Sometimes, Shadow really wished he'd listen to his friends. The buzzing and spinning lasted far too long and the twisting in his stomach was much harder to ignore. He groaned, but golden static soothed to reveal he'd made it to the echidna's home. Regret slipped away immediately and he did his best to straighten, headache ignored when he lay eyes on the startled five.

Tails' hand clung to the sofa's armrest and fluffy appendages rested against planks lazily. Amy held her hammer and carried Cheese with Knuckles glaring at her side- fists smacking together. But Shadow's vision grew tunnelled when a flabbergasted Sonic awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Hey Sha-! Woah!"

With a dangerous growl the dark hedgehog bolted to his rival, bringing him close by his tattered neckerchief. "You imbecile!"

"Shadow! Put him down!" Amy scolded.

When she stepped closer, Shadow waved a warning hand. "Stay back!"

"Back?" Knuckles frowned.

But he went ignored, ruby eyes met a wide green. "The hell is wrong with you?!"

"With me?" Sonic tried freeing himself, coming up fruitless. "You're the one freaking out!"

"I wouldn't be the only one, would I?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I saw-." A brutal sharp ache exploded in his side and Shadow gasped, eyes wide as he mindlessly let his rival go.

What surprised him more, however, was Sonic reaching under his arms to keep him steady. "Woah, easy there, Grumps."

"D-don't call me that."

"Everything okay?" Tails, hugging his bandaged middle, slowly approached the pair.

"No." Shadow barked. "Your stupid brother here's got a lot of explaining to do."

Sonic sweat-dropped. "M-me?"

"Actually." The Ultimate Lifeform roughly shrugged his rival away, pointing at the group. "You all have a lot of speaking to do."

"Chao chao!" Cheese left Amy's hold to cling onto Shadow's arm.

"First, why ain't the three of you here? Where's Rouge?" Knuckles asked.

"Her and Omega are cleaning up the mess-." Shadow whipped to his rival. "You created."

Sonic straightened his neckerchief, frowning. "Hey man, maybe tell your little gun-crazy group to lay off, huh?"

"They are not my responsibility. Perhaps you shouldn't have been so reckless. Running away when they have a warrant for your arrest? What's the matter with you?"

"Hold on." Tails stepped to his brother's side. "How did you know that?"

Amy spun her hammer. "You in on it or something?"

Shadow pinched his nose, groaned and dug in his quills to toss a Body-cam to the pink hedgehog. "When we arrived we saw the aftermath of...." Ruby eyes found green. "Your little tantrum."

Sonic paled. "Did I...? Is everyone okay?"

"You're an enemy of the world and you're concerned with-." Shadow sharply inhaled, making his voice a touch gentler.

"No one died- calm down. However you scared the living crap out of them. Apart from bruises and scratches, nothing concerning, but there was one agent who...." He shut his eyes and for a moment beastly claws tore into human flesh and pulled on hair.

Sonic didn't seem to completely remember what he did. How?

"A bit more battered, but they're fine."

The Blue Blur watched his hands (when had they started trembling? Chaos, he needed to pull himself together). "You don't have to lie for me, Shads. Besides if and when I do bad things, I should know. Unfair for the other person to be the only one to remember it clearly."

Shadow's arms crossed. "I don't think it's necessary knowledge." He glanced at the group. "Especially right now."

Sonic followed and shoulders sagged upon meeting Amy, who's focus was consumed with the camera in hand. Apart from the agent, she witnessed it all. He knew whatever he did was bad enough to get bloodstains and loose hair between his claws (and very possibly traumatise his friends), but the specifics were foggy.

'What did you do?' Emerald eyes dropped to his shoes.

'You mean, we. And we did what was necessary to keep your friends safe.'

'By hurting other people?! That's never an option.'

'It doesn't seem like you have much of a choice, does it?'

'Like I say, when you're as fast as me- there's always another way.'

'You insufferable, ignor-.'

"Faker."

When a hand went to his shoulder, Sonic jumped back with shrunken eyes.

"Buddy?" Tails wondered.

Thus, his brother plastered on a spectacular grin. "Sorry, zoned out."

