Chapter 47: Rose Without Thorns

Warning: This chapter contains violence and wording that may not be suitable for some readers. You have been warned, happy reading. :)__________________________________

Amy's POV:

Sprinting through the trees, the blood pounds in my ears as my instincts take over. Pulling ahead of the team that's following closely behind me, Shadow's charming smile flashes through my mind. The way his gaze softens at my touch, his impenetrable exterior melting away when the two of us are alone.

The way he puts himself between me and any threat without giving it a second thought. The silent rage behind his gaze when I'm in danger... And the disapproving look I always receive when I put myself in the way of it.

I have to find him. Find him before... No. Don't even let your mind go there. Focus.

Turning my attention to the surroundings, my ears twitch at the birds chirping. The sound of the wind blowing through the trees, and of stray leaves that have begun to fall crunching under my careful steps. The voice of reason in my head keeps trying to drown out all of the other thoughts. They keep telling me I would be able to hear him if he were near.

Focusing, I prepare for the feeling of being teleported through existence. Opening my eyes to the new surroundings, I hear nothing.

Teleporting again, the unfamiliar terrain is silent.

Beginning to grow frustrated as I blip in and out of Mobius, I'm moving too quickly. Without enough time to slowly draw out the energy, I'm using too much at one time.

Heaving as I prepare to teleport again, I stop dead in my tracks as my ears twitch. And the sound of an explosion in the distance lets me know that I've finally found them.

...

Rouge's POV:

Jumping as the small pink hedgehog appears into thin air, she breathily says, "I found them".

Staticky pink energy is crackling all around her, and as she reaches to grab ahold of me my fur stands on end.

Holding her hand out to Sally, the chipmunks face is knitted with worry. With only so many of us to spare, we decided to split our numbers in half. One team to deal with the remaining robots and any potential others, and the other team to help Sonic and Shadow.

Looking to Knuckles, he tightly grabs my hand as the four of us complete the link that Amy's created.

Stabilizing myself as Amy begins to teleport us, I can hardly remember what the sensation feels like.

It's different in the sense that Shadow uses chaos magic, and in the sense where... I can feel all of Amy's emotions through the link.

The fear, the uncertainty. And the absolute rage.

Flinching back to reality at the feeling of the ground rattling beneath my feet, I open my eyes before looking at Amy.

Even though I felt every single one of her emotions... The anger simmering beneath the surface is radiating in waves. Yanking my hand away as the energy radiating off of her shocks me, she's staring straight at Callix.

Her face appears calm on the surface, but her eyes... The look in her eyes is utterly terrifying.

...

Amy's POV

rounding the top of the hill, my chest tightens as I see Shadow's crimson stripes... Standing there motionless.

Running to him, I quickly reach up to grab his face. Looking into his eyes, my heart twists with pain as I see tears leaking from his emotionless eyes.

I was right... Callix has the phantom ruby, and he's used it on Shadow.

"Sonic!"

Whipping my head towards the sound of Sally's shriek, the ground shakes as Sonic is sent cratering into the ground.

Sonic.

I was so focused on Shadow... I could think of nothing but finding him. Staring at the blue hedgehog in shock, his legs visibly shake as he rises back up to them. Holding his left arm, he spits a mouthful of blood onto the floor as he glares at Callix.

Hearing Sally call out for him again, panic floods his gaze as he spots her.

"Stay back, Sally! Amy, you too!!"

Feeling my blood freeze in my veins, I turn around to meet Callix's threatening gaze. Scanning the length of his unfazed body, there's not a single scratch on him.

Looking between me and Sonic, he scoffs in amusement. "Come to join the fight, little dove? Maybe you'll fare better than the 'hero of Mobius' that I've been presented with."

Putting himself in between me and Callix, Sonic's shadow swallows me completely.

"She's not going to fight you, Callix! Your quarrel is with me!"

Tilting his head in an annoyed manner, he says, "actually, my quarrel is with anyone who stands in my way. The ultimate life form was at the very top of my list... Though it seems he wasn't very ultimate now, was he".

