Chapter Text
The one rule Sonic lived by was when it came down to fight or flight; always choose flight.
A lesson ground into him at an unfairly tender age. He was the only one of his kind, the only one could get away if he ran. And so, he was meant to run. Standing ground meant losing any advantage and losing your life. Running meant surviving to fight another day. It was not the coward’s way out, his guardian had explained. ”The bravest fighter counts for nothing when they’re dead.”
So he lived by that. Even if he had nothing at all, he had his freedom. He had the ability to run when others could no longer do so, and that was something he learned from a young age to never, ever take for granted. He often watched people struggling around him, who would look to the sky and beg for somewhere else they could flee to — to be like the avians that ruled Babylon — unable to understand that sentiment.
”Why?” he’d asked. ”Why wish for wings when you haven’t got any? I’ll run, on my own legs, for as long as it takes.”
Those bewildered looks, the jaded elders and hopeful youngsters. Most of them dead, now, probably. And he’d failed them, by being here.
Everything he knew, every rule he’d lived by, was meaningless now.
“I said hold him, soldier!”
“I’m— I’m trying, Captain, Sir!”
“If His Highness sees us struggling with this ingrate like a bunch of clowns, we risk our reputation as his most trusted guardsmen!”
“OW—! He— he fucking bit me!”
The doors to the Prince’s viewing chambers swung open — too early — just in time for the Captain of the guard to land a vicious backhanded blow across the hedgehog’s mouth. It was the sort of blow that sent most larger men flying onto their back. For the hedgehog, it sent him momentarily staggering sideways, but he did not fall. He returned upright, something defiant glittering in his gaze. Infuriated by what he saw there, the Captain slapped him again.
A thin thread of hysteria threatened, and he had to remind himself to stay in control, or this would be over all too quickly. He had enjoyed the Captain’s irritation, in the same way he had — perhaps masochistically — enjoyed the blow.
Blood welled from his newly cut lip; the Captain wore rings on his fingers.
“Bring him to His Highness’s feet,” the Captain spat.
There was a renewed struggle, now. The opulence of the royal viewing chambers dizzied his senses. The air was thick with good-smelling incense, and he was used to the wide, plain open land of sand and dunes and drab-colored buildings. Here were too many colors, and everything was patterns on patterns on patterns. There was nowhere for his eyes to rest, not even on the tiled flooring, which had small, brightly colored jewels in every connecting corner of the hall.
“Here he is, my Prince,” said the Captain with a flourish and a bow, pride swelling his words. “It is the nuisance who has thwarted your grand efforts for years. The Blue Phantom— and we have caught him in your honor.”
It had taken half the guard on patrol to wrangle him, and he resembled more a wild horse they’d snagged and dragged quite literally kicking and screaming than he did of the infamous rebel leader Prince Jet had assumed the phantom to be.
As a boy, Jet had once stood in awe as his father had ordered an untamed Arabian stallion trapped and brought in to be broken in for his personal use. It had reared, screamed, and broken bones with its hooves. Right now, Jet recalled that memory. Lashed by many ropes, the hedgehog rebel thrashed again when his furious green gaze met the Prince’s, and he tugged two men down with the motion in a burst of frantic activity.
A hedgehog of his size and stature should not have been this difficult to hold— but most hedgehogs didn’t possess the unnatural speed and strength this one appeared to.
“Stop that!” the Captain shouted, as if he could simply shout the hedgehog into submission— not that it had worked this far. “Before I dequill you right here for the amusement of the Prince!”
The rebel stopped, only because he’d been jerked sideways back into proper viewing position once the two fallen guards righted themselves, the yank to his lashed arms and body vengeful. Ears pinned and teeth bared hatefully, those eyes flashed with indignant anger at the Captain once more, breathing ragged and harsh. He said nothing, but then again, he didn’t need to; the look he gave was killing.
Righting himself, the Captain returned to bowing before his Prince.
“If it pleases you,” he said, “this one is called ‘Sonic.’ Certainly an unimaginative name,” he muttered the last, receiving a quiet snarl from the hedgehog.
Perhaps related to the current situation laid before his feet, it did not go unnoticed by Jet that the Captain’s favorite riding crop was snapped in half, dangling at his hip, or that one guard was nursing a bleeding mark on the top of his hand, or the dirty shoe print that was left on the front chest of his uniform.
