"Starburst" Sonic The Hedgehog Au

The Calm before The Storm

As Tails ran looking for his friend, his ears perked up as he took notice of a nearby hill there was almost the entire town standing there loudly bickering in concern. Tails skidded to a halt and winded up his tails and took to the sky. As he got above the tree lines his eyes widened as he saw the town burning.

Tails looked around quickly in the hope to see Sonic nearby but seeing nothing Tails decided to fly over to the Mobians standing there.

Once he landed he flipped open his watch and pressed a button. " Tails to Amy do you read me!"

The silence was all he heard before he gritted his teeth as he tried to call again. " Tails to Amy do you read me-! We have a serious situation! Please pick up."

Tails looked to the Mobians who were starting to approach Tails.

His ears perked when he finally heard Amy's voice through his watch. " -bzz- this is Amy, what's wrong Tails -bzz-"

Tails sighed happily before his tone was serious. " we got a town on fire- the fire has already calmed half of the town. Sonic is nowhere to be seen and we are expected to have a thunderstorm soon, we need tents to shelter the homeless- food, water, blankets ECT... Can you provide?"

 He asked as he began to approach the Mobians looking up at them with concern.

 Amy buzzed back a quick response " -bzz- Roger that, hear you loud and clear, where are you. -bzz-"

Tails proceeds to tell Amy where exactly he was. Once Tails got confirmation that Amy will be appearing with help he ended the call.

Tails closed his watch and frowned. " Can any of you tell me what happened and if anyone has seen Sonic-"

 A mother holding her son approached the yellow fox. " Eggman's bots attacked our town around 11 pm.. Sonic was there and he saved me and my son.. there was a black hedgehog helping everyone as well... The last time we saw them was them running into the city..."

 Tails twitched his tails nodding. "...I don't see any activity down there.. but I can do an aerial scout to see if there's anything. Thank you for telling me everything you know... supplies and tents will be coming shortly stay put-"

With that Tails wound his tails up and took to the sky. Flying over the town he studied the ground below for any movement. Tails proceeded to call out for Sonic Incase Sonic was somehow trapped under rubble or stuck somewhere. 

 Looking around he took notice of something moving under some rubble. Tails' eyes widened and he flew down and landed on his feet and quickly approached. " Sonic! Is that you?"

 He called as he approached. Tails flicked his ear as he heard the sound of mechanical gears grinding against each other. Tails quickly stepped back as the rubble was thrown off. A beaten-up robot climbed out. Tails' eyes widened, he's never seen a bot like this yet. His blue eyes quickly darted to the hands on the bots noticing a similar color of electricity leaving and sparking from it.

Tails gritted his teeth and quickly grew defensive. Flipping down his helmet that he brought to protect his face he pulled out of his belt a screwdriver, that when he pressed a button it split in half, and in between the two metal rods was a yellow electricity arching between the two rods.

 Tails slowly backed up waiting for the bot to attack and when it did Tails ducked under the swipe and then grabbed the bottom side of the robot's arm. Using his two tails and his legs to hang upside down on the arm of the robot. he locked his tails and legs around the robot's arm and quickly shoved his screwdriver that was arching with electricity into a ball joint in the robot, decommissioning the arm of the robot.

 Tails' eyes darted to the side as the robot with its free hand tried to grab the fox that was latched onto its arm. The hand was sparking with lethal electricity.

Tails quickly dropped to the ground and formed a ball to protect himself, as the robot accidentally grabbed its own arm, electrocuting itself. Tails heard the robot making screeching noises and that was Tails cue to quickly run away from the bot.

Tails got enough distance again and huffed through his nose, putting his screwdriver away he curled up into a ball and charged up his spindash, and quickly rocketed from his spot. Slamming into the chest of the robot before kicking his feet off of it, soon he was in the air winded his tails up, and began to spin correcting his position to now hover out of reach of the robot.

 The robot collapsed back into the rubble shutting down as there was a deep dent now in its chest breaking the connection between the power cell inside of its chest cavity. Tails pulled the helmet up and breathed harshly.

" that was too close.... However, my suspicions may have just been answered... Now the question is...where's Sonic.." he spoke worriedly as he looked around before flying through the rest of the town before he confirmed Sonic was not in the burning town.

Tails puffed worried before he took higher into the sky to check if anywhere nearby that he could be. A look of concern on his face as he pulled out his device that monitored Sonic's levels. The device was still beeping and throwing up warning signs about Sonic at his critical limit still.

"...it hasn't gone down... By now if he had snapped... It would start to slowly lower as he burns the energy...but it's still so high... Oh geez...Sonic what is going on..." He frowned as he put his device away before he began to fly in a direction in hopes of finding clues.

