These back streets are so puzzling and annoying, and though I'm grateful for the much calmer quiet they bring, the stifled sounds of the city seem eerie. I can't be too terribly far away from the coffee shop, and I know I'm in the same city because the sky hasn't changed, but the bustling cars and all the people's chatter sounds miles away. My tea is gone, finished a while ago, and I deposited the cup in someone's dumpster; my hands are shaking slightly, and I still don't feel entirely steady, but I'm better off now that some time has passed. The adrenaline is fading, replaced with a duller, flat feeling, as if the grey of all the concrete has soaked into me. The air is still, dead, not even an occasional breeze disturbing my fur as I walk lazily forward. Truth be told, I have about no clue where I am nor why I'm here, though it really doesn't bother me. My head tilts back to look up at the sky, at the looming buildings, and my steps slow to a stop. I could vanish here, I realize, vision slowly blurring. I could just lose myself in this grey, and they'd never find me... My hazy memory flickers back to last night, to what Rouge was thinking—she wished for me to be gone, she wants me out of her life. My brows furrow; carefully I weigh my options. If I leave, maybe this will all end—maybe she'll be alright without me, maybe I'm the reason that she's in danger in the first place—but if I'm wrong... If I'm wrong... My throat closes, and I let my head fall back to earth. If I'm wrong, I won't be able to protect her from whatever's going on, not if I'm not at her side.

Rather abruptly, I become aware of how tired my legs feel; looking about, I blink, forcing my eyes to refocus, but the alley before me holds nothing but a lone dented streetlamp, some mysterious stains and a beat-up garbage can. I should keep moving, I tell myself, forcing my feet to start walking again. My legs feel wooden, my skull made of lead, and suddenly all I want to do is sleep. I need more coffee, I decide, picking up the pace. It's only about noon or so, and I got up just a mere few hours ago. I just need to wake up. Accelerating to a run, I check left and right at every intersection, looking for a busier street, but not having much luck; ahead of me, however, the street seems a bit more active, so I start to apply the brakes, gradually slowing down to a normal pace again in order to merge with all the traffic on the sidewalk. Effortlessly I slide into the flow of the crowd, pulling my hood back up for fear of having another group of humans descend on me like those in the coffee shop... Just thinking about it sends a shudder up my spine. Speaking of that, though, I muse silently, letting my eyes wander about again, is there another shop around here? Stifling a yawn, I cup my hand over my mouth, feeling weirdly exhausted. I should find one....

--------------------------

Eight cups of coffee is a mistake, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

My hands won't stop shaking, and I can't hold still for more than a minute before my muscles start to spasm; coherent thoughts aren't forming easily anymore, walking in a straight line is a complete impossibility and oh my God my heart is going to explode out of my chest at any second. On the plus side, I think I can see sound. Just kidding, my vision's simply too blurry thanks to my eyeballs sliding around, and I can hardly see anything clearly. My head pounds, and I feel so dizzy that I keep stumbling around and staggering like an idiot. The sun's setting, casting an orange glow over everything, which isn't helping me at all; fortunately, there's been an odd lull in traffic. Must be the dinner hour, I decide, tripping a bit. Where am I going, again? Straightening up, I look around, letting my jaw hang slack a little as the gears in my head turn. Oh, that's right, I'm going home, since it's getting late. Or is it getting early? Turning back, I squint at the sun, stopping to stare at it. No, I was right the first time, it's setting, not rising. Whirling back round, I set off again on my quest, slithering past puzzled-looking people milling about. Wait, wait, wait—I stop again, head whirling around, surveying my surroundings. Where am I? Sweat rolls down my forehead as I start to pant, feeling weirdly hot. I've gotten all turned around...

