Sonic Runaways

HODUR ISLAND, ARTIKA

2 AM

Shadow lay awake on the old sofa inside Team Dark's barracks in Gothic Gardens Zone. Most of the time, Shadow was all alone in this building, built atop the darkest, most remote island in the world. Rouge spent most of her time at her night club on the mainland, while Omega only popped in every now and again to ransack the pantry or drop off Badnik parts as "trophies". The killing machine wouldn't even look at Shadow anymore. The secondary members brought aboard during the team's old travels didn't know it existed. It was basically Shadow's very own home, he was able to make the military compound his personal island lair so long as GUN inspectors didn't bother to find out how he was using the space. Books and vinyl records sat in alphabetical order on cold metal shelves lining the cobblestone walls, which were draped in dulled burgundy curtains. The Mutual Mandolin sat inside a diamond-studded glass case.

Thrice. That is the exact number of times Shadow had slept before. And not a blink more. Once in the Deco City hospital, another on his way there when that arachnid assassin had blown him up. Before all that, it was when The End had sent ALL lifeforms into what was supposed to be an eternal slumber... As a Badnik, an android, an artificial lifeform… he did not require sleep like most other beings did each night. But now, it would seem his assignment from GUN was to rest, for once, and research the power of the Reverie's Dream Orbs. But he found all he could do was stare at the ceiling. Restless… and very, very frustrated.

"It comes so easy to someone like Sonic…" Shadow grumbled. "I can't believe I'm being forced to chase a dream… literally!" Shadow hissed through his gritted teeth, turning over to face the wall. A monitor attached to a small PC that once belonged to Professor Gerald Robotnik cast a dim glow onto Shadow. He growled, and sat down in front of the Electric Egg. "Begin playback." Click… click… Click click.

"Shadow…! Don't wake grandfather," Maria's voice whispered, almost muffled through the decaying audio data. Shadow saw an overhead view of two people. On one cam, Shadow was wandering down a corridor in the Space Colony Ark. "He's already under a lot of pressure, and…" Maria stopped in place, saving her energy. "... Are you headed to the Crazy Gadget? It's too early in the morning." Shadow looked at another camera. There stood Maria Robotnik. He crossed his arms as the recording played out. The video's rotting data made any minute imperfections practically disappear. "You've always had trouble sleeping, but can't you try a little harder? You're so strong and brave… I think you can do anything you set your mind to."

"The Guardian Units of Nation demanded that I spend more time in Crazy Gadget's combat simulation. The professor has deliberately kept me out of combat for too long, and the military could cut funding if I don't fill my quota," the Shadow in the recording said. "After they found out about that ugly prototype, there's no telling what could happen. Their cruelty knows no bounds."

"What 'ugly prototype'? You mean… Sammy the Salamander?" Maria asked, frowning. "Shadow, grandfather said Sammy's with grandma now. You shouldn't say mean things about animals…" Shadow tensed up. He took a deep and shaky breath.

"Go back to bed, Hope. You deserve a good night's rest more than anyone." Shadow curled into a spiky ball in his seat, watching the memory between his knees.

Maria then burst towards her companion, Shadow's eyes following her from camera to camera. She finally caught up with him, physically obstructing his path with her fragile arms out to the side, trembling like she could fall apart into little pieces. "Hope, you're in my way. Please let me through," that Shadow sighed with a grumpy tone.

"Come with me! I know it's not very comfortable in your tube, but if I move some wires, then we'll have enough space on my bed!" Maria exclaimed, dragging Shadow along by his back spine with absolutely no resistance from the hedgehog. The Ultimate Lifeform frowned, rolling his eyes with ambivalence. Shadow scowled, touching the tearful bags under his own eyes as the animation ended.

"Even the Ultimate Lifeform needed sleep. Now he's dead, and I'm his copy," Shadow Android grunted. As his breathing became heavy, Shadow swiftly navigated to a music download. Click click click click click click click. A soothing, introspective guitar melody began to play. Shadow sucked air through his teeth, and then breathed out. Over and over. He was breathing. He was alive. He felt guilty for being alive. Still, he felt his heartbeat slow to a healthy pace over the course of entire minutes. The orange glow on the soles of his Rocket Skates faded away, leaving nothing but faint puffs of smoke. Shadow chuckled, as his eyes began to close.

…

Shadow found himself looking through a small portal, floating around in a white and empty void. Inside the portal was a room, with a few people he knew. They were waiting in what appeared to be a lecture hall. Among the few unfamiliar heads, one stood out. A sheep with pastel blue wool was walking down the stairs, headed to the stage. "'Ariem'. So this is… the Reverie? I don't see Tails, I would've imagined he'd follow Sonic anywhere, even to this realm…" Shadow mumbled, trying to reach in. However, his hand landed atop what felt like glass between him and the portal to the Reverie. Ariem turned to look at him from the other side.

