Jayde and the Seven Shards [1]

20: She's Here ✔️

MUSIC: (Sonic Generations Version) Chemical Plant Zone: Act 2

The Next Day

The red and black hedgehog didn't sleep a minute through the night. His mind wouldn't stay away from Jayde, and he couldn't rest as long as he knew she was trapped inside her Negative form - how could he? His gloved hands stayed behind his head as he stared up at the stars, lying on the same tree branch as the grey female did. Silver was meditating again, his body floating in the air. He needed to find away to bring Jayde back. He knew that the Master Emerald could only tell them if they could still save the young hedgehog - they couldn't bring her back through it. They either had to get through to her, or destroy her.

"G-Guys-" Amy sighed, rubbing her arms, "I hate to ask but... if we do have to destroy Jayde - who will do it?"

No one spoke. It was too difficult to say anything about hurting such an innocent hedgehog - even Rouge felt angry about this happening to her. Sonic glanced up at his red and black lookalike, feeling somewhat sorry for him. After all the loss he's already encountered, could he take another - especially one that hasn't left his side since she got here?

The young fox couldn't bare the thought of anyone harming Jayde. She was kind hearted and full of spirit and happiness. For crying out loud - she made the Ultimate Lifeform smile! Tails never thought he'd see the day! The grey hedgehog was one of few that accepted the twin-tailed fox's abilities and he wouldn't even dare think about losing her this way. He tried and tried to come up with a plan to return her to her normal state - but nothing. They were coming to terms with something they had never dealt with before and not one of them knew much about it - not even Silver and he'd already encountered it in the future.

"We can't think like that." Blaze spoke quietly, throwing a few flames into the dying fire in front of her. She didn't want to come to terms with that fact that they might have to obliterate the hapless hog because she didn't do anything wrong. She always made sure everyone was happy - how could she get such a devastating curse?

"Blaze is right." Silver agreed, still blaming himself, "No matter what, our Jayde is still in there. Even if we have to fight against her... we can still try and find away to save her." The telekinesis hedgehog looked up to the Ultimate Lifeform, everyone else following. No one expected him to say anything. If he was hurt, mentally or physically, he wouldn't let anyone else know. He didn't share his pain with people.

The dark hedgehog shifted slightly, trying to ignore the eyes that burned into him. He didn't care about anything else except the light in this darkness. He had to find a way to get her back, even if it meant giving his immortal life to save her. The red and black hedgehog wouldn't let her stay this way, "If that time were to come," he mumbled, twisting his inhibitor rings around his wrists, "I shall do it."

"Shadow..." Rouge spoke softly, her voice slowing. He spoke with little to no emotion and she didn't want him to return to the way he was before. Jayde had changed him so much in such little time and the ivory bat couldn't stand to see him as an emotionless wreak again.

A loud explosion caused everyone to flinch, their eyes wide. Knuckles stood up as stared straight ahead of him, watching a dark figure come from behind the trees. Shadow jumped down, walking forward slightly before his orbs recognised the dark hog as she fully emerged, "Renee." He breathed, everyone around him hearing. Raven snickered at the helpless creatures in front of her, before a screech left her, the sky above becoming red, everything around seeming to darken. Every Mobian in Mobius scuttled into their houses, each too afraid of what had passed through their towns.

The white hedgehog used his telekinesis, grabbing the dark spirit as he tried to talk some sense into her. "Jayde, you have to fight it. It's Mephiles that did this to you, you're not like him! Come back to us!" He shouted at her. Raven didn't move, her eyes glinting with anger as her orbs pierced into her friends. She knew that his powers would not hold her - he was far too weak. Her palm shot out in front of her, a blast of negative chaotic energy flying towards the telekinesis hedgehog. Silver yelled in pain, gripping his stomach as he dropped the dark being. A laugh echoed around, sending chills up the Sonic Team.

"You're right, I'm not like Mephiles," she grinned, an evil glint in her piercing blue orbs that once held pools of vibrancy and excitement - now they read nothing but hate and anger, "I'm worse." She sneered, her body powering up to unleash her potential.

"Shadow, take them to Angel Island, I'll keep her here until you come back." Sonic told the dark hedgehog.

"No. I'm staying." Tails stood beside the blue hero.

"So am I." Amy spoke, flicking her fingers, her mallet appearing from the dust.

But Sonic didn't want them to stay because he knew they'd get hurt, "You have to go!" Sonic told them, a slight fear in his orbs. But they were stubborn. Once they made a decision, they kept to it.

"I'm not leaving you, Sonic the Hedgehog!" Amy declared, walking up and next to her blue hero. The twin-tailed fox followed, his steps wobbled as he walked.

To say he was afraid was an understatement; he was terrified. He knew this wasn't Jayde and he knew that he could get seriously hurt but he didn't care. The grey hedgehog had accepted him in any situation and now it was his chance to prove back that she meant a lot to him, even if the being didn't care for him in this state, "That's not how sidekicks do." He told the cobalt hedgehog, a slight frown etched on his muzzle.

Shadow pulled one of the seven Chaos Emeralds from his quills before the rest disappeared, leaving Sonic, Amy and Tails. With fear running through each of them and no way of turning back, they faced the being that could end them.