“What would you have us do with him, my Prince?” He turned with a sadistic glee to sneer at the hedgehog. “His pelt is unlike any color that occurs in this region, almost as brilliant as yourself, my Prince. It would fetch an incredible price, if you did not wish to keep it among your own trophies.”
“Hedgehogs are not particularly common here either, my Prince,” said the one nursing a nasty bite, spitefully. “The quills may be worth even more than the skin.”
A new lunge, the guard letting out a little scream and scrambling back, dropping his end of the rope when the hedgehog shot toward him. The others shouted, half at their captor, half berating the negligent guard when they almost lost their hold as a result. The hedgehog was leering at the cowering guard with a vicious glee.
“…At any rate,” the Captain said, grimly, “It is good that he’s been brought in. As a flight risk, I highly suggest deciding on a course of action, soon.”
Jet sighed deeply, as if to show off his boredom in the potential face of danger. Rumored as he was, to have the Blue Phantom in the flesh in front of him should've been a massive moment to anyone around. This was the thing that was famous for the aura of mystery around it, only flashy unnatural colors and stories of mild acts of good around the poor whispered around the streets. Too quick for most to catch with an untrained eye, and it looked like the rat behind the mask had finally slipped up.
As the Prince of Babylon, it was his duty to run the lands. And having something so unpredictable was dangerous for the kingdom. It was unruly, irresponsible. A potential for power to rise up unexpectedly, and that was how kingdoms fell. Especially when there was already a resistance unhappy with his reign. Ugh. Jet had his best guards on the case to shut it down, and it seemed that this blue blur had finally came to a halting stop in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Now he was in Jet's talons, with fire in his eyes as if that was enough to start a spark and send the palace burning to the ground.
"A hedgehog, of all things. I had figured you weren't avian for your lack of flight, but I guess that explains why you've been such a prick in my side."
The prince mused as he uncrossed his legs to step out of his throne, coming closer to the wild captive even if the concern looks his guards gave him silently advised not to.
"You're probably just a bastard child who got told too many fairytales and now your head is in the clouds. Is that right? Perhaps if you beg I'll take mercy on you. Your speed is rather intriguing as it is... give me a reason I shouldn't heed my men's advice." He leered forwards, still out of attacking range but close enough to give the writhing body a good up and down.
Taking that lavish blue fur for his wall would be quite boastful. It suited something like the gifts and riches from neighboring kingdoms he had received before, but breathing live before him. And those eyes... Jet cracked a wide grin. He was too pretty for the vigilante life.
The hedgehog — Sonic — did not take well to being approached. He evidently held no regard for royalty, or perhaps he was showing Jet exactly what he thought. His teeth were bared, tilting up an arrogant chin, the prideful set of shoulders not hindered much at all by the rope restraining his upper body nor by the blood trailing down his chin. He met Jet’s stare, hard, saying without words, I’ll take you on, just take off the ropes.
“He isn’t much of a talker, this one,” one of the irritated guards muttered.
“That’s what you think,” said the guard with the shoe print on his chest. “You weren’t there when we first caught him. It was like he was trying to talk us to death.”
“It doesn’t matter,” the Captain snapped, whirling on his men. “This vermin knows better than to speak to his betters. My Prince—“ Returning his attention, “—I would not try to coax words out of this mongrel, he’s the most uncivilized animal we’ve ever caught, even amongst the rebels.”
“I don’t think it can talk,” drawled one of the older guards. “I think it’s broken.”
“Says you! This ingrate said things about my mother that no dignified person should ever say!”
While the guards squabbled, attentions swung away, Jet’s only warning was the briefest bunch of Sonic’s muscles before he lunged. The speed and suddenness of the way he threw himself dragged them bodily, and they tried to throw their weight back to stop him once they realized, but it was already too late—
He’d headbutted the Crown Prince.
It resonated with a loud crack in hall, servants screaming as if Jet had just been killed, every guard posted lunging to attention with furious outrage.
Sonic was smirking down at him, apparently unfazed by the brutal hit to his own head.
“I’ll tell you what you can do with your ‘mercy,’” the insolent hedgehog said, grinning. “You can use it in place of your Captain’s horse whip, and screw yourself.”
Pandemonium.