Clenching my fists, the white's of my knuckles shake as I begin seethe. He's imprisoned my beloved in his own hell scape, Sonic is beaten and battered... He tortured Silver.

Biting down hard enough for my jaw to begin to ache, my ears ring as the energy inside of me writhes under the surface; Boils at all of the suffering that one entity has caused. Growls at the chaos that he's thrown our world into.

It beats against my morals as I stare at Shadow.

And begins to break through the surface as I look at Sonic.

Watching his fur begin to bristle, Sonic's eyes widen as he looks over his shoulder. Staring at me, at the energy he can feel brimming over the edge, at the lack of control in my eyes... He sees every ounce of me fighting not to lose it.

I know that Callix can feel it too. His suave smile faltering ever so slightly; His eyes narrowing as Sonic grabs my shoulder.

In a hushed tone, his hand is shaking as he leans down to brush my hair away from my face. His smile is panicked, and his eyes are tired.

"I know, Ames." Glancing to Shadow, he repeats, "I know. But you have to trust me, alright? I can do this. Just--". Flinching as Callix's overwhelming presence appears right behind me, I watch Sonic's eyes widen in terror as he teleports right behind Shadow.

Right before a wet squelch silences the ringing in my ears.

No....

No.

No.

Before I could even blink, before I can even move, Sonic puts himself right in front Callix. Right in front of his attack.

Right in front of the blow meant for Shadow.

And as the clearing runs silent, Sally lets out one of the most heart wrenching, guttural cries that I've ever heard.

...

Sonic's POV:

Gasping for air on the ground, if I was able to lift my head to see the wound, I have a feeling that I wouldn't want to.

I want to cover my ears as she screams, to tell her everything is going to be okay... But it's not. I've been lying to everyone around me, telling them that I can do this. But the golden hedgehog staring at Amy with that crazed look in his eyes... Finally called my bluff.

Listening to her feet pound against the ground, I tightly shut my eyes. I expected to feel pain, to feel so much of it that I wouldn't be able to bear it... But I don't feel anything. Only a wet warmth beginning to coat my fur. The feeling of being saturated in my own blood.

Hitting her knees the second she reaches me, her  eyes are glazing over my mangled body. Her beautiful blue eyes are darting from injury to injury, panic filling her gaze.

.... I always loved her eyes. I'd tell her they were bluer than the clearest summer sky, that I could stare at them all day and imagine that I was cloud gazing inside of them. She'd always roll them at me, sometimes she'd even grace me with a half annoyed smile, though it'd only grow bigger the second she walked away.

But now... Those eyes are spilling over with tears. Like the rare rain we'd get once a year, rain when the clouds were still fluffy and white. Before they had the chance to cover the sun. Rain that would come drizzling down through the sun rays.

The kind of rain that would make rainbows.

Grimacing as I reach up, I turn her face towards mine and away from the gruesome scene; Before I lie to her one last time.

"Don't look at that, Sal. Everything's gonna be alright."

Feeling my heart ache as her face twists into a sob, at the fact that I'm causing it, I think she finally knows that I'm lying.

Holding my face in her hands, she shakes her head. Her small hands are trembling, and it's killing me.

"No, Sonic, it's not!!" Raising her hoarse voice, I know that she's not raising it at me. She's raising it at her anger, at her sorrow. She's raising it at the world.

"It's not going to be okay! Because-..." trailing off as her lips quiver, she squeaks out, "because I'm pregnant, Sonic".

...

Sally's POV:

As my tears dampen his fur, I watch his comforting smile falter. I watch his eyes widen as his brows knit together in confusion. In sadness.

... In guilt.

"You've been trying to tell me all week..." shutting his eyes in annoyance with himself, he says, "I'm such an idiot".

Smoothing down his electric blue fur, I can feel my voice shaking.

