Only Way Out by Madeon, Vancouver Sleep Clinic.
~~~

A month after Christmas Island and even Sonic couldn't quite keep up with the changes implanted. With Rouge in charge of G.U.N, and her connection to the heroes, Mobius was rather happy and quick to give her a chance. With more press coverage and interviews he and the bat made, less reports of fights around the planet came in.

Which led him to make another, consistent, visit to the hospital in Seaside City. The missing victims they did manage to save had long been released, returning to their normal lives as much as possible. Apparently, meeting Sonic the Hedgehog made all the terror from such events slip away- Dappy Hedgehog especially seemed more than ecstatic when she met him. Lupe Wolf weirdly seemed vaguely familiar, but he didn't pay it much mind (as he did with most things).

So, becoming rather familiar in most hospitals by now, he greeted the blushing receptionist with a wink and wave. He informed Sonic where the room he was after was situated and the speedster promptly continued on his way. He had a bouquet of flowers in one hand and an empty bag that once contained three chilli dogs in the other.

When the elevator dinged, Sonic passed gasping nurses and doctors before entering his desired destination. Perhaps louder than intended, for the rabbit sitting beside the hospital bed jerked awake and turned to him with a confused grunt.

"Oh! Sonic, dear! How have you been?"

"I would've came by yesterday, but I was busy with this whole press cra-aaah...stuff, so." He bowed to give Vanilla Rabbit the bouquet and when accepted, politely pecked her cheek.

He barely had time to straighten when Cream and Cheese leapt off the neighbouring sofa and crushed against his front.

"And how have you been sleeping?" The mother asked.

Sonic gently tucked Cream to his side so he could better focus on the mother. "Better than usual, I think."

"But still not great, hmm?"

"You don't need to worry, Vanilla-."

"I'm a mother. It's what I do."

"Well, you've been tiring yourself out plenty by sticking around here, so."

Vanilla eyed the bag he still held. "Ate them on the way over, huh?"

"I really did try this time."

"That's alright. We'll pop out for food soon, right dear?"

"Yes, Mother!" Cream chirped and returned to the sofa with Cheese.

"How is she?" Sonic asked, voice softer.

Vanilla's large ears dipped and she looked to the patient in question. "Doctor Quack said she'll be stable. But she's...stuck. There isn't much else he can do."

Sonic squeezed the mother's shoulder. "He's the best in the biz'. Helped me out once."

"Is that so? When?"

"Ah. Years back- in the classic days. When the Freedom Fighters were going strong and all. I'm sure you remember Eggman's factory-?"

"The place you first sacrificed yourself but miraculously came back from the dead? I'm familiar."

Sonic cringed. "W-well, when the Chaotix found me, they took me straight to this hospital. Doc managed to fix my up- even undoing- somehow- my leg."

Vanilla's eyes fell to the bandages around his upper thigh. "I don't think he could manage something like that."

"It's the only explanation I've got."

"Maybe you're a lot more powerful than even you realise."

Sonic snorted, but his good mood soured from the mother's following question.

"Have you heard from her at all? Have either of you called each other?"

The speedster glanced at a snoring Cream and Cheese. "You mean...Sally?"

"I do."

"Nope. No reason to."

Vanilla slumped. "Haven't recent events said otherwise?"

"We handled it. If Snively showed up too- that's a different story. As it is, we ran Eggman out of his base again and kept Mobius safe for just a bit longer."

"And what about him?"

Sonic's ears dipped. "I have no reason to say anything to him."

"Your anger says a different story."

"I-."

"Don't you want to at least figure out why he lied? Or even what the lie is?"

"He and my old man were both the secretive type apparently." He frowned. "Guess it's a 'Hedgehog Family Special'."

"Don't say that." Vanilla scolded. "The short time that I knew your family- they all seemed like true, kind people. And I know your uncle loves you very much- so he must have a good reason."

Only then did Sonic notice the creeping tears at the corners of his eyes. "Whatever it is, I don't care to find out."

The mother sighed in defeat. "Very well, dear."

"Anyway, what options has the Doc gave us?" Sonic redirected, pointing to the patient.

"They aren't good. It seems the only options Doctor Harris has now is to either...keep going or...well-."

"Oh. But...is there really nothing else that we can do?"

"She made her choice, I'm afraid- and in a blunt sense."

Sonic bit back a curse and dug his claws into his crossed arm. It wasn't really her decision, though, was it? He should've known. He shouldn't have been so blindly naive.

'You did this. You let her give up her life.'

And they whispered and lurked in the dark.

'No matter where you go, no matter how fast, everyone around you seems to be dealt with the consequences. They suffer for your mistakes.'

And they laughed and danced and pointed and screamed.

He just thought, with the Androids consequently being shut down, that it would free her! He wanted to believe it would destroy the robot part of herself! He wanted to believe she wasn't tricking him.

He didn't mean for this to happen!

"Sonic?"

He swiped his nose and braved a smile. "You know me, Vanilla. Even if fate is against me- I'll fight that too. We just gotta figure out what happened to her- find the source. I'm sure if we can understand it we can reverse it."

"And if we can't? What will you do?"

"The best I can."

—————

Shadow gave Towers a month to settle himself somewhere desolate. With that time up, he traversed to the isolating destination. In Eurish, far south of Westopolis, Towers had resided between a pond, forest and meadow. He had a simple hut with the necessary furniture within. Nothing extravagant, but it definitely beat rotting in prison.