“You,” the Captain seethed, stepping in to protect his Prince, “Insolent—“ He reached for the belt of the nearest guard he saw, filching the crop he found there and cracked it across his own thigh before pointing it at the hedgehog, “—Vapid creature! It’s death to lay a hand to the Prince! Hold him!”
It seemed he was planning on taking Sonic’s suggestion with the horse whip, approaching him, red in the face and rearing back to strike that sneering, pretty face—
But Sonic was not afraid of something like a whip. With the temporary confusion and activity his little stunt erupted in the hall, Sonic took advantage and did the one thing that made catching hedgehogs nearly impossible. He curled up, twisting and shredding through the ropes with his quills, which rendered his arms freed. With them pulled taut before it had been impossible to move his body, but the slack provided by the confusion gave him the only opening he needed.
Forget this palace, forget the Prince. I’ll be gone before they can even kiss his forehead better.
There was a deafening crack that echoed throughout the hall, servants leaping out of his way and guards fruitlessly throwing themselves to try and stop him, but he was too fast. Grinning, adrenaline pumped— Once he was free, there was nothing that could stop him.
He burst through the doors of the viewing room so that they nearly broke on their hinges. He could almost smell the fresh air of the outside before he even got out of the palace. Freedom was within his grasp; told himself it had never been out of his grasp.
Jet yelped in pain as the fool had the nerve to make a break for it, hands covering the blow to his head as his vision blurred for a minute. Holy shit. But he wasn't quite down for the count yet, stumbling back as one of the guards helped him stay on his feet.
"Get him! If he leaves it's your lives on the line!" He shouted as he was held back to receive medical care. As much as he would've liked to hop on his board and ride after him... he'd do that another day.
Being brought back to his throne, he groaned, pinching between his eyes.
"Lucky bastard. Bring him to me no matter what it takes. Alive." An odd request for someone who just made an attempt on a royal's life, but Jet wanted to personally be there to see to his fate. Death by a guard just wasn't good enough, not for him.
"Your highness, he's already made it to the gates it seems-- he's the Blue Phantom. It won't be long until he vanishes." The guard next to him spoke, and Jet would've thrown something out of anger if his head didn't pound so bad.
"Are you stupid? Send in our own hedgehog then, damn it!"
Somewhere deeper into the catacombs underneath the palace, Shadow trailed his fingertips over the latest shipment of equipment.
He was checking for irregularities, imperfections, quality…and of course, taking proper care to put each tool in it's place for when it would be put to use. Leathers and twines, waxes and iron rods.
Such primal tools. Things that anyone could use, but only someone specialized could take to their fullest advantage.
His peace was interrupted as footsteps quickly padded along the stone floors, and a lone ear turned towards the scuffle of shoes before the rest of his body did.
"And what could be so important as to interrupt my work..?" Shadow drawled on first, raising a brow at the two guards panting in effort in front of him.
"Our apologies, Master Shadow, but you're needed at the gates. A prisoner is escaping and he's quite fast, he might be gone by now even. It's the Prince's orders, he asked for you to take care of the situation. We're sorry..!"
Shadow exhaled a little too strongly out his nose as he waved a hand up, brushing off their urgency.
"Tch. I really wish his Highness would hire some more competent help these days,” he complained, picking something else off the table he was previously leaning over. A golden emerald, seemingly glowing off the candlelight in the dimmed room.
"Very well. As he commands.”
He dismissed his out of breath company, and with a whisper of a spell, evaporated into nothing but light.
When he reappeared the very next moment, it was outside. Now what on earth was going on..?
A blue streak caught his eye, and Shadow smiled.
The Prince had his grips on the Blue Phantom, here in the flesh. No wonder they called for him. His annoyance drifted away as he debated the worth of the task. This might actually be amusing work, for once.
He quickly dashed into action, his boots lighting up with magic underneath him to help push him forward. Right next to this blue streak, making out the body leading the front of it.
Shadow didn't say anything or give himself an introduction to his target. He merely dived towards the ground and steadied himself a mere few inches in front of the other hedgehog, and using his upper body to hold himself against the grass, used the entirety of his upper body to send the blue streak tripping. And that would easily allow him enough time to subdue his prey.
Run. No matter what, you have to keep running. Do not stop to fight, do not stop to—
A wretched yelp escaped Sonic as he tripped. At the velocity he was going, he landed hard, and the ground burned where his body slid quite some distance before he knew what was happening. He was agile, he was perceptive— he didn’t trip. He’d been focused, had only seen the endless stretch of land the moment he’d escaped from behind the gates, so what could he have possibly missed?