The crowd parts to move around me, giving me plenty of space; my eyes won't focus long enough to pick out any details, and in any case, all the street signs are too goddamned tall for me to read. Oh, shit, how am I gonna get home? Turning around and around and around, like some sort of very unstable carousel, I search desperately for something that could help me, and it's only after about ten minutes of this ridiculousness that I hit an epiphany: I am a dumbass. Slamming my palm into my forehead, I groan aloud. What am I doing, standing around out here panicking? I can just teleport to my front door! With a brilliant flash of light and the ear-popping whoosh of a change in fluid pressure, I face-plant into the door of Rouge's club. It's closed right now, naturally, but I've a set of keys that I managed to remember today; scrabbling about in my pockets, I search valiantly, nose still pressed into the cool glass door as I wheeze uncontrollably. This isn't fun, I whine inwardly, finally tugging the keys from my pocket, jamming first the key to the apartment itself, then the key to the stairs, and finally the proper key into the keyhole. A bit of fiddling later, and the door swings open, dumping me onto the ground.

"Whoops," I mutter out loud, dragging myself off the floor. The door clangs shut behind me, and I lock it before turning around and making my way across the club's floor. It's empty, much to my luck, and so I make it all the way to the door to the stairs without incident. Unfortunately, once I get to there, it's time for Shadow Doesn't Know How Keys Fucking Work, Part Two, as I fumble about and drop them not once, not twice, but three whole times before finally opening the goddamn door. I didn't sign up for this much work, I wail to myself, huffing and puffing my way up the horrible stairs, heart still doing some crazy Rumba workout in my chest, but teleporting to the apartment door from here just seems lazy... After a length that I'm sure is half of Mount Everest, I collapse at the apartment entrance, leaning against the wall. Something isn't right, I think worriedly; my chest feels like someone's stabbing it repeatedly, but I know I'm not actually under attack. Right? Stretching an arm out, I grab the doorknob to steady myself, trying to work the key into position, but before I can, the door is yanked right out of my hands as someone opens it.

"Shadow?" Rouge gawks at me, and I blink uncomprehendingly at her. "Where have you been?" Rushing forward, she grabs onto me, eyes fraught with concern, but I can't focus right now. What happened to the door? Trying to peer around her, I squint, confused. Where did it go? She's saying something else, now, and my feet are moving, the door shuts behind me—oh, that's where it went—and suddenly I've been shoved onto something soft, our couch—no, her couch, this place isn't my home; that's what I've been thinking lately, right? I'm being shaken, gently, and my eyes finally snap back into clarity. Rouge sits next to me, pressing a cup of water to my face that I have no choice but to drink, and muttering something under her breath in a questioning tone. Is she talking to me?

I start to sputter, trying to ask her who she's talking to, while there's still water in my mouth, and she pulls the cup back. "Wh-What?" I finally wheeze, wiping my muzzle with my sleeve.

"I said, what did you do?" The white bat snaps, irritation sparking off her words though that same caring distress glows in her eyes.

"I went for a walk," I answer, sounding distant even to my own ears. I didn't do anything, did I? Confused, I squint, trying to puzzle it out. I dunno...

She sighs, clearly annoyed with all my vagueness. "Tell me exactly what happened." Crossing her arms, she scowls; my mouth feels really dry now, and I kinda wish I had that water back, but she's not going to give it to me until I tell her.

"Not much, I guess," I start, letting my eyes wander around as my hands begin to twitch again—or did they never stop? "I went to a coffee shop and a bunch of people scared me," someone who I think is me says, sounding like they're starting to babble. "Then I went and wandered around some alleyways because they were quieter and I thought about leaving then I wanted some more coffee so I got some more but it wasn't enough and I was still tired—" yes, they're most definitely babbling, and that's certainly my voice, and oh God I sound like an idiot, "—so I got some more and more and and and I lost track and I think I had eight cups of coffee." Realization descends like a bolt of lightning and I jerk abruptly, suddenly terrified. "Oh jeez, I had eight cups of coffee." I hear the distinctive smack of a hand hitting a forehead as I turn to look at Rouge; she's shaking her head and trying desperately hard to not break down laughing. "Rouge, Rouge, am I gonna die?"

