FOR YOUR HEART-BOOM

☆Ch34

One week passed by for everyone faster than they even realized it. Sonic spent a lot of time with his friends and coped with the betrayal from Shadow, whilst Shadow couldn't bring himself to leave the chao garden, so taking some food and drink supplies he decided to stay in there and watch over the little creatures, plus take care of the specific one, who eventually turned fully black with red crescent on his chest and red parts of his body, which were just pink earlier. Onyx now matched Shadow's style and complimented his color combination. Shadow loved it, honestly and kept taking care of the chao, for it gave him a good purpose. Another good thing about his stay in the garden was the fact, that nobody else knew his location, so he was also unbothered by anyone out there. Until......

~•~

"I think I'm ready now," Sonic said to Amy, currently sitting in the confectioner's shop with her, Tails and Zooey. The two foxes supported their friend, even though Tails warned Sonic multiple times to be careful, because Shadow was pretty much unpredictable and they didn't need Sonic to get hurt again. Both physically and mentally.
"Are you sure, Sonic?" Amy tilted her head, as she ate her favourite strawberry shortcake, which Sonic wasn't that fond of and rather got himself a blueberry pie along with ice coffee. Tails and his girlfriend got themselves sweet pancakes with fruit mix and whipped cream. Zooey especially loves pancakes and can never get enough of them.
"Yup, I am sure, Ames. I am good enough to face him today," Sonic nodded as he took a piece of the pie to his mouth and gladly munched it, loving the taste of the soft sweet crusts mixed with the blueberries.
"Alright, we are here whenever you need it," Amy smiled at her blue-furred friend, earning a smile from him in return.
"Thank you, guys, you are all the best. I think I wouldn't be able to get through it so easily without you," Sonic admitted with a faint blush on his peach cheeks and instinctively touched his neck, just then realizing, that he had nothing to tug on, when the scarf was currently decorating a different owner's neck. Sonic sighed and rested that hand in his lap instead while holding the small spoon with the other.

"What kind of friends would we be, if we leave you hanging? You are our best friend, Sonic and we love you," Tails said seriously, but with a happy smile on his face.
"We don't wanna lose you," Zooey added, also with a kind smile on her face. She was able to grow fond of the gang pretty quickly ever since she started dating Tails.
"Awww, you guys," Sonic quickly wiped the single tear away with his finger, as he got flustered and touched by his friends' words.
"Anyways, I think I'll be going now, will catch up on you all later," he finished his pie and getting up he bid them temporary farewell, whilst they wished him good luck before he disappeared.
"He will be fine," Amy saw it in a positive light, Tails had a little worries, but at least tried to stay positive and so did Zooey.

Two hours passed by, Sonic managed to run through most of the island during that time and tried to find Shadow everywhere possible. Lastly, he visited Eggman's base, not seeing Shadow anywhere out there he assumed, that the dark hedgehog stayed with the doctor.
"What do you want!" Eggman's voice crackled through the old speakers installed by the entrance, accompanied by small cameras too. Sonic looked up at one of these speakers with a grin on his face.
"Did we become old~?" he teased the villain.
"Shut it, hedgehog! Now, why are you here?" was Eggman's response in the crackling voice again and Sonic just casually rubbed the inside of his ear with his pinky before placing his one hand on his side and hanging the other down.
"You're no fun, Eggy.. and well, I think that's pretty obvious, why I am here. Are you gonna open up or should I make you buy a new door again?" he was as sassy as ever, which was getting on the villain's nerves, as the door flew open seconds later.
"I hate you, nuisance!" Eggman crackled for the last time before the line got fully cut off and Eggman eventually faced the hedgehog personally. Sonic stood in front of him and looked up at him before taking look around the lab room they were currently in.
"Shadow is not here," Eggman went straight to the point.
"Where did he go?" Sonic asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't you apparently hate him, though?" Eggman also raised his brow in questioning manner.
"Well, I am still upset over the betrayal, but that's why I want to talk to him. I need answers to some questions," the blue hedgehog admitted in genuine tone, now looking up at the mustached man with a sudden frown on his face.
"Which reminds me, you were part of the betrayal as well! It is, honestly, not so surprising coming from you," he poked the man daringly with his finger, which made Eggman shoo the hedgehog's hand away.
"Don't touch me! I had reason, why I did all the things I did. And believe it or not, even I now feel some regrets," the human admitted, sounding oddly genuine, which surprised Sonic a lot.
"Are you... serious right now?" Sonic crossed his arms while raising a brow, questioning the other's sudden honesty.
"More serious than ever before, Sonic. You see, there is one part of Shadow's life, which he hates to talk about and does not wish you to acknowledge. That part... is something very dear and important to him, just as it is to me and both me and Shadow got a promise from Lyric, that he would help us bring that important thing back through the ancient technology in exchange of us working with him. Shadow was manipulated into cooperating, Lyric communicated with him through a mind-device, which created a temporary mind-link with him," Eggman explained a bit of the story, that happened without anyone else knowing of it. Sonic listened attentively to him and got highly curious about this 'important thing', wanting to know, what it is.
"I see... does that mean, that.. it isn't fully his fault?" he asked carefully, now feeling even more guilty for being so hard on Shadow the week ago.
"You could say that, yeah. Even though, Shadow was fully conscious and knew what he was doing. In the meantime, I did some research about Lyric and sort of expected him to do something behind our backs. Despite that, I'd never imagine myself to be so shocked by seeing you suffer so much... he crossed a line for sure, but me and Shadow, fortunately, managed to stop him in time," Eggman elaborated further and Sonic now finally understood at least part of the story.
"Well, uh.. I guess I owe you a thanks, Eggy," Sonic admitted while looking away, feeling shy at the moment. He couldn't believe it. The day, when he actually thanks Eggman for help, has finally come.
"Don't you mention it. Anyways, if you so wish to see Shadow, my guess is, that he is in a secret location, that is accessible only through a portal deep in a sacred cave. I saw that location through my drone's lenses and here I send you coordinates," the human pressed a few buttons on his wrist device and sent the coordinates to Sonic's communicator. The hedgehog checked it out and nodded in response.
"Thanks. Seems, like you aren't that bad after all," he grinned up at him, earning a quiet grumble from Eggman.
"Don't get used to it, rodent! I will attack the village next week, you better be ready," the man warned him, which made Sonic chuckle.
"Well, see ya next week then, Eggface! Can't wait to turn your robots to a scrap metal again!" the hedgehog replied so casually, as if they were just friends having a playful bickering game. After all, they were frenemies, they help each other, when things go too south, yet beat each other's butts from time to time, when nothing serious is going on.