Stay. You’re done with all of this. As soon as we get there, you’re going into the base and letting them fix this. I won’t watch two of my friends die today.”

Two.

She stayed, and she hoped her best friend couldn’t feel any of the tears that slid down her cheeks.

*************************

“Scissors.” The command was quick, efficient. The delivery was less so. Shaking hands dug through the first aid kit—the pathetic, practically useless first-aid kid he threw together last-minute because he didn’t think about it before. Who didn’t think about a first-aid kit when they were going into a war? He was a doctor. And now his longtime nemesis-turned-friend might die because of his inability to do his job.

He snatched the scissors out of Tails’s unstable hands, not quite feeling bad about the way the fox flinched. Only years of learning how to work under pressure kept his hands steady as he leaned over Sonic again. “Amy, hold the light a little higher,” he murmured. She was the only one who was managing to keep her wits together through all of this. Eggman had been watching all of them long enough that he knew it was faked. Still, fake calm was better than panic. “There. Hold it.”

He paused long enough to send a prayer up to gods he’d long since stopped believing in, then briefly lowered the scissors. As long as his heart was beating, he was still alive. He felt for the hedgehog’s wrist, pressing down where his pulse was. Faint, but there. Alive. Alive, and only kept that way if he did everything right. Maybe not even then.

He passed Sonic’s wrist off to Amy’s free hand, instructed her to tell him if his pulse stopped, and went to work.

*************************

One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four.

Over and over again, she counted. One to four, back to one, and back to four. One number for every faint, dying heartbeat she felt in Sonic’s wrist. Dying. Sonic was dying, Eggman was fighting to save him, and she was here. Her job was to hold the light and count.

How useless it all felt now. Wasn’t this her spot just a few weeks ago? Did Sonic feel like this when he carried her back to Tails’s workshop, when that Swatbot took her down like she was nothing? She hoped he didn’t. Nothing had ever been worse than the emptiness sitting in her chest, the circle of black where so many things had once been. She was such an upbeat person. Even before this specific moment, when it was just her and Knuckles and Sticks on the boat and she made a joke about the cool new scar the badger would have. She was the one responsible for making them smile when they didn’t know how.

Could she be that person now? She searched for her, searched her heart and her mind and the ocean surrounding them on all sides. Nothing. There was nothing, nothing but the light and the pulse and the hole in her chest where everything should have been. Nothing was left but what was right in front of her.

So she held the light. And she counted to the highest number she could before she had to start over in fear of forgetting what came next.

One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four.

*************************

He hadn’t stopped shaking since Robotnik moved.

All of it was still so clear in his mind—so clear, as it played back over and over and over again. The barrel of a gun pointed squarely at his forehead. The bot holding his arms back and leaving him open to the mercy of anything that could happen. His own stubborn defiance, and the thought in his head that he would let it happen—he would fight until that gun went off if only it meant Sonic would stand. If it meant he would take back what he said.

He didn’t even see when Robotnik shifted.

That was when the trembling started. He’d tried to scream, tried to warn Sonic about the shot. It happened too fast to even get the words out. And the blood—so much blood, more than he thought someone could even carry in their body. Did supersonic hedgehogs have more blood? Was it part of what kept their hearts beating so fast? Or was it that—his heart—that made so much of it spill onto the beach he’d loved so much? A bullet to the heart. Who could survive that?

Maybe not a hedgehog who meant more to him than anything in the world.

Maybe not a fox who failed, either.

He wished it had been him.

His hands shook harder.

*************************

~~ “It’s kind of overwhelming, but hey. Lemons make lemonade, flowers bloom in the rain. Growing up is a pain, and it is what it is.” ~~

Nothing. He knew it was stupid to think it would work, but nothing else did, either. Hoping his brother would be okay got him nowhere. Being optimistic about this fight did nothing. Prayers to some nonexistent gods, helping Eggman do whatever he was doing to try and save his life, telling everyone else it would be okay. Nothing made it better. Nothing would fill the hole in his chest, the knowledge that he would never come back from this. Robotnik finally broke him after all these years. It finally worked.

~~ “It’s not the end of the world. There’s always light where it burns. Just remember the words, and it goes like this.” ~~

“What are you doing?” He stopped singing—the quiet, shaking words he somehow remembered in all of this—as his sister walked up behind him. He didn’t turn to look at her. He already knew what he would see, knew that the haunted look in her eyes was reflected in his own. So, he just kicked his feet aimlessly where they hung under the boat’s railing.

“It’s his favorite song,” he said simply.

It was true. The annoyingly upbeat, ridiculously optimistic bit of nonsense was written as a joke one day. Sonic had loved it ever since. He’d sing it as obnoxiously as he could when any of them had a bad day, over and over and over again until they were all dancing and laughing and smiling. Until they were okay again.

Silence. Then, “It won’t bring him back.”

Manic felt nothing at the words. “I know.”

“... Okay.”

A pair of legs brushing his, and then a voice picking up the end of the chorus alongside him. ~~ “It is what it is what it is what it is what it is.” ~~

*************************

It was her fault, wasn’t it?

It had to be. This would never happen on its own—not to him. Sonic was invincible. Who else, if not her brother, could fight in the Resistance from seven years old and still come out smiling? Who could dive head first into every single battle and still argue that he could run no matter how badly he was hurt? Who could keep going when his entire world stopped, when the love of his life died and his sister almost did too and he had to leave the only home he’d ever known?

Her brother was invincible. She’d known that since the day she met him.

And now…

She didn’t sit next to Manic long—couldn’t handle the defeat in his eyes. In everyone’s eyes. Why did they look like they were giving up? Sonic wouldn’t—he wouldn’t quit if it was one of them. He would fight for everyone else who still needed someone to fight for them. He would fight for her. She wasn’t going to give up just because she couldn’t get away from the smell of blood—just because she couldn’t quite think about the fact that it was his blood. If anything, it just made her angrier.

That’s what she was. She was angry. She was furious, more so than she’d ever been. At Robotnik for hurting him. At his uncle for sending him into all of this so young. At their mother, herself, the Resistance, his friends, this island, everything. Everything did this to him. If any one thing in this world was good enough to change for the better, her brother would be laughing and pretending to push her off the boat instead of lying half-dead in the center of it. She wasn’t the only one who failed him. Everything did. Everything wasn’t good enough to save the brightest light she'd ever known.

And now, she wouldn’t stop fighting until all of them paid for what happened to him.

*************************

He was running, running so fast the boat became a little blur behind him before he could even blink. So fast he was across that ocean in minutes, so fast he caught up to Robotnik before he reached Mobotropolis. He was running until he reached the doctor, until he could drag him with him and keep running and running and running until he fixed it, running until he—

He was standing still.

Boat, ocean, sky. He was still on the boat. He hadn’t moved an inch, hadn’t gotten further than this. Nothing stuck in his mind more than the moment he froze, the moment Amy had to take Sonic from him and carry him the rest of the way onto the boat. He still hadn’t moved from that spot. Everyone was somewhere on the boat, the boat was moving on the water, the water was taking them to Mobius. Home. He was going home as slowly as this boat would take him.

He failed. Fast enough, strong enough, smart enough. He hadn’t been any of it. When Sonic said he would sacrifice himself, he believed it would just be a temporary imprisonment. They both did. There was no way he planned this, planned to rip the ground out from under Shadow’s feet so thoroughly that he wasn’t even sure it was real. It wasn’t real. It wouldn’t be real unless he stayed here, unless he watched Eggman try to save him and watched Amy get paler and paler and watched Tails lose more and more of the life in his eyes. It wasn’t real if he ran.

So in his mind, he did. He ran again and again and again, ran off of the boat and across the ocean and right into Robotnik’s lair and back to the island. He ran, and he told himself every step brought him further and further away from him, from that ever-smiling, honest being he loved so much who was fighting for his life on the floor of a boat. He ran, because it was the only way he could tell himself he was doing something to make this right.

He didn’t move from where he was standing for the entire six-hour boat ride.

*************************

~ 'Water—yeah, definitely water. Definitely a boat.' It was less jarring now, the waves more of a soft lull than anything. He floated in it, a small smile finding its way to his face. Who knew water could be this nice?

His eyes closed. 'Maybe I could learn to love water.' His smile grew as he let the waves coax him into the gentlest sleep he’d ever had. ~

*************************

“Eggman.”

Everything stopped. The one word from Amy had the whole boat freezing, every person on it going still. The waves failed to make sounds, the sky forgot to be blue, the universe didn't step in and fix all of this. Everyone froze, and everyone knew what she was going to say even before she lifted blank, lifeless eyes to the doctor in front of her.

“I can’t feel it anymore.”

Chapter Text

Even on the outermost edge of Mobius, where the Mobian sea ended abruptly in a tall, metal wall, they could hear the fighting.

Shadow was trying to comprehend all of it—trying, and failing. The boat rocked with the waves, the sky was covered in its usual thick layer of clouds, and the smell of metal surrounded everything. The port—where Captain Squeegee used to run his crew—was a few miles outside of Mobotropolis. Sonia said they couldn’t risk stopping where the ocean bordered the city in case Robotnik was already there. They were meeting with someone from the Resistance to drive them.

A car. How long had it been since Shadow was in any kind of vehicle? Since he’d seen any of this, really? Mobotropolis was a technologically advanced city before Robotnik took over. Now, everything was made of metal and glass. It was a hard contrast from the life he’d gotten used to, from white sand and shimmering beaches and the sun shining down almost every single day. Shadow looked up, searching for the stars he’d become so fond of on the island. They were never visible here in the city.

“The Resistance will be here soon.” It was Sonia who spoke, taking her place at the head of the boat. Everyone looked at her with empty eyes. “We’re sticking to the original plan. They’ll take us back to base, and we’ll join the fight where we need to from there. It took Robotnik almost two weeks to cross these oceans the first time. We have to hope Sonic’s power got us here faster.”

When Tails discovered—after weeks of experiments—that he could store Sonic’s power, the two of them agreed never to use it unless they had to. They couldn’t risk anyone else finding the technology. The battery that ran this boat, though, was one Tails had been slowly funneling Sonic’s power into for years. It got them across two entire oceans in a quarter of a day. Shadow somehow managed to remember when Tails explained all of this to him and showed him how the boat worked. He walked over to the panel on the wall that held the battery and pulled it out, wordlessly handing it to Eggman. The doctor nodded once before tucking it securely into his jacket.

Sonia watched the exchange silently. Nobody else moved. “Guys, we have to go.” Still, nobody responded. She let out a frustrated noise. “You all know exactly what he would say if he could right now. He would tell you this is more important, and that we need to go help the people who need us. He would tell us to fight.” Her voice broke. “Don’t let his sacrifice be for nothing.”

