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What was that dude’s name? Sonic honestly couldn’t remember, though, he wasn’t too sure if he was ever actually told so he’ll be lenient on himself. However, it seemed that Knuckles knew exactly who he was… ‘The Goat Milker.’ Which… didn’t make any sense, like, at all. But Sonic supposes that ultimately names didn’t matter as he knew this goat milker worked for Robotnik. And given that they were just attacked by his drones… he could put two and two together.
The human spoke, repeating what Knuckles just said in a mocking tone which wasn’t that smart. Because the Echidna had a short fuse and punched really hard, though admittedly, it has gotten a lot longer so Sonic will give credit where credit is due. But enough of that, he has seen loads of movies so he knows exactly what this person wants.
“Sorry goat milker dude. But you’re not getting the key.”
“Key? What are you even talking about?” Sonic glanced at Tails and Knuckles and he knew that he already had their support for what he was about to do. Cause come on, there’s no way this evil goat man doesn’t want the key to the super duper weapon that g.u.n made. And he is not going to fall for that poorly thought out plan by the human.
“Don’t act like you don’t know…” Sonic reached around and dug through his quills to find it. It looked like Tails was about to support him and definitely not tell him to stop, so there was that encouragement. He finally gripped something cold and hard and ripped it forward with an exclamation. “This key!” As he was showing off the key, it kinda sorta possibly flew from his grasp and clinked once against the dock before plopping into the cold water of the Pacific below. Oppsies.
His jaw dropped before he looked back to Knuckles then Tails. He got a, “Sonic!” and a, “Hedgehog…”. But in his defense, Commander Walters really shouldn’t have trusted him with something valuable like that. He is just a kid after all, so he really can’t be blamed. Sonic would come to realize that no, the goat milker wasn’t even after the key, so he did that for literally no reason. And apparently Eggman was alive… Which he didn’t buy as he was pretty sure the evil doctor got crushed. But then a giant crab appeared out of nowhere and eggman was actually alive and as a result of that bombshell information… he just kinda forgot about the whole key thing. Then they went on a whole mission only to get captured, though he put up an awesome and spectacular fight against Shadow. And it wasn’t until the older and uglier (somehow) Eggman was talking about some evil death ray thing did Sonic remember the key again. And he was put in a tight spot where Shadow demanded the key, which is where he currently is at… Now we are all caught up.
Sonic eyed the mean hedgehog machine as he dug through the bag, looking for the key that Tails dropped into the ocean. He had to bite his tongue from making a comment about how it is currently getting a bath as he doubts that it will go over well. Maybe they will actually buy his first excuse about being dumb enough to bring the key with them… Or maybe not.
Shadow pushed the bag back in a bit of frustration before the hedgehog stepped back to be in front of him. “Where is it.” His tone made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t asking.
“I told you. We didn’t bring it with us- Hey!” As he was mid lie, Shadow leaned down and started to rummage through his quills. Sonic flinched and braced himself for the following pain that was surely to come of someone just ripping and tearing through his quills without care. But oddly enough, the pain never came. Which was extra surprising because while he didn’t know much about Shadow, he was sure that Shadow did not care if he caused discomfort or pain. Seeing as Shadow did beat him up for no reason… and with much difficulty, Sonic would add to his retelling of the story.
But Shadow handled his quills with care, going with them and not against them. It was… not bad and dare he say, pleasant. Sonic shuddered a little and tried to take back control of the situation, “At least buy me dinner first.” And he was only half joking because he was actually feeling a bit peckish. Who knew getting tied up could make someone so hungry? Maybe Shadow could buy him some chili dogs. Mhmm… Chili dogs… Now those were an excellent choice, however, a thought quickly crossed Sonic’s mind. Did Shadow have any money? Probably not. Especially if he was frozen in a tube for a- “Ow!” His thoughts ceased as Shadow very deliberately and roughly pulled on some of his quills before taking a step back. That was certainly rude, and uncalled for. “Come on dude. Can’t you just chill out a little?” His brain caught up with his mouth as he recalled Commander Walter’s previous words about Shadow’s tragic past and imprisonment. But before he could do a takebacksies.
