Reason for Insanity

Sonic's Past

Sonic knocked loudly on the door to Shadow's house and waited impatiently for the other to answer. A few minutes later, the door opened. "Faker," Shadow said. "What is it you want?"

Sonic gave him a smile. "I was wondering if you'd like to hang out for a while. Go out and do something maybe."

Shadow thought about it. This was unexpected. he and Sonic were friends, of course, but not very close. Perhaps it was time to change that. "Sure," Shadow said after a moment. "Where do you want to go?"

Sonic thought about it. "Somewhere fun. Why don't we wander town until we find a place?"

The other hedgehog nodded. "Alright," he said with a smile. "Lead the way." Sonic nodded and led Shadow out into town. They looked around, wondering where to go. The two people mostly talked with each other as they walked. Sonic looked at his friend, wondering what he had done recently.

"So, what have you been up to?"

Shadow shrugged. "Not much; just been busy with GUN and hanging out around the house. You?"

"Not much here, either."

The other hedgehog nodded. They walked around for a few hours before sitting at a restaurant to get something to eat. Sonic watched Shadow as they ate, observing the way the other hedgehog did someone who seemed anti-social, Shadow seemed pretty civilized. The way he was eating seemed like he was raised in royalty, because he had polite manners. Sonic nodded in satisfaction; he was mostly the same as well.

"So...how do you usually spend your free time?" Sonic asked.

Shadow shrugged. "I don't do much," he said curtly. Sonic nodded with a small, inward sigh. He'd been hoping Shadow would have more to say than that. He returned his focus to the remainder of his food. "So...what's your past like?" Shadow asked, setting his fork down.

"Not much to talk about," Sonic said. "It's mostly full of fighting Eggman." Shadow nodded, but he could tell Sonic wasn't telling him everything. Sonic hesitated. He wasn't sure how Shadow would react if he found out that he had spent most of his childhood in an orphanage being physically and emotionally abused. Sighing, he decided to tell him. "I spent most of my childhood in an orphanage where they abused me. Both physically and emotionally."

Shadow's eyes widened. "You were...abused? Are you still?" Sonic hesitated and looked away, tears in his eyes. He pulled of his gloves and Shadow saw that there were knife cuts on Sonic's arms. Shadow gasped in horror. "Sonic...are you...cutting yourself?" Sonic nodded, ashamed. He stood up and ran out of the restaurant. Shadow sighed and ran after him. Following Sonic wasn't a problem. But catching up to him when he had a headstart was. "Sonic!" he yelled. "Wait a moment!"

The blue hedgehog stopped and looked at Shadow. "What the hell do you want?" He asked, tears in his eyes. Shadow was shocked by the sudden change in personality.

"I want to help you."

"Why?" Sonic asked. "Can't you see that it's no use? I'm still feeling the effects of my childhood! Wounds...emotional wounds...they never go away! You don't know what it was like!"

"I don't, but there has to be something I can do. Let me try, at least." Shadow hesitated, thinking. "I can be here for you. Try to make it a little better."

Sonic hesitated. Finally, he shook his head and ran back to his house. Once he got there, he saw Amy. She was furious. "A...Amy...what do you want?"

"Where were you for our date?" She asked. Sonic groaned. "Amy, we never agreed to a..."

Amy grabbed Sonic, then threw him into the house and into the basement, closing the door and locking it. Sonic's eyes widened as he looked around; he was extremely claustrophobic. He screamed and pounded on the door, trying to find a way out, before sobbing. He hesitated and his eyes widened as he had a flashback before moving into the corner of the room, muttering under his breath. Shadow opened the door and hesitantly walked inside. This was the last place to look in Sonic's house; he hadn't found the other anywhere else. The fact that it had been locked was more than a little strange, as well. "Sonic? Are you down here?" He put his ear to the door and heard whimpering. Gasping in shock, he started to kick at the door, hoping it would open. A few minutes later, he forced the door open and ran downstairs, gasping at Sonic's appearance. The blue hedgehog had blood covering him and was muttering something, weaving back and Shadow put a hand to him but the hedgehog flinched away.

"Sonic..." he said. "What happened?"

The blue hedgehog looked at him. Shadow frowned as he saw that Sonic had been trying to escape. "Amy..."

"Amy did this to you? Why the hell did she do that?"

"No...I did this to myself trying to get out...when I came here, she was waiting and accused me of missing a date, which I never agreed to, then threw me in her and locked the door. I'm...claustrophobic..." He shuddered again, still rocking back and forth. Shadow could tell he was traumatized. Shadow growled a little at the story. He couldn't believe Amy would do such a thing to Sonic. So much for loving him. Shadow put a hand out toward Sonic. "Come here, Sonic. I'll help you." Sonic backed away, holding his hands out to protect him. "No...keep away...don't...hit..."

Shadow frowned. The incident must have brought some memories of the abuse he went through as a child.

"I'm not going to hit you." Shadow gently took his hands, keeping his grip loose in case Sonic tried to pull away. Sonic hesitated. Then he noticed the open door and ran towards it. As soon as he got out, he fell on the couch and began to cry. Shadow followed him, feeling pity for the other person. "I'll stay here with you," he said. "For a while, at least." Unsure of whether or not Sonic would like it but sure he needed it, Shadow gently rubbed his back. "I don't like seeing you like this."

"Please, stay...help me..."

Shadow nodded. "That's what I intend to do."

He smiled and sighed, intending to give Sonic all the care he needed.

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