"the outside world" (sonadow)

Wait a minute.

Shadow pov

I opened my eyes to see that is was light outside. Did I really just fall asleep here? I look around, something doesn't seem right... this isn't where I fell asleep at. I know for a fact I did not fall asleep here. It's a garden... a rose garden. For some reason, had this urge to look at my hands. My eyes widened when I realized something, I didn't have 5 fingers. There were six, no, five, seven? Should I be worried, possibly. No... This means something...

It means...

I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming, I know it.

I take a closer at my surroundings. This didn't look like a regular garden. Half of the roses were red, half were yellow, and I was right in the middle. I know this means something, I just don't know what. Stay calm shadow, it's only a dream. I remembered how I fell asleep, pathetic, I thought as I tried to shake it from my mind. Remembering how I fell asleep, made me remember why I left in the first place, which led me to a train of memories before that. Ultimately, I ended up remembering one thing in particular, something that I should have payed closer attention to in the beginning.

The folder.

Would I be able to read it? Is it even here in my dream? I pulled it out from my quills and opened it. Just as I expected, the words were jumbled up, I couldn't make out what it said. But I remember, the folder, it had information in it. Information about me, about sonic, my past...

Sonic said that he knew we shouldn't have trusted Mary. And I didn't listen. How could I be so stupid? It was all a lie! I was bait! I don't know what for yet, but it's something. How else would an actual carbon copy of Mary just show up. Why did I trust that? I missed her so much, and I thought I had her again... I was too caught up in the moment. And whoever set me up knew that. I felt my eyes water... again. This is my dream, I should be able to control it, I should be able to control myself. I couldn't stop them this time. I felt myself shaking.

The dots were finally connecting, but I need more. They weren't fully connected... Mary's grandfather, the chip, different dimension, sonic...tails? The video games? A game...? Us? But not really us...

I need to wake up. I need that folder. Wake up, Shadow. I need to wake up, now. I stood up. Something seemed even more off than it did before. Were the roses always this tall? They were growing. The roses were growing into a dome shape. They were everywhere. In front, above, growing beside me. They were growing tall and quickly too. Come on, wake up! I quickly backed away as a rose sprouted from the ground less than a foot away. The dome was complete and I was in total darkness. I couldn't see anything, not even with my heightened vision. Pitch black.

I walked carefully, and used my hands to feel if there was anything in front of me. I thought I would eventually reach the inner surface of the dome, but I didn't. It kept going. I notice that I haven't felt any roses in front of me, so I put my hands down. I kept walking though, hoping to find something, anything. I need to wake up. Then, I finally saw something. No, someone. I saw someone... it was Sonic!

"Sonic?" I called out.

He turned to me with a confused expression. "Shadow? You're not supposed to be here."

I froze. What was that supposed to mean?

"What do you mean? Plus, you're in MY dream, you're the one who's not supposed be here." I scoffed. He froze and looked at me with a horrified expression.

"How do you... know that? You're not supposed to know that." He started walking towards me. I stayed silent as I had nothing to say and backed up. Then, my back hit a wall... A wall? I swear I just came from this direction-there was no wall here. I could only stay against the wall as sonic walked closer. Soon, he had me pinned to the wall. Way too close for comfort, as if I wasn't uncomfortable enough.

He leaned in, i almost thought he was going to kiss me again. "Shadow, listen to me, you gotta wake up. You can't stay here."

"Why not? Do you know something? Tell me!"

I opened my eyes, for real this time. It was morning, I'm guessing. I remembered again. The folder. I took it out and flipped through the papers, my eyes widening with every flip. Every. Single. Thing. About me was there. And sonic too. And... even information about the others. I quickly scanned the pages, then I saw her, Mary. I saw something. It was something, alright. How did I not notice this? I audibly gasped. How could I have been so blind? They knew...

But who knows?

(Y'all I'm so sorry it took this long to make a chapter. I completely forgot I was making this😭 ima start back up again.  But what do y'all think?)