[MATURE] Shadow/Knuckles
Content Warnings: Drugging / Restraint / Injury / Violence / Abduction / Cross-Dressing / Humiliation / Loss of Consciousness / Emotional Distress
The wind around the Master Emerald was a little restless.
On the solitary floating island of Angel Island, Knuckles kept watch near the altar, just as he always did.
Today, as on every other day, this was the place he had sworn to protect.
“I’ve received reports of some suspicious characters prowling around the skies near your island.”
One day, an unexpected visitor arrived bearing ominous news. Shadow—the black-furred hedgehog—stood beside Knuckles with his arms folded.
“Suspicious characters?”
“Do you know a woman named Regina? She’s half machine, and she’s the one pulling the strings behind Maxim Company, a major manufacturer of weapons and defense equipment.”
Knuckles tilted his head. But from the look in Shadow’s eyes, he could tell that this Regina was no ordinary small-time villain.
“Apparently, she’s been snooping around the Master Emerald—and you, its guardian. It seems she’s been secretly deploying combat drones in various locations.”
“So she’s after my island?”
“Most likely. Which is why I think we should eliminate the threat before it becomes a problem.”
Knuckles snorted and lightly cracked his knuckles.
“If you came all the way here just to warn me, these guys must be pretty nasty.”
“We already know how to deal with them. Her drones—the ones we’re looking for—are equipped with wings, guns, and blades. Their primary methods of attack are aerial maneuvers, slashing attacks, and gunfire. Once we have their patterns figured out, something on this level should—”
Before Shadow could finish, the hard whir of machinery descended from the sky.
“That them?”
“How convenient. Saves me the trouble of explaining.”
Knuckles took off without hesitation.
Countless black shapes took over the skies above the island. Cold, mechanical drones spread their wings and descended toward the island in a straight line.
“Tch. There’s a lot of ’em!”
Knuckles kicked off the ground and drove his fist into the lead drone. Sparks flew with the crunch of buckling metal. Gunfire came from behind, and Knuckles dodged it by a hair.
For every one he destroyed, three more came rushing in.
“You’re not laying a finger on the Master Emerald!”
With a roar, Knuckles smashed through drone after drone. Behind him, Shadow landed lightly on the ground.
“There are a lot of them, but their combat capabilities are within expectations.”
Shadow calmly analyzed the situation as he fired a Chaos Spear. Lances of light pierced through the drones’ wings one after another.
“I’ll take the three on the right. The four on the left are yours.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice!”
Their movements were almost too seamless for a battlefield. Fists and light crossed through the air as metal wings burst apart overhead.
This is nothing to worry about.
For a moment, that was what Shadow thought.
There was no significant discrepancy between the intelligence he had gathered beforehand and the enemy’s actual strength. They were numerous, but their patterns were simple.
Just as Shadow drew himself up to destroy the drone directly in front of him, an unfamiliar shape flickered at the edge of his vision.
The instant his eyes shifted toward it—
Behind him came the clash of metal, overlapping with a short grunt of pain.
“…!”
By the time he turned around, a different type of drone was right beside Knuckles, its gun barrel glowing.
Shadow kicked off the ground.
The air warped. His vision stretched.
And in the next instant, Shadow’s back was between Knuckles and the drone.
“Shadow?!”
A gunshot.
An impact.
Scorching pain tore through Shadow’s shoulder.
Gritting his teeth, Shadow swung with his remaining arm and smashed the drone’s head away.
“…I let my guard down.”
The words came out strained.
Knuckles hurriedly destroyed the remaining drones, then rushed to Shadow’s side.
“Hey! Shadow!”
“It’s nothing serious.”
That was what Shadow said.
But blood was running from his left shoulder.
Knuckles gritted his teeth, scooped Shadow up into his arms, and carried him to the small cabin deeper within the island.
He sat Shadow down in a chair, pulled medicine and bandages from a first-aid kit, and began treating the wound with practiced hands.
“An injury like this is nothing seri—”
“Just shut up!”
Knuckles’ voice trembled more than he had expected.
“If you hadn’t covered for me, I would’ve taken that shot. This is my island, and you got hurt because I let them catch me off guard…!”
Shadow glanced away.
“…I was the one who let my guard down. I had advance intelligence, and I became overconfident. So there’s no reason for you to—”
“Of course there is!”
Knuckles let out a short breath.