Sacrifice.

When Amy told them she couldn’t feel Sonic’s pulse, Eggman grew frantic. He tore through everything on the boat, trying to find anything he could use to save the hedgehog. When he eventually dragged Tails into helping, they managed to tear apart the gadgets they still had on them from the island and fashion them into some kind of machine to keep Sonic’s heart beating. Eggman managed to stop the bleeding, and Shadow couldn’t bring himself to look away as they carefully hooked up the machine through the hole in Sonic’s chest. Right now, it was the only thing keeping him alive. The only reason his heart was still beating.

By all definitions but that one, Sonic was dead.

Amy stood first, steeling her shoulders and walking over to pick up her hammer. Knuckles followed, carefully lifting the now-sleeping Sticks. Eggman stayed with Sonic, where he was needed, and Manic eventually stumbled to his feet from the edge of the boat. He walked over to Tails, who was still on the ground with one of Sonic’s hands held firmly in his own, and tapped the fox on the shoulder. Tails sent him a haunted look. “Come on,” Manic said gently. “We can’t do anything for him now except finish what we started.”

Tails looked down at Sonic again, at the old boat sail they’d cut apart to wrap over his open chest. Then he nodded, setting Sonic’s hand down as carefully as he could before standing. He stared at his friend for a moment, then turned to Sonia. “How can we help?”

“Sonia?” Before the princess could respond, a new voice sounded from up on the shore. Sonia’s eyes widened from where she was standing. “Come on, they’re over here,” the voice said, the sound growing closer.

Shadow, from his place on the back of the boat, saw Bartleby first. He looked… different. Entirely different. Gone were his perfectly styled hair and tailored clothes and constantly manicured hands. His hair was cut short, and he had on a regular old t-shirt and pants. Shadow didn’t think he’d recognize him at all if not for the odd, violet eyes he’d always had. He ran to the edge of the wall, relief breaking out over his face. “Sonia, my beloved, you’re home,” he breathed.

He ran straight onto the boat, catching Sonia and crushing her to his chest. Sonia, for a moment, just stood there. Then she let out a strangled sound, and her hands dug into Bartleby’s back as she returned the embrace. “It’s okay. You’re home. It will be okay.”

He only held her for a moment before pulling back, brushing the tears from her face, and glancing at the rest of the group. His eyes landed on Sonic, and his expression turned grim. “For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Bartleby. I’m a member of the Freedom Fighters and the temporary head of the Resistance.” His eyes fell on Manic. “It’s good to see you, Manic.” Manic barely nodded. “And Shadow… I still can’t believe you’re alive.”

Alive, and for what? He didn’t say the words out loud. Instead he moved forward, stepping away from the corner of the boat for the first time since he got on it. He stopped next to Sonic, crouching down and carefully lifting the hedgehog into his arms. “He’ll be okay to move, but keep a tight hold of him, Shadow,” Eggman said as Shadow stood. “I’ll see what else I can do for him when we get to the base.”

Sonic felt way too light. Shadow pushed the thought back.

He looked up at Bartleby, his expression blank. Bartleby hadn’t let go of Sonia’s hand. “We’re going to have to change the plan. Eggman has to stay with Sonic, so he can’t go into the palace. Will Tails be enough help for you to find the circuit?”

Bartleby nodded. “I’ve already planned for that. We’ll be okay.” He stepped back off of the boat, tugging Sonia with him. “Come on. We’re still fighting out there, and I can’t be away too long.” He gestured to Knuckles and Shadow. “We have a separate truck for the injured. Smoother ride, and more space.”

Everyone slowly filtered off of the boat, none of them even caring enough to look around and see their new, vastly different surroundings. Amy took a brief moment to squeeze Manic’s hand as she passed. Manic didn’t even react. No one spoke as they let Bartleby point them to their vehicles, even as part of Shadow recoiled at the thought of separating the group Sonic fought so hard to keep together. They would be okay. Even if repeating the words in his head didn’t make them feel any more true.

When it was Shadow’s turn to leave, he hesitated. Bartleby paused to look at him. “Shadow?” he said. “Is everything okay?”

Shadow’s gaze dropped to Sonic, something impossibly sad settling in his chest. “As soon as I get off of this boat, Sonic will be King of Mobius,” he said quietly. Manic made a small, strangled sound. “Not Prince. Not Regent. Not Councilman.” He wished Sonic would open his eyes, wished he would say something or laugh or tell Shadow he was being dramatic. He didn’t. “The only thing keeping him alive is a machine, and I’m going to drag him into a title he never wanted or asked for. He’ll be King.”

Bartleby’s gaze saddened. For a moment, everyone just stared at the stationary hedgehog. It was Amy who moved. She stepped back onto the boat, stopping in front of Shadow and meeting his gaze with surprisingly clear eyes. “Sonic already knew he would be King,” she said softly. “He might not be able to say anything about it, but he won’t blame you." She laid a gentle hand on Sonic's arm, unshed tears in her eyes as she looked down at him. "He wouldn’t want anybody else to do this for him.”

Something caught in Shadow’s throat. Amy met his gaze again, her steady expression somehow giving Shadow the strength to nod. “Okay,” he whispered. She managed a tiny smile, then led the way off of the boat. Shadow only glanced at Sonic one more time before following.

The first step onto solid ground after hours on the water boat was a bit of a shock to his senses. The second made him feel like he left his heart behind, raw and bleeding on a beach he was so, so far away from.

The third almost broke him.

He couldn’t break, though. Not here. Not now. So he set his shoulders, letting Bartleby guide him to the truck bed he was instructed to lift Sonic into. Shadow didn’t take his eyes off of Sonic even once, didn’t want to allow the possibility of anything happening. Sonic was home. He was home, and he didn’t even know. Shadow thought he might burn this whole city to the ground if he thought too hard about it.

So he stopped thinking about it, letting his mind go blank as he held the King of Mobius’s hand through the worst royal welcome he could imagine.

*************************

It was chaos inside of the Resistance base. People were running everywhere, sporting weapons and injuries and loud voices as they shouted questions and orders to one another. No one spared them more than a glance as Bartleby hurried through hallway after hallway. Shadow hated how familiar all of it was. The sounds, the smells, the hallways he spent hours memorizing the first time he set foot here. Five years. Five years of living wrong, and he was right back where he started. He didn’t know how he was supposed to feel about that.

Bartleby took them right into the center of the base. As soon as he set foot inside, all of the chatter in the room went quiet. Bartleby surveyed the room. “I have to thank all of you for treating me with the same respect you would treat your leader in her absence. I expect you’ll all do the same for her now that she’s returned.”

Shadow didn’t recognize the cool, authoritative voice Bartleby put on. Apparently the Freedom Fighters did, though, because they all met his words with quick, respectful nods. Bartleby glanced over all of them again before stepping back, letting Sonia take her place in the center of the room.

Shadow wished he paid more attention to how steady Sonia's voice was, how clear her eyes were as she addressed the crowd. Sonic would be proud of her. “In the weeks of my absence, I have been waiting for the day I came back here. And although I know it’s what I expected, coming home to see everybody fighting harder than they ever have before hurts. I was supposed to be here for you, and I failed. For that, I am sorry.”

Nobody dared to move as she took a small, quiet breath. “But I left for a reason. I left to go find our upper hand in this war, the person who could make our dreams of freedom a reality. I left to find my brother, who left five years ago so Manic and I could stay and bring Mobius here.” Her voice wavered, then—just barely. “Your King, Sonic Hedgehog, who gave himself up to Robotnik so we could come back here and fight with you.”

She turned to Shadow. As much as he hated the idea of putting Sonic on display, he was smart enough to understand the power of a message. So he stepped forward. Gasps and cries went around the room, both from people he recognized and people he didn’t. He barely even registered the faces he was seeing. He held onto Sonic protectively, ready to challenge anybody who tried to do anything that could hurt him.

Only one person stepped forward, though. Shadow would have recognized Lionel anywhere. He stopped just in front of Shadow, his eyes scanning him before they lowered to Sonic. Shadow didn’t move. After a moment, Lionel’s eyes met Shadow’s again. “I am happy, Shadow, to see you alive after everything that happened. You did not deserve the ending you were given.” Shadow’s breath caught. “And Sonic does not deserve this one. Come with me—I will do everything I can to save him.”

Shadow glanced over his shoulder, his eyes finding not Sonia, but Tails. Tails, who blamed himself for all of this. Shadow nodded once. Tails’s eyes widened, his blue eyes filling with tears. He wiped them away before returning the nod. Shadow gestured for Eggman to follow before turning back to Lionel. “Lead the way.”

Lionel didn’t lead them to the infirmary. He did poke his head in to demand whatever supplies he needed, then kept walking down a long hallway. Shadow and Eggman followed wordlessly. If Eggman thought being here after everything was weird, he didn’t say so. He just kept his head low and his eyes on his patient as they made their way through the base.

Lionel stopped in front of an iron door, which he pulled out a card to unlock before swinging it open. “My lab,” he explained, gesturing for Shadow, Eggman, and the Freedom Fighter with a gurney covered in medical supplies to follow him inside. “Well, Cy—my son’s lab.” His voice caught a little on the words. “It’s the most secure room in the base, and only myself, Cyrus, Manic, Sonia, and Bartleby have access to it. This is where he will be safest.”

The supplies were laid out on a table, and Lionel shooed the assistant back out the door. He locked the gurney’s wheels. “Place him here, please, Shadow. Carefully.”

Shadow didn’t need to be told to be careful. Not with Sonic. He slowly lowered him onto the gurney, then took a silent, half-step back. Eggman helped Lionel cut the sail aside, and his breath caught as he saw the damage underneath. “This is…” He ran a finger over one of the wires sticking out of Sonic’s chest. “It is incredible that you’ve kept him breathing through this. An injury like this…”

“We didn’t,” Eggman said, his voice grim. He gestured to the device. “This is all that’s keeping his heart beating. I couldn’t—I wouldn’t let him die out there. Not without giving him a chance.”

Lionel’s expression turned stony. He pulled a light over, securing it to a metal bar above his head and shining it down on Sonic. He took a few moments before looking up at Shadow. “We will do everything in our power to save him, Shadow. You have my word.”

Shadow nodded, but didn’t move. He knew the words were a dismissal. Leaving Sonic here, though… Lionel observed him for a moment, then turned and grabbed something off of a table and handed it to Shadow. It was a small, white card attached to a chain. “Cyrus’s key card,” Lionel said. “You have access to this room, but be aware that any distraction could mean the difference between his life or death. We have this. You cannot do anything for him now.”