 As Tails flew he took notice of red scrap near the lake.

The bots are over here too?

 Tails cocked his head to the side before he flew quicker to the lake before he landed on the soft sand. Twitching his ear as he looked around. He looks to the lake as his chest grew tight as he worried that Sonic maybe could've drowned.

 Tails blinked a few times before shaking his head. "..No, shut up brain, his vitals are still registering, he isn't underwater...think Tails... Where would he be.."

He frowned as he looked around, but took notice of footprints in the sand. Tails approached them and confirmed it looks like Sonic and Shadows footprints. He began to follow them before he saw a destroyed robot blown up, a faint outline in the sand that looks like a hedgehog's face.

 Tails twitched his tails as his brow furrowed. "... That explains it... " 

He put the prices together on how Sonic got to the level he was at now. He noticed Sonic's footprints didn't go any farther past the imprint in the sand of his face. However, Shadow's tracks kept going. Tails slowly flowed his eyes where the path of leading until faintly in the distance a glimpse of a blue blob under a tree caught Tail's eyes.

 Tails perked his ears and quickly ran following the footprints.

"Sonic!" Tails yelled as he was waving his hands his voice sounded concerned.

 As he got close enough he noticed Shadow lying near by Sonic. Tails' hands fell to his side he noticed the odd situation he just stumbled upon.

"Shadow?" He asked looking at the black hedgehog who had fallen asleep.

Tails looked at Sonic and noticed the car battery and jumper cables attached to his ears. Tails raised a brow and smiled slightly.

"...huh...clever.." he admitted quickly to himself before he looked back over to Shadow who had woken up.

He was looking at Tails with a calm expression. " took you long enough."

 Tails flattened his ears. " wh- how was I supposed to know where you guys were!"

Shadow rolled his eyes and slowly got up. " You found us eventually, didn't you? That doesn't mean I can't be annoyed that it took this long. For smarty I expected you to have gotten here faster."

Tails puffed his chest out and scowled at Shadow. Shadow calmly walked over and knelt down next to the car battery that was attached to Sonic.

Tails' anger quickly disappeared when his gaze went back to Sonic. "..what happened.. ?"

 Shadow shut his eyes and placed a hand on the battery to feel if there was a current to see if his plan was working and that it did charge up the battery and drained a tiny bit of Sonic's stored electricity.

Tails blinked as he looked at Shadow. " Shadow please answer me What-"

 Shadow opened his eyes and glared at him. " Shut up I'm trying to check something. Your clever figure it out yourself."

Tails flattened his ears as Shadow closed his eyes again and focused. Silence hung in the air as the two were near Sonic. Shadow got up and unhooked the battery from Sonic. Mumbling under his breath that it worked, however, it isn't enough.

Tails looked at Shadow then at the battery. "...um... most civilian car batteries only hold around 12 volts.. it explains why not a lot was removed..."

Shadow looked over at Tails with a slightly annoyed look.

Tails awkwardly smiled. " b-but! That was clever to do that in the first place, anything that can lower his stored energy even a little bit is better than nothing"

Shadow's expression changed and he nodded quietly. Acknowledging the compliment. Shadow tossed the car battery to the side and twitched his nose. Tails flicked his ear and also twitched his nose. The smell in the air caught both of their attention.

 Rain.

 The smell of the coming rain and faint rumbling from the distance storm. Both Shadow and Tails looked at each other. Both of their eyes then slowly looked at Sonic. They knew what was gonna happen, and Tails' heart sank knowing the limited solutions they had.

Tails spoke to Shadow in a concerned tone. " Shadow, I know you know what I'm thinking about right now with the storm approaching...we need to think fast... Should we risk bringing him back to my workshop and hope he can control himself. If he stays out here, with the level he's at, he would be a walking lightning rod."

  Shadow shook his head. " you'd seriously risk the entire town just for the possible hope Sonic can just... Handle it? Are you stupid?"

Tails flattened his ears and frowned. " but- the electrical storm will not only affect Sonic badly but affect you too.. would you even be able to-"

he was cut off by Shadow sneering at Tails and shoving his finger into the chest of Tails. " Are you accusing me - the ultimate lifeform- that I can't control myself in situations like this?!"

Tails' breath caught in his throat as he stared wide-eyed at Shadow. "N-No- just that.. you seem .. tried as is..and maybe that you're not going to be able to keep up-"

Tails backed up as Shadow's eye twitched. " Watch your mouth, fox. You're walking a fine line. "

Tails looked at Sonic as he was getting scared and felt out of control in the situation. He fiddled with his own fur on his chest as he avoided Shadow's gaze. " s-sorry that came out wrong. I know you can handle it, but you look already pretty rough for wear. I was just looking out for you."

