It's Alright by Mother Mother.
~~~

The candle was meant to be warm. It's flickers and crackles should've been a comfort, but the surrounding bleak expanse only served to remind him of the growing lack of control he had. Shadows between the trees and whispers in the corners were one thing, but now his subconscious was tormented too.

Sonic hated to admit it, but he didn't think even he could keep running from it forever.

Not that this would stop him from trying.

He stood (he believed) and peeled his burning eyes from the candle, becoming accustomed with his desolate surroundings. He'd seen it before, in his very own bathroom, and again in a narrower nightmare. But this? It didn't feel so much like a dream anymore.

The spears were towering. Sharp and staggered and darker than the space they occupied. Slimy, glistening vines wrapped and tangled themselves up them- reaching higher than he could see. This place had always made him feel small, but never quite so suffocated. The whispers followed wherever he stepped, louder and closer than before, and the hundreds of glowing eyes glared over him.

When he returned to the candle, it warped and wobbled- twisting between unnatural yellows and purples. It emitted a harsh cold and despite it's neon beauty, Sonic could only find a familiar eeriness.

"Magnetic, isn't it?"

That voice was far too close and clear for it to be in his head. Surely. Like someone murmured over his shoulder, thus he whipped around only to find nothing there.

"Still can't see you."

"And I you. But I'm sure you feel my presence as I do with you."

"Considerin' you're taking residence in my head, I'd reckon so."

"At least you acknowledge it."

Sonic met the candle. "Doesn't seem like ignorin' you is doing me any favours. Actually-." And he glared into the dark.

"You mind answerin' a few questions?"

"I don't think that's necessary."

"You keep tellin' me to keep my friends safe, but I've been doing that with Eggman anyway." He outstretched his hands.

"What else is there? How can I keep them safe when I don't even know what I'm protectin' them from?"

"Protecting them from Eggman, you say? Wisking Knuckles from the safe confines of his island is safe? Vanilla and Cream getting kidnapped is safe? What about Amy? Poor, sweet Amy's scared of your Metal self as it is- never mind you."

Sonic's hands curled into fists. "Ames would never be scared of me."

And yet, he can see her watching. See her stepping away and shrinking under his stare. Her stutters and cautious words.

That was out of concern.

But Amy went quiet when Knuckles had once asked what occurred with G.U.N. Just by him glancing at her. Or how she'd shrink after he...lost it the first time.

"You're twisting it." Sonic cut through.

"Then, if you don't believe me, why haven't you told anyone about this? Not even Tails?"

Blazing eyes examined the way the candle twirled into dazzling, bright yellows and purples. His teeth had begun to hurt, but with the increasing agony in his claws it was dizzying to focus on it all.

Yeah. Why hadn't he?

Tails would surely understand. He'd already voiced his concern and knew Sonic was in over his head. Tails would reason with him. He'd been at his side for the longest. Tails would...help? Right?

It didn't change the way the fox would examine his fangs or eyes with terror. His raised shoulders and fuzzed up namesakes.

Sonic shook his head. This was his burden to carry. He'd scared his friends plenty already and it was about time he started acting like the cool-headed hero he's meant to be. Especially if Silver was already suspicious of him. He refused to let that be for a reason.

Besides, he knew himself! He was Sonic the-

Chaos! What in Mobius was that raging anguish?

Vision swimming, Sonic stumbled before catching his blazing head. The whispers had grew to laughter and through the torturous ache of his fangs he opened his eyes to see dripping red. Panic set in and he rubbed at his face, noticing a growing stain on his gloves.

What stressed him more was how it kept spreading.

Somehow, his nose was bleeding. Somehow, he felt direly sick and somehow he dropped to a shaky knee. Where'd that voice go?

"Cut it out!" He cried, waving his hands and stumbling over his breath when his fur flickered black.

He could see himself now?

Between the tremendous spears crawled giggles and haunting pleas. Red and black eyes leered and shiny fingers reached out towards him. Yellows and purples ascended so bright his eyes watered and with his other leg giving way, he soon found himself only able to cradle the deathly twists of his stomach.

Until he heard a familiar cry. Desperate and wanting. Scared and pleading.

"Amy?" And even though his claws stretched and tore their way passed his fingers, he moved by the candle.

He started as a crawl but with her growing despair he moved onto his feet, holding himself as he staggered towards her cries. Bendy, rough claws pulled at the ends of his fur from behind and they started to cry- trying to drown out the only voice he really cared about.

But when he heard a younger whimper, more urgency kicked into his step.

"Tails!"

He had to keep them safe. All of them. Why should he be able to move so fast if not to do just that?

And he'd slow. And he'd fall. And he'd drown. But they'd be okay.

With the monster he was becoming, he had to keep them away from the inevitable downfall.

So when he found himself nearing the candle, his doubts and utter loss on how to do so made him limp. Even when he turned the other way, he found himself back in that spot again and he tugged at his quills.

"How can I protect them if you keep me stranded here?!"