"No," she sighs, still giggling, "you're not gonna die, Shadow, you just need to drink this." Thrusting the water cup back into my hands, she smirks at me as I start to practically chug it like it's some miracle drug. "You've just had too much caffeine, okay? Next time you feel tired, try eating something instead. I know you haven't had anything today because the cabinets haven't been touched..." Her tone takes on a scolding note as she stands up, moving towards the kitchen. "Were you out all day with no food, drinking only coffee in this heat?!"

Swallowing the last of the water in the cup, I lift my head to look at her meekly. "Y-Yeah," I answer, embarrassed, and she laughs.

"You are such an idiot," she sighs, walking to the kitchen and shaking her head. "Just keep drinking that," her voice grows muffled as the wall comes between us, "and I'll heat up some dinner for the two of us." I look down at the now-empty cup in my hands, already feeling the dizziness fading away, much to my relief. I hear the sound of the fridge opening, and the microwave too, then a couple beeps before the microwave's dull droning hum is all that can be heard. My eyes drift about the room, still a little blurry, and I set the cup down, breathing still ragged and uneven. Wringing my hands in my lap, I straighten up, looking down; are these really my hands? A peculiar out-of-body sensation seizes me, and I feel my throat close up. Oh no. Oh no. No, not this again. Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to compose myself and regulate my breathing, but it's useless. Clenching my hands tighter and tighter, I do my best to force the horrible sensation away, starting to shiver violently, sweating again. I don't feel so good...

A loud beeping noise screams into my ears, and I jolt, crashing back down to reality as Rouge yanks the microwave door open, calling back to me, "Do you think you can get up, or should I come to you?"

"I, I don't think standing is a good idea right now," I admit, feeling embarrassed, but if she finds me pitiful she says and thinks nothing on it. I stare at the television ahead of me, not entirely sure what to do, until I hear her footsteps approaching the couch; turning, I look over at her as she sets down two plates with forks on the small table before the sofa, then hands me a much larger cup filled with water.

"Drink all of that," she says sternly, taking a seat next to me and picking up a plate. A mess of pad thai covers both, and I gladly take a sip from the water as she leans forward, picking up the TV remote.

"Yes ma'am," I answer obediently, and a smirk cracks across her face as she glances at me from the periphery of her vision, turning the television on.

"Come on," she purrs, "you've had one hell of a day... Let's watch something together."

-----------------

Two empty plates sit on the table, scraps of pad thai scattered across them, forks haphazardly strewn on their surface. The television flickers, chattering away, but I'm not really hearing it, half-asleep and unaware of even where I am. The couch is so cozy, I muse, drifting in and out of consciousness, but what else am I leaning on here...? I was closer to the left side than the right, and I'm not leaning to my left... A yawn splits my face despite my struggling to stifle it, and I hear a soft chuckle. Someone runs their fingers through my quills, scratching me like a dog, and a rumble rises up from deep within my chest.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Rouge whispers, and my eyes slowly crack open. "It's getting late." Something lifts me a bit, and my eyes fly wide open; her face is directly in front of mine, and heat flashes across my face when I realize I was leaning on her, not the couch.

"D-Did I—?" I start to ask, scuffling backwards, and she snorts.

