Chapter Text
The first thing Sonic registered at this moment in time was something heavy on his chest, like a huge stone pressing on his sternum, forcing the air from his lungs.
The second thing he noted was something or someone squeezing his cheeks together. Hard.
With his eyes shut, Sonic tried to focus hard, really trying to understand how the events of the last week had led him to this moment; knocked down on his ass in the dirt, trapped (by what? He wasn’t willing to open his eye yet and find out).
On a morning just a week ago, his day had begun like any other day: Peach arms stretched high above a tussled head, a satisfied sigh leaving smiling lips as joints popped loudly. Sonic had rolled happily on his bed as he took his time to enjoy the late morning sun leaking through his window, thinking about what pleasantries he had to look forward to today.
After his usual light breakfast, he had left the place he calls home to go and mingle with the villagers, saying his hello’s and swinging by where he’s needed. Sonic loves to spend his morning’s socialising and lounging around the park, napping on a bench or doing as many laps as possible around the outskirts.
Then, when the sun was reaching its highest point, just like every other day, he will hear a call for help nearby and like clockwork he will arrive to find chaos; Badniks attacking the food stalls, maybe a Buzz Bomber chasing the towns people, or a fire-bot causing mayhem.
Whatever it was, Sonic is always conveniently there to stop it.
Sonic then spent his evening alone, like always, at his home where he was free to lounge around and do whatever he wanted.
It was great.
His friends had yet to return from a long-winded mission recovering... something that Sonic obviously did not deem important enough to remember, but all of that was fine, because he was living a nice and easy life protecting the village.
Or at least that’s what the locals had told him.
He was free to run around the outskirts of the village undisturbed, racing through the farmlands and meadows, turning back on himself to tread along the edge of the shoreline and smell the sea breeze. He loved hunting for crabs under the rocks and napping on the warm sand in the evening.
He could hardly believe how lucky he was.
But it was on one of these days just a week ago, in the later evening as he’d been winding through the maze of tall grass and wildflowers on the outskirts that he noticed something peculiar. Namely, a sound, sudden but distinct.
Voices.
As if whispered into his own ear. Only that was impossible when moving at the speed he was. He had skidded to a stop, looking around curiously for the source. No other townsfolk ever wandered out this far out, allowing him to often race in peace.
“Hello?” He called aloud, waiting for any kind of response.
He was met with nothing but silence.
Just as he’d been about to jog off, the voices sounded again. There were multiple people talking, but it was muffled, as if underwater. An odd static noise filled his ears like cotton, making him wince if he focused for too long.
It was almost impossible for Sonic to decipher which direction the sounds were coming from, as if enveloping him from every corner. Quickly, he’d done a lap of the immediate area in search for any connection to the sounds.
Nothing. No one.
So, he’d waited and waited for anything else, but it seemed finally they were done. Hesitantly, he made his way back home, flopping down onto his bed. And it was then that he noticed just how much his head hurt, a pounding headache pushing against the back of his skull.
Must have spent too long out in the sun.
So, he slept.
And then his curiosities got the better of him.
He visited the meadow again the next day, circling the same place as before and plopping down into the long grass to doze the late afternoon away. The cool evening breeze settled over his skin as his fingers absentmindedly played with the flowers swaying by him, humming a song softly as he relaxed.
It was as the Sun was beginning to settle down behind the hilltops in the distance that he was stirred from his thoughts. A voice came through, this time loud, but still so muffled by the strange static that he couldn’t make out any words.
The voice almost sounded... Excited? Like they’d finally discovered something amazing. After a few minutes of silence, the sound of a different voice crept over his skin, this one much quieter as it droned on.
Who are these people? And where are they??
Sonic stayed in the clearing for hours, until the sun was past set, and the clearing was full of fireflies glowing on blades of grass.
And he came back the next day, and the next, and the next. Every day he would go to the clearing to listen to those voices, wondering what they were talking about, what type of people they were, and most of all why he was hearing their conversations.
