♡ 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 𝐱 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐒 ♡

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 → 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖

🖤

Breathing.

That's all that could vibrate between the walls. Like exhausted panting bouncing within the darkness of the vein that lead to the heart of the ark.

It was blurred. All blurred, like someone had pressed a filter into Shadow's vision. He could only hear his own breaths that faded into the chilled air and the pounding of his own heart through his chest and into his head. It interrupted his thoughts, but he knew he only had one place to go.

He didn't want to be in this position, but there was nothing he could do.

Light glowed into view, the black and crimson hedgehog feeling the tiniest sense of relief crawl through the panic that manipulated his every move. Stars glistened into the endless abyss of space where the ark floated, blazing with fumes of white light closer than they seemed.

They were after him. They stormed from behind, the cluttering of their feet to the metal trapped in the dark playing the role of oncoming impending doom.

He didn't want this to happen. This shouldn't have happened. He regretted that it did happen, and it haunted him to this day.

Shadow could see the luminance of the small amount of light that sparkled in space, acting as lamps so he could see the planet that he had yearned to stand upon since his existence began. The clanking of feet to the metal came to an abrupt end, Shadow knowing that a whole army would be blocking any way out now.

He couldn't turn back. He'd never turn back...

All he could remember from the night that felt like shattered glass in his most prominent memories was the tube. He could see his own breath building up and creating mist against the glass that his fists that pounded its interior surface couldn't defeat.

Shadow could hear the voice that would always sweeten any moment just outside, but the panic in his breath smoked the tube further and required for him to wipe it with a quivering hand every few seconds to see the source.

Shadow, please promise me, that you will help people, and be friends with them.

I'm sure you'll be very happy down there Shadow.

I only wish I could come along with you.

"No!"

The world looks so beautiful from up here in space.

But my grandfather says, the people who live there have to face many problems.

That's why you were created, to help those people, and to be their friend.

"Stop!"

Whatever happens, remember I'll always be your friend, Shadow.

We always talked about going to visit the planet one day.

But it looks like you'll have to go there without me.

Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog.

"Please, don't!"

Gunshots.

They rattled in his ears as the tube slid from the darkness of the ark, speeding into space so fast until fire roared away below.

Shadow knew were he was going. He knew he would be safe, but there was someone who wouldn't. And he knew from that moment this would weigh him down for the rest of his life. He knew that he would never get over this. He knew this would break him deep inside.

And he knew this wasn't the end.

More gunshots corrupted his mind.

Blasting. Blaring. Banging.