A Shooting Star ~Kirby and Sonic crossover~

Chapter 46: The Hedgehog and the Hidden Star's First Meeting

Disclaimer:
Do not fear, Yokai is here! Spoilers for Kirby and the Forgotten Land! If you have not played the game, please TURN BACK. If you have played the game, or simply do not care, then read at your leisure.

When Sonic woke up, he was greeted by a sight that horrified him beyond comprehension. Blood covering the soil like a carpet of crimson, the stench of smoke raking his nose with sharp claws. Dust swirling in the air, making his eyes water and tears to stream down his cheeks. The broken and beaten up bodies of Shadow and Meta Knight, both kneeling beside an unconscious Kirby, the puffball's bright pink skin a shade of pale blue.

Something heavy landed in Sonic's stomach, and he swallowed, his throat feeling dry with terror. He knew who was to blame for this, even if he hadn't witnessed the carnage for himself. The splatters of red shaped like rose petals were enough confirmation, but the roaring darkness inside his hollow stomach backed up his thoughts.

I lost control, didn't I?

He could faintly remember Meta Knight looking down at him, yellow eyes glaring as they peered down at the fallen hedgehog. It had reminded him of a gaze that had taunted him the same way so many years ago, on the day he lost everything.

Zero. He's to blame for this.

He used me to hurt my friends. But if I'm too weak to defeat him and powerful enough to hurt my friends... Sonic flattened his ears, closing his eyes tightly. I'm sorry, Kintobor. I'm trying so hard, but...

"Sonic!" Shadow's voice snapped Sonic momentarily out of his thoughts, and the blue hedgehog turned to meet the scarlet gaze of the black hedgehog, his chest heaving with relief. "You're—you're okay." His voice cracked, and Sonic felt his arms embracing him closely, his warm breath stirring the delicate blue hairs on his pelt.

"Shadow," Sonic breathed. He blinked. "You're glad to see me?"

Shadow pulled away and stared at Sonic incredulously, as if he'd grown two heads. His ears twitched. "Uh, yeah?" Shadow tested, looking confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Oh, I don't know, because I caused this mess?" He gestured to Meta Knight, where Kirby still lay unmoving, his eyes tightly shut. His flanks heaved weakly, and Sonic, with his sensitive hearing, could hear the trembling rattle of his breath. "Kirby's knocked out. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that he...he died." Sonic lifted his head. "Don't you see, Shadow? I'm dangerous. I—I can't do this anymore." He prepared to get up, but a seizing pain in his leg made Sonic double over, and he gasped, his quills ruffling. Shadow caught him just before he fell, and Sonic could feel his muscles working beneath his skin.

"Don't talk like that, Sonic," Shadow murmured quietly. "You're not dangerous. Zero is the dangerous one. He's the one to blame."

Sonic turned on him, hissing. Anger raged inside him like an uncontrollable storm, and he lashed out his hand, his claws visible from his torn gloves. "What do you know?" he snarled, quills bristling wildly. Shadow took a step back, shocked, and Meta Knight shot up and flared out his wings in alarm, despite one being twisted at an ugly angle. "We've both experienced pain. But because of me, Kintobor is being taken over by Zero. And now Zero's taking over me." Sonic curled himself into a ball, his primal instincts closing in on him like a predator's stalking.