"Sorry, Shadow. You don't have permission to come into Reverie Haven, yet," Ariem whispered with a smile and a calm look in her eye. Shadow raised an eyebrow.

"What? Why not?" Shadow asked, crossing his arms. "It is my mission to research your world and the dangerous artifacts therein. Let me through."

"I'm afraid to say that I can't. Only those with purity in their hearts can pass into this world," Ariem puffed, looking to the side. "As such, we're all friends here. Working towards inner peace and health."

"Pure hearts? You? What bullshit," Shadow scoffed. "You're leaving dangerous weapons laying around for lunatics like Infinite to abuse. The universe is lucky he chose to use the Dream Orb to get his old device back. If he wasn't so addicted to the Phantom Ruby's energy, he could've concocted any number of real threats."

"That's not true. Dream Orbs are limited in what they can grant, and a wish has to be approved by myself before it can be redeemed," Ariem sighed. "I will admit, I didn't account for the Phantom Ruby's capacity to harm. Infinite always seemed so… troubled, in our meetings. I thought an illusionary device could serve as a creative outlet after Sonic was done with his wish to swim. I have since restricted Infinite's access to the Reverie…" Shadow groaned. "Look, I'm doing my best, okay?" Shadow punched the window, his first hit seemed to have no force. Like he was swinging underwater. Ariem staggered back, gripping her chest. A bubbly sheen spread across the window, Shadow's increasingly slow punches were now landing on a soft, gummy surface. "I'm ashamed to say I've let many misguided people into my domain. I will not make that mistake again." Shadow launched himself in Spinball form at the window. This time it smashed open, and he was sent hurdling backwards through the white void, crying out in terror as he rocketed into the unknowable. Visions of his deepest fears flashed before him, as he waved his arms around in a helpless panic.

…

After what felt like hours of floating idly in a nightmarish spacescape, a slimy purple rope grabbed Shadow midair, wrapping around his stomach and pulling him through a canopy of thorned plants. It set him down gently on a wooden road. Shadow grabbed at this strange veiny appendage, and pulled it away from his body. It snapped clean off. Shadow opened his eyes, and saw a horrible cat-like spider beast standing over him, drooling a strange orange liquid.

"What in the world?!" Shadow asked, stumbling backwards. The bug scuttled towards him on a hand protruding from its lower abdomen, a bunch of swollen eyes on sticks peering at him from all around. Shadow jumped to his feet, and unsheathed a Chaos Spear from thin air. His hand trembled. Time slowed to an unpredictable stagger. "No… no… no! Disgusting…! Y-you… can't e-eat me alive…" Shadow jerked his head towards all the bloodshot eyes creeping up from every visible surface. Even the wood he was standing on. Reticles appeared on all of the eyes, abstract shapes pounding like hearts. Shadow held his head, the Chaos Spear turning dark red as it fed off the blood in his ears. "You're a sin against nature, I am the ULTIMATE LIFEFORM!" Shadow cried out in pain, tossing countless spears all around in a careless frenzy. Everything was now moving at breakneck speeds, Shadow's body twisted and his arms swung. Orange viscera spewed all over the road in his wake.

Just as Shadow threw one last spear towards the monster right in front of him, the uncomfortable growth of a hand snapped its wrinkly, hairy fingers. The spear froze between the two. Shadow tried to form another one, but he felt an energy clot growing between him and his new ability. It ached. The monster's giant eye began to dart, as the spear turned back around towards Shadow. Shadow became drowsy, as he fell to his hands and knees. He coughed up shrapnel mixed with spit, and as his vision began to blur, he felt a small, warm hand touch his ear. 

"Shadow?"

KRA-KOOM! The Doom Spear shot overhead and flew into the sky, creating a blazing spire stretching into the abyss. Shadow stood up, gasping for air. The pain was gone. And… that voice… Shadow's eyes opened wide as he saw everything he held dear. The brightest star in the universe, the most beautiful flower, a timeworn love letter with the meaning of life itself written on it. All this and more flashed through his mind's eye. And then he woke up.

"Maria?"

"... Maria??" Shadow stood up from his office chair. He looked all around at his collection room. "That was no mere nightmare… she was there, I felt her hand…" Without looking down, he felt the curves and edges of the strange red medallion he was suddenly holding. It was no orb, but he could feel the power of dreams bubbling within the medallion. "The power of the Reverie. Is this… my mission?"