Sonic Stories

Every Light Creates A Shadow

(Art by Melissa Johnson)

Sonic ran down a hillside in the light of the bright day. Planning to meet Tails at his workshop, Tail says he managed to find six of the seven chaos emeralds and bring them to the workshop. But a chill ran down his spine when he grew closer to the workshop. He walked in, but Tails was nowhere to be seen. He looked on the table where the emeralds sat with a dark grow coming from them. Sonic tried to back up but was met with someone standing in the doorway, holding another dark emerald. The golden quills stuck in uneven patterns, and the red rings laced his eyes.

"Fleetway," Sonic stuttered out. Backing away, "I got rid of you long ago."

Fleet chuckled, "you may have, but take a look at yourself! Pieces of me still live on within you. The parts you tried to ignore."
Fleet way dropped the emerald.

"Though I guess it feels like you've just replaced me somehow. 'Dark Sonic' and you are also a werehog. For being the hero. You create one heck of a nightmare within your mind. Maybe it's a sign."

"No matter what you say, I won't fall for these games. This is all in my head, and you are long gone."
"I may be, but I don't think I am the true threat here anymore. You are an accident waiting to happen. breaking down at every chance you get when you are alone."
Sonic looked at Fleetway, "you are gone, and I can handle this."

"Don't lie to me, Sonic. I know exactly what you feel. You are scared of me, of everything you could take away from yourself. How can you expect yourself to be a hero with such evil steering inside you? You may be able to save the world, but you can't protect yourself from your flaws in the end. You are weak, and your pitiful friends will pay the price."
"You will not hurt them. I won't let you."
"you'll slip sooner or later. And when you do, you'll know that I was the first to create your despair."
Sonic's eyes opened hastily. He was in a cold sweat, and tears were in his eyes. He carefully wiped them away and stood up, stretching and trying to clear his head. That nightmare was more vivid than the others but still the same as he had ever since Fleetway was born. But at least without him, Sonic could control his super form without worry.
He met with Tails outside his workshop as planned the day before. As claimed, Tails did have six chaos emeralds, all stored neatly in a safe. Aside from once, which was used as extra power for the Tornado.
"Shadow is holding onto the last emerald, and unless it is needed, he doesn't seem like he will give it up," Tails remarked.
"Sounds like Shadow," Sonic replied, "We don't need them right now anyway, and at least Egghead doesn't have them."
"Right, anyway, I was thinking about dividing the emeralds up to people we trust instead of keeping them all in one place."
"Good idea. who did you have in mind?"
"Well, you, for starters."
"I don't think that is such a good idea. What if I run so fast it falls out of my quills, and I don't notice," Sonic said nervously.
"That hasn't been a problem before."
"Yeah, but you never know. In fact, I think I'll leave transporting the chaos emeralds to you as well, don't tell me to who. It's not like it would concern me."
"Sonic, is something wrong? Did you have another bad dream? You know you can talk to me about it, right?"
"I just need to take a run. I'll be alright," Sonic gave Tails a thumbs up and ran out, taking a few deep breaths and laps around the planet.
Tails were worried about Sonic but delivered the chaos emeralds to his friends safely and without trouble. But upon arriving back at this workshop, a frantic mobian stood outside. Tails landed and got out of the plane, running to them. They were talking faster but grabbed Tails by the shoulders, managing to say something that actually made sense.
"Where is Sonic?"

"Hey, pal? Finished moving the emeralds yet?" Sonic asked while walking into the workshop, but he was met by a stranger who grabbed his hand, "Woah, are you okay?"
"Please, a friend in our village is dying, and he wanted to see you as a last request. He thinks you might be able to help him."
"Shouldn't you get a doctor or something?"
"We tried, but nothing has worked. Please just come with me."
"Alright, I'll go. Just tell me where."
Sonic and the stranger arrived at a small village near a sort of light desert. Sonic often didn't come out this way. There were only a few houses, and some were worn. Some people stepped aside and whispered when seeing Sonic. They approached a home that looked newer than the others.
"Here it is," said the stranger, "please don't hurt him like he feared you would. He doesn't have the energy to fight back."
The confusion of this statement didn't become evident until he stepped inside, and at once, he knew exactly why. The messy golden quills. His eyes were shut, and a hand braced against his head.
"I said I didn't want to be bothered," He said, very annoyed until he looked up and saw sonic standing by the door, "Oh, it's you, truth be told, didn't think you'd come here ever."
Sonic was speechless that it wasn't a nightmare this time. Fleetway had really been around this whole time. It was a partly choking terror to be face to face with a demon that had been torturing him in his head for years.
"So, why are you here? Finish me off cause you found out I am still kicking. sorry to break it to you, but it seems time is getting to that before you."
"I heard someone was dying and that they wanted to see me."
"so that's what they told you, huh?" Fleetway sighed. "I shouldn't have told them. Knowing how soft they all are, they would try to get you here. I know you don't like small talk, so ill cut to the point that there is a way to save my existence."
"And it requires me?"
"It has everything to do with you. Basically, since I was never given a proper form when we were separated, my energy has been maintaining myself. but since we have been apart for so long, I cannot collect more energy."
"What are you suggesting?"
"It's more than evident, Sonic. The only way for me to go on is to be merged with you again."

Sonic walked out of the building, confused by his conversation and unsure how to respond. He wanted to say no. All the dangers it could cause is more than a good enough reason, but that wasn't the same Fleetway he had seen in his head all this time. Not the one who broke out and hurt all of his friends.
"He was difficult at first," someone commented to Sonic, "He had a massive tempter problem and tons of destructive habits, but terrible amnesia. It wasn't until you saved the world from the ark that he began to remember who he was. But it didn't really slow him down. He would help people where he could and defend us from raiders, it was talkative and prideful, but he was a great guy if you stayed on his good side. He got better at controlling himself as the years went on, but he has been unable to do anything for the past few months. One of his closest friends set out looking for any way to help him, but they still have not returned."
He heard stories like these all across the village. It seemed Fleetway really had a life for himself here. Sonic knew that whatever action he would take next would take that life from him.
"Honestly, I've had a lot of time to think over things, and one thing I know for sure is that if I have to either go back with you or stop existing, I'll choose to exist."
"I don't know if we will be able to separate again if we do this. And I don't want to fight you for control like before."
"those are the exact reasons I knew you would be apprehensive about the idea. The only good thing you get out of this deal is getting rid of me from this world, but even letting me die would do that without you having to take me back. Still, if I do end up before, I will not fight you for control, you can keep everything you have now, but I can't secure what will happen when you go super. Whether it will be you or me in control."
"You're being honest, huh?"
"If I wasn't, I would be a liar. You have a good reason not to trust me from what I have said and caused to you and your friends. Regardless, I'll always be the better one between us."
Fleetway laughed, and sonic couldn't help but to as well. Both of them see it as utterly ridiculous that the other is stronger. But they had grown admirations for each other's growth.

Later on the next day, sonic arrived back at Tails' workshop. Walking in without his usual smile, Tail looked at his best friend with concern. Noting that his quills were a little more frizzy than standard.

"Tails. I need to talk with you. About the nightmares. Where do I even begin?"