Sonadow: Night Falls

Chapter Three

Sunset fell over the city, turning the street lights on and heightening Sonic's already present anxiety. He waled through the streets with Shadow and Chip, praying that what had happened was a nightmare; a one time thing, but he could feel a darkness creeping over him as the sun began to fade beyond the horizon.

"Still no luck finding anyone who knows me," Chip said, discouraged.

"Don't worry about it," Sonic replied, "Maybe your memory will come back on its own. Remember anything yet?" Chip thought for a second then replied, "Nope!"

"Oh well."

Sonic looked at the setting sun. Suddenly, a familiar pain filled his body and he fell to the ground on all fours.

"Sonic!" Shadow called.

Oh no! Sonic thought, It's happening again!

A dark energy surround Sonic as he transformed into the same creature he had been the night before.

"Whoa!" Chip exclaimed, "Mister Monster Guy is back!" Sonic looked at himself.

"So, when the sun goes down, I turn into. . .this?!" He looked at Shadow, who seemed to be just as shocked as he was. Sonic began to back up, he hadn't wanted Shadow to see him like this. As he turned to run, Shadow grabbed his arm.

"Sonic, what's happened to you?"

"Shadow, let go. I don't want to hurt you!"

Shadow held his arm tight and repeated, "What happened?" Sonic told Shadow what Eggman had done to him. "I promise, Sonic. I will get you back to normal." Sonic smiled, but only for a second.

"Are you okay, Sonic?" Chip asked.

"I'm fine. . .I just need to be careful who sees me like this."

Chip flew ahead and then called, "Sonic! Sonic, look!" Sonic turned to look and asked, "What is it?"

Chip ran off to the concession stand where he had gotten his ice cream to see the man crying.

"It's hopeless. The whole planet has split apart. We're doomed."

"Mister?" Chip tried to get his attention, "Hey, Mister! Hey, don't cry! Uhh. . .Ice cream! How about some more of this super-tasty stuff?" The man looked up.

"What good is ice cream at a time like this?" and he went back to weeping. Chip dropped the ice cream he was holding. Sonic reached to catch it and was surprised when his arm stretched and caught the frozen desert  just before it hit the ground!

"Sonic?" Shadow said, "Your arm just stretched!"

"Weird. . ." Sonic said to himself, still not believing what had just happened. Sonic stretched his other arm and put the ice cream back to its original place. "But it could be useful." The man looked over at Sonic for a second before resuming his pity party.

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In another part of the city, Tails Prower was getting attack by a group of creatures that seemed to come out nightmares.

"Whoa, hey! Settle down, guys! C'mon! H-heeelp!"

Tails jumped up and used his flying ability to swiftly fly out of the monsters' reach. It only seemed like a few seconds until Tails heard a voice.

"Hey, Tails."

Tails opened his eyes and asked, "Sonic?!" He saw that Shadow and some weird flying thing was with him. The light of the full moon in the midnight sky glowed, allowing light to fall on Sonic, letting Tails get a better look.

"What are you doing out here?" Sonic asked.

"Sonic. . ." Tails began, startled, "Is that really you?" Tails flew to him. "That's a new look. What happened?"

"You know me," Sonic replied, "Never a dull moment."

"Want some chocolate?" the flying thing asked.

"Uh, thanks," Tails said.

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"That's some story," Tails commented after Sonic told him everything that had happened. "I'll bet that means that you turning into. . .that. . .and the planet breaking apart are somehow related."

"I need to find Eggman and make him fix this, and fast!"

"About that," Tails said, stopping in front of Sonic, "I think I know someone who might know something about what's going on here."

"Really?" Shadow asked, taking Sonic's large hand in his.

"Professor Pickle, over at Spagonia University," Tails said, nodding. "I came to this city to gather some data. If we add that to his research findings, we might be able to get to the bottom of all this." Tails looked to see Chip doing some silly form of the backstroke in midair.

"Spagonia?" Sonic repeated, "That's a continent over. An easy jog, if the planet weren't broken." Shadow put his hand on Sonic's shoulder to comfort him.

"No problem!" Tails said, running to a bi-plane, "My Tornado-1 will get us there in a flash. Let's get going!" Sonic grinned.

"Leave it to you, Tails! Let's get moving!"

Chip sat on the wing of the plane with Shadow while Sonic stood on the back near the tail. The plane took off and headed off to Spagonia. Sonic looked to the horizon to see the sun rising. He smiled as the sun touched him and transformed him back into a hedgehog. Shadow was stunned. Sonic breathed the air and gave a soft sigh. Shadow looked at Sonic's body.

"Sonic," he said, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Quit your worrying Shaz. We're going to be just fine." Sonic smiled and softly rubbed his belly. "Don't worry."