'You cannot do anything for him now.' The words rolled around in Shadow’s mind, filling all of the empty space he’d been living in since he saw Sonic collapse on that beach. He couldn’t do anything. Sonic was hurt, he was dying, and Shadow was powerless. Was this how Sonic felt when he watched that building collapse? When he waited at the top of that mountain, stayed until he heard them announce that there were no survivors? It felt ridiculous now. Why had he wasted five years of their lives, five years being angry instead of being happy and in love and together? Why did this feel like some sort of punishment for the things he’d failed to do?

'You cannot do anything for him now.'

He could, though. He could do the one thing Sonic couldn’t do for himself right now, the reason he had for starting all of this in the first place. He could finish what they started on that beach a mere few hours ago, even if it felt like lifetimes. Even if it was worlds away.

He could fight.

He looked between Lionel and Eggman, then down at Sonic. “I’ll be back when I can be," he promised. "If you need me before then, Lionel, Eggman can get a hold of me.” He took a step back, knowing he was leaving his entire soul here in this buried, underground lab. Knowing he didn’t have a choice. He addressed the hedgehog on the table, even though he knew he couldn’t hear him. “I’m going to go fight like hell right now, because that’s what you would do for any of us. So you have to do the same.” His voice somehow stayed steady. “Fight, Sonic. Not for any of us. For you, because you deserve the freedom you’re so close to. Fight for you.”

He kept his eyes on Sonic for a moment longer, memorizing every detail of the face that should have been smiling.

Then he disappeared.

*************************

~ “Fight, Sonic. Fight for you.”

He didn’t know if the words were real. He knew they sounded familiar, knew they made him strain to hear any more of that voice. 'What am I fighting again? And why?' He was comfortable—comfortable, and warm, and safer than he’d ever been. Why would he leave all of that to fight?

He wanted to brush it off. He wanted to keep his eyes closed and sink back into the warm darkness and not worry about any of it. It couldn’t be that bad. Even if the voice sounded so sad, even if it stuck somewhere deep in his chest…

Even if he knew, somehow, that the voice was right.

Maybe he could just be comfortable. Maybe he could just stay here and everything would fix itself. But something sparked in his chest, some feeling he didn’t recognize but knew he should follow. “Fight, Sonic.” Hadn’t he fought enough? Wasn’t that his whole life? He’d been fighting since before he could remember, fighting every day of his life for everyone and everything around him. He’d been fighting for all of them for so long.

“Fight for you.”

'I've never fought for myself before.'

He never believed he could.

But… maybe that had changed. Maybe this was the only chance he would get. Maybe he could fight for himself, whoever or whatever or wherever that was. Comfort could wait. He knew, somehow, that it would be worse than it ever had been if he tried. More pain, more fear, more exhaustion. More fighting. But maybe, finally, it would be worth it. Maybe he could finally find a purpose to all of this nonsense. What was one more try in thousands? What was one more fight against the countless ones he’d been in before?

“Fight, Sonic. Not for any of us. For you, because you deserve the freedom you’re so close to. Fight for you.”

So he did. ~

Chapter Text

Amy didn’t have time to take any of it in. She didn’t have time to ask Manic if he was alright, or to wonder about the vehicle she’d never seen anything like before, or to stare at this metal-and-glass city she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams. She didn’t have time to do anything but jump right in. One of the Freedom Fighters—a woman named Saro who put a hand on her shoulder and asked how well she could fight—led her here. A street in Mobotropolis, one that led straight to the palace and was teeming with Swatbots. Freedom Fighters were everywhere, injured and fighting and yelling and sporting weapons of all shapes and sizes against the bots. It was chaos.

'So this is what a real battle looks like,' she thought. She couldn’t look too closely at the unmoving forms lying at intervals on the ground. She couldn’t give herself the time to think about how it happened to them, or how many more it would happen to before all of this was over. She was Amy Rose. She was here to fight, to lift the hammer she’d had her whole life and help these people take back their kingdom. She was here to help. Not to feel bad or cry or worry about what else could happen.

So, she fought. She put her head down, rushed into the mayhem, and went after the bots like it could somehow fix everything that had happened. Each swing brought down another bot, each hit turned another pair of those glowing red eyes dark. She was only barely aware of the Freedom Fighters’ eyes on her as she fought her way down the street, bot after bot after bot falling uselessly to the pavement. She took out every single one of them. The people around her stopped one by one, silently trailing her down the street since there wasn't anything left to fight. She barely looked long enough to see the awe and disbelief in their hollow eyes.

When she managed to find a break in the fighting, she stopped to face the crowd. There were maybe thirty of them following her by now. She let her hammer tap to the ground. “My name is Amy Rose,” she said, her voice carrying over the noise. “I am here on behalf of your king, Sonic Hedgehog, who has asked for my help in getting his kingdom back from Robotnik.”

One of the fighters—who couldn’t have been more than a teenager—spoke in a hesitant voice. “The king is here?”

“He’s at the base, fighting for his life thanks to a bullet fired by Robotnik.” Varying, distressed sounds went around the small crowd. “But that’s not going to stop me, and it's not going to stop anyone else. You’re here because you wanted a better life than the one you were given in this place. A life Robotnik doesn’t control. How many of you were alive before Robotnik took over?” Not a single hand went up. Young—all of them were so, so young. Too young to be dying in the streets like this. “I’ve seen what the world can be like. Beaches, mountains, choices, freedom. Your freedom is so close. You cannot stop fighting for it now. Each and every one of you is needed to win this war.”

For a moment, all of them just stared at her. She’d always believed she was good at talking to people. Part of her wanted to leave them be, though, to wordlessly take down bots on her own until her arms gave out or she dodged a little too late. Part of her didn’t care about motivating anyone.

This wasn’t about her, though, and it wasn’t for her. It was for Sonic. For Sonic, who showed up with a badger he took a chance on and a fox whose life he saved all on his own. Who offered to build an entire village—and did—so those two would have a safe place to live. Who fought every single day of his life, either with Eggman or with Shadow or with himself, to try and make things better for the people around him. This was Sonic’s kingdom, and she would fight for it the same way he fought for her home. Even if that meant talking aimlessly at a group of terrified kids in hopes it would work.

Then the Fighter in front moved, though, his hand raising in a salute. “For King Sonic,” he said, his voice shockingly steady. “And for Mobius.”

The group behind him saluted, too. “For King Sonic,” they parroted as one. “And for Mobius.”

Amy saluted back. “For freedom.” Then she raised her hammer, turning back to the bots still covering half of the street. “Let’s show these bucket-heads just who they’re messing with.”

*************************

“Get out.”

Knuckles dodged the pillow Sticks threw at him, and the shoe that quickly followed. He caught the second shoe. “I already told you, I’m taking shifts,” Knuckles countered. Sticks had been checked by the doctors running around in the infirmary, and they stitched her up and assured Knuckles she would be perfectly fine. Then they sent her out. They were reserving every bed they could for people who needed them desperately, and despite the bullet wound in her abdomen, they deemed Sticks okay enough to sit in one of the small bedrooms lining the infirmary hallway. They tried to put her in the main room, but after she snarled at one too many people who walked too close, they moved her here. Her and Knuckles were alone in the room.

Knuckles, for his part, had been in and out by the hour. It had been almost a full day since they arrived here, a full day of fighting and smashing bots and watching more and more injured people get wheeled in here. He hadn’t seen Eggman or Sonic’s other doctor anywhere, nor had he seen anyone else he knew. Following Sonic’s “don’t split up” rule was way more difficult now. Even then, no one was ever alone. The Freedom Fighters were everywhere. Every street, every roof, every building. They littered the city in waves, fighting or hiding or bringing others to safety. Knuckles had to admit it was impressive. Even if every pair of unseeing eyes he saw made him stop feeling just a little more.

“Shifts aren’t good enough.” Sticks slammed her hands down on her bed. “People are dying out there. People are hurt, and you’re too worried about me—me, of all people—to go help them.” She threw another pillow at him. “I do not need a babysitter, and I don’t want you wasting your time on me. Get out.”

“No, Sticks, I won’t!” Knuckles rarely yelled, but he was yelling now. The badger continued to glare at him. “I won’t leave. I’ll go out there and fight, and then I’ll come back here to fight with you, because every second out there is killing me!” He laughed, the sound tinged with exhaustion. “It’s endless out there. I’m in the streets taking down bot after bot after bot, and they keep coming. I am out there with people, with children and parents and families who are dying for this fight. And every single time I see one of them, it is killing me.”

The anger in Sticks’s eyes died. She shifted carefully on the bed. “Knuckles—”

“Before going to that island, I lived on another one. One I had to care for and run and protect on my own from the time I was a child, after Robotnik killed the last of my kind and they sent me to protect our home from Robotnik.” He was almost whispering, now. “For years, I was alone. No one to worry about but me. Then the hedgehogs found me, and they fought for me without even knowing who I was. Then Robotnik destroyed my island, and I found all of you guys.” He let out a quiet breath. “I never had to care about anybody but myself. Not until I found you guys. And now I’m back here, back in this place I’ve always hated, and my best friend who was shot is telling me to leave her behind and go watch more people die while I try and fail to save them.” He leaned back in his chair, all of the fight going out of him. “So, no. I won’t leave.”

Sticks, for a long, long moment, was quiet. Knuckles didn't press het to speak. He’d long since accepted his role in their group—the not-bright, overly muscled friend they called when they needed his strength. He was a fighter. Not that he faulted them for that, because they were right. But he was tired of it. He was tired of going out and throwing punches, fighting and fighting and fighting and never being the one who got to make sure people were okay. He was never the one who got to help them heal.

Sticks had been shot, though, and Knuckles decided he was putting his foot down. It was his turn for once. He would fight, yes, but he would also do this. He knew being here alone and unable to help was killing her. He knew fighting with him like this helped. So he left, he fought, and he came back to watch over her. Part of it was his own selfishness. Part of it was worry that she would try to leave and fight, too, if he didn’t come back. The reason didn’t matter. What mattered was that he was staying, and if she wanted to hate him for it, he would just have to accept that.

After what felt like forever, though, Sticks quietly cleared her throat. Knuckles raised his head. The bandages around her torso were stark against her brown fur as she scooted back on the bed, holding up something blue. “I found a deck of cards in the drawer of this nightstand. I don’t think whoever lives here will miss them.” Very carefully, her eyes full of a quiet understanding, she patted the other side of the bed. “Wanna play Go Fish?”

The knot in Knuckles’s chest loosened. Sticks was okay. She was fine, and he would keep making sure of that. He knew they’d probably fight about this again before the war was over, but he didn’t think he minded too much. Not when he’d been so scared, as that bullet hit her, that he would never be able to fight with her again. Not when he was just happy she was talking at all.