"It's okay... You've been busy with--" cutting me off, he shakes his head. "I never should have been too busy for you... For the two of you... It is mine, right?". Wanting to punch him for even questioning it, I can see the playfulness behind his quip. And instead, I laugh through my tears as he smiles.

"Yes, she's yours."

Watching his eyes soften, his labored breathing is becoming more strenuous.

"We're having a girl?..."

Nodding as I try to conceal the sob with a laugh, it does little to muffle it.

"What's her name, Sonic?"

Raggedly inhaling for a breath, his eyes flutter as he tries to keep then open. "I... I get to name her?". Nodding again, I tightly purse my lips knowing another sob will escape if I open them.

Remaining quiet for a few seconds, he finally croaks out, "Juniper.... I've always loved that name. Juniper the Hedgehog". Pausing, he takes an agonizing sounding breath before he questions, "or would it be Juniper the Squirrel?". Looking up at me, his puzzled smile is tired.

"Sally... How did we manage to make this baby?"

Leaning down, I press a gentle kiss to his forehead instead of answering. Because we both know it shouldn't be possible.

Leaning my head against his, I whisper, "Juniper... Our miracle baby. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?".

Nodding his head against mine, I open my eyes to see tears forming in his emerald gaze.

Quietly, he chokes out, "I don't want to die, Sal". Sitting up to wipe his tears, new ones fall to take their place. "I don't want to leave you... The both of you. She's going to grow up without me, you're going to have to raise her on your own--" interrupting his sentence, he coughs as blood sputters down his chin.

"Shh... Everything is going to be okay. That's what you said, remember?"

Pursing his quivering lips, he whispers, "I'm scared, Sally". Nodding as the tears stream down my cheeks, I'm trying so desperately to keep myself stitched together for him. But I realize all too late that the words have already slipped out.

"I am too, Sonic... I love you."

My facade falters, waiting for him to answer me.

"... Sonic?.."

Shaking as I drag my eyes down to meet his, they're no longer looking at me.

They're not looking at anything.

...

Amy's POV:

Shivering as I stand between Sally and Callix, her guttural sob breaks the silence in the air.

A bone chilling, agonizing, heart wrenching cry.

And suddenly... I'm not afraid anymore.

I'm not afraid of Callix.

I'm not afraid of losing to him.

Because all that I feel... Is Anguish. Agony. Heartache. Guilt. So many emotions, every single one of them threatening to consume me.

But the strongest of them all... Is rage.

And as my eyes look up to meet his golden gaze, I know that he can feel it.

His smile from before has disappeared, replaced with a focused expression that he's never worn before. His eyes are honed in on me, observing every breath that I take like a hunter stalking its prey.

But this time, I refuse to be the one playing the hunted.

Holding out my hand as it glows, Sally's overwhelmed, panicked expression meets mine before both her and Sonic disappear. Teleported somewhere safe, somewhere she can mourn. Somewhere Sonic can finally rest.

Somewhere she won't be caught in my messy eruption.

"It's not going to be enough, little dove. You're not enough, and the anger isn't enough."

Cutting my eyes to his brusk figure, the taunting voice usually paired with the twisted nickname he's given me isn't there this time. His grovely voice is level, not quite a warning... But more so a statement.

"Though I have done so before, I do not wish to strike you down. We don't have to enemies, Amelia Rose."

Bristling at the statement, I grit my teeth as he stares at me.

He shattered my spine into a million pieces. He tortured Silver, kidnapped Blaze, and murdered the closest thing to family I've had since my parents were slaughtered.

He has Shadow trapped inside of his own hell.

And we... Don't have to be enemies?

"Shadow is the only one allowed to call me that... And do you really expect me to just roll over and watch you destroy my home? My world? My friends?? You've got a few more screws loose than I originally thought, I'll give you that." Displeased with my answer, his brows furrow as if it was unexpected.

"Shadow is going to die today. While I'm giving you the chance to live."