Experience told him to roll rather than lay there and parse out what happened, to avoid whatever attack typically came after one’s enemy tried to incapacitate you. He was back on his feet in the blink of an eye, a motion anyone would have missed.
Anyone except for the hedgehog who had, against all odds, caught up to him. Sonic righted himself slowly, quite a bit of distance between them, but if this person could match his speed somehow, was no distance at all.
The stranger’s body was almost imperceptible in the dark, if not for the flashes of red denoting there was someone there, and not some phantom. And in his hand— a glittering, massive jewel that seemed to pulse with energy. That very energy sang inside his own body, responding to it, beckoning, despite the danger its wielder posed.
Green eyes were wide with the briefest moment of fright and confusion, until that fear was shoved firmly back with sheer, impossible willpower. Speed or no, magic or no— this stranger was just one of many obstacles to his freedom. Sonic couldn’t afford to be taken in by the grandeur of his sudden mystifying appearance.
His eyes narrowed viciously and he took off again, kicking up a violent burst of sand that flung back onto the black hedgehog. Sand was possibly the worst terrain to run on— and it was what he’d spent most of his life running on. It accelerated him on solid ground, but he still had gone untouched even on the worst of grounds.
At least, he had before tonight.
Impressive, was the first thought through Shadow's head at the sheer recovery time the other had. His next move would not be so simple.
Before the sand could land back on the ground or onto his fur, he disappeared and reappeared again— this time in a lunge directly into the other hedgehog. If sending him rolling alone would prove useless, then Shadow would take it upon himself to roll with him until he stopped moving.
The velocity and their impact meeting in a loud crack to anyone else, and Shadow braced his quills as he predictably tumbled backwards, emerald safe in his quills as he gripped his claws into a peach-furred chest. After quite a roll down a dune, Shadow used his strength to shove the other hedgehog beneath him, and his weight to keep him there.
His energy was…interesting. Even more so than the show of power he held. As if it were its own power source. That could serve useful to his research on energies and wielding them to his will.
The next thing Sonic would see is crimson eyes glaring down at him skeptically, as Shadow quite literally worked his magic to weaken him.
"I do hope the prince isn't dead set on killing you," Shadow spoke, his voice low and warning. Though he hadn't said exactly why.
Another inaudible spell, and Shadow took his captive back to the palace. A few guards jumped at their sudden appearance, weapons drawn in case of another breakout attempt.
"Relax," Shadow called them off, light working around fingertips as he somehow sucked the very force out of Sonic, working them in a chained link around his wrists and ankles. "He's subdued. You're welcome."
"…What the hell..?" Another guard looked skeptical.
"Temporary inhibitors. I'm using his own force against him. They'll wear off when he does."
Shadow didn't like to have to explain his actions, but it was the best way to keep wariness off his back about it. He wanted to get out of here, and present a job done to the green pest that sent him out in the first place.
The rogue hedgehog had thrashed and growled angrily under Shadow, indignant and furious at finding himself trapped again. What the hell? he wanted to scream. Who was this guy?
He wouldn’t have a chance to even make a snarky comeback— his body went abruptly limp under Shadow, like the breath had been punched from his chest. Fatigue hit, and all the fight drained from his body. What…the hell…
Sonic had never before blacked out, but today was proving itself to be a day of firsts. He struggled to hold onto consciousness, but perhaps it would’ve been better to not be aware of his own return back to that wretched palace, with that wretched Prince Jet.
He groaned quietly, twitched and tried to wriggle free, and while he could resist to an impressive degree considering Shadow’s ability to use his own body’s power against him, he only succeeded in wearing himself out further, dropping heavy and limp against him once more. His breathing was heavy, but it did nothing to help his situation.
I should never have left the compound today, he thought dreadfully. If only I’d…
No. No point in regretting now. He couldn’t save himself by dwelling on what he’d done wrong. He had to keep his head and stay calm. There was no cage, no situation he’d never escaped from before.
…He’d also never dealt with arrogant Princes or their witchy hedgehogs before, though. And currently, keeping his head was proving difficult. Every little ache hurt, from the beating he’d gotten by the guard, to the lines of deep bruising caused by the too-tight bindings, and then getting pummeled into the dirt not once, but twice.