Sometimes the voices would be loud, other times the meadow would be completely silent, and yet he continued to visit, curious and perplexed over this strange event.
Sonic was too nervous to mention it to the others in town, mostly because he didn’t want to scare anyone. And, because he wasn’t even sure just what he was really hearing. As the days passed, his worries increased, because really hearing strange voices was not a good sign and maybe this was a sign of him finally losing his marbles.
Then, today, a week after he first heard those strange voices, he was finishing up a run towards the meadow when he noticed something. Something different. If he had blinked, he’d have surely missed it as something in front of him suddenly changed.
Where there should have been more trees and grass, instead he found a grey square floating in front of his face. Skidding to a halt, he’d approached the strange square with caution, noting that odd static sound again that was vibrating around it and causing the fur on his arms to stand on end.
He peeked curiously around it, noting how it was completely 2D. Just a small, grey square. Hesitantly, he held out a hand to it, feeling the static dance across his fingertips as they drew closer, the strange energy filling his ears like cold water, hurting his head with each second.
What is this thing?
His fingers grew closer, less than an inch away, when the thought to move away flickered through his mind with sudden alarm and he made to draw his hand back. Sonic had barely even moved an inch before something tight was grabbing onto his wrist hard.
In his surprise, he gasped, twisting his wrist to try release whatever it was holding him. He looked down with wide eyes to see fingers, clothed in a white leather glove, holding onto him like their life depended on it.
The grey square warped around the edges, growing bigger, vibrating louder as something began to stretch it open.
Then the strong hand was pulling him, causing his own hand to disappear into the grey void momentarily while he stared in open mouthed shock. Finally getting his wits back, Sonic took the initiative to also pull.
The sudden movement must have taken the other hand by surprise, a black arm also coming out of the square and the grip on his wrist loosening momentarily. Sonic used this to his advantage, bringing up his second hand to pull firmly on the strange white glove.
Distantly, he could hear the static growing louder, making him dizzy with it and his vision spotty and head hurt hurt hurt.
Blinking to focus his bleary eyes, he opted to instead squeeze them shut and continue pulling, pulling, until the tension gave way, and he was falling onto his back and everything black was surrounding him.
So, now he was here; laid on his back, with something crushing his chest and a headache to rival a lobotomy. That horrible static still lingered onto the edges of his mind, subtle but bothersome, nonetheless.
Opening his eyes, he felt his brows crease in confusion at the sight in front of him. Looming over him in the twilight were two (angry!) crimson eyes, glaring straight into his own with a look of annoyance and agitation. Once his eyes had focused fully, he then noticed the two black ears, tan muzzle and the snarl that curled the other’s lip, a small white fang peeking out.
Shadow?
In his confusion, Sonic tried to voice his shock out loud, but the only thing that sounded in the grassy forest was a muffled “Mmmph?”
The hybrid glared harder, before his gruff voice snapped out, “Tell me, Sonic. Are you always this stupid?” He leaned closer, pressing more of his weight onto Sonic’s chest, “Trick question. The answer is yes, which means obviously you’re doing this just to test me.” He spat.
Another muffled sentence rang out, this obviously being the wrong thing to do, because the fingers gripping his cheeks together shook his head from side to side harshly, as if to get out a little aggression, before finally releasing him.
“What-? Why are you here?” Sonic muttered.
The hedgehog above him just stared. He stared back. They stare together. A flurry of emotions passed over the other’s face, before finally settling on defeated.
“You have got to be kidding me.” He sighed as he slumped, “What do you remember, Sonic?”
“Remember...?”
“My name?”
At this Sonic raised a brow, his own annoyance finally starting to show. Because for one, how dare this faker not only jump out of a random grey square in the middle of a meadow, but then tackle him to the floor and call him an idiot?
“Just how stupid do you think I am, Shadow?” Sonic pouted, “I’d say it’s good to see you, man, but not really. Can you get off me now, or what?”