"For someone who screeches every time I try to give him a hug, you sure are cuddly when you pass out like that," she giggles, pulling me close again to pet me. My cheeks flare with a burning flame, and she laughs louder as she lets me go. "Aww, don't be upset," she coos, standing up carefully. "It's only natural, given what you put yourself through." Brushing imaginary crumbs off her legs, then grabbing the remote, she finishes, "You should get some sleep tonight." The television clicks off, and silence smothers us immediately as she tosses it back onto the couch, turning away, headed to her room. Tipping my head to one side, I watch her go, mildly unnerved. Why did she say 'tonight,' specifically? She can't possibly know, could she? My brows furrow as I stand up slowly, praying I won't grow dizzy again. No, there's no way—after all, I always feign sleep whenever she comes in to wake me, and she probably would have said something by now if she'd known. The floor chills my feet as I walk along, treading carefully in an attempt to stay quiet. Her door is shut, but mine stands wide open, a dark, yawning abyss before me, no light offered by my window tonight. Clicking the hall lights off, I plunge myself into pitch-blackness, and my heart shivers. Oh, please, I scold, what are you, five? Being scared of the dark is ridiculous... Taking my gloves off, I pass through the threshold to my room, but something feels...wrong. The dark feels alive, breathing down my neck, and my hackles rise slowly as my eyes rove about the room. They've adjusted to the night's darkness, and as I turn around, closing the door, I carefully inspect the premises. Nothing seems out of place, I think, taking off my jacket and laying it at the foot of my bed. My sheets are still a mess from this morning, so I take a few minutes to sort that out. The sensation of being watched doesn't go away, and I find my eyes darting to the window every so often, ears twitching in a paranoid fashion. Okay, now I really am being ridiculous, I groan inwardly, finally fixing my sheets. Stepping around the bed, I creep to the window, then stand on my tiptoes, peering out and down to the street below me; it's deserted, with only a few streetlights lit, their orange glow flickering weakly. A sigh escapes me, and I pace back, falling onto my bed with my legs hanging off the edge. Dumbass. I snarl silently, scrubbing at my eyes. Nothing's gonna happen. Scooting around, I burrow under my covers, already starting to feel drowsy. Like Rouge said, I need to get some sleep... Wiggling around, I situate myself comfortably, ending up on my side, eyes lazily drifting to the window again as my vision fades to black.

----------------------

"The real question is... Who are you, when the lights go up?"

I turn to him, for yes, he is a 'him' now, no longer ethereal and demonic enough to be an "it"; he is him, and I am me, yet he is me while I, I am not him. "Lights?" My voice echoes in this endless space, but where does it echo from? What could my voice possibly bounce off of? "I don't understand. It's so dark here—why are you talking about lights?"

"Do you hear it?" He says, eyes wide, pupils shivering. "Do you?" The buzz has crackled through my ears since forever, but I don't want to talk about it, so I turn around, my back to him again. This expanse is vast and dark and I don't understand any of it, but I'm beginning to think I'd prefer my chances alone to being with him.

"Please stop," I hear myself say, "I don't want to think about it."

"But you hear it, don't you?" His voice grows louder and I know he's right behind me. He doesn't breathe, so I can't feel air on the back of my neck, but still my hair rises. "Don't you know what it is? What you are? What...we...are?"

I squeeze my eyes shut as the static grows louder. "Please," I beg, "it hurts—please make it go away." My head aches and my ears feel worn-out, tired, like the rest of me, but more so. I'm on the edge, the walls are just before me, and I know that either way I go, there's no turning back.

"Break it," he urges, and I shake my head, envisioning his sickening grin in my mind. "Break it, break the barrier, and the noise will stop."

"I don't want to," I answer. "Just go away, and take it with you." I start to walk, eyes still closed, not caring where I go.

"You know I can't do that. I have less power than you do—only you can do this, and you must in order to stop the noise." His voice is reasonable but his words don't make any sense, yet still I stop walking. Breaking the barrier between me and it would surely result in the static growing louder, wouldn't it? "You're so close," he croons, and I shiver, feeling the truth in his words crawling on my back.

"What will happen to me if I break it?" I ask in a voice that wobbles weakly, foreign to my ringing ears.

"Everything will be alright."

"You mean that? Really and truly?"

"Of course I do. Just break it..."

My eyes open, and I turn around, locking eyes with him. The whites of his eyes are a dull grey, lit only by those two glittering irises. Each time I see them, they're more purple than before, with that vast sea of storm clouds surrounding them growing ever darker too. His mouth is a jagged Jack-O-Lantern grin, a pitch-black rift in his porcelain skin, stretching far beyond normal, almost past his sunken eyes. It feels like looking into a mirror, almost, and I take a deep breath. "Okay." I reply, and all at once, I hear a harsh, flat tone, like a subwoofer being unplugged, and then

Everything

Stops.