He blearily recognized the palace tiles underfoot, groaning again and making a renewed struggle; which, in his state, could only be achieved by flexing a little, a weak attempt at thrashing his body that went nowhere. When he saw the boots of the prince again, he could’ve laughed, if he’d had the energy to.
"The runaway, your Highness. He shouldn't be able to hurt you know, but once he passes out my hold on him will disappear, so make your judgements now."
Shadow lightly bowed his head as he was having to hold their hostage up on his feet, one arm around his back and the other firmly holding onto his upper arm.
Jet however did laugh, softly as he winced. There was a good sized lump forming in the middle of his skull now from the blow Sonic gave him.
"If anyone could, Shadow. You'll be rewarded for your troubles, of course, of course..."
Stepping around the two hedgehogs, Jet seemed to take a moment in thought. Punishments; sentences, likely.
The easy go-to was death. It didn't matter particularly how. Sonic has indeed warranted it from his escape attempt and battery on the bloodline. But.. there were fates worse than death.
Death was a release. The Blue Phantom in particular, had been popular with rumors of a free kingdom, one where the people governed their own destinies, for life and for freedom.
So how ironic would it be for him to pull this stunt?
Jet wanted to make an example out of that pretty blue mess of quills. He wanted to see the legend at the bottom of his throne, forgetful of the rebellion of his past life and what he stood for, once upon a time. He wanted those emerald eyes cast to the floor, only peering up when the prince gave him the opportunity to be held by him, and how much adoration he'd hold for the hawk in those moments.
Something so dangerous made into his personal pet. The itch Jet felt for collecting rare treasures nagged at him, what would be more priceless than this particular rebel moaning his name on silk sheets?
"He's rather pretty, isn't he? Just look at that color, wouldn't you agree?" Jet dared to pet his hand over a wilted blue ear, watching it twitch under the attention.
"...Yes, your Highness. You don't often see such bright tones here in the desert," Shadow replied flatly. "Are you to have him taxidermied, perhaps?"
"Geezus, Shadow." Jet shook his head. "That's not only morbid, but kind of creepy. I guess I shouldn't be surprised when it comes to you, though." His hand traveled underneath Sonic's chin, holding the heavy head up and smirking at his sorry state. His skull felt better already. "No. In fact, I want him alive."
"Color me surprised. Where shall his place be? For the speed and strength I was shown, he'd do well as a messenger if made agreeable."
"I want him at my feet," Jet cooed as he turned away, letting Sonic's head woefully drop back down in his tired spell. "I want him in my bed."
He sauntered back up his throne, taking a seat back down.
Shadow merely watched the bird prance around, seemingly unbothered.
"My prince," He said firmly. "Jet. You cannot be serious. You're lucky to not have had your skull shattered, and you want to make a bed mate out of him?"
"But isn't that the point?" Jet marveled back, his objective set. And it was hard to talk the stubborn prince out of something he had his desires set on. "Something so powerful... brought to his knees, with only the knowledge to beg for more. You can't tell me I'm crazy for that, I see how you get hungry for power yourself."
"I..." Shadow scoffed.
He really couldn't argue with that, even without the consideration of royal status preventing him to. So he simply dropped his rejection of it. If it went poorly, then the hedgehog would be put to death. Simple as that. But now that meant someone would have to break him in, and...
"I assume you're not just going to let me return to my duties after this, are you?"
Jet hummed in affirmation, easing back into his seat.
"Who better than my most trusted slave trainer? Not to mention the very one to actually be able to get a hold on the Blue Phantom. The grip will get easier the less slippery he becomes, or something convoluted you say like that. So go forge up some documents for him. I trust you won't disappoint me with your work."
A single hand shooed them away, and Shadow bowed his head once more as he turned to leave.
"Do I have a time limit?" He paused as he asked, still facing away from the lax prince.
"As long as you eventually bring him to me with the promise to reliably bed him, then no. Do what you will, as you must. You're a treasure to me, Shadow."
The dark hedgehog held back rolling his eyes. It was presumable that Jet would put more of a burden on his already full hands, but…this time, he wasn't sure if he minded it.
Sensing the energy radiating off the cuffs he had forged on his newest slave, it wouldn't prove an entire waste of time, he supposed.