“No. Tell me what else you know.”
“Actually, why don’t you explain why you’re here and not out on some ‘top-secret’ mission like the villagers told me you were.” He huffed.
“The... Villagers? What village are you talking about? I need details.”
That was a good question. What was the village called?
“Uhh... I don’t know? It’s just... the village?” He tried, hoping that Shadow would understand, “Surely you know the name, you live here too.”
“I don’t. Neither do you.”
At this, Sonic snorted out a laugh, rolling his eyes dramatically as he sat up on his elbows after realising the other had no plans to move from his abdomen any time soon.
“Riiightt. So, my house, my things, that’s all just... what? Make believe?”
“A house?” Shadow scoffed, “Sonic, you don’t have a house.”
Sonic let out a noise verging on the edge of irritated and flustered, grunting as Shadow suddenly stood up and opted to instead glare down at him.
“I literally do!? I have a room and... and things!”
“We don’t have time for this; we must go. Now.” Shadow growled, grabbing roughly at Sonic’s hand to drag him up.
A second later and Sonic was being pulled by the other, only to stop dead a few seconds later and almost crashing into his back. Just as Sonic was about to complain about the rough treatment, he stopped in his tracks once he noted just how tense the other was.
Black and red quills are puffed up, shoulders squared and hand clenched at his sides.
“Uhh, bud? You OK?”
Sonic looked around the other to try get a glimpse of what was obviously bothering Shadow so much but saw nothing but the green expanse of the woodland in front of them. Same as normal. The only thing Sonic was aware of was the metallic buzzing that would not stop floating behind his eyes and through his ears.
“Where did it go?”
“Huh?” Sonic grunted, using the palm of his hand to tap lightly at his head, hoping to beat away the last of the static.
“The portal, idiot. Where did it go?”
Oh right. That weird grey square that hurt the inside of Sonic’s head.
“How would I know? What was it a portal for?”
Shadow spun suddenly; eyes wild and moving rapidly over their surroundings.
“It was supposed to take us back. To our real home.”
Sonic watched as Shadow taps quickly at some device on his wrist, frowning when he’s met with silence after each tap.
“Fox, can you hear me?”
More deafening silence.
“Who are you talking to?”
Shadow looked at him curiously, tapping his screen one more time before letting out a deep sigh.
“Your brother. The fox.”
“Tails? Since when do you talk with Tails?” Sonic scoffed, not being able to stop the look of complete disbelief that crossed his face.
“Since you went missing. Obviously.”
Sonic watched as Shadow began pacing in the small clearing, confusion creasing both of their faces with worry.
“OK but I never went missing? I’ve literally been here the whole time, helping the village and keeping things quiet.” Sonic reasoned.
At this, Shadow stopped in his tracks, turning to look over at the blue hero with an almost exasperated sigh. He moved close enough to grab at Sonic’s shoulders, shaking them in his firm grip roughly.
“What are you not understanding, Sonic?” He spat harshly, “This is not your home. This place doesn’t exist!”
Sonic winced as his vision spotted, no number of head shaking getting that horrible feeling out of his head. The static rings loud in his ears, blocking out Shadow’s words as he continues to berate him for, what, he doesn’t know.
He had to get out of this meadow.
“Let’s agree to disagree, but I have to go.” He stumbled as he pulled himself free of the hybrids grasp.
“Sonic-”
Sparing him not even a glance he was off, a muted trail of blue leaving the other behind.
Shadow had to fight every instinct and known behaviour in his body not to follow the hero as he ran away, taking a calming breath to hold him in place. He couldn’t just run freely out into this strange new world; he had no information about what he would encounter here and the last thing they needed was him being caught here.
As he watched the last streaks of blue disappear into the night, Shadow reaches a hand back into his quills. A pit forms in his stomach as his eyes take in the condition of the Chaos Emerald.
Grey and dead.