So he stood, a small smile on his face as he walked over and sat carefully on the bed. “Only if you promise not to hate me when I don’t go easy on you just because you’re hurt.”

Her own smile grew as she dealt out the cards. “I’d hate you more if you did.”

*************************

Manic was, as Sonia and Sonic often told him, the least violent person most people knew. They brought it up constantly in their time together, every time he backed down from a fight or tried to talk first or neglected to train with them. It was the truth, he knew. He didn’t like hurting people. Swatbots were one thing, since they were just metal and wires and couldn’t actually feel anything. That was what he told himself, anyway.

That was before, though. Before he met Tails and Manny. Those two were something unlike Manic had ever seen. He grew up around bots and technology, but never bots who were sentient. Never bots who cared. Here in Mobius, Robotnik actively had a machine that turned people into non-sentient robots. He always imagined anything robotic the way he imagined Swatbots—cold, unfeeling, and unaware of anything that happened to them.

The island was different, though. The only tech they had were the things Manny and Tails built, and those… he’d heard a few stories in his spare moments, but more than that, he’d seen it. Orbot and Cubot, for starters, were their own beings. They said “ow” when they got hurt, they laughed at terrible jokes, they were disappointed when someone didn’t like their ideas. Some of Tails’s inventions were the same. A translator bot the fox fought to keep alive, a recreation of a beloved game character, a cloning machine that made less intelligent versions of himself. They made machines that felt. How was he supposed to justify any of this now?

Out on the battlefield, he tried to push it back. His kingdom needed him. Whether Sonic was king or not, he was still a prince of Mobius and it was his duty to be there for his people in any way he could. His magic was replenished during the ride over here. He summoned his drumset at the end of one of the more packed areas, where Freedom Fighters and bots alike were lining the streets. They paused as they saw him, some of them recognizing him and ducking out of the way. Manic’s magic was destructive. When they saw him last, he couldn’t exactly control it. That wasn’t the case now. Five years of running around the continent made it easier to figure out his magic fully.

Still, though, he paused. He watched the fighting unfold in front of him, watched shots fire in both directions and bots fall far more often than Freedom Fighters. He knew these people. He knew them, he was supposed to protect them, he was supposed to fight with them. They needed his help as much as he needed theirs. He knew that.

But every time he moved to hit a drum, he saw Knuckles’s hands anxiously wringing together as he waited for Manic to tell him if his best friend would live or die.

Every time he thought of shooting a beam at an approaching bot, he saw Amy’s unmoving form laying on that table and remembered how powerless he felt with her hurt like that.

Every time he wanted to fight, he saw the light go out of Amy’s eyes as she told them Sonic’s heart stopped beating.

So he sat. He sat, and he hesitated, and he waited for someone to come along and tell him this was okay. For someone to let him know hurting anyone or anything like that would ever be okay again, because he didn’t think it would. He didn’t think he could.

So he waited, and he waited, and he waited.

*************************

Sonia loved leading.

She didn’t have a problem with her brother being in charge of their group, both because he was good at it and because she knew he was better at the job. Here, though, she was in her element. She’d been back and forth from the streets to the base for nearly three days, only taking brief moments to eat and sleep when Bartleby told her she had to. She was running a war. Her fighters were everywhere, inside and out and fighting and injured and trying. She’d been giving orders near-constantly. 'Go downtown, the fighting just got worse there and people need you,' she told one group. 'Amy has that spot covered, follow her down the street and bring all of the injured and any dropped weapons back here,' she told another. And yet another, 'No, you’re done for the day. Don’t fight with me. Infirmary, cafeteria, bed. If I see you before tomorrow morning, I’ll lock you in here.' It never ended.

She didn’t really mind it, though. If anything, it helped her focus on something other than her brother, locked in Lionel’s lab while they worked and worked and worked. Three days, and he’d been in and out of various surgeries. Three days, and he was still strapped to that machine that was keeping his heart beating. Three days, and no news or change or guarantee that he would live or die. It was maddening. It would have driven her insane within hours if she wasn’t needed so badly here, if she didn’t have more orders to give and more people to help.

Now, though, she was away from it all. Even if she didn't have much time. Leaving someone else in charge was okay for five minutes, but not much longer. She would take it, as brief as it was. She paced silently around her bedroom in the base, one hand locked under her chin. “Sonia,” Bartleby said softly from where he sat on their bed. “Please come here. Sit for a moment.”

Three days. That was how long she managed to push off the inevitable. That was how long it took Tails to pull himself together, to respond to anything anybody said to him and finally agree to infiltrate the palace with Bartleby. Robotnik still wasn’t back. She didn’t know how the Swatbots were still coming, didn’t know how many there could possibly be. But getting in to shut them down might be their only chance. Tails was already ready out in the main room, but Sonia was hesitating. She didn’t know how to let them go.

When she kept pacing, Bartleby stood and placed himself in front of her path. She eyed him for a moment, then let out a quiet breath. “I know. Just… give me a minute.”

“We don’t have a minute, my love,” he said quietly. Sonia briefly considered throttling him. “We already had to wait for Tails, and we don’t know how long he’ll be responsive. This is our best shot at winning this. I can’t leave without your order, though.”

“Obviously you can."

“I won’t.” He took her hands, his thumb trailing over her wedding ring. “You know I won’t. I am yours, and I will not leave this building until you give me the okay to do so. I won’t go until I know you’ll be okay.”

“Of course I won’t be okay!” She stepped back, pulling her hands from his and folding them in front of her chest. “Do you really expect me to be? You’re asking me to send my husband directly into the center of all of this, into the most dangerous place in the world right now. Of course I’m not okay.”

Bartleby sighed. “I won’t say that’s how I felt when you left to find your brother, but…” He broke off, his voice quieting. Sonia’s chest hurt. “This is the end of all of it. You know that. The last fight, the last battle, the last time we have to send each other into danger and hope it will be okay. For better or worse, this is it.”

“I know.” Sonia wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers digging into her arms. “But what if this is the time it ends terribly? What if this is the time I say goodbye to you and mean it?”

Bartleby stepped forward again. This time, when he rested his hands on her arms, she let him. “And what if it’s not?” he asked softly. “What if this goes perfectly well, and we manage to stop all of this? What if I come back completely unharmed and get to tell you ‘I told you so’ for the rest of our lives?”

'The rest of our lives.' Sonia felt a tear slide down her cheek. “I can’t lose you,” she whispered.

Bartleby reached out, tugging her into his arms. She buried her face in his chest. “You won’t. I promise, Sonia, I will be okay. I’ll only be gone for a little while, and then I’ll be here, and I won’t ever have to leave your side again.”

Sonia smiled a little through the tears on her face. “You can become a royal concubine. My official, only harem member.”

“Concubine?” Bartleby demanded, pulling back to glare at his wife. He was smiling, though. “When we first met, Mrs. MontClair, I outranked you.”

“And then I found out I’m a magical princess who will one day rule the kingdom you ‘outranked me’ in.” She tapped his nose. “Who outranks who now, Mr. Prince Consort?”

Bartleby rolled his eyes, then tugged Sonia into a soft kiss. She leaned into him, her hands shifting to wrap in his shirt. He only pulled back enough to press their foreheads together. “I will be alright,” he said again. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself while I’m gone?”

“If I don’t, the seven people you’ve no doubt assigned to make sure I do will.” She sobered, though. “I promise. And you’ll be as safe as you can be? You’ll look after Tails?”

“I will.” He kissed her again, then pulled back. “I love you, Sonia Hedgehog-MontClair. I have since the day I met you, and nothing in this world or another will keep me from finding my way back to you.” He bowed. To anyone else, it might have looked stupid. To them, with the way both of them grew up, the gesture made Sonia’s eyes water. “I will return as soon as I can.”

He opened the door, and Sonia watched as he walked away. Her eyes didn’t leave him as he followed the hallway into the main room, as he put a hand on Tails’s shoulder and gestured away. She watched him until he was completely out of sight, until he sent one last smile over his shoulder at her before disappearing around a corner. Until he was gone.

Then she took a breath, steadied her shoulders, and pushed her worry down and out of sight. Bartleby would come back. He had come back every time before, and this time would be no different.

And until he did, she had a war to win.

*************************

It was his fault.

Even if the shaking in his hands had stopped as soon as Sonic disappeared down that hallway, the racing in Tails’s mind hadn’t. He’d barely been able to walk himself after the group, barely managed to keep upright as he followed all of them through the base. As soon as they got to the main room, he found a spot against a wall and slumped down to the floor. That’s how he’d stayed for some amount of time he couldn’t measure. That’s where he still was when Sonia had walked up and demanded he move.

When she gave him some speech about letting Sonic wake up to a world where they'd won, Tails finally stood. He stood and walked over to the far wall, grabbed the bag of leftover gadgets he and Eggman brought with them, and waited. She was right. As much as Tails couldn’t think or feel or comprehend, he knew she was right. They had to win this war for his best friend, for the person he was supposed to save and couldn’t. For the bullet that was supposed to be his.

It was his fault.

He followed Bartleby through the dark vents in the palace, through hallways and doors and way too much hiding from anything that moved. All the while, he was building. He barely had to look at the wires and tools in his hands, barely needed any light to do what he was doing. He’d done it countless times before. Sometimes he thought he could build almost anything in his sleep.

“Okay,” Bartleby murmured eventually, pushing both of them into a supply closet deep in the palace. “We’re getting close to Robotnik’s lab—it’s in the old royal chambers, the central and most protected room here. I don’t imagine we’ll need to fight, and I know you don’t want to, but…”

Didn’t want to fight. That was his reputation, wasn’t it? Tails wasn’t a fighter. He was a sidekick. While all of his friends were fighting off Eggman’s bots, he was providing support and supplies from the sky. When they got their hands dirty, he created a machine that did it for him. He didn’t like fighting. Maybe it made him ridiculous, but he believed there was a diplomatic solution to just about every problem there was. He believed wars like this should be avoided altogether.

Or... he did believe that, before.

Now, Tails held up the device in his hand. “When you find the circuit, press this button.” He showed it to Bartleby. “You don’t need to be touching it, though it would help. Push the button as soon as it’s in sight, and then get out of there as soon as the circuit shuts down.”

Bartleby took the device. “What is it?”

“Consider it a cross between a bomb and an EMP. It won’t explode, per say. It won’t cause any structural damage. But it has to run at too high of a frequency for humans, and I’m not sure what effect it will have on you if you’re too close. It may be nothing. It may not.”

Bartleby paled a little as he stared at the device. Then he nodded. “Okay.” His eyes found Tails again. “Why does it sound like you’re not coming with me, though?”