Shadow frowned. "Come with me."

"Why?"

"Just-. I need to speak with you." Grabbing his rivals wrist, he made a quick trip of leaving Knuckles' home and walking a fair distance away- only stopping beside a Chao Garden.

Sonic swiftly yanked himself free. "What's the big idea?!"

"I didn't think you'd want your brother to hear this. I am glad to see he's awake, by the way."

"Yeah, it's a- how'd you know he wasn't?"

Shadow deadpanned, waving the Body-cam again. "I took it from Rose. What's on here is...well, your friends don't need to see it. Especially Tails."

Sonic's entire form seemed to sag and he fidgeted with his ear- a common nervous tic of his. "Oh. Well...thanks."

"It was for them."

"I gathered. How um...did you all...?"

"We ventured back to the Chaotix-."

"Oh no."

Shadow's eye ridge raised and he watched paling green eyes. He'd never seen something like it before. It was like the life was being sucked out from them. Like Sonic was barely present at all. Like the joy he'd ever felt completely died.

It unnerved the Ultimate Lifeform more than he'd ever admit, but his quills were sharp and shoulders lifted all the same.

"But, I decided it was best to keep viewing eyes at a minimum. Apart from Rose and those agents, Omega and myself are the only ones to see what happened there. He and Rouge are currently working on deleting the footage now."

Sonic, rather shakily, combed through his quills with a strange laugh. "Man, that's good to hear. Thanks. And I know- it's just for my-."

"Actually, that little detail had you in the very back of my mind."

"Ha-! I'll take it. Um...sorry you had to see it, by the way."

Shadow frowned. His rival may get on every single damn nerve he had, but he (at the least) appreciated the other's optimism and courage. So, seeing Sonic anxiously pace and wring his hands together was an odd sight to behold. However, Shadow knew the speedster was rather brilliant at lying and keeping secrets and hiding-

He exhaled. Okay. He needed to focus.

"In return, why don't you tell me what led to that?"

Sonic paused, ears straightening at the rather...uncritical voice. "Didn't you see? They hurt Tails."

"I understand, but you don't usually resort to violence like that. Badniks aside."

He tried to snort. "Guess I'm just havin' a few bad days."

"That's what happens after some bad days? I'd hate to be on the receiving end when you hear the news chilli dogs are out of stock."

"Har har."

"Is this to do with the Doctor's return?"

Confused, Sonic looked to his rival who waited patiently with crossed arms. "What? No."

"Are you sure? It has everyone a little...tense."

"That's what Ames said. But not me."

"But it did take you by surprise, no?"

"Well yeah." Sonic jogged on the spot. "But you know me. I move forward just as quick as my feet."

Shadow dug into his arms to prevent a snarl. "Quit it, Faker. At the least answer me this, is this the first time that's occurred?"

Sonic froze. He could feel a much larger hedgehog in his arms. He could see himself drenched in blood and sweat and decorated in scars. He could smell smoke and burning and-

"Heh."

Sky blue eyes once so familiar bore into him. Black mist danced around his shoes. Thousands of people long gone watched and whispered and pranced and chanted around him. His teeth ached and claws stung like never before. He felt bile rise as fast as he could run.

'Pull yourself together, will you? If you tell any of them anything- you'll lose them.'

Right. He shook his head. He was the heroic Sonic the Hedgehog! His friends counted on him. Mobius counted on him. Out of all people, he couldn't afford to say such things. It was dangerous. He was dangerous. How...how could he admit he was losing his mind?

Maybe Eggman had a point those years ago. Maybe he really would become as crazy as he was.

And more selfishly, he couldn't afford to lose his friends. Such a coward he was, but he needed them. They wouldn't stay if they knew (he couldn't blame them either), for this wasn't fair on them. So he threw himself into trouble, skipped right into danger with the hope rushing through every atom of his body it would somehow make up for how terrible of a person he was for using them.

Lying wasn't much better, he knew that. But it was much safer for them than the alternative. He was a hero and heroes weren't a burden to those counting on them.

