Sonic Series Fan Fiction / Sonic X Fan Fiction ❯ Two Souls ❯ Two Souls ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me they belong to… err… someone else! It's a Sonic X fic… sort of.

 

Two Souls

 

It was a cloudy, depressing day on Mobius and everything seemed so dull and dreary that the streets and parks were almost empty, if they already weren't empty. Rain had been pouring heavily overnight and a few roads downtown had flooded. Mobians kept to their houses, waiting for it to blow over and for the sun to return. Not even the famous Sonic the Hedgehog was running up and down the streets and country, due to the flooding and his fear of water. Only one person was out on a day like this.

 

A black hedgehog, fairly tall now in the months that had passed since Molly's death. He had red stripes on his quills, arms and legs and blood red eyes that, upon first glance, would probably intimidate people. Mobians that had briefly entered the streets saw a black hedgehog, looking like a lost child, settled in a tree, gazing into space.

 

Shadow the Hedgehog leaned back in the tree and glanced below him at a flooded road. To be honest, he hated water as much as Sonic but it gave him no unease to be here. He gazed at the few Mobians passing by and gave them a cold glare, causing them to scurry along.

 

They didn't know. None of them did. Shadow doubted that those Mobians knew what it felt like to lose someone he cared about. Molly was his friend and she died for him. It made him feel sick to think that his friends always seemed to get hurt for him. Maria, fifty years ago, took the bullet that was meant for Shadow and died whilst sending him to Earth. And Molly… she died at the Meterex's hands for him. He couldn't stand how those he cared about nearly always ended up dying.

 

He got to his feet and took off at high speed, deciding to visit Molly's memorial. In less than a minute he was standing at the wonky cross he and Rouge had set into the ground. He settled at the foot at it, thinking of his friend. He stayed there for hours.

 

XXXXX

 

Angel Island wasn't looking its best today. There were muddy puddles everywhere that were about a foot deep and water was forever dripping from the trees. Still, the Master Emerald stood proudly on top of the crumbling ancient alter. The guardian, a red echidna with deep purple eyes had sat in front of it the whole morning, watching for thieves before taking off to find fruit for his breakfast.

 

Whilst he was gone, the emerald emitted a bigger glow and two figures appeared out of it. The first one, a strange creature with emerald eyes, transparent skin of a sky blue colour, and a pink brain seen floating inside. The second figure was an echidna, female with creamy orange fur, aqua blue eyes and white bands wrapped around each of her dreadlocks. She wore a creamy white top with a green and yellow skirt. She walked to the edge of the alter with the liquid life form and turned to him.

 

“I need some time alone, Chaos… can you manage here…?”

 

The creature nodded at the echidna's request, turning back to the Master Emerald and was engulfed by a blinding white light before disappearing. The echidna looked ahead, before taking off into the undergrowth. There was a cliff nearby that she could always go to whenever she felt like she needed time alone.

 

It played in her mind all the time, the death of her family. She remembered how she'd begged and pleaded with her father to control his greed but he didn't listen. To all the other echidnas, she had been considered a trouble maker and they believed that one day she would receive the ultimate punishment. But that had gone awry and the other echidnas were punished for their greed and wanting of the Chaos Emeralds.

 

Tikal the Echidna made sure not to let the Master Emerald's current guardian spot her and she caught sight of him moving back towards the alter, his arms filled with a decent amount of fruit. She sighed with relief and made her way to the edge of the island, before jumping off and gliding to the bottom.

 

XXXXX

 

Finally, her personal spot where she spent time by herself was up ahead. It was a cliff, sandy and somewhat heart-warming. Tikal was always positive that it would be uninhabited and it always was. She made her way through bushes and trees, pushing stray twigs away from her face. Finally she found her special cliff. But it wasn't uninhabited.

 

A black hedgehog with red stripes on his quills was kneeling over a wonky silver cross which stuck out of the ground. A single red rose sat at the black hedgehog's knees. Tikal blinked, not expecting her special place to become inhabited by somebody. She thought vaguely of leaving the hedgehog to whatever he was doing but she took note of the wonky cross. It was a memorial. This hedgehog had lost someone and was visiting her. It was a strange thing, visiting lost loved ones. It always feels strangely relaxing, as if you're still in their company. Tikal caught sight of the hedgehog, and began to note that he looked a little like a lost child, searching for guidance. Tikal eventually made up her mind and approached the hedgehog.

 

“Hello?” Tikal asked slowly and cautiously. The hedgehog's ears perked up at her voice and he turned to face her. Tikal found herself staring into cold, red eyes filled with fire and remorse. It startled her.

 

“Who the hell are you?” he asked in a fairly threatening tone, as if he wasn't hoping to be disturbed, “And what are you doing here?”

 

“Very nice…” Tikal whispered to herself, but she didn't allow herself to give up on him, “My name is Tikal… who are you?”

 

“Why do you want to know?” he said cautiously, choosing his words not very carefully. Tikal gave him a stare which made the black hedgehog's eyes widen and he gulped and eventually, he spluttered out, “Shadow.”