Tails thought of the other device still in his hand—the smaller, far more dangerous bit of technology. He hid it in his palm. “I’m not,” he said. “I’m going to go hack into the cameras and see where Robotnik is so I can warn everyone about the rest of his bots and where they’re coming from.” A half-truth. Normally, Tails wasn’t a liar, either.

War changed people, he supposed.

Bartleby looked at him a little too closely, as if he could see that the fox wasn’t telling him something. After a moment, he said, “I’ve been a part of this war, one way or another, almost my whole life. I know what it can do to a person.” His voice quieted. “Don’t do something you can’t come back from.”

Tails barely heard him. He barely heard anything, barely saw anything but a gun and a triumphant smile and more blood than he’d ever seen before. Robotnik killed him—killed Sonic, his best friend, the reason Tails was alive today and the person he was fighting for. There was a machine in his chest keeping his heart beating because Robotnik killed him.

No, Tails wasn’t being quiet because he was in shock. He wasn’t wallowing or blaming himself or unable to go on without Sonic. He’d been planning. All of it was calculated planning, listening and watching and waiting for the right time. Some chatter about Robotnik here, a sighting of some bots on the horizon there. He listened, and he kept track, and he knew exactly when and how he needed to strike.

It was his fault Sonic was dead—Robotnik’s fault, the hand that sent that bullet into his best friend’s heart. If it weren’t for him, Sonic would still be here. If it weren’t for him, Tails wouldn’t have to be alone in this world. If it weren’t for him, the brightest light Tails had ever seen wouldn’t be desperately fighting not to go out.

It was his fault.

And if Tails was sure of one thing, it was that he would not rest until Robotnik paid for what he did in blood.

He held the device securely in his hand. “I know you have Sticks’s communicator, so let me know when the EMP goes off. And I mean it—push the button, drop it, and run.” He turned, opening the door to the room. “If it takes the bots down, good. It should. And if not, bring the fried device back to Eggman. He can make more, and when it’s thrown into a crowd of bots, it will take down a good chunk of them.”

“Tails.” The fox looked over his shoulder at Bartleby. His eyes were sad. “I know I don’t know you, and I know you don’t know me. But I need you to listen to me very carefully.” His voice was soft. Placating, almost, like he was trying to calm a wild animal. Tails wondered how accurate that was. “Sonic can still be saved. He can be saved, and he’ll want his best friend there when he wakes up. Don’t make one of us tell him something irreversible happened to you.”

'Something irreversible.' Tails looked at his hands as if he could physically see the lack of blood on them. He hated violence. He didn’t like blood, he didn’t get in fights, he found ways around hurting anybody every chance he got. Not because he was afraid, though he imagined he wouldn't appreciate it if he hurt anyone. He just believed there was a better way. And until now, the list of people he’d truly hurt was free of a single name or note.

Maybe it was time that changed.

When he met Bartleby’s eyes, he was sure his own blue ones held nothing but a vast, growing emptiness. “If Sonic ever wakes up, it will be in a long enough time that none of it will matter anymore, anyway.”

He walked out of the room before Bartleby could protest again.

Chapter Text

How was this taking so long?

Shadow had spent the last three days—three days—fighting non-stop. He saw the gang occasionally, saw Knuckles or Sonia or Amy in the crowds of Swatbots and Freedom Fighters. He didn’t speak to any of them. He didn’t stop to ask if they were alright. He didn’t go back to the Resistance base at all, either, only getting close enough to pass the injured off to someone outside before running off again.

He didn’t want to give them the chance to tell him nothing had changed with Sonic.

Sometime in the first day, he stopped paying attention. He didn’t feel it when he got hurt, didn’t process the blood when a new wound was opened or the knowledge that he needed to stop it. He didn’t feel the way his power was draining, the lack of food or sleep or even a break getting to him more than anything else. If he kept up like this, he’d be dead in a week. No one could fight that long and stay upright. If he were anyone else, he’d be dead already.

He wasn’t anyone else, though.

He’d torn off his communicator as soon as he left Sonic’s side, tossing it into the sea. All anyone would do with it was try to convince him to stop for a moment. He wouldn’t. If he stopped, he would feel the blood still coating half of him from the wound in Sonic’s chest. He would see that little smile the hedgehog gave him when he said, “That’s better,” when Shadow stopped worrying long enough to hope, blindly, that Sonic would be okay. It was the last thing he said before his eyes shut.

Three days later, and they still hadn’t opened.

So, Shadow fought. He fought and fought and fought, destroying every Swatbot he saw and carrying countless injured fighters back to the base. There was no end to it. Between his own relentless spree, Amy’s motivational speeches and huge hammer, and the Resistance’s continued help, it should have been over. There was no way Robotnik still had this many Swatbots. No way, especially when hundreds of them were still making their way across the oceans.

Or they had been.

Until now.

Shadow was crouched on the furthest rooftop in the city, a mere block away from the nearest piece of the ocean. He could see them from here. Their red metal stuck out against the still-gray sky, the group of them getting larger and larger as they approached. They shouldn’t have been able to move that fast. They were, though, and this number of Swatbots all at once would ruin their remaining fighters. Half of them were kids. Shadow hoped they all had the good sense to hide.

“Shadow.” Shadow fought back a wince at the familiar voice. He turned, Amy coming up behind him and stopping a few feet away. Her gaze was locked on the horizon. “How many are left, do you think? From the island?”

“Between four and five hundred.” He stood up. “Too many for these guys to keep dealing with. Sonia needs to order a full retreat.”

“She did,” Amy said. “She specifically sent me here to get you, actually. To tell you to go back to the base.” Her green eyes met his. “You’re going to burn yourself out. Three straight days of fighting is too much, even for you. At this rate, you won’t make it out of this alive.”

Shadow turned his back to her again. He could almost see Robotnik now, leading the charge of bots. A few more minutes and he would be in clear view. “Sonic was ready to give everything to save his kingdom,” he said. “With the army gone, there’s nothing here to stop Robotnik from cleaning this place out entirely. I won’t let all of this be for nothing.” His gaze hardened. “If that means I have to fight them all off on my own, so be it. I’ll fight until I can’t.”

Amy made an impatient noise. “You’re even more stubborn than Sonic. Listen, and look.” She grabbed his chin without warning, turning his whole head down and left. “That army is gone, yes, but this one isn’t.”

Shadow stopped breathing.

Hundreds of Freedom Fighters, people who were older and unharmed and familiar, were just coming into view. They walked towards the ocean as one, coming out of the streets and flooding into the area Shadow was standing above. A whole, fresh army. He stumbled back a step. “But… how?”

Amy released his head and pointed to the front of the group. “They sent Jamal into the palace to free everyone Robotnik took prisoner. It took him days, but he did it. He got all of them back.” She was smiling now. “Bartleby is looking for the control circuit, Tails warned us when Robotnik was coming through the bot’s cameras, and we have an entire group of fresh new fighters. We outnumber him two-to-one. Shadow, we can still win this.”

Shadow stared at the army. Jamal, Iffucan, and Amir were at its head, even if Shadow barely recognized them from so far away. They had a chance. They had a shot—a real one—to win the war they’d been fighting for two decades now. Twenty years. The hope Shadow had refused to feel since Sonic fell returned, a tiny glimmer of something in his chest. They could still win. He turned to Amy, certain she could read the disbelief in his eyes. “We can win,” he repeated.

Amy dropped her hammer, reaching out and throwing her arms around Shadow. He froze. “We will win,” she said. Her voice trembled. “We’ll win for him. We’ll win, and when he wakes up, we’ll be able to tell him he gets his kingdom back. We’ll be able to tell him it’s over.”

Shadow, careful in a way that he never was, returned the embrace. Tears filled his eyes, too. “We can win.”

Amy pulled back, wiping the tears from her cheeks and smiling up at Shadow. Her green eyes were set with determination. “A little more fighting, and it’s over. So don’t go too hard. If you need a break, take one. If you need backup, ask for it. You’re not alone anymore. Every single one of us is here to help you.”

You’re not alone anymore.

Shadow nodded once. “I will,” he promised. “We’ll get rid of the bots, and without them, Robotnik has nothing to stand on. Mobius will be free.”

“Free,” Amy repeated. She turned, a wicked smile finding its way to her face as she stared at the oncoming swarm. She lifted her hammer. “Let’s show them what happens when you mess with Team Sonic.”

Shadow couldn’t help matching her smile. They stayed on that rooftop until the army was within clear sight, until he could see Robotnik’s deranged smile at the head of it all. 'For you, Sonic,' he thought, wondering if the words would somehow reach the other hedgehog. 'We’ll win this, and you’ll have everything back. You just need to be okay until then.'

With hope he thought he’d never feel again, he charged.

*************************

~ 'No. It hurts. Make it stop.'

Deciding to fight—deciding to wake up and try—may have been the worst decision he ever made. It hurt. Everything about it hurt, every inch of his body and mind and soul. It was agony. He tried to fight against it, tried to ignore it, tried to make it hurt any less. He couldn’t. He could just deal with the pain, unable to speak or move or tell whoever was causing it to stop. He was trapped. ~

“—arm. If we take one of—”

“—won’t work. Too much blood—”

“—back in! Plug it back in before he—”

~ The voices had been fading in and out the whole time. He didn’t know if it was real or fake. He couldn’t focus long enough to hear any of it, couldn’t get his mind to hold still for even a moment. When something started to make sense, it slid away before he could actually think about it. It was all just pain. Pain worse than anything he’d ever felt, worse than anything he believed a person could feel. It just hurt.

But… every time he thought about giving up, that voice came back. Every time he tried to sink back into the painless dark, he stopped himself. He said he would fight. He promised, even if whoever begged him couldn't know that. Even if he only promised himself. He had to keep going, had to make it to the other end of whatever this was. There had to be another end. He had to believe it would stop.

So he pushed all of it down, let the pain drown him over and over and over again, and fought. ~

*************************

The fight was over before it even began.

Shadow and Amy both jumped to the ground, Shadow immediately shooting towards the ocean wall. He planned to use the edge of it as leverage, to launch himself into the middle of the group and hopefully break their ranks. The army behind him let out their battle cries, and Robotnik yelled the order to leave no survivors as the bots descended.

And then fell.

All at once, between one blink and the next, they stopped moving. They stopped flying, stopped aiming, stopped diving for Sonia’s army. Shadow stopped hard at the edge of the wall, his gaze cast up to the sky. All of the bots froze for a split second, the whole world seeming to go still.

They dropped from the sky a moment later.

Everyone ran back from the edge of the wall as every set of red eyes winked out, the bots nothing more than hunks of metal as they crashed into the pavement and the ocean. Shadow stood completely still as they fell, not daring to take his eyes off of them even as they continued to crash down. Sea water splashed up and soaked him, washing away blood and dirt and leaving a pool of brownish water at his feet. Still, he didn’t move.