Dragging my eyes from the black and red fur still frozen in place... To the blades of grass still wet with Sonic's blood, if I were to grit my teeth any harder I think my canines would snap.

"A life without him in it isn't a life worth living."

Frowning, my eyes narrow at the genuine disappointment written on his face.

"I was hoping for a companion to keep me company in the eternal afterlife. Your powers would have made fine entertainment for me."

Flattening my ears in anger, I growl, "then why are you so set on killing everybody!?"

"Because I have to. It's what I was programmed to do."

Grasping for the very thin string of control that I've been trying so desperately not to let go of, it slips straight through my fingers before it snaps.

"You are not the victim here! You had the option to be better than your given purpose and you kidnapped one of my friends and tortured the other! Your emergence cost another one his tail, and Sonic his life. You don't care who you hurt, Callix!"

"And you? If I remember correctly, I hurt you as well."

Remember correctly? I still have nightmares, vivid nightmares of what he did to me. The joy in his eyes as he did it. And regardless of all of it...

"I don't care what you do to me. But my friends are the closest thing to family that I'll ever have... And they're off limits."

Flexing his neck, he rolls it to the side as he exhales. "Clearly the blue one wasn't. And since this one has caused so many problems, I suppose he can be next."

Feeling the wave of panic that I've been waiting for course through my body as he lunges towards Shadow, my powers respond in an instant.

Because he's given me just enough time to draw out every ounce of sol energy in my body.

Enough energy to shatter the Phantom Ruby.

...

Shadow's POV:

Squinting as the brightness of the clearing floods my vision, I drop to my knees as I heave. I can't take it again... I can't watch her die again.

Not again.

Not again.

Please not again.

Please--

"Shadow! Run!!"

Listening to her voice ring in my ears, I've lost count of how many times I've heard her screams. How many times she's begged me to run. How many times I've begged her to run.

The desperate look in her eyes when she tells me to leave her behind, as if I would ever.

As is if I ever could.

"Shadow, please!!"

Grabbing me by the shoulders, the familiar feeling of her sol energy intertwining with my chaos energy zings through the air; Always a thin line between the two energies. On the brink of touching, but never mixing.

Sometimes she has time to stand her ground, time to fight.

Most of the time she doesn't.

Feeling the wind that was previously cooling the dampened fur around my cheeks cease, the gentle hum of her barrier radiates around us before Callix can close the distance.

Heaving as the energy protecting us wavers, her body shakes under the pressure of his attack.

She always tries to protect me, I always try to protect her. It's always the same.

"Shadow, look at me!"

Averting my eyes, I'm terrified that the second I do they'll widen in fear as Callix plunges his hand into her. It's happened so many times... I haven't been able to save her once. Not once.

Cupping my cheek in her hand, she turns my face to look at her. "My love, look at me. Please." Hesitantly, I drag my eyes to rest on her calm, forest green eyes. Despite her eyes scrunching ever so slightly as another blow shakes her barrier, every bit of a smile is on her face.

"You were trapped inside of the phantom ruby. This is real, Shadow. It's all real this time."

Searching her eyes, her smile falters as another attack rattles her defense. Coughing, I grab her by the shoulders in concern as dribbles of blood spew from her mouth.

"You're real?"

Nodding, she smoothes down my ruffled quills and rubs at the dampened fur beneath my eyes.

Smiling the purest, most radiant smile, she says, "as real as I can get". And without wasting a single second, I grab her face in my hands before pulling her into me.

My large hands almost completely cover her small face, her soft lips crashing into mine as my body engulfs her petite frame. Gripping my fur as I slide a hand down to the gentle curve of her back, our embrace is abruptly ended as the sound of her barrier cracking and splintering echoes around us.

Reaching for her as she drops to her knees, blood spatters onto the ground as she hacks and heaves.

"A futile attempt that was, little dove. Shattering the phantom ruby... But I'm afraid all you've done now is make me angry." Shoving her behind me, I chaos control milliseconds before he has the chance to snatch her. But what he said...