Shadow raised a hand that Sonic thought was about to meet his face, but the strike never came, “Chill out? For 50 years I’ve relived what they did to her! And I’m not going to stop until I get my revenge and I will destroy anyone who gets in my way.” Who is they? It was the first thing that popped into Sonic’s mind, but he couldn't linger on it because a disgusting, slimy, and downright creepy voice entered the air. The second being the whole ‘destroy anyone’, because Sonic was pretty sure that he qualifies under ‘anyone’ and ‘getting in the way’. And he didn’t really want to get destroyed.
“Don’t be so emotional my boy. You will get your revenge soon enough…” Shadow was kinda blocking his vision with how close he was standing to him, basically on top of him. Like, give a hedgehog some space, but Sonic managed to look between Shadow’s legs to see the older Eggman slowly creep towards them, “Our guests are simple minded creatures, but even that may be praise. They simply don’t understand the urgency of the matter.” Simple minded? He’s not simple minded. He’s smart and intelligent.,, and handsome… and cool… and super duper fast.
“Ha! You think your weak insults have any effect on us?” Knuckles boasted from the side of him, and Sonic had too agree. He totally wasn’t bothered by that at all. But what he was bothered by, was what Knuckles said next, and he could feel the violet… and probably violent too, eyes on the back of his head “You think they have an affect on me? I am an Echidna warrior, I am not affected by words.” Mmmmm. Sonic wasn’t too sure about that, however, he is the best man to ever wing so he’ll keep his muzzle shut.
“The big dumb red one…” Eggman walked up to his… dad or something, “I totally tricked that one into bringing me the Master Emerald and almost destroying that wretched rodent.”
“You did not trick me!... You deceived me, there is a difference.” Eggman said something else, probably mocking Knuckles, which Sonic will not let slide. He has got to defend his homie.
“Yeah… And how did that go again? Oh, I remember, you took a long fall… And now you’re fat.” A tiny bit juvenile but it got the job done. Eggman sneered at him.
“Perhaps they don’t have the key… Maybe their owners have it? Maybe we should pay them a visit." Sonic didn’t have time to consider if he should be offended or not by Eggman calling Tom and Maddie his owners. His quills bristled and energy arced through them as he responded, sharp and straight to the point.
“You go anywhere near them and I’ll bury you myself.” Knuckles also chimed in.
“There’ll be nothing left to bury.” Perhaps a little too extreme but Sonic could get behind that.
“Grandpapa-o! The rats are being mean to me!” Eggman fake whined… or at least Sonic hoped that was fake whining. If not, that was really pathetic, and something that he should make fun of. But before he could, Eggman’s grandpa spoke.
“There. There. My sweet little grandson.” He thinks he just threw up in his mouth a little. “ Very soon these… rats… will no longer be able to hurt you ever again… Nothing will.” Robotnik begin to geek out but Sonic turned his attention to Shadow, his eyes traveled up the body and their eyes met for just a second before Sonic quickly looked back down. He wanted to know if Shadow was not the least bit bothered by him being called a rat. He didn’t see any in the split second their eyes met… Which was a little bit disappointing. Sure, Shadow tried to kill him and beat him up. But they’re both hedgehogs here. Shadow could stick up for him a little. Besides. an insult to one hedgehog, it is an insult to them all. Philosophy that Shadow apparently didn’t live by. However Shadow did apparently live by the ‘stand waaay too close to someone’ philosophy. As the Robotniks walked closer, Shadow’s body blocked them. And he couldn’t even look straight ahead because he’d be looking straight at Shadow’s… yeah…
“Now… Enough of this delay. You will tell us where the key is now or you will experience the most-”
“Yeah I’m sorry. Can I just butt in real quick?” Sonic interrupted the fossil with his ‘question’. It’s in quotes because Sonic wasn't actually asking if he could interrupt. He looked up at Shadow and ignored the slight burning in his cheeks because he’s in the right. Shadow is standing way too close to him and it shouldn't be embarrassing to ask him to move. “Dude will you like-” Shadow’s brows rose ever so lightly, either in surprise in being addressed, or the fact that he was just called dude. “-You know… move out the way? Not stand so close to me? I mean you’re basically on top of me and it’s kinda distracting with your crotch being all in front of my face and everything.” A very slight pause, “I mean- You know what I mean. It’s not like… distracting-distracting- Just have some decency!” That was painful, but Sonic showed some follow through and kept his eyes locked with Shadow’s. Who for once, didn’t seem angry or full of rage, they seemed mostly confused. But he could be completely wrong, so who knows?