He moved briskly around the cabin, wiping Shadow’s body down with warm water and a cloth, preparing the bed and settling him into it. As he made some hot soup, he brewed medicinal herbs for the pain and slowly helped Shadow drink them.
“Anywhere hurt?”
“A little.”
“Where?”
“…My shoulder. And my fingertips are numb.”
“Anywhere else?”
“That’s about it.”
Knuckles nodded, relief and worry mingling on his face.
“Anything you can’t eat? Anything you don’t like?”
“Nothing in particular.”
“Then the hot soup’ll be ready soon. Anything else you want me to do?”
Shadow found himself at a loss for an answer.
Why is he going this far?
Knuckles was Sonic’s sparring partner. A rough, forceful man who relied on brute strength.
At least, that was the impression Shadow had of him.
And yet the guardian before him now was worrying about him with an awkwardness that was utterly sincere.
“…What are you thinking, Knuckles?”
The question slipped out before Shadow could stop it. Knuckles faltered, his gaze wandering.
“Uh… well…”
Silence settled over the cabin.
Eventually, Knuckles drew a short breath and looked Shadow straight in the eye.
“I don’t care what it takes, as long as you get better.”
Shadow’s heart gave a single leap.
He didn’t know why. But something deep in his chest felt restless.
“…My fingertips are numb.”
The words slipped out in a quiet voice before he knew it.
Knuckles’ eyes widened. Then he gently wrapped Shadow’s hand in his own. His hand was large and rough, yet gentle.
“Like this?”
He slowly rubbed Shadow’s fingertips. The numbness didn’t disappear right away. But another sensation began to spread from there instead.
It feels good.
To Shadow’s own surprise, the touch felt almost sweet. His eyelids grew heavy. Pain, relief, and warmth blended together, and Shadow let himself drift into sleep.
When Shadow opened his eyes, night had already fallen outside.
The cabin was dim, the glow of a lamp faintly illuminating the walls.
Shadow realized that his hand was still being held gently. He shifted his gaze and found Knuckles looking back at him.
“You awake?”
“…You’re still holding my hand?”
“You said your fingers were numb.”
Knuckles said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Thirsty?”
“A little…”
Knuckles gently supported Shadow by the shoulder and brought a cup of water to his lips.
There was nothing remarkable about the gesture. It was perfectly natural. And yet, to Shadow, it seemed almost unbelievably attentive and gentle.
“There’s nothing on this island, and it’s probably not all that comfortable here… Sorry.”
Shadow found himself at a loss for words at the apology.
Uncomfortable? If anything—
This might be the most at ease I’ve ever felt anywhere in my life.
He immediately rejected the thought.
That couldn’t be true.
He didn’t know why.
He didn’t know what it meant.
An ancient floating island, home to the Master Emerald. A small, dim cabin on the island that Knuckles guarded all alone.
Just as Knuckles himself had said, it was a simple place, hardly somewhere suited for a long stay.
“…Now the fingers on my other hand are numb.”
For some reason, the words came out before he could stop them.
Knuckles looked at him seriously and wrapped his hands around Shadow’s other hand.
“This one? Is this okay?”
“…”
Shadow no longer understood what he was doing.
He simply closed his eyes, as though trying to hide from the helpless restlessness stirring in his heart.
“Can I sleep a little longer?”
“Sleep as long as you want. I’ll check on you again when you wake up.”
Knuckles smiled and gently stroked the fur on Shadow’s head.
Wrapped in that tingling comfort, Shadow once again drifted into a deep sleep.
The next time Shadow opened his eyes, the warmth was still there.
Knuckles was leaning back in his chair, still holding Shadow’s hand. He should have been exhausted after staying up all night, yet he was rubbing his eyes desperately, fighting off sleep.
“…When are you going to sleep?”
At Shadow’s murmur, Knuckles looked slightly surprised, then smiled.
“You were awake? I told you, you can sleep.”
“You’re the one who should be resting.”
“I’m tough. Oh, right. The soup’s ready.”
With that, Knuckles got up and lit the burner beneath a small pot in the makeshift kitchen. Shadow heard the soft sound of soup being stirred. Before long, a warm aroma filled the cabin.
“Here. Open your mouth.”
Knuckles returned carrying a bowl of soup.
“I can drink it myself.”
“Your fingers are numb, remember?”