Almost. The nearing sound of an engine made him tense in his rocking chair and he sat upright to catch Shadow pull around his house. Surprisingly, he didn't skate here. Instead he traveled by the vicious, glistening black and red motorbike he presently made slide. With it steadying, he hopped off and dusted his hands- always wearing that stern, almost cold expression.

"Came to check up on me, is that right?"

"That would imply I care about your well-being. No. I have some questions that still need answers, is all."

"I was wondering when we'd have this conversation. Can I ask you something first?"

"I...suppose."

Towers jerked his head towards the motorbike. "Finally gave in on the appointed vehicle, huh?"

"Rouge insisted. Besides, I...quite like it."

"Given it a name?"

"That would be silly."

"But you did, didn't you?"

"...Dark Rider."

Towers chuckled. "Sounds about right. Well, shall we?"

Shadow's arms crossed and he hummed. "I-."

"Wait, I actually have something for you." Abraham slipped into his home and with Shadow's thinning patience, retreated back with a folder.

"When I packed up my office, I ordered for your file before I left. It wasn't a physical copy, and there wasn't just one."

"Meaning?" Shadow asked, slowly retrieving the folder.

"The only thing we had on you were Gerald Robotnik's diaries. Full access- everything's there."

He didn't understand the pounding of his heart nor the wobble in his legs or the way his hands uncontrollably shook. He'd been wanting this for years- so why, when he'd finally grasped it, was he so nervous?

"Before I...read this. I need to know, why did you keep it from me? All of this- Eggman and Christmas Island- because you had a secret you wanted to keep?"

"I was afraid you'd...well, kill me."

Shadow stiffened.

"You weren't the only one that knew Maria, you know."

Was he going to be sick? Why was everything so dizzy?

"I was actually a friend of hers- a pretty close one I think. My parents worked with Gerald. But then you came along."

The venom in Towers' voice actually made Shadow feel the rare chill of fear.

"You had these powers out of your control. Nobody else saw it, but I did. I saw how dangerous you really were. So I...." And the man dropped on the rocking chair, all terror he had quashed.

Face in hands, he sighed. "On the rare occasion I could visit, I eventually decided enough was enough. I was a child and I didn't understand...you. So, like most foolish humans, I let my fear control me. When I arrived back at G.U.N headquarters, they once again asked me to report my visit and I did...but I told them about you. I told them Gerald was creating a dangerous hedgehog with unknowing loyalties and-."

"They attacked the Ark." Shadow croaked.

"They...arrested the Professor. They let the Space Colony Ark fall to the ocean and-."

He swear he could hear that blonde girl plea to him. Her teary blue eyes, so full of love for a world that never deserved her.

"They killed the only person that treated me like I was more than a tool." His Inhibitors glowed and he began to shake.

"They took everything from me. Just because a child was scared."

And he lunged.

But he didn't attack. Still, Towers was knocked out his chair and only steadied by Shadow gripping his collar. Chaos, he'd never seen those eyes full of such rage and velocity before.

It made him wish he was safe behind bars.

But Shadow's whisper and tiny tear surprised him most of all. "I never wanted to hurt anyone."

And he was freed.

"And she was just a kid."

———

Shadow left very quickly after and definitely didn't find a distant, reclusive spot to pathetically weep to himself. It was sunset by the time he managed to pull himself together just enough to read his file. All the while he fiddled with his golden locket, one he now knew the origins behind.

The first thing that jumped out at him was how cheeky Maria actually was.

She'd wake him when she was meant to be resting just so they could explore. She'd sneak into the library and take books with any mention of Mobius. She'd give 'Puppy Eyes' and make him assist when she wanted something different to Gerald.

But of course, it came as no surprise to read stories about her kindness, patience and everlasting generosity.

It saddened Shadow to see, with the increasing number of pages he read, the fewer mentions Gerald made of himself and Maria. Instead focusing on creating the Ultimate Lifeform and what was required for such a task.

Which led to his present puzzlement.

Part of him had always been curious why a hedgehog was the mobian the Professor decided on. More so, the other, more unique, elements that it took to make him.

One time, he vaguely recalled, how Gerald and another scientist discussed such a phenomenon. How Gerald had 'outside help' and something powerful enough to not only cure Maria or give him immortality, but break apart entire civilisations.

First, Gerald wanted to make sure Shadow wouldn't turn power hungry and dangerously selfish (much like Eggman) so he expectantly used Maria as a basis. Mimicking and more or less implanting a part of herself within him to ensure he'd stay kind.

Then came the 'outside assistance', which (most frustratingly) Gerald stayed vague on. But it was deadly apparent it came from an otherworldly source- something beyond Mobius. Did...what did that make Shadow, exactly?

Finally, and perhaps most interestingly, came the power source. Even as Rouge called him (notably strange to do so in the dead of night) he ignored her and continued on.

He never quite understood why his powers felt out of reach. Why he became so exhausted after using them in succession.

How his Androids could heal Eggman when he failed miserably to save Maria's.

And why, above all, he felt somewhat connected to the Master Emerald.

Well, what Gerald used and reduced into 'Chaos Drives' to stream directly with his blood would definitely explain it. It just so happened they'd been in arms reach of one recently.

The source of his power, as it turned out, derived directly from the seven Chaos Emeralds.