Peach arms stretched high above his head, a tired sigh spilling out as he wriggled his limbs awake. Early morning sunlight blinds him as it begins to peak through the blinds, sending streaks of warm gold across his fur.
With a smile, he’s up and moving, falling into his usual routine easily. After a quick bite to eat he’s out the door, racing down to greet the people of the village.
Like clockwork, he heard the tell-tale sign of a skirmish and soon found himself fighting off a group of badniks.
It’s only as he’s dusting off the dirt from his fur with a smug smile that he finally noticed the intense stare coming from his side. Green eyes flicker up to meet dark crimson, shrouded in the dark foliage surrounding the village.
They both stare at each other for a while, Sonic finally breaking the trance with a huff once it was clear Shadow had no intention of moving.
Throughout the day he would catch glimpses of the hybrid; prowling the parameter while he grabbed a bite to eat, loitering nearby but out of sight while he spoke to villagers, even now trailing behind him on his evening run around the outskirts.
A frustrated scowl creased Sonic’s face, fed up with the constant surveillance from his rival, because really what is his problem?
Digging his heels into the dirt, he skid to a sudden stop, waiting just a second for Shadow to follow suit a few metres away.
“Why are you following me? Are you that bored, Shads?”
The hybrid didn't deign him with a response, crossing his arms over his chest as he continued to glare daggers at the hero.
Sonic moved closer until he’s directly opposite the other, a finger coming up to prod at a soft white chest.
“Seriously, what’s your problem, Faker?”
Shadow’s eyes narrowed, homing in on the finger harshly jabbing into him. His hand moved quickly, grabbing around the pale wrist so harshly it draws a grunt from Sonic.
“Careful, Sonic.” His tone was dark, irritated.
“How do I even know you’re the real Shadow? You came out of a random portal in the sky, and you expect me to believe everything you say?”
Something seemed to catch the hybrid’s attention, his ears swivelling to the side as he listens closely. A faint buzz irritated at the back of his head.
“You’d be a fool not to.”
Sonic rolled his eyes at this, “Ooh, please enlighten me as to why.”
He’s barely got the words out of his mouth before his knees buckle suddenly under his own weight, a sharp sting cutting across his mind as that numbing fuzz of white noise returns.
Sonic let out a cry, the spare hand not being crushed by Shadow coming up to his ears in an attempt to block out the noise. Shadow finally lets go of his wrist, watching with a blank face as the hero crumples to the floor.
To their side shimmered a small grey squares again, no bigger than the palm of a hand, seemingly appearing out of thin air.
With a sigh, Shadow reached under the bristled blue quills to grab at Sonic’s scruff, dragging the other hedgehog away from the disturbance and dropping him hard onto the ground.
Sonic blinked his eyes open as the noise quietened down, watching blearily as Shadow crouched next to the portal, seemingly talking into it.
The hero’s head throbbed, a sickening wave of nausea rolling over him, spitting the excess saliva from his mouth into the grass below.
He stayed like that for a long while, hunched over and panting, until a gloved hand is tugging on his quills and tilting his head back.
Shadow’s expression was neutral as he took stock of the hero’s condition, crouching down in front of him.
“Are you done?”
Sonic spat into the grass again before shakily wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, silent.
“We need to talk. It’s important.” Shadow sat down in the grass before him, “I just spoke to the fox.”
Sonic looked up hastily, sitting back on his knees.
“Tails!? He’s here?”
“Not quite. I see you’re familiar now with that.” He pointed to the silvery square flickering behind them.
Sonic rubs at his temple soothingly, glaring over Shadow’s shoulder at the portal.
“I guess you could say that.”
“Let me explain, from the beginning.”
Sonic sat back comfortably into the cool grass, leaning on his arms as Shadow begins to explain just why he’s sitting here with the hero right now.
“Four months ago, you headed out to check over a suspected Robotnik warehouse, supposedly filled with parts and blueprints. A simple job.” Shadow’s frown deepened momentarily before he schooled his expression back into something indifferent, “Except you never came back. Any memory of that?”