“Get your mind out of the gutter. You weakling.” That was mean, and very unnecessary… and untrue! He was not thinking of it like that! In fact, if there was a gutter, his mind was 10 million-billion-trillion miles away! But, as he was opening his mouth, Shadow, to the evil hedgehog’s credit, did step away. However, the view that met him, that being Eggman and his grandpa, almost had Sonic asking Shadow to step back in front of him. Which would have been a little bit awkward cause he just made a deal about Shadow standing in front and basically flashing him. Sonic decided not to ask, and Eggman’s grandpa once again spoke up. And the blue hedgehog, for all of his so called lack of ‘social cues’ could immediately tell he was more upset now than earlier. And also the fact that gramps addressed him directly.
“Open your mouth again boy and you’ll lose your tong-”
“Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait. Can I say one more thing? Then I’ll let you do your evil monologue uninterrupted." Eggman’s grandpa straightened out his lab coat.
“Very well. What is this… thing that is important enough for you to interrupt me.”
“Uhmm… I have to pee.” Sonic wasn’t trying to make a joke or anything. He actually had to go. But he could tell by the angry and slightly disbelieving faces of his enemies, they must have thought he was kidding. “I’m not joking. I had some tea earlier and it went right through me. Plus this giant chain… which… where did you even get it from?” He shot Shadow a raised brow, because where did he get this chain from? However, not to derail his current conversation, Sonic quickly shook his head, “Nevermind that. This chain is pushing down on my bladder… and… cant we just take 5? I promise I'll let you tie me up again once I'm done. Since you seem to enjoy doing that so much.” Shadow’s face didn’t really change, which was kinda creepy. As creepy as his love for restraining people? Sonic isn’t too sure. But he’s not crazy in his observation. First Shadow handcuffs him, then he chained him up… with Knuckles and Tails, no less… but also, the most damning piece of evidence, was that Shadow also tied up the goat milker for some reason. Aren’t they on the same team?! So using his powerful deductive reasoning… which quite possibly, is on par or even suppresses Sherlock Holmes. Sonic could tell that Shadow enjoyed tying people up. Now, did that help at all with his current predicament? That being, he had to pee. No, not at all.
Sonic leaned his head back as he waited for his very reasonable request to be accepted. Shadow stepped forward and by the glare that was blistering down on him. Sonic was sixty- no, ninety three percent sure that he would not be untied. However, he could still cling onto that seven percent. Shadow turned his head to the humans as he spoke.
“Can’t we just destroy them now? They’re clearly of no use to us.” That certainly didn’t sound good. Tails and Knuckles are just sitting ducks chained up like this. Sonic was pretty sure he could reach a ring in Tail’s bag, he just didn’t exactly know where to use. He went through possible scenarios in his head while his enemies plotted.
“Not yet Shadow. We need to get the key. Then you’ll get what I promised.” Shadow grunted and turned back to glare at him. Which was very uncool as he didn’t even do anything to deserve that. Sonic does suppose he did technically drop that key that they are after. But they would have had no way of knowing that and he intended to keep it that way. Cause even he wasn’t dumb enough to-
“Do you mean the key that the Commander gave Sonic?” Sonic did not like the words coming out of Knuckle’s mouth. He shook his head as best as he could, quills scrapping against the concrete pillar, but there was no stopping the echidna’s big mouth. Loud boisterous laughs escaped Knuckle’s as he spilled the beans, “The hedgehog dropped the key into the ocean! He is so clumsy and weak!” Sonic closed his eyes for a second. First of all, that ‘weak’ was totally uncalled for and very untrue. Secondly. Uh-oh.