When the last one of them fell, a quiet voice came over Amy’s communicator. “Mission success,” Bartleby breathed, his voice scratchy and weak. He sounded ready to collapse. “The control circuit is gone. We won’t be hearing from the Swatbots anymore.”

In the silence surrounding them, Shadow knew at least some of the army could hear him. For a moment, nobody moved. Then Iffucan spoke, his voice starting out quiet. “We won?” A hushed murmur ran over the crowd. Iffucan looked at the few bots that landed on the ground instead of in the water, and a smile slowly spread over his face. His fist lifted in the air. “We won!” he screamed, loud enough for everyone to hear him.

The cheers were immediate. The army erupted, weapons tossed aside as people latched onto one another and screamed in victory. “We won!” The words were repeated over and over again, tossed back and forth in the crowd amongst cheers and screams and tears on almost every face.

Shadow stumbled, collapsing to his knees as the adrenaline went out of him in a rush. “Shadow?” Amy said. Her voice was alarmed. She knelt down in front of him. “Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

It took him a moment, but he met her eyes. “We won,” he breathed, his voice barely audible compared to the noise right next to them. “We won, Amy, we—” He stood, not thinking as he reached out and yanked her against him. He lifted her off of the ground, laughing as he spun her in the air a few times. “We won!”

Amy was laughing, too, and she half-tackled Shadow in a hug as he dropped her back to the ground. “We won!” She tilted her head up to the sky and screamed, the sound brief and loud and triumphant. “We did it! Mobius is free, it’s finally—”

“STOP!”

Amy broke off as the yell sounded, somehow carrying above every other noise around them. Everyone went silent immediately. Shadow subtly tucked Amy behind him as Robotnik dropped from the sky, landing his cube thing roughly on the ground and half-stumbling out of it. “All of you, stop!” he said. “You haven’t won anything.” Shadow recognized the look in his eyes—recognized the delirious, panicked way he was speaking. “Just because my bots are gone doesn’t mean I am, and my bots don’t rule Mobius. I rule Mobius. I am in charge, and with both your Queen and your King dead, the throne rightfully belongs to me! Me! I will not let you show up here and—”

“Enough.” The voice—yet another new one—was filled with a deadly sort of calm. Shadow stepped aside on instinct as he turned, his eyes finding Tails as the fox walked up to them. He didn’t acknowledge anyone. His eyes were locked on Robotnik, on the man who was now panting and glaring at the fox. Those eyes—eyes that Shadow knew, that he’d seen laughing and angry and worried and everything in between.

Now, there was nothing in them.

Something was very, very wrong.

Tails stopped a few steps in front of Shadow, barely letting the hedgehog keep his view of the doctor. “Dr. Robotnik,” Tails said, his voice deathly quiet. Everything else was silent. “Do you know who I am?”

Robotnik laughed deliriously. “Of course I do. You’re that little fox Sonic was so worried I was going to kill,” he sneered. “Didn’t expect that, though, did you? You’re welcome, by the way. For sparing your life.”

“Sparing my life,” Tails repeated. The fox still hadn’t moved. Shadow didn’t take his eyes off of him. “Is this your idea of mercy? You save one life just to take another moments after? How many people have you killed, Robotnik?”

“Countless,” the doctor hissed. “Freedom Fighters, family members, anyone else caught in the crossfire. I’m sure your blue friend told you all about that factory I blew up—and the one casualty that turned out to be untrue.” He smiled, and there was nothing human in the expression. “There was a memorial built where that factory was, one with the names of everyone who died there. And I blew that up, too.”

Amy gasped, and Shadow felt rage unlike anything he’d ever felt slice through him. He moved, but Tails held out a hand to stop him. Shadow froze. The fox’s voice didn’t change at all as he said, “Do you know how many people I’ve killed, doctor?”

Robotnik chuckled, the sound low and dark. “You’re too weak to kill anybody.”

“You’re right.” Tails’s answer was immediate. Shadow felt every muscle in his body tense, felt like whatever was said next would be worse than anything else he’d heard in the last week. Worse than all of it, somehow. “Or… I was, at least.” He raised his hand, and Shadow saw the gleam of black in it as he pointed the device in his hand at Robotnik. The fox’s voice finally broke. “Until you killed my best friend.”

Shadow believed himself to be good in a crisis. He was good at problem solving, and even when he got frustrated or even outright mad, he’d panicked very few times in his life. When he did, his instincts tended to take over faster than anything else. So now, in a brief, panicked moment, he thought back to something Sonic said to him during one of their fights.

--- The hedgehog was pinned, Shadow’s knees holding his wrists in place and Sonic’s back on the ground. How often did they end up like this? Sonic didn’t even try to struggle as Shadow leaned over him, his hands planted on either side of Sonic’s head. “How many times, Sonic, are you going to get in the way?”

“As many times as I have to,” Sonic hissed back. He was glancing over Shadow’s shoulder every now and then, no doubt looking for the fox that started all of this. Shadow sneered. When he showed up looking for Sonic, Tails—who had just crashed his plane and was in an uncharacteristically terrible mood—just looked at Shadow and told him to take his pathetic feud somewhere else for the day. Shadow took the insult to heart. When Sonic showed up barely in time to catch the fox as Shadow flung him, it was Sonic who started the fight for once. Shadow loved making him mad enough to throw the first punch.

Shadow chuckled darkly. “All of this for one little fox,” he crooned. “He refused to hit back, you know. Said something about having no reason to hurt me. Pathetic.” He spat the last word. “With the company you keep, it’s a shock that the person you’re closest to is nothing more than a coward.”

Sonic—to Shadow’s surprise—laughed. “You’re wrong.” He was smiling, even as he held one of his eyes closed to account for the punch Shadow had landed on his nose. “Tails isn’t a coward. He’s braver than anyone I’ve ever met. Who else would hold so tightly to their ideals, no matter how much danger they’re in?” He coughed, no doubt struggling to breathe right with Shadow’s full weight on his chest. “Tails doesn’t hurt anybody by choice. That’s why he’s the best of us.” ---

The words rang in Shadow’s head. 'He’s the best of us.' Tails—Tails, the quiet fox who chose inventing over fighting and spent most of his time in his workshop and could talk Sonic down with no more than a few words. The most gentle being Shadow knew, even if he was terrifying when he wanted to be. Tails was the best of them. The best of all of them, the one who gave everyone—the Gogoba and Eggman and even Shadow—chance after chance after chance.

Shadow was moving before he could think twice about it.

He shot forward, faster than he ever had before, aiming directly for Robotnik. Everything around him seemed to move in slow motion. He threw Robotnik to the ground, raising an arm to keep the bullet Tails fired from hitting him in the face. It went clean through his arm, but the detour slowed it down enough that Shadow was able to catch the bullet in his other hand. Robotnik hit the ground, Tails’s eyes shot wide, and Shadow skidded to a stop on the pavement.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Shadow saved Robotnik’s life. Robotnik, who tried to kill Sonic and made Queen Aleena give up her children and spent twenty years giving them hell. Robotnik was always scared of Shadow particularly for this reason—because he believed Shadow had no qualms about murder if it was Robotnik who was receiving it. And Shadow had just taken a bullet for him—taken his own bullet for him, one that had been fired out of the gun he carried everywhere.

The same one he shot Sonic with.

Tails was breathing hard as he lowered a now-trembling hand. “What have you done?” he whispered. His voice rose. “Why, Shadow?!” The device—a small, unassuming black box that somehow acted as a firearm—slid from his hand and clattered against the floor. “Don’t you know what he’s done? Sonic is dead because of him! He’s gone!”

“Sonic isn’t dead!” Shadow reached out, grabbing the fox by the shoulders and shaking him—hard. He didn’t even care about the bullet hole in his arm. “He’s alive! He is alive, and until that changes, we treat him as such!”

“He still did this.” Angry tears welled in the fox’s eyes. “He still put us here! What if he doesn’t make it out? You’re just okay with him living and breathing and being while Sonic isn’t? While Sonic doesn’t get to anymore, because of him?”

“Of course I’m not!” Shadow’s voice broke, and Tails’s eyes widened a little. “That is the last thing in the world I would be okay with, and for years, I have wanted him dead more than anyone! But not like this, Tails.” His voice dropped to a whisper, all of the anger disappearing from it. “Don’t let him turn you into him. Don’t let him ruin the thing Sonic loves best about you, that gentleness that none of us have ever been brave enough to have.” A few tears slid down his cheeks. “Don’t let him break you.”

Tails’s eyes changed, then, all of the rage and emptiness fleeing out of them. He stopped breathing for a moment, stopped doing anything but searching Shadow’s gaze with wide, impossibly sad eyes. Shadow didn’t dare move.

Then the tears spilled down Tails’s cheeks, and he buried his face against Shadow’s chest with a heart-wrenching wail. Shadow dropped to his knees beside the fox, cradling his tiny, broken frame as he sobbed openly. He didn’t care about the tears soaking his fur, didn’t care about the blood running down his arm, didn’t care about anything but the relief shoving its way through his chest. 'I got there in time,' he thought, his heart pounding faster than it ever had. 'I was fast enough.'

Shadow heard Robotnik move somewhere to his right, and he reached out before the doctor could try anything. The precise jab to his neck had him out like a light instantly. Shadow let out a quiet sigh, tilting his head up to the sky above him. “We did it,” he whispered, to Sonic or the stars or anything in the world that was listening. “It’s over.”

As if it was waiting for the verbal confirmation, the sky opened. Rain started falling in torrents, cold and wonderful and instantly soaking Shadow. It washed away blood and tears, washed away salt water and dirt and the remnants of a fight he would never have to fight again. Tails pulled back from him, looking up into the rain for a moment before his blue eyes met Shadow’s. “It’s really over?” he whispered.

Shadow nodded. “It’s really over. You can rest, Tails. It’s done.”

The fox held his gaze for a moment, some mix of gratitude and relief and still so, so much hurt shining there. Then his eyes closed, and Shadow didn’t even have to move to catch the fox as he crumbled. He adjusted the way Tails collapsed, standing and lifting the little fox in his arms. He didn’t think he’d ever realized how small he was.

Shadow turned to the crowd of people, who were all staring openly at him. They wanted him to say something. He took a quiet breath, knowing he’d never been good at speeches. He supposed it didn’t really matter. “The Swatbots are gone,” he said, raising his voice so everyone could hear him over the rain. “Robotnik will be stripped of his weapons and devices and brought back to the palace, where we’ll hold him until we know what else to do with him.” As Shadow spoke, more people joined the crowd. More Freedom Fighters, Sonia and Manic, Bartleby and Knuckles and the injured Sticks he was carrying. Shadow raised his voice further. “From this moment forward, Mobius is free. Ruling rights will be returned to the royal family, and nobody will ever have to answer to Robotnik again.”