He thought hard for a moment, trying to recall any of these events mentioned, ultimately coming up blank.
“Your friends started looking for you, obviously. They contacted Rouge for help in the second month. We’ve been working together ever since. In the meantime, Eggman activity was suspiciously low. His attention likely focused elsewhere.” Shadow looked around the vast expanse of the fields they sit in, curious for a moment about just how far they stretched.
“We heard wind of some sort of... Simulation. A way to test out different scenarios, evil plots, to calculate outcomes. Tails was optimistic that he could find a way to hack the system, and sure enough he found a way in via small weaknesses in the code. Hence those portals.”
Sonic thinks over the new information, raking through his brain for any memory of what could have happened to him.
An almost delirious laugh escapes him, holding his belly as he falls back into the grass as he giggles and huffs. He rolls over a moment later to pin the hybrid with a stare.
“You’re joking, right?”
Shadow just stared back.
“What? You’re telling me this whole place isn’t real? Those mountains over there, and the village... The ocean!?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, yes. Think of this like a game; the Doctor is your overseer, and you are nothing more than a pawn, a character.”
“Wha-?”
“He’s probably watching your every move. Seeing how you react, how you live, ways he can hurt you.” Shadow shook his head in annoyance.
Sonic sat there in stunned silence, mind racing as it processes all this information. He’s trapped in... A simulation? The Doctor is watching him? Life as he knows it isn’t real?
The hybrid must think him stupid.
“So, if you’re telling the truth, why can’t we just leave through that portal right now?”
A sardonic smile graces Shadow’s features, “Be my guest.”
Warily, Sonic stood up, taking a step forward past Shadow. Fuzzy static tickled at his fingers from under his gloves as he grew nearer, the thin whistle piercing his ear drums again. He drew back to a safe distance with a gasp, stumbling down next to Shadow again on the grass.
“And there is our problem. You can’t go through the portal.”
“But why?”
“Eggman doesn’t want you to. A safety measure to keep you here, I’m guessing. And right now, the portal is too small to get me through, either.” Shadow sighed, his own frustration evident, “The fox has a theory but it’s not 100%.”
“Which is?”
“Your physical body; it’s still missing and in Eggman’s care. The fox seems to think that if they can get possession of it, then this problem can be fixed.”
Sonic looked down at his own body, looking for any sign of being... unreal or strange. His hands look like his own, the fur on his legs familiar and blue.
“Physical... body?”
“This body isn’t really you. This isn’t really me.” At Sonic’s growing confusion, Shadow continues, “My real body is safe with your friends, outside of this... place.”
They sit in silence for a while, no sounds but the wind swishing through the blades of grass and the pounding thoughts in Sonic’s head. Shadow sits quietly opposite him, watching him carefully for any sign of reaction.
With a groan, Sonic flopped onto his back, twisting a few strands of grass between his fingers and tugging them free.
“I don’t believe this. Any of this. I’ve been living here in this... village for as long as I remember. I know the people here and I have a life here. I didn't just come here suddenly, I would remember something like that.” He spat in annoyance, “I still think you’re a faker.”
“Think what you want,” the hybrid moves to stand, looking down his nose at the hero, “But I’m getting out of here.”
Before Sonic can mutter his response, the dark hedgehog is racing off into the distance, leaving him to ponder on his thoughts.
Missing? Kidnapped by Eggman? The idea alone was enough to make Sonic snort a laugh in disbelief. The added thought of Shadow working together with his friends willingly made another chuckle bubble through his chest.
Ha. Ha ha ha ha!
He laid there in the grass until the sun was setting, fits of laughter disturbing the silence periodically until exhaustion settled deep in his bones. Sluggishly, he moved to his feet, taking mind to keep a wide perimeter of the strange grey portal, before heading home.
Everything as he knew it was all fake? His life, his friends, the village?
Yeah right.