I Am...All of Me

On My Own

  "On My Own" by Ashes that Remain. Find this, and other songfics in my Sonic Songfics book on my profile!

 Shadow sighed as he slumped against the wall of his "cell." He couldn't recall exactly the how or where, but the only thing he knew was that he had been captured. The room he was in was pitch black. The walls and floor felt slick and smooth, like...

    "A crystal...," Shadow breathed before his eyes hardened, "Mephiles."

   "It certainly took you long enough," a deep voice reverberated all around him, penetrating his sensitive ears. Shadow stood and tried to move his arms, only to find that he couldn't. It felt like his hands were handcuffed in front of him, and he looked down to find a dark crystal loop linking his wrists together. 

    I should have attacked you while I had the chance, Shadow thought. 

    "That would have been quite ineffective."

   Shadow spun around in all directions, "How?"

    "This is your mind, Shadow," Mephiles cackled, but his voice slowly became serious, "Did you really thinking the blue rat and the princess could defeat so easily? Iblis may be gone, but I will have you soon." 

    "What on Mobius are you talking about?" Shadow demanded. The darkness pulsed and rippled like ink, and the crimson splashed hybrid felt his doppleganger's situation. He had indeed been weakened with Iblis's passing, and he needed a new body. But the only one strong enough to survive his power was an immortal one...his. 

    "Release me, Mephiles!" Shadow commanded the seemingly unending darkness. 

     "No can do," the creature chuckled, "Your body is dying quickly, and once you are gone, I shall take over."

    Shadow rammed his shoulder into the crystalline wall in a feeble attempt to break free. Familiar voices echoed in the darkness around him, giving him a clue of what was happening outside of the prison of his mind. 

  "Come on, Shadow! Stay alive just a little longer!"

       "Don't you dare die on me, Faker." 

    "Hold on just a little bit longer, handsome. Stay with me.."

    The others, they were with him, at least in the physical sense. Their voices were far ahead of him and fading fast. 

    "No!" he cried and started running, but their calls dimmed away the longer he listened, "No..."

    "Good luck escaping, Shadow. But you should hurry. Time is ticking."

    Shadow ran, using his bound hands to feel the smooth walls for any turns, but the path held straight. He had to get out.

    For three days, the heroes had gather at Rouge's apartment to take turns looking over the comatose form of Shadow the Hedgehog. Mephiles had landed a lucky shot before he was wiped out of existence, and the ebony agent hadn't woken up since. Tails kept an eye on the moniter recording his vital signals, and it appeared his condition was worsening by the minute. 

    Shadow had no idea how long he had been following the pathway. He was losing hope of escaping fast, and seeds of doubt began to creep in the deepest recesses of his mind. With nothing left to lose, he began to sing:

There's gotta be another way out
I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt
I've tried forever getting out on my own
But every time I do this my way
I get caught in the lies of the enemy

   He shook his head as the faces of Eggman, Black Doom, and Mephiles appeared all around him. The three images showed the moment he had been tricked by them to their bidding. Activating the Eclipse Cannon. Bringing the Black Comet to the planet's surface. Releasing Mephiles from the Scepter of Darkness. He wanted to escape so badly, if only to see a glimmer of light. And his next words were a plead to his friends, or any being of goodness that would hear him. There was no way he could get out alone.

I lay my troubles down
I'm ready for you now

Bring me out!
Come and find me in the dark now
Everyday by myself I'm breaking down
I don't wanna fight alone anymore

   Shadow slumped to his knees. He was getting weaker. He could feel it, and he was becoming desperate. 

    "The great Shadow the Hedgehog calling for help. How pathetic," Mephiles taunted, but he continued to sing:

Bring me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing
I was never meant to fight on my own

   "Guys! It's Shadow!" Taila cried, and the band of heroes flooded into the cramped guest bedroom. 

    "Get me out...," the black hedgehog whispered.

   Shadow didn't know what to do. Memories of his past actions bombarded his mind. In retrospect, he really wasn't the hero people thought he was. He was guilty of much, and most of his past had been nothing but lies.

    But there was one thing he remembered. A story Maria had told him. It began with a manger and climaxed with a cross. Maria had tried to teach him about the One the story was about, but back then he didn't understand. All he knew was that whenever she was in trouble, she would call on the One she told him about. Maybe it would work for him too...

Every little thing that I've known
Is every thing I need to let go
You're so much bigger than the world I have made
So I surrender my soul
I'm reaching out for your hope
I lay my weapons down
I'm ready for you now

Bring me out
Come and find me in the dark now
Everyday by myself I'm breaking down
I don't wanna fight alone anymore
Bring me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing
I was never meant to fight on my own

   Memories of his friends and comrades flickered around him like spouts of flame. He and Sonic fighting the Final Hazard. Rouge promising to stay by his side, regardless of what the world thought about him. Omega backing him up on multiple missions. Cream giving him a flower crown. Amy convincing him to save the world. He needed his friends more than ever...

I don't wanna be incomplete
I remember what you said to me
I don't have to fight alone

Bring me out
Come and find me in the dark now
Everyday by myself I'm breaking down
I don't wanna fight alone anymore
Bring me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing
I was never meant to fight on my own

    "Come on, Shadow, stay with us," Sonic whispered. 

    "We're losing him!" Tails exclaimed as the beeping from the moniter slowed. The small fox immediately began CPR. Anything to keep the hedgehog's heart beating. 

    "There has to be something more we can do," Amy breathed, tears pricking the corners of her vision. The band of heroes couldn't seem to hear the dark laughter that was deafening to Shadow. 

    "Would this help?" Knuckles asked as he pulled a thin green, crystal shard out of his dreds, "It's a Master Emerald shard." 

    Tails snatched it out of the echidna's fist without a word and laid it on Shadow's chest fur, "I sure hope so." 

   The team of heroes circled around the crimson-striped hero, each of them muttering the familiar chant. 

    "The Servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power. Power is enriched by the heart."

   Please bring Shadow back...

   The emerald shard pulsed, and a green glow surrounded the hybrid. When it finally cleared, it looked as though nothing happened. 

   "What's going on?" Shadow said aloud, as the darkness flashed angrily. For once, he couldn't hear Mephiles cheering in apparant victory. Something was going on outside, but before he could take another step, the darkness was replaced by blinding light. 

    Shadow gasped as he sat up in an unfamiliar room, panting heavily as his ruby eyes adjusted. His hands were no longer restrained, and he could feel warm bedsheets covering his lower half. A rhythmic beeping filled his ears. His gaze sharpened so that he could finally recognize the faces gaping at him. For the first time in a long while, Shadow felt his lips curl upward in a smile. 

    "Thanks guys," he said, I couldn't have done it on my own...