“Do you take us for fools?” The old man kinda snarled at them. “There is no way that even a prokaryotic level organism like yourself would do such a preposterous action. You are trying to stall.” The fossil stepped forward and Sonic was absolutely fine with that. Despite the funky smell. As long as he thought that Knuckles was lying. The chances of them losing their cool and making any irrational decisions. Like destroying them, was pretty low.
“Not so fast grandpapeo. The red one has an uncivilized sense of honor. It wouldn’t lie about something like that.” That wasn’t good.
“Actualy Eggman-... Eggmen? Knuckles here is quite the deceiver. And he would definitely, without a doubt, lie about me dropping the key. In fact. He once actually-”
“Silence rodent. You will answer me yes or no. Did you drop the key?”
“I mean… technically? An argument could be made that I dropped it. But I think we need to-” At that, Eggman’s pops exploded. Metaphorically of course, as actually exploding would be quite messy and gross.
“You absolute imbecile! Do you have any idea what you did?!” His face was about as red as a tomato as he continued to shout. “For fifty years I plotted this- I’ve rotted away in a cell. The only thing keeping me going was the revenge that I would enact against this world. I-” The old man took a deep breath. “Destroy them, Shadow. We’ll soon find another way to punish the world. But these… creatures. Can be destroyed now.” Someone better think of something quick. He would, be he needs to try to talk a very angry hedgehog down from making a decision that everyone would regret.
Sonic focused solely on Shadow, letting the two evil scientists fade away. “You don’t have to do this, Shadow. You don’t have to get revenge. I know you’re hurting but this isn’t the way.” Shadow took a single step towards him, orange energy crackling throughout him.
“You know nothing! For fifty years I relived what they did to her. This pain... Anger that I feel is all I know. And I’m not gonna let you or anyone else stop me from getting revenge.” Not the best start to be honest, but Sonic was sure he could salvage it. Maybe… probably…
“I know what it’s like to lose someone. We all do.” He used his head to tilt to Knuckles and Tails. “But doing this? Hurting innocent people? That isn’t what she would have wanted.” A risky move Sonic would admit to himself. Using his vast detective skills. He assumed that the girl in the photo with Shadow was the same one that he lost. And she looked kind, hopefully some of that kindness leaked into Shadow. And maybe it did… But he probably made a mistake mentioning her.
The energy around Shadow amplified and his orange eyes flashed red. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you…” There was a quaver in the voice and if he wasn’t focused solely on Shadow, Sonic would have definitely missed it. And he didn’t know if that was the way to get to Shadow. But it was a crack and sometimes a crack was all that was needed.
“If you think that I deserve to die- that if she would have wanted you to kill me. Then do it. Kill me. If pain and anger is all you feel then do it, you should have no problem doing it.” Shadow took another step forward, fist clenched and formed into a fist. His teeth gritted against each other and he made some noise between a snarl and a grunt. Before the fist slowly lowered. Sonic let out a small sigh of relief but he probably shouldn’t have. As he may have been the angel on Shadow’s shoulder, there was also a devil.
“What are you doing Shadow? Destroy them. They took away your ability to get revenge. To get what you deserve.” The good news was that Shadow didn’t seem immediately convinced to get back to destroying him and his compadres.
“Professor…I… Is this what Maria really would have wanted? I don’t know if I-” Shadow’s ears tilted ever so down as he was loudly interrupted.
“It isn’t about what she would have wanted! It’s about what humanity deserves, for taking her away from us! Do you not want revenge?” Shadow sounded a little more sure of himself when he responded and Sonic didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.
“I do. I want it more than anything. I need this pain to go away.” Sonic interjected.
“Revenge isn’t the way Shadow. It won’t make your pain go away.”
