Sonic Boom: Travels (Shadora)

Chapter 19: Strange Welcome

Heartbeats. That was all she could hear, along with the thoughts that swirled in her head. 

   "Got to look for Zavok, and Lord Eggman and all that..." 

   "Stay away from those two demons..."  

   "I can take care of myself..." 

   Itzy's squeaks echoed. 

   "Oh, but you are a big help, sweetie..."  

   "Even if you do little things, it's better than nothing..."  

   "You need to wish for something with all your heart..."  

   Aurora thought as different pictures from her recent battle swarmed through her head, "Does that mean there's no other Shadow in this world? What is this place? Where am I?" 

   Suddenly the image of the creepy cloaked figure appeared in Aurora's mind. "No." she mumbled. Tears streamed into her eyes even more when she saw the beast form of Shadow again, and finally...

   Her father, Sonic. Lying motionless on the ground. 

   Aurora ran to Sonic, and dipped down to his length. "I sometimes wish that mom would've married someone else instead of you..." she instantly remembered those painful words that she shot at her dad. 

   Sniffing, Aurora grabbed her dad's cold hand, and rested her head on his. "I'm so sorry, daddy!" her voice cracked out of sorrow. Hearing no reply, more tears streamed down her eyes, she imagined what it would have been like if Sonic hadn't been there for her all throughout the way. Her friendship problems, her injuries, her laughs. But those memories only made her cry even more. 

   With that, she hugged him. She then felt a tap on her shoulder, looking to see her own mother standing before her! Wide-eyed, Aurora automatically hugged her mom next, and as tight as she could. 

   "Mom..." she hiccuped. "I missed you." Feeling Amy stroking her quills, making her feel more at home, she heard her say, "You've done very well, my child, and I want you to keep going. Don't stop. 

   "Your friends need you. Your father needs you. Shadow needs you."

   Aurora looked at her mother, and as she wiped away her tears, "Do it for me, and everyone else. 

   "Don't worry about me and Cream. We will be watching you, and waiting for you to come to us one day. Don't forget to give the jerks out there a big whoop-in for us!"

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Aurora's eyes fluttered. She held her hand to her head, and finally opened her eyes. She saw chains lighted by slightly violet sunshine, and she was cold. Shivering, she opened her eyes. She saw Shadow literally cuffed to the wall across from her at the arms and legs. So he wouldn't escape. She also saw Ember on her left, chained by the throat, asleep. Then Aurora saw Itzy to her right. But trapped in a little jar on top of a night stand, also asleep, and weak. He looked exhausted. They were in a cell. 

   But where's Sora? 

   Hearing clinks, Aurora looked at herself to see chains on her arms. She stood up, and tried to pull them off. But the chains were hooked to the floor, and she was practically choking herself. She looked behind her, and found that she was also chained to the neck. I can't give up! she thought as she kept yanking on the chains that held her down, but she only managed to hurt herself even more. 

   "Sora!" she called out in the silence. Nothing. "Sora!" Suddenly she heard a bang on the door, shouting, "SHUT UP, PRISONER!" 

   Everyone else was woken up by this. Shadow just looked up at her. Aurora just sat startled. There were guards, they were chained like crazy, there were only one or two windows in their cell. This wasn't just prison, they were in a dungeon.