Somewhere in the crowd, a sob sounded. Pride shone in Sonia and Manic’s eyes, and Shadow watched as Bartleby silently came up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist. Amy shot a watery smile at him, and Sticks shot him a quick thumbs-up. Shadow adjusted the fox in his arms.

“It’s over,” Shadow said, the finality in his voice filled with pride and relief and hope. “You’re free.”

For a moment, nothing but silence greeted him. Then the cheering started up again. Screaming and tears and loud, broken cries drowned out the rain, filling the sky with the sounds of joy coming from everywhere all at once. People latched onto friends and fellow warriors, no one seeming to care about injuries or pain or the Swatbots still littered everywhere. Mobius was free—free, and never going to be anything but that again.

“Spoken, if I do say so myself, like a leader.” If everyone was silent before, it was nothing compared to the hush that fell now. Confused looks went around the crowd. Shadow located the person who spoke, a hooded figure slowly making its way to the front of the crowd. Obviously female, slightly accented, and completely unfamiliar. A glance at his friends revealed the same confusion reflected on their faces. “I would like to say I’ve heard a lot about you, but unfortunately, it would not be honest. Word of anything is hard to come by in my position.”

Then the figure reached up, lowering her hood. Shadow went still. Gasps sounded, a few cries went up, and Manic made a noise unlike anything Shadow had ever heard. From the corner of his eye, he saw Bartleby holding Sonia up as her legs gave out. 'She looks just like the photos,' Shadow thought. She looked just like her children—like all three of them, somehow, even if the triplets looked nothing alike. She looked exactly as he had always expected her to, tall and regal and with kind, brown eyes that Shadow imagined were seeing directly into his soul.

Queen Aleena Hedgehog leveled him with a gentle smile, one that reminded him so much of Sonic his breath hitched. “You must be Shadow,” she said, her voice soft. “I believe I owe you a thank you.”

Chapter Text

- Four months later -

When Sonic blinked his eyes open, the motion taking more effort than it ever had before, his first thought was that the sunlight coming through his window was wrong.

A small groan escaped his lips as he raised a hand, shielding his eyes. Why was it so bright? His hut was built where it was for a reason, specifically in a place where the mountains and trees kept sunlight out until it was starting its descent over the horizon. He’d spent enough time in the sun in the last five years to know the difference. This was morning sunlight. Why was there morning sunlight in his home?

His eyes focused after a moment, and his question answered itself.

He wasn’t at home.

Sonic’s eyes narrowed as he looked around, taking in the room he was in. It was huge. The bed he was in was shockingly small in comparison, a normal size and dwarfed by the rest of the room. Two doors sat on opposite walls, and the room was littered with furniture. A nightstand on one side of the bed, a couch and two armchairs in the middle, a coffee table between them. A huge armoire was on the wall to his right, and the wall directly across from him was made completely of windows. A balcony sat beyond the glass doors set into the windows, and beyond that, Sonic could see the ocean.

The wrong ocean, even if he could see the waves lapping gently against a sand-covered shore.

Sonic’s mind raced. This wasn’t anywhere on the island. No buildings that could accommodate a room this big or even remotely this modern existed there. Sonic would know; he helped build most of them himself. Where else could he be, though? He dug through his memories for any hint, any idea of what happened. He remembered the fighting. Sonia and Manic, the Swatbots, Robotnik showing up—

The breath left him in a rush.

Robotnik shot him.

Sonic fought to keep his breathing steady as he looked around again. Was he in Mobius? It would make sense with the East-facing ocean, but the beaches here didn’t have sand. Not the ones on the East coast anyway. He couldn’t be in Mobotropolis, but nowhere else he’d been in the kingdom had buildings like this. How long had he been asleep? And where was everyone?

He sat up, the motion taking far more effort than it should have. He looked down at himself. Was he always this thin? And did any of these scars exist before? Almost his whole side was covered in a huge, new scar, and his chest—

A small, strangled noise left his throat. The scar on his chest was huge, a deep circle crossed by two lines, one diagonal and one going straight down. He ran a hand over it. It didn’t even hurt. Wounds like the one Robotnik gave him took a while to heal, even with his power speeding things along. Just how badly had he been hurt that morning?

And how long had he been asleep?

He swung his legs off of the bed, but as soon as he stood, they gave out. He barely managed to catch himself on the nightstand. His legs trembled as he tried to get them to hold his weight, and his arms weren’t too happy with the effort, either. Anger sparked in his chest at his own weakness. He gritted his teeth, pushing off of the nightstand and half-stumbling into the wall. He used it as leverage to walk, leaning against it as he made his way to the door and threw it open.

The unfamiliar hallway was expected. He didn’t let go of the wall and kept his pace slow, his legs trembling with each step. He passed a few closed doors, ignoring all of them and following the faint sounds of chatter he could hear from where he was. Was he a prisoner? Did Robotnik take him back and keep him here until he woke up? He held in a grunt as he paused for a moment, catching his breath before continuing on. Everyone had to be okay. Shadow, Tails, Sonia, Manic, Knuckles, Sticks, Amy. He repeated all of their names in his mind. All of them had to be okay.

When multiple split hallways and a staircase he had to avoid led him to the noise, he paused outside of the open door. He took a moment to catch his breath before peeking his head in. A few people milled about in what looked like a dining room. A long table sat in the middle of it, and trays of food were piled on its surface. Sonic didn’t recognize any of them. Nice clothing, shimmering jewelry, this huge place. Was he in the palace? Were these the nobles Sonia tried to get him to memorize the names and faces of? His eyes narrowed. He had to go find someone, find out what was—

Behind him, something crashed loudly to the floor.

Sonic yanked his head back as everyone in the room stopped talking, his back against the wall for support. He didn’t think any of them saw him. Ideas and plans flashed through his mind in an instant, all of them screaming at him to find a way to stabilize himself enough to run. He was about to take his chances with the hallway he came from when a voice sounded, small and hopeful and instantly familiar.

“Sonic?”

Relief crashed into Sonic’s chest as he turned. Amy was standing in the hallway, a metal tray and a pile of shattered plates littering the floor at her feet. Her hair was longer than it was when Sonic saw her last. The dress she wore was new, too, the soft green color bringing out her eyes. She looked—she looked fine. She looked great, actually, no sign of struggle or pain or anything but bright, disbelieving tears in her eyes.

If she was okay, everyone else probably was, too.

Sonic smiled a little. “Hey, Ames,” he said. “What did I miss?”

She let out a sob, running right over the shattered dishes and throwing herself at Sonic. He caught her with one arm, the other latching onto the door frame to hold himself upright. “Whoa, hey,” he said. Amy’s arms were tight around his shoulders, tears falling on his collarbone. He didn't know exactly what to make of her reaction.

“You’re awake,” she whispered. She pulled back, wiping tears away and giving him a once-over. “Why are you out of bed? You shouldn’t be walking around right now. I’ll call everyone, but you have to let me take you back up to—”

“Hold on, Amy,” he said. She paused halfway to reaching for something in the pocket of her dress. Bright green eyes met his. “What’s going on? Where are we? And is everyone okay? My brother and sister, Sticks, Knuckles, Sha—”

“Everyone is fine. They’re all here,” she interrupted. “Here in—we’re in Mobotropolis, Sonic. In the palace.”

The palace. The palace, where sunlight was streaming through the windows and the beach had sand on it and Amy was carrying plates around like she was comfortable here. Thoughts flew through his mind, years of being on edge and fighting warring with everything around him. He looked around the hallway again, something fundamental in his chest starting to crack. “The palace?” he whispered. He wouldn’t hope—not until he was sure. “Does that…”

Amy softened as he trailed off. Her hand moved from her pocket, reaching out to wrap around Sonic’s. “It’s over,” she said, her voice soft. “We won. You did it, Sonic. Mobius is free.”

The world stopped spinning.

Sonic stared at her, sound failing to reach his ears as the words rolled over and over in his head. The war was over? The war he’d been a part of his whole life—the one that he was entwined in, even unknowingly, before he was even a year old? It couldn’t be. He’d been with the Freedom Fighters since he was seven years old, a direct piece of this for two-thirds of his entire life. All he’d ever known was war.

Amy’s eyes were bright, though, and Sonic knew she would never lie to him about this.

His legs gave out completely, and he slumped to the floor outside of the dining room. Amy’s eyes widened in alarm. She dropped down next to him, demanding to know if he had any injuries and calling for someone to find a wheelchair immediately. Sonic didn’t even see the people who filtered out of the room, didn’t hear their gasps and cries as they saw him on the floor. He didn’t care about any of it.

Free.

He didn’t know when he started laughing. Amy paused as she heard the sound, the small chuckle that quickly grew into something bigger. Something better. Tears filled his eyes as he laughed, and Amy’s worried expression slowly started to subside as he dug his hands into his fur. “We won,” he breathed, the words breaking him and fixing everything all at the same time. “We won? We won!”

Amy smiled, her eyes bright as she nodded. “We won.”

Sonic dragged her into another hug, her laughter joining his as he held her as tightly as his arms would allow. Someone showed up with the wheelchair a moment later, and Sonic let her help him into it and push him down the hallway. Palace, Amy, Mobius’s citizens—he was here, this was real, they were free. The smile on his face was so wide it hurt, and his head was spinning so much that he didn’t even think to memorize the way they were going.

When Amy called everyone and stationed Sonic on that balcony overlooking the ocean—per his request—they started appearing in pieces.

Knuckles and Sticks showed up together, Sticks immediately half-tackling him into the railing. Amy managed to save him from falling out of the chair. Sticks smacked him as soon as she let go, demanding he never do any of that again. Then she showed off the scar on her stomach, pointed at the one on his chest, and claimed they were twins now. Knuckles was more gentle as he reached out a hand, patting Sonic’s head and stating that he was glad Sonic was okay.

Manic’s reaction was expected—and welcome. He was already crying when he sprinted out onto the balcony, and only got a few steps past the doorway before he collapsed in a heap of tears. Sonic joined him on the ground (despite Amy’s avid protests) and pulled his brother close. Manic was blubbering about something or other, about the palace and the war and how scared he was—but Sonic shushed him with a firm hand to his mouth. His brother just curled himself into Sonic’s chest after that, and Sonic didn’t even care about the tears soaking into his fur.