How did she shatter such a powerful artifact?

"Stop running, the two of you are wasting my time." Teleporting again, I'm too slow this time.

He's waiting for us to reappear, and snatches me by the throat as soon as I do.

...

Amy's POV:

Freezing as Callix slowly turns to look at me, I can read the silent threat behind his gaze.

And he's not bluffing.

One motion is all it would take for me to lose everything.

"Stop, please!"

Glancing from me to Shadow, my partners feet dangle in the air as he thrashes wildly against the golden hedgehogs grip. Watching Callix's grip tighten around his neck, the desperate bite in my voice rings throughout the clearing.

"CALLIX!!"

Perked in my direction, his ears are acutely listening to my plead; Enjoying the desperation behind it.

"If taking him out of the equation will solve all of my problems, then it must be done little dove."

Feeling my chest tighten with panic, the world begins to revolve in slow motion as I watch the tendons in Calix's hand strain against Shadow's throat. I listen to his last desperate breath of air become caught in his windpipe, cut off from his lungs as Callix bears down.

I feel the sol energy crackle to my finger tips. I feel it flood through every channel in my body.

And as it presses against the barriers that I've fought so hard to contain it, it begins to shatter and crack as my whole world begins to splinter right in front me.

It feels like lava is flooding my veins, flooding my senses, flooding every thought.

And as my yell deafens the clearing, there's a sense of utter calm for a second.

And only a second before the energy completely shatters every wall I put up to keep it from never fully escaping.

...

Shadow's POV:

Shielding my face as I'm blown across the clearing, I squint through the rubble and dust that was sent flying by the explosion.

Gasping for air as my lungs expand and finally fill with air again, I squint through the debris.

Coughing and hacking as he stumbles to his feet, his eyes are wide with frenzy.

Following his gaze... It leads straight to Amelia.

And to her glowing quills.

Her usually soft and gentle gaze is hardened with anger, the green of her irises illuminated in a pale pink.

Dragging her narrowed eyes to the hedgehog as he stumbles to his feet, shock is written over every square inch of his face.

My Rose... Has entered a super form.

Without the use of chaos emeralds.

She's shattered the phantom ruby.

And she's broken through his defenses.

Yet... He's laughing.

Callix is laughing through his labored coughs.

"And here I thought... You were a rose without thorns. Look at you! All charged up and ready to take a proper swing at me. And as for me... I finally have a worthy opponent."

Starring at him through daggered eyes, she's unflinching as he launches himself at her. Shining in an aura of his golden sol energy as he flies through the air, her heels dig into the ground as she catches his hands in hers.

Watching her brows knit together in vexation under his strength, she growls loudly before a wave of energy knocks him off balance once more.

Blinking, I nearly miss how quickly she teleports above him before charging up a beam of energy from her hands. Blasting it at him, he deflects the shaft of light as he stands in the middle of the crater. And as the dust begins to clear from the impact, it reveals his ear to ear grin as he stares at my Amelia.

"There you are, little dove. I knew you were in there somewhere."

Drawling her lips back in a snarl, she raises her hand in my direction as a protective layer of her energy forms around me. Looking to Callix, his hand is raised as well.

The two of them are moving too fast, too fast for me to keep up with... I never even saw him raise an attack to me.

"Don't touch him."

The smirk pulling at his lips falters as she speaks, and he mutters, "I don't comprehend why you insist on protecting him".

And as she responds, my ribs tighten around my chest at the emotion. At the bite behind her voice as she roars at the hedgehog.

"Because he's MINE!"

Teleporting in a frenzy that my eyes have trouble keeping up with, the blur of glowing pink and radiating gold fur blink in and out of existence. Beams of energy shoot through the air, debris from the collisions clang and dink against the barrier protecting me.

Insurmountable amounts of energy radiate and clash against each other, shaking the ground and rattling the sky.

I find my heart lurching when the ball of pale pink power consuming Amelia is sent crashing to the ground, only for it to triumph moments later when she launches Callix into the trees.