 

Tikal smiled briefly, “Losing a loved one is always hard…” she said just above a whisper. Shadow had sharp hearing and heard every word.

“What do you mean by that?” he said, caught off guard. Tikal gave a weak smile and pointed towards the wonky cross that was Molly's memorial, “Who was it?”

 

“Is it any of your business?” Shadow said a little too cheekily, turning away from Tikal and facing the cross again. Tikal's eyebrows furrowed and she gave Shadow a short glare.

“I'm trying to help and all you give me are short, horrid remarks. I'm offering you someone to listen to you and you are turning me away. I am getting the impression that you think I can't feel your pain but I do know what it feels like!” Tikal found herself raising her voice and going red in the face, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Shadow was taken aback at this, for he thought no one could ever feel the emotional pain of losing someone you loved.

 

“I lost my father years and years ago… his greed overtook him and… he and most of the echidna tribe was wiped out by Perfect Chaos. I was unable to stop Perfect Chaos claiming their lives, but I was able to stop him from claiming others… I sealed my spirit into the Master Emerald to save others… but I still think of my father and I still love him regardless of what he's done.”

 

Shadow listened to Tikal's whole story, and he bowed his head towards the cross, “I'm sorry to hear that.”

 

The rose lay at Shadow's knees, thorns taken off and the cross standing proud, “She gave her life for me, like Maria did fifty years ago…”

 

Tikal blinked at this new wave of emotion coming from the black hedgehog. Shadow continued his story, unable to stop now, “50 years ago I was created by Professor Gerald Robotnik. His granddaughter was my only friend. She died to save me when a government organization came to claim me, believing me to be dangerous.”

 

Tikal's hands shot to her face in shock, “I'm so sorry!”

 

Shadow glared at her, with a face to suggest he wasn't finished yet, “A few months ago, my friend gave her life for me… and I could do nothing,” Shadow clenched his fists, shaking in the anger and knowledge that he was useless when the event played out.

 

“I'm sorry…” Tikal said in a low voice. Shadow glanced at the rose that lay before Molly's memorial, a frown settling on his face.

 

“Why though? You don't know me, no one does,” Shadow challenged.

 

Tikal didn't really need to think about it, “Because we are all alive, and sometimes people just need someone to talk to, to get all the rage and other feelings off their chest,” she responded.

 

Shadow looked up at Tikal for possibly the first time, and took in her features. She was about the same height as him, if a little smaller, with golden orange fur covering her body. Dreadlocks hung around her head like human hair, each with a white band wrapped around them. She wore clothes which weren't in the fashion for Mobian girls today, a creamy white top, a green checked skirt and white sandals. Her eyes were what took Shadow aback, a perfect sapphire blue that reminded him of the two friends he had loved and lost.

 

“Those eyes…” Shadow muttered vaguely, “They're like theirs… Maria… Molly…”

 

Tikal blushed, directing her eyes to her feet, not meeting Shadow's eyes, which were beginning to stare at her.

 

Shadow looked at Tikal, feeling something there, deep inside him. She had already proved to care for others, and she allowed him to talk to someone. And it helped. Something was beginning to bug Shadow.

Why does she resemble them so much? And why do I feel like this, when I never felt like it for Maria or Molly?

 

Shadow's blood red eyes found the floor, and he noticed Tikal was staring at the floor too. He blushed a little.

 

“I… Thank you, Tikal,” Shadow muttered vaguely. Tikal smiled deeply at the black and red hedgehog, “No problem.”

 

“No… this talk has opened my eyes. I'm not the only one in the world who has problems.”

 

Shadow's red eyes met Tikal's cerulean ones and blushes settled on their faces. Tikal gazed behind her, remembering that she had to return to Angel Island soon. Her heart pounded as Shadow gazed at her, and she didn't want to return at all.

 

“I… I have to go back soon…” Tikal said nervously.

 

“If you must,” Shadow said in a short, emotionless tone, but Tikal could tell he was disappointed. Tikal thought for a while, and a smile crossed her lips.

 

“But I think I'll stay a while,” she responded, taking his hand. Shadow's face went a bright red colour when Tikal planted a kiss on his cheek, “After all, you helped me too.”

 

A grin settled on Shadow's face for one of the few times in his life. Tikal could only grin at him, “You should smile more often, it suits you.”

Something in Shadow told him to smile, partly because he wanted to and partly because it made the pretty girl next to him smile.

 

They waited, sitting on the cliff, talking until the rain finally stopped, and the sun appeared through the clouds. The sun began to set all too soon, and Tikal got to her feet.

“I really must go now, but I hope we meet again, Shadow.”

 

Shadow was disappointed but smiled briefly, “I suppose I had better go too.”

 

Tikal got to her knees again in front of Shadow, looked at him briefly and kissed him on the lips. Shadow was taken aback, but began to kiss back. The kiss didn't last for long but it felt like an eternity to Shadow and Tikal. They broke off; Tikal got to her feet and walked away, a smile on her face that never left her lips.

 

Shadow's gaze followed her, and he smiled too. He took one last glance at Molly's memorial and smiled, knowing that he could now be at peace, “Until next time, Tikal the Echidna.”