Who I Am (Infinite x Reader)

Chapter 19 ~ Cracked Code

"Okay, now that the damn Phantom Ruby is out of the way, we can finally take out Eggman's headquarters," Knuckles informs, arms behind his back. His shoulders were straight. "Though I'm sure Infinite is weak without—"

   "Infinite may be arrogant," Shadow cut him off, "and an overall bastard, but you shouldn't underestimate him."

   Shadow's gaze shifts to the ground for a moment. Crossed arms tensing. "Weak..." he muttered, barely audible.

   I consider stepping closer to him to pat him on the back. I was already standing close by. I do take a small step closer to Shadow, but I refrained myself from doing the next thing.

   "Do you have something to tell us, Shadow?" Knuckles asks. Shadow looked up from the floor, almost glaring at the commander.

   "No," he said coldly. Knuckles nodded once before continuing.

   "I understand that some of you may be hesitant after Big Wave's results. But this is possibly our last fight. We need to battle like it is."

   My eyes moved around the room. Charmy was sitting on Vector's shoulder, twiddling his thumbs. Espio stood in Vector's shadow, silent. Junior Sonic stood by the doors, next to his other duo. I blink at them, still dumbfounded that Junior was still a thing that my mind didn't somehow manifest.

   Tails, Rouge and Amy were sitting at the table on their laptops, only half paying attention. There was a shimmer in Amy green eyes.

   "I... just–" she started. Amy's words strained. "Everyone, please just come home safe..."

   Sonic stepped over to Amy and wrapped his arms around her while she sat in her chair. Amy hugged Sonic back.

   "Don't worry, Amy," Sonic comforts. His eyes glass over as he looked down at the floor. This seemed abnormal and out of character for Sonic to do. "We're all going to come home."

   I glance over at Shadow quickly, he did the same. We were both expecting Sonic to make a joke or snarky remark. The seconds pass and none came. A silence fell over the room. A reminder that we may not all come home. Someone standing beside us might not be there tomorrow.

   I might not be here tomorrow.

   I look beside me. Gadget was lifting his large glasses up onto his head with one hand, the other wiping water from his eye. My head tilted ever so slightly. He saw, and quickly put his arms by his sides, acting like nothing.

   "It's, it's..." he stuttered. "It just made me miss my friends... so much."

   I understood, more than he knew. The feelings of sorrow I felt were forced down, chocked back.

   "Felix isn't coming for the fight," he says, hurt.

   Felix, the last survivor from Gadget's squad. It was only then that realize that I duplicate of Shadow was what wiped out his entire team. How does Gadget feel, being in the same room as an identical match to someone that murdered your friends?

   I extend my arm and patted Gadget on the back. My eyes sympathetic. I then let my arm go limp, dangling at my side. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes. I was tying to untangle the knot anxiety forming within me. Through the blackness I saw Infinite's one glowing eye. The stress was replaced by hate, frustration. Why is it so hard to remember? His face... It's always impossible to see...

   I was back in the ring again, the jackal who became Infinite was there with me. Standing in the center before me. The lighting was fine, the rest of him was easy to see. But his face... his eyes, they were scratched out. The red, glitching mass that always surrounds him in the present was now black and covered his eyes and most of his face. This made it impossible to see anything other than his muzzle or giant ears.