They were still on the ground when Sonia showed up. She immediately joined the pile, Manic scooting over just enough to let her yank Sonic close, murmuring that she’d kill him herself if he ever scared her like that again. The words lacked any malice, though. Sonic just laughed, still crying as both of siblings held him in a way that suggested they wouldn’t let go until someone made them. Sonic didn’t mind. He’d stay there forever, he thought, until something came along to give him a reason to move.

That something appeared a few minutes later.

Sonia was rambling about something or other, Eggman and Bartleby (who both showed up with Sonia and stated their happiness that Sonic was alright in the brief pauses between his sister and brother’s words) watching with amused eyes when a small noise broke through. Sonia immediately stopped, both her and Manic turning to the doors. Upon seeing Tails standing in the open doorway, both of them wordlessly gave Sonic one last squeeze before standing up and stepping to the side. Sonic and Tails just stared at each other, Tails’s blue eyes completely unreadable.

Sonic broke the tension the only way he knew how, even as emotion filled his chest. “Nice to know you stayed short while I was snoozing, little buddy.”

Tails broke, then, his expression collapsing into tears as he slid to his knees in the doorway. “I’m so sorry, Sonic,” he said, his voice trembling and sad and wrong. “I knew he moved the gun. I knew he was going to aim for you, but I wasn’t fast enough to stop him. Then he shot you, and I thought you were dead, and I couldn’t even—” He broke off in a sob. “I’m so, so sorry. It was supposed to be me, and I—”

“Miles Prower,” Sonic said, his voice hard as he—for the first time in their entire friendship—used Tails’s full name. Tails raised his eyes to the hedgehog. “You listen to me right now. I don’t know what Shadow told you guys, or how long it’s been, or anything that's happened since that day on the beach. But I do know this: every bit of that interaction was for the sole purpose of getting Robotnik to turn that weapon away from you. To get him to point it at me.”

Tails tried to protest, but Sonic didn’t give him the chance. “I would have taken that bullet for any single one of you. I would have done it again and again and again. But when I thought he was going to shoot you?” He scoffed. “I know what the price of a war like this is. I know. But all of this started with me saving your life, and I was not going to let it end with him taking it.”

Tails’s blue eyes went wide, tears still sliding out of them. “I don’t want your apologies. I don’t want you to blame yourself for this. And you definitely don’t get to think things would have been better if he’d killed you that day.” Sonic’s voice broke. “I’m okay, Tails. So stop worrying about how bad it was when I wasn’t and get the hell over here.”

For a moment, Tails just stared openly at him. Then he stood, half-running to close the few steps between them. Sonic yanked him back to the floor, holding the fox as tightly as he physically could. “I’m okay, Tails,” he repeated. “I’m okay.”

Tails truly broke, then, his fingers digging into Sonic’s fur as he latched onto him. Sonic’s chest hurt for the little fox. As much as he was happy Tails was safe, Sonic knew how he felt. When Tails almost died, Sonic barely knew him and it still hurt. When Amy was thrown by that Swatbot, he felt her hit the ground as if he’d slammed into it with her. When the factory collapsed on Shadow, it was all Sonic could do to even keep breathing. None of this could have been easy for Tails, or for any of them. Especially because he knew them. He would bet everyone on that balcony found some way to blame themselves, though most of them probably talked each other out of it time and time again. Had anyone done that for Tails before now? And more than that, would the fox have even listened if it came from anyone other than Sonic?

Sonic lifted his head after a few minutes, his eyes scanning the crowd of his friends—his family. “How did it happen?” he asked, not letting go of Tails. “I want to hear all of it. Every detail of how you guys got our kingdom back.”

“Leave it to you to be unable to stand and still asking for an incident report,” Sonia said. She chuckled. “You’ll get the full story eventually, but not right now. Not until you’re fully settled and we make sure you’re okay. Today’s excitement isn’t quite over yet.”

Sonic held his sister’s gaze, a challenge set in his green eyes. She met it with stubborn defiance. Bartleby stepped forward before they could start bickering. “Your friends were here and fighting for three days,” he started. “Around then, Tails and I snuck into the palace. I blew up the central control circuit. Tails—”

Bartleby broke off, shooting a concerned glance at the fox. Tails shifted a little so he could speak. “I tried to kill Robotnik,” he said, his voice tearstained and quiet. “Shadow stopped me, and I’m glad he did, but I–I tried to shoot him. With the same bullet he—”

Sonic’s heart fell somewhere near his stomach. ‘With the same bullet he shot you with’ was what the fox wasn’t saying. Tails—violence-hating, diplomatic, “only morons think fighting is the only solution” Tails—fired a gun? He tried to kill someone? Sonic let out a trembling breath. “Oh,” he said. After a moment, he added, “But you—he’s alive?”

“Shadow got in the way. I’ve apologized relentlessly for shooting him in the arm, but he kept telling me it was worth it.” Tails accidentally shot Shadow. Sonic’s mind was racing. “He’s been in a holding cell since then, and we’ve been debating what to do with him more permanently. No one has been able to agree yet.”

Sonic let out a sigh, deciding he could sort through all of the information when he had a little more time to. His head hurt now that he was actually thinking about it. “Alright. Everyone’s okay other than that? Where’s Shadow?”

“I’m here.” Amy had been about to answer, but her mouth clamped shut as the new voice came from the doorway. Tails fully lifted his head, glancing between Sonic and Shadow before standing and walking over to the rest of the group. Amy immediately tucked him into her arms. Sonic just stared at Shadow, the other hedgehog’s expression completely unreadable as his eyes traveled over Sonic once, twice, three times.

Then he moved. His steps were unhurried as he closed the distance between them, reaching out both hands. Sonic took them and let Shadow pull him carefully to his feet. He was gentle as he walked Sonic back to the chair, helping him into it before letting go of Sonic’s hands. Sonic looked up at him. There was still nothing in Shadow’s gaze, and Sonic started to worry that something was horribly wrong between them. “Shadow?” he said quietly.

For a moment, more silence.

Then Shadow let out a breath as if he’d been holding it—as if he hadn’t stopped holding it from the moment he saw Sonic bleeding on that beach. “Four months, nine days, and twenty-one hours since I’ve seen you with your eyes open.” Sonic forgot to breathe. He was out for four months? “I thought you were dead. You were dead. Your heart stopped beating. You had a machine keeping you alive for nearly two weeks. Then you were stable, and you were breathing on your own, and your wounds healed a little more day by day. The little ones were gone in a few days. That scrape on your side scarred in a few weeks. And your heart—your heart, which took a bullet and was being repaired by Lionel and Eggman for nearly six days—finished healing over a month ago. It’s been scarred over for weeks.

“And still, you didn’t wake up.” Shadow’s voice never changed, never rose. His eyes were locked on the scar in question. “They told us you were okay. They told us everything was in perfect, working condition. They told us it was you—that you were holding yourself back from waking up, that it was up to you when—if you ever would.”

Sonic didn’t dare move. He said, “I’m okay now, though.” When Shadow stayed quiet, Sonic couldn’t keep the tremble from his voice. “Shadow. I’m okay. And I really need you not to hate me for that—for the time I left you alone.”

“Hate you?” There it was—a tremble in his voice, a hint of that deep, broken sadness in his eyes. “For healing? Sonic, I thought you were never going to wake up.” A tear slid down his cheek. “When Eggman told me you might never wake up, I stayed next to you for days. I laid right there with you in that bed, listening to every single beat of your heart, trying to understand how it was fair that you were alive and still gone.” His voice broke, and his eyes rose to Sonic’s. “Of course I don’t hate you. I’m just—” He let out a broken sound. “I don’t know how to feel as happy as I am right now.”

Sonic softened, all of the worry and fear and anything else disappearing. He reached out, taking Shadow’s hand and guiding it to the scar on his chest. Shadow let out a quiet sob as Sonic’s heart beat against his palm—strong, real, alive. “I’m here, Shadow,” he whispered. “And I’m never going anywhere again. Ever.”

That, finally, broke Shadow’s composure. He slid to the floor, burying his head in Sonic’s lap and wrapping his arms firmly around his waist. Sonic trailed gentle hands over his quills. “I love you, Sonic,” Shadow whispered. “I love you, and I’m so happy you’re awake, and I don’t want to spend another moment of my life without you.”

Sonic didn’t even care if everyone on the balcony heard the words. “I love you, too, Shadow.” His own voice shook, too. “And you won’t have to. Not now, not ever. It’s done. It’s done, and everything is okay, and I don’t want any other major life events for the next year or I’ll go insane.”

Shadow laughed. He lifted his head, though, his crimson eyes completely unguarded in a way Sonic had never seen them. “There will be one more,” he said, his voice rough. Something beeped, and he looked down at his wrist—at a communicator not unlike the ones they had back on the island. “And it’s almost here.”

Sonic’s eyes narrowed as Shadow stood. “Another—Shadow, wait, what are you—”

“Shh. For once, don’t ask a bunch of questions.” Shadow leaned down, pressing a kiss to Sonic’s forehead and then straightening in front of him. “Nothing bad, I promise. But Sonic, you still need to be looked over after this, okay? I mean it. Last any of us saw, you were in an indefinite coma. So one more—and then it’s back to bed. Understand?”

“What? No, that’s not—”

“Understand?” Shadow repeated. Sonic wanted to protest again, but there was a gleam in Shadow’s eyes—something bright, something happy. When was the last time he saw Shadow look like that?

So he sighed, tamping down that instinct that demanded he never back down. “Yeah, okay,” he said. Shadow smiled. “Does that mean I can know what’s going on now?”

Shadow looked over his shoulder for a moment, then turned back to Sonic. “Yeah,” he said. “But I mean it. You’re fragile. Be careful until I know you’re okay, okay?” Sonic nodded, and Shadow’s smile softened. “Okay.” He stepped to the side, his voice raising a little. “He’s all yours.”

Sonic’s brow furrowed as he pulled his eyes from Shadow, his gaze moving to the open doorway everyone had come through.

He stopped breathing.

He was almost convinced he was still sleeping, because it wasn’t—this couldn’t be real. He pressed his back against the chair on instinct. Why wasn’t anybody saying anything? His friends, Shadow, his brother and sister—it wasn’t real, because they wouldn’t all be standing there if it was. They wouldn’t just be watching.

Twenty years. That was how long it had been since he saw her face. Even if he only recognized her soft features and long, violet hair from photos, her eyes were as familiar to him as his own. Dark brown, shining with tears, so full of love and happiness that he couldn’t possibly believe this. She wasn’t real. She wasn’t here. He tried to say as much, but all that came out was a strangled, whimper-like noise.

Then his mother smiled, though, a tear sliding down her cheek as she opened her arms. “Sonic,” she said, and her voice—he remembered that, too. He remembered her voice. “Oh, how I’ve missed you, my son.”

Sonic shattered.