And as dusk starts to approach, the wear of the fight begins to weigh heavy on the both of them.

...

Amy's POV:

Huffing as I trudge back to the clearing, Callix is moving slower than before. He's getting tired... But so am I.

I shouldn't have even been able to access a super form without the presence of another energy. For Sonic and Shadow, it's the chaos emeralds.

Looking down at my glowing hands, this shouldn't be possible.

And if I can access it, then why hasn't Callix?

Whipping my head in the direction of Shadow as I hear him beating on the glass, I look up a second too late as I realize he was trying to warn me that Callix was approaching.

Grimacing as I'm sent flying into the ground, my back rakes across the dirt as he stands over top of me with an almost teasing smile.

Leaning down towards my face, he says, "not getting tired, are we little dove?" In an insufferable tone. Writhing under his grasp, I growl back, "not in the slightest. I'm simply waiting for you enter your super form to make this a fair fight".

Leaning back, his eyes narrow. "You insult me, Amy Rose. A super form? I'm already the perfect life form. The true ultimate life form. What kind of specimen would I be if I needed some sort of boost to access all of my power?"

Glancing to Shadow, his red stripes seem to be more vibrant in the haze of the setting sun. His lips are drawn back in a snarl, his eyes dead set on Callix as he towers over me.

Dragging my eyes away from Shadow, I look back up at Callix. "You may be the perfect little soldier Eggman always wanted you to be, but you'll never truly be the ultimate life form."

Wincing as his hand shoots to my throat, a strangled laugh escapes through the suffocating feeling. "The real ultimate lifeform broke his coding. He decided to defend the Mobians from people like you, who couldn't. He learned how to love". Wheezing through his grasp, I squeeze out, "and you will never be loved, Callix".

Looking up at him as his facade finally cracks, I struck the exact nerve that I was aiming for. And as his eyes glow with anger, I prepare myself for the after math as his act comes crashing down like a broken sheet of glass.

Drawing the very last of what little energy I have left, I've already pushed my power past it's limits.

I'm running on empty, trying to draw out energy that isn't there. Every breath feels like agony, my body shaking as Callix's face begins to splinter and crack. Rays of pure sol energy begin to beam through the air, illuminating his large figure. Squinting as my eyes begin to burn through the thin veil of protection that I've wrapped around myself, his explosive energy lights up the clearing like the sun itself.

Heaving for air as the barrier wavers, I find my eyes drifting over to Shadow. And in one unspoken glance, his eyes give me all of the reassurance that I need.

Watching the sheer barrier deteriorate around him, his own quickly replaces it. The color of my shield overlaps with the color of his own, and we share one last loving smile before the ticking time bomb counting down in front of me finally goes off.

...

Shadow's POV:

Feeling every fibre of my being ache as her ear-splitting roar vibrates in my ears, it's a sound of pain. A sound of desperation.

I find myself stumbling blindly through the rubble searching for her petite figure until I see the faintest pale pink glow through the soot and debris.

Trees are crackling with fiery embers all around us, the ground is mangled with craters and rivets. Remnants of demolished rocks and uprooted trees are proof of the battle that took place here. But all I can see is her small frame laying on the ground as I rush over to her.

Sliding the rubble off of her, the pale light that I used to find her is slowly flickering like a candle being starved for air. And as I scoop her into my arms, it finally sizzles out.

Her labored breathing is proof to the voice in my head running rampant with fear. With every rise and fall of her chest, the roaring voices finally fade back into silence. She's alive.

Sliding my hand up to her bruised cheek, she coughs as she pries her eyes open to look at me.

Her eyes have returned to their beautiful forest green color. The color of all of the plants in the forest teeming with life in the fresh months of spring. A color I've come to love more than I ever thought I could.

Hugging her battered body, she's never felt so delicate in my arms before this moment.

"Callix... Where?.."