Shadow turned back towards him, “Then what will!?”
“Making new-”
“Don’t listen to him, Shadow. How could he possibly know what you’ve gone through? He’s just trying to save himself.” To an extent that’s true. He is trying to save him and his brothers. But he also wanted to help Shadow. He could see now beneath all that anger and violence. Shadow was just confused and angry. Just like he was when he came to Earth. Well, he was more scared but that's really just apples and oranges.
“Please Shadow, listen to me.” Sonic paused and only continued when Shadow’s eyes met his, “You don’t have to take revenge. I'm not saying you have to forget or forgive. But maybe just put this entire revenge thing on pause for a little. Till you find out what your heart wants to do.” Man, he gave himself goosebumps. He really should think about a career as an inspirational speaker. But enough of the self glaze. The eggmen began to talk, but Sonic ignored them and he thinks that Shadow did too.
“I don’t think i can. This pain, it's too much.”
“Then let us help you. We-” Whatever Sonic was going to say was interrupted by a loud noise and hot sparks that singed his fur slightly. Sonic squinted and turned away from the sparks because what the hell was happening? He could make out Knuckles, so it wasn’t the echidna doing anything. So it must have been Tails.
“What are you doing?” He could make out a voice but not who’s as whatever the fox was doing, was super loud. However, despite being startled and kinda at a loss of what is happening. Sonic knew that Tails had to be helping them somehow. So he probably needed to buy some time. Through his squinted eyes he could make out Shadow moving closer to Tails. Which is the opposite of what Sonic wanted. But what Shadow didn’t know, is that Sonic the Hedgehog never skips leg day.
Thanks to yoga with Maddie. He was able to move his legs and use them to wrap around one of Shadow’s legs. The striped hedgehog must have not anticipated that because while he didn’t fall, he did stumble ever so gently. Which is a total victory in Sonic’s book. But in hindsight, he probably should have thought about what would have happened next. Shadow’s head snapped towards him and he did not look happy in the least. At first he just tried kicking his trapped leg free but Sonic did not relent. In fact, the blue hedgehog was so caught up with trapping Shadow, he didn’t feel the chains around him loosen.
Shadow raised his free foot and began to stomp down on Sonic’s leg. Sonic braced for impact and his entire body tensed up. The only thought going through his head was worry for his beautiful fragile legs, so he could be forgiven for not feeling the chain slide across his chest as if someone was pulling it.
Sonic did however, notice the chain on a path to where Shadow was standing. He had absolutely no clue what was happening, but he won’t complain in the least. Especially when Shadow must have noticed the chain flying towards him and teleported back.
“Sonic!” His ears turned then his head when he heard Tails speak up and he saw what the fox wanted. His two fluffy golden tails were already spinning and he had a hand reached down. Sonic grabbed the hand and was pulled up from his seated position just enough so that when he let go. He was able to land in a standing position next to Knux, who was holding that chain like a weapon. Which… Sonic supposes that it is a weapon.
He side eyed Tails who just got done putting something back in his bag. Maybe whatever cut them free- which he will take complete credit for. Cause if he didn’t keep them distracted Tails wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do whatever he did. But there would be time to gloat later.
“You liar. You’re no different from gun.” Shadow snarled at them but he got the feeling that it was mostly directed at him.
“I would love to stay and chat but I think it’s time I execute an ancient battle strategy thousands of years old.” Shadow looked like he was ready to pounce any moment. Knuckles looked like he wanted Shadow to attack, but he had different plans. He dropped the ring that he snagged from Tail’s bag right under their feet. There could always be more time to battle. But with the gun superweapon not available because of the missing key. Sonic thought it was best to regroup. So he thought of home and the ring opened up.
He didn’t really want to leave on such a hostile note with Shadow. But maybe the hedgehog will cooldown before their next encounter. He did a quick check for Tails and Knuckles as they landed on their living room floor. As long as they’re together then they’ll be able to take whatever Eggmen, Shadow, and the goat milker could throw at them.