The love of Darkness

Ep 39

PoV: Shadow

"I found Sonic 2 weeks after he went missing," I sighed as I told Knuckles everything.

--- 7.5 months ago ---

  It was raining all day, I didn't have any tasks so I had the day for myself to rest. That was until I sensed an odd energy nearby. It felt familiar yet unknown all at once. I couldn't resist the urge to inspect the energy so I quickly left to find the source. I ran through the rain and followed the energy until I found a small hole dug into the side of the cliff. The dirt was freshly dug up and rain water was beginning to make a puddle inside. Something was shifting around underneath the hard rock. I carefully dug around the edge and that was when I found him. It looked as if he hadn't slept for days. He was covered is a variety of injuries; minor scratches, bruises, even burns. What concerned me were the bites along his arms, they looked self inflicted.

"Sonic, what the hell happened to you?" I shook him to wake him but he wasn't moving. His gloves were covered in mud and he was unconscious in a flooding hole. Something happened to the point where it triggered his burrowing instinct to seak safety.

"Damn it Faker," I grabbed him, dispite my disapproval of his existence he was still needed to keep mobius safe, "You better tell me exactly what's going on that you can't even handle your job as hero."

  I brought him to my house treated his injuries. The burns were mostly on his back, which ment he was in battle. But after cleaning off the mud it was obvious that many of the wounds were much older. Sonic's usual figure had tinned, his face was pale with heavy bags under his eyes. My guess was he hadn't eat anything for days, but why?

It wasn't until the next afternoon that he finally woke up. I hadn't even noticed he was awake at all. He had just been laying on the couch in silence, his eyes open and staring at the wall.

"Sonic," I had to confirm he new his name and where is was. If his memory worked it ment information, "I found you buried under a cliff. You're at my house for now. I don't plan to get involved with your friends but if you contact them to pick you up that's fine."

  He didn't say anything and didn't move. Maybe a minute passed before his eyes shifted to stare in my direction. He eventually turned his head to look directly at me. Maybe I should take him to a hospital...

"... Oh... Shadow... you found me?" He finally spoke.

"I did," he recognizes me and his own name, but he's acting weird.

"... Thanks..." he turned his head back and continued staring at the ceiling.

"What happened to you? I've rarely seen you this hurt, Eggman only occasionally lands a hit on you," I asked, his behavior was uncomfortable to watch.

"Nothing happened," he replied, his eyes were starting to close again.

"Don't give me that crap, you're hurt and you're telling me nothing happened," I grabbed him and pulled him up to sit, "Look at yourself. You're clearly starving and exhuasted. What happened!"

"Just a battle, that's all," he wasn't going to give me information.

"Tsk," I handed him a cup full of broth and left the room. He's more obnoxious now. I need to get rid of him and send him back to his playgroup. They can handle him.

Beep! The comminicator hidden in my glove went off. It was Eggman contacting me.

"What do you want?" I answered, "I'm in the middle of something."