Hushing her, I try not to alert her that the alarms are beginning to sing in my head once more. Prying my gaze away from her tired, confused eyes, I scan the dust filled clearing for any sign of him.

Trying to silence all of the overlapping thoughts at once, the main one screaming above the others is questioning if I can finish this fight.

But as I finally spot his crumpled body sat up against a nearby tree, all of the voices run silent. I can see his ragged breathing, the desperation to get back up. The shock when he looks down at his broken body.

"Shadow?..." She whispers, the question behind more voice more evident than before.

"He's down, love. I don't think he'll be getting back up anytime soon." I reply in a hushed tone.

Releasing a shuddering breath, I watch relief flood over her gaze... Shortly before it twists with grief, my heart beginning to ache as the tears start to flood her eyes. "He... He killed Sonic." She whispers, her glassed over eyes trailing up to mine as her bottom lip begins to quiver.

"He... Murdered him." She says in a strangled tone, an unmistakable emotion flooding her eyes. A dark emotion.

An emotion that has her yanking on my body to drag herself to her feet. One that has her stumbling towards the bloodied mass of golden fur. One that has me desperately grabbing her by the shoulders to stop her in her tracks.

One that has her trying to yank away from me, trying to move me out of the path leading straight to Callix.

"Love, look at me." I plead as she pulls away from me, covering her face as a whimper escapes in the form of a sob. "Rose", I beg as I grab her wrists, trying to break her frenzied state.

Shaking her head as she purses her trembling lips, she turns her head to avoid my gaze. To hide herself from it. To try and conceal the shuddering inhale mixed with a sob as she sucks in her breath.

"Look at me, please", I whisper despite another distraught shake of her head, leaving me feeling defeated as how to soothe her anger, her sorrow, and her grief.

So I do the only thing I know to do, and gently brush her cheek with my thumb before turning her head up at mine.

Tears flick down from her wet lashes as she blinks, and I carefully wipe them from her fur as she trembles beneath my hands.

"You won, love", I murmur as I lean down to her eye level. "You beat him. Now... Let me take care of the rest."

Smoothing her messy hair away from her face, what feels like an eternity passes before she finally nods.

"Shadow...?" She whispers, waiting for my acknowledging nod before she continues.

"Make it hurt."

Feeling my chest tighten at hearing her ask such a thing, a part of me knows that she has every right to want it. She wants so desperately to end this herself, even when she's leaning on me for support while beaten and bruised.

She thinks that it will ease the pain, that it will snuff out the anger... But it won't.

I've never been a hero, and I'll never claim to be. I've chosen revenge more times than I can count. I've killed because I thought it would silence the rage, but instead it only made it scream louder.

Because no matter how many agents I killed, it never brought Maria back.

No matter how many people or Mobian's I beat inches away from death it never numbed the guilt.

I may not have been able to stop her from having to fight this battle on her own, but I'll be damned if I let her finish it hoping to feel the emotions finally release... Only for them to swell.

"Will you look away?" I ask, though I already know the answer long before she shakes her head.

So instead of pleading with her, I simply nod before touching my head to hers. And when I pull away, the sadness in her eyes is more than enough motivation to do exactly as she asked.

Turning to walk towards Callix, I feel her gaze following my footsteps; And the small bit of envy behind it.

Wheezing as his fur slips from from his muscles in chunks, he lets out a strangled scoff as I approach. "She couldn't do it, could she? I always knew she was weak-- " He sneers, gritting his teeth as I cuff off the end of his sentence with a chaos spear straight through his leg.

"On the contrary, I'm going to be much more gentle than she would have been." I reply.

__________________________________Thank you for making it to the end of this chapter, and the (almost) end to this story :)

There will be one last chapter after this one, but if you'd like to read more shadamy, the first chapter to my next series is already out. It's a slow burn, with less action and backstory than this one... A lot less gory, too ;) It's going to completely revolve around Shadow and Amy, and less around saving the world and fighting villains.

If you're interested, it's called "To Wilt or to Bloom". Thank you for making it this far <3