Shadow closed his eyes as he took a sharp inhale trying to calm his own nerves before exhaling slowly. "...Fine, I understand your point, but no I will be fine."

Tails slowly lifted his ears as he looked at Shadow. "...I can stay here for support in case you need it."

Shadow looked over at the flashing light in the distance from the clouds above. The storm was a mile out. " I doubt I will need it. But fine stay under the tree. I'm grabbing Sonic."

 As he spoke he walked over and carefully picked Sonic up and walked out from under the tree. Looking up at the sky his ear flicked before he began to walk down the hill and set Sonic down on the ground. Shadow then leaned close to Sonic's face bringing his hand close and covering Sonic's nose, making the blue hedgehog unable to breathe.

 Quietly he waited until Sonic gasped for air through his mouth as his eyes shot open. Pulling away as he blinked a few times as looked at Shadow in sheer confusion. Before Sonic could react he winced hard and held his head. The pain from being kicked in the head came back and he shut his eyes and held his head. Shadow stood up and backed up.

As Sonic held his head Sonic felt his body start shaking as the overwhelming feeling of the large amount of electricity flowing through caused his body to shake. Sonic winced as he looked up at Shadow with one eye barely open.

 Sonic was not trying to fight off the pain from the headache but now also the violent burning feeling in his body.

Shadow's gaze was calm as he looked at Sonic. " Let go."

Sonic raised his brow confused. " w-wha- N-No you're already hurt I... I don't want to hurt my friends.."

Shadow's expression was calm as he spoke. " I'll be fine, just let go. You do trust me don't you?"

 Sonic looked at him as sadness was in his eyes. He lowered his head as he slowly closed his eyes as Sonics body shook. The rain started to appear and Sonic could feel the droplets falling onto his quills. He gritted his teeth as he kept shaking. The rain started to fall more as Shadow flicked his ear, his quills slowly started to get drenched in water.

Sonic's body began to arch with electricity as he gripped the ground. "I trust you  S-Shadow- but, I can't let myself do that.. " 

A clap of thunder was heard as lightning struck a nearby tree causing Shadow's body to be highlighted by the quick flash of lightning.

Shadow's tone was low as he spoke. " I don't think you have a choice Sonic." 

As he spoke Sonic's body kept sparking. Sonic grunted as his hands dug deeper into the ground his heart and breathing was rapid as his mind was starting to become fuzzy thinking was hard and Sonic desperately tried to hold himself together.

This was futile as moments later, due to Sonic conducting electricity, the lightning from the sky came down and Sonic gasped loudly in pain as he was struck by the lightning. Shadow gritted his teeth and quickly backed up and shielded his eyes ready to block the soon-to-be volley of electricity that will be arching off of Sonic.

 Sonic's body blasted out a bright light as electricity shot everywhere striking at anything that was near him, this included Shadow. Shadow gritted his teeth and inhaled sharply as he absorbed the blast.

Tails shielded himself behind the tree to avoid being hit. His heart started racing as he was terrified to be in the crossfire right now.

 Slowly Sonic got up as his body was still arching electricity. His eyes were closed as his quills had fanned up and outwardly. Electricity crackled off the hedgehog as his fur had darkened considerably.

 Shadow shook himself as he looked at Sonic. The hedgehog stood there in silence before he slowly parted his eyes and let out a low shaky breath.

His eyes are ghastly white as Sonics expression had changed from a neutral to a mischievous smirk as his head lifted up. He took the leaf out of his nose that was stopping his previous nosebleed and flicked the leaf off to the side. Sonic took a deep inhale through his nose and exhaled loudly. " Ah~ is that Fear I smell...?"  He slowly turned facing the tree as he grinned, raising his voice. " Come on out..."

Tails hiding behind the tree covered his mouth as the hair on his neck stood up. His eyes were wide as he could hear his heart throbbing in his ears. Shadow narrowed his eyes taking notice of Sonic ignoring him at first. 

He slowly walked in front of the tree blocking Sonic from proceeding to Tails. Shadow stood his head high and his hands balled into fists as electricity arched from his own hands. He stood between Tails and Sonic protecting the fox from being possibly attacked.

Sonic raised a brow as his gaze looked to Shadow, scoffing loudly tone was eerily calm as he spoke. " oh?"

Sonic smiled more as he flatted his ears. He bared his teeth in a wide grin " Ooh-...this is gonna be fun~".

Shadow did not respond only flattening his ears and lowering his head slightly glaring down the crazed Blur blur. The two stood there staring at each other as the sound of the storm raged over them.