So, he threw on a smile. "If you mean, is it the first time I let things get a bit out of hand, then no. But you know me- I always manage to fix it."

Shadow looked a little surprised at his rather slow response. "You-."

"I made a mistake, okay? Had a bad moment, but Tails is up and I'm gonna make things right." He gave a thumbs up. "Promise."

Yet ruby eyes scanned the camera in hand. What he saw appeared much greater than a so called 'bad moment'.

But Sonic was always good at lying, wasn't he?

"Speaking of." The Blue Blur hopped over, ignoring the abrupt heaviness in his head. "What're we gonna do with that?"

"Don't you want to see?"

"Not even a little bit." He laughed. "'Sides, I know what I did. And I...I feel bad enough. I know it's selfish but-."

"Not at all. I suggested enough eyes had seen, hadn't I? Took you long enough to come around."

Shadow didn't know what it was. He couldn't quite place it. But something didn't feel...right. The more he learned about all this, the more distant Sonic appeared. And he could always keep up with the speedster, but now it felt like he was getting further out of reach. It was unsettling and aggravating.

Maybe they just needed to fix this mess, then everything would return to how it should be.

He shook himself and exhaled, dropping the Body-cam to the grass. With a glance at his rival he made quick work in destroying (hopefully) the last piece of evidence by stomping with his Air-shoe.

"You should know." Shadow's arms crossed, missing Sonic massage his temple. "Rouge believes the footage on that could lead to war."

"W-...what? War? Isn't that a bit of a...stretch?"

He frowned. "Perhaps you've been in your own little world- but Breezie's reports haven't been painting mobians in the best light."

"Oh, yeah. I saw. How-?"

"If the footage was released, do you seriously believe she'd be reasonable about it? She's already more than willing to make you out as some...selfish, adrenaline junkie. The last thing we need is for her to get her hands on it."

"And you're sure Rouge and Omega can handle it?"

Shadow smirked. "Are you forgetting who they are? Rouge could charm or breach her way through anything in her sleep and Omega? Well, he'll take any opportunity for violence."

Sonic gave his first earnest chuckle. "You sayin' that's enough for me."

"Ah, I should mention something Rouge brought up. Obviously, having seen the footage, I know it's not the case- but perhaps Cheese has offered some insight?"

He wobbled, vision blurring, but waved dismissively. "What did she think?"

"That whoever caused that mess at Tails' home was also behind the missing cases. The claw marks are almost identical."

"I- ha. Well, last I remembered, kidnapping wasn't on my bucket list."

Shadow hummed. "Thought so. Well? Do you know who's behind it?"

Sonic frowned, eyes shutting. "I er, jeez, you won't like it. Or what it means."

"I haven't liked much of anything that's happened, Faker."

"Fair."

"Sweet Gaia, what's going on with you?"

"I don't...." It was like his head was buzzing, stretching. He held up a finger and erratically scanned around.

He'd had many headaches this past year- but nothing like this. The weirdest thing was how it wasn't exactly...painful. More frustrating. He hated how it was somewhat familiar too.

And then it hit him.

Quite literally because blues turned into greens and his legs left the ground. Something cold and smooth squeezed the back of his neckerchief before throwing him back down. He groaned and pushed himself up, but a heavy force crushed over his leg (directly on top of his bandaged wound, too).

"I believe I've got my answer." Came Shadow's growl and Sonic craned his head to meet red optics.

"Oh jeez."

Shiny, pristine blue steeled triangles for quills and ears. A yellow, sunken chest where a roaring jet sat. Sparkling red painted shoes and a bolt for a nose.

"Hey!"

Sonic sunk. That was Amy.

"We wanted to respect your guys' privacy, but we started to worry Shadow might've-."

He didn't even have to see her face to feel the absolute, all consuming terror pour off her.

"Gettin' sick of having unwanted guests on my island." Knuckles grumbled.

"Sonic, are you-?"

Oh man. Not Tails.

Even so, he grinned and rested his hand against his palm. "Hey gang! No need for the introductions, right? You know my least favourite look-a-like."

He pointed a thumb at burning optics. "Well, guess Metal Me's back."