He ran. Despite his raising quills and bile, he sped forward. Whenever backed into a corner, his speed had never steered him wrong. Amy and Tails' cries were louder and the others' screams were stretched and deranged. His eye twitched and the darkness only made his mind warp further.

And then the candles yellow and purple flicker came back into view. He couldn't help but laugh.

He reached for the candle, dismissing a soft whisper, and readied to break it apart when he found himself blinking blearily awake.

Whatever he lay against moved again and only when he heard a soothing giggle did he zip upright, hurriedly turning to face Amy. She seemed happy. Tired, if her dark eyes were any indicator, but nowhere near a state where she needed to beg for her life.

"Oh man." And he pulled at his face, briefly expecting to see beastly hands, as her smile faded.

"You okay?"

"Think I've ate too many chilli dogs." Which was a poor lie, since Amy was well aware Sonic had in fact been consuming the opposite.

Still, it didn't stop him from standing to acknowledge they sat atop the Tornado. Beyond his and his little brothers' home, the front door stood open for inner chats to pour passed.

He whirled back to Amy, a sickly green undertone to his muzzle. "Where's Tails?"

"Inside? With the others. I told them to head in and that we'd meet them-."

"And he's okay?" Sonic leapt down before the confused pink hedgehog could answer.

'Pull yourself together. Of course he is.'

He scowled. "You don't get to mess with me and make me sound cra-."

"Sonic?"

Despite his gathering sweat (honestly, he didn't feel physically apt), he tossed on a smile. "Thanks for lettin' me nap on the way over Ames, Chaos knows I needed it!"

"O-oh well I...of course! I-."

"Where's the Chaos Emeralds?"

Amy's shoulders sagged, but her head cocked to the side anyway. "Inside too. Sonic, you don't seem-."

"We've been out here long enough, let's head in!"

If Amy wasn't concerned before, the way Sonic stumbled towards the porch made her then.

———

Shadow had been curious as to why Cliff had asked for him. He'd tried to reach the fox's workshop, but found himself squeezed by a small, gentle bunny instead. It took a moment before he registered Cream and Vanilla on the sofa. Patting the girls head, she was quick to greet Tails when the fox stepped inside.

"Oh! Hello!" She chirped, waving towards Silver, Blaze and Sticks.

"Chao chao!" Cheese zoomed around the bunny's head.

"I would have made more tea if I had known." Vanilla apologised.

"Yeah. Guess there's a lot we need to catch you guys up on." Tails, red-faced, scratched his cheek.

"Mister Omega told us you're all on a new adventure for the Chaos Emeralds!"

"Failed to mention your new friends though." Still, Vanilla happily guided the group inside.

"Where is he anyway?" Rouge asked.

"With Cliff."

"I'll go say hello." Shadow hummed, observing how Cream gently took a tense Blaze's hand (leading her towards the sofa) and how his rival strangely crept passed- rather hurriedly ascending the stairs.

"Ah, thought I heard the Tornado!" Cliff hopped up from a stool, giving a friendly wave.

"Hello." Omega buzzed.

"Was it a success?"

"Part-."

"Yup! We got a Chaos Emerald!"

Shadow whirled to see Tails step by him. "What-?"

"Our Chaos tracker's ready to go- but the location is pretty wide and doesn't update right. It's stagnant."

"So?"

The fox smiled. "I need your help. From what you said about the first Chaos Emerald, it seems without anything holding you back you're drawn to them when close enough. With a DNA sample I can feed it to our tracker and give it something to look for. Kinda like a dog Police use to track a certain scent."

"Wait." Omega stepped towards the door. "I hear-."

"Hey Tails, Amy's looking- oh." Silver awkwardly grinned. "Didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"It's nothing dire." Shadow replied, perching himself on a stool.

When Cliff brought out a syringe, Tails waved the albino hedgehog over and continued tinkering away at his Comlink.

"What's up?"

Silver looked to the Ultimate Lifeform who barely flinched from the syringe pressing into his arm. "I uh...Amy's looking for you."

"Doesn't she know I'm in here? What's wrong?"

"She was vague for some reason, but she sounded worried-."

"Worried?"

He double took to register it was Shadow who asked. "Yeah."

"Did she hint at why at all?" Tails wondered.

"Not really, no. Sorry I-."

"That's okay!" Tails assured and Shadow contemplatively looked away, barely registering Cliff hand the syringe to the fox.

"I'll go speak to her after, thanks Silver!"

"Sure!" Still, the snowy hedgehog rather awkwardly settled beside the Ultimate Lifeform.

"Yes?" The latter inquired.

"Didn't ask many questions about your blood being drawn, huh? Ha. Heh."

"It happened a lot on the Ark."

"Oh I didn't-."

There was a hint of a smile over Shadow's lips. "And I trust the fox."

"Cool. Cooool. You know, I did think you look familiar."

Curious, Shadow's eyes turned to the other. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you all kinda do- obviously. I've heard about you all and I've met most of you but I mean...." Silver fidgeted.

"You look a lot like my Mentor."