Because of My Weakness

By Chibi-chan

 

*

 

“SONIC!”

 

I can’t run.

 

Well, I can, but he’ll just teleport or freeze time or whatever the hell Chaos Control does and catch up, and then he’ll only be more pissed off at me.  I can’t say I blame him.  He was more way more attached to her than I ever was.  I think he really loved her…

 

And I couldn’t save her.  She was a good girl; a bit over-fangirly, yeah, but a good girl.  And now she’s gone, because I failed.

 

Which brings me back to him.  Shadow.  He’s got a history of, to be perfectly blunt, going batshit insane over the deaths of those he loves.  He loved Amy, and knows I wasn’t able to save her.  Which means he’s out for blood.

 

Not that he wasn’t before, but that was a “get out of my way or DIE” kinda thing.  This time, I’m the target.  I hate to say it, but there’s a damned good possibility for him to kill me.  We’re on a pretty level playing field, plus he can readily teleport/freeze time/whatever.

 

I really don’t normally curse that much, but shit, I am fucked.

 

He’s caught up.  “So, you finally stopped running, coward,” he says.  “What have you to say for yourself?”

 

I say nothing.  What can I say?  “I’m sorry” just isn’t strong enough.

 

He continues.  “Nothing, hm?  Just as well.”  He moves closer.  “It’s your fault.  All your fault.”  And closer.  “She’s dead, and for what, I ask?  For what?!”

 

“For the sake of the rest of the planet,” I tell him.  “I…  I couldn’t…”

 

He grabs me.  “Couldn’t what?  Get your head out of your ass long enough to do both?”  He’s shaking.  From anger or sorrow, I can’t tell.  “That sweet girl was worth more than this god-forsaken planet, and you let her…  You couldn’t stop ignoring her for ten seconds and save her, you unfeeling bastard!”

 

“Says the guy who nearly blew up the world,” I snark without thinking.  Understandably, I get and fall flat on my back.  With my tail under me bent at a funny angle, of course.  Ow.  Damn my recent luck.

 

“I thought it would be for Maria!  Not because my mind’s been screwed with more than the entire cast of Evangeleon’s!” he exclaims.  Luckily, I’ve crashed enough comic cons to know what the hell he’s talking about.  Note to self, if I live through his wrath: Shadow is an otaku.  Fitting, really.

 

“You still did it,” I say.

 

He glared harder than normal.  “And Amy talked me out of it.  And now she’s dead because of you.  Because she loved you dearly, and would’ve followed you through hell in a gasoline bikini, and because you’re so… so…”

 

I’m tired.  Tired of this.  Tired of everything.  “Stupid?  Incompetent?  Just a kid?  A fake?  What?  What am I?” I ask.

 

“A damned hero, with all the stupidity and recklessness and optimism over a decaying world that entails,” he spat.

 

What Shadow does next surprises me.  He walks over, and extends a hand to help me up.  “I learned my lesson with Maria, Sonic,” he says.  “She wanted the people of this world to have a chance at a better life.  So did Amy.”  He helps me to my feet.  “This world Maria and Amy loved still needs you, so I must grudgingly comply.”

 

“Shadow…”  I don’t know what to say.  Perhaps he won’t be going batshit insane this time.

 

He adds, “But this does not mean I like you, or forgive you, or will ever, ever forget this.  And if you ever, ever give me sufficient cause to kill you, I will not hesitate.”  Nice to know.  If nothing else, he’s to the point.  He starts walking away.

 

“Shadow?”

 

He stops, not looking back.  “What?”

 

“I’m… sorry…”

 

I can feel him smirking.  “Of course you are.”

 

*

End

 

 

Chibi’s notes:

 

            Because I am twisted and easily amused, the working title of this was “And Now Amy Dead from Fic”.  The original idea for the dead Amy sketch—er, fic was my darlinpard’s, but it stuck to me and I had to write it to get it out of my head.

 

            It surprised me, when I was writing that out, that Shadow turned out more mature than I expected.  Also, after re-reading it, that Sonic was kinda… numb to it all.  Maybe it’s to hide the hurt.  Maybe he’s half-expecting her to show up again ala Shadow.  Maybe he’s just an ass.  I dunno.  Maybe all three…

 

 

Sonic et. al. is © Sonic Team and Sega.

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