Looking almost apologetic, Knuckles scooped up a spoonful and brought it to Shadow’s mouth.
Shadow stared at him in surprise.
There’s no reason for him to go this far for me.
He meant to say it aloud, but his throat refused to cooperate.
Instead, an odd restlessness stirred in his chest.
…I feel like I’m doing something wrong.
Had being injured and unable to move ever felt this sweet before?
The spoon touched his lips.
He slowly opened his mouth, and the warm soup spread across his tongue. It wasn’t too salty, and the gentle sweetness of the vegetables slowly seeped through his body.
“Not too hot?”
“Just right.”
Shadow answered quietly.
His heart still refused to settle.
Knuckles’ gaze. The distance between them. The warmth of his breath.
Every one of them caught strangely at Shadow’s awareness.
By the time he finished eating, the pain in his shoulder had eased considerably.
By rights, he should have used Chaos Control long ago and returned to his own base—the underground facility used by the agents directly under the World Government, the organization Shadow belonged to.
And yet, lying there in bed and watching Knuckles’ back as he cleaned up was far more enjoyable than Shadow had expected.
He knew he was pretending he couldn’t move.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
And still, he couldn’t stop himself.
When Knuckles finished cleaning up, he came back and asked with a worried look,
“Does anything still hurt? Something wrong with your legs? Can you not walk?”
“…My fingers hurt more.”
The words came out before he could think.
Inside, Shadow wanted to bury his face in his hands.
“Your fingers still hurt? Sorry.”
Knuckles frowned apologetically again and gently wrapped his hands around Shadow’s.
With his thumb, he continued to softly rub Shadow’s palm and the base of his fingers.
…What is this?
On the second day, Shadow once again had Knuckles wipe him down, cut fruit into pieces and feed them to him, and even lend him a book about adventures—one Knuckles had carefully kept stored away in a wooden box so Shadow wouldn’t get bored.
Before he knew it, Shadow had completely immersed himself in Knuckles’ kindness.
It was becoming harder and harder to pull himself away from that comfort.
Then a thought occurred to him.
When does he ever rest?
That night, Knuckles once again barely slept as he tended to Shadow. The next day, he prepared meals and checked on him, slipping away whenever he could to patrol the island and gather supplies.
He had to be tired, yet not once did Knuckles complain.
“…Why are you doing so much for me?”
At last, Shadow voiced the question that had been on his mind.
“I only shielded you because it was the strategically sound decision. And I was injured because I let my guard down. That was my own mistake. It wasn’t your responsibility.”
“No.”
Knuckles immediately shook his head.
“You got hurt on my island because of me. And…”
His words trailed off.
Shadow waited silently for him to continue.
“…I’m doing it because I want to.”
Knuckles gave him an awkward smile.
“At least while you’re here, let me do my job as guardian and protect you properly.”
Something deep in Shadow’s chest quietly stirred.
That night, Shadow secretly opened his personal data terminal while Knuckles was outside checking on the Master Emerald.
Echidna tribe.
He typed the words into the search field while fighting the urge to punch himself in the face.
Even so, his finger refused to stop scrolling.
Legends. History. Physical abilities. Culture.
Shadow swallowed quietly.
He slipped toward the altar and watched Knuckles from the shadows.
The powerful profile of the guardian protecting the Master Emerald.
The way he took a deep breath, as though breathing in the very air of the island.
The small, jagged tail that gave a slight sway when he stretched.
Without thinking, Shadow activated the camera on his terminal and raised it toward Knuckles—
Then abruptly hurled the terminal away.
I—
His heartbeat sounded painfully clear in his ears.
Have I finally lost my mind?
Moving sluggishly, Shadow retrieved the terminal and submitted a request for several days of paid leave through the agents’ server.
…Something is wrong with me. Yes. That’s it. I’m just not myself because of the injury.
Several more days passed, and by then, Shadow had completely recovered.
He was sitting on the bed in the cabin, reading the book Knuckles had lent him, when Knuckles returned and gave him his usual pat on the shoulder.
“How’re you feeling?”
“…I might have a headache.”
The words came out before he could stop them.
Knuckles’ eyes widened. He gently eased Shadow down onto the bed and pulled the blanket over him.
“This is my fault, isn’t it…? Sorry.”
A large hand hesitantly stroked Shadow’s head.
The tenderness only made his guilt worse.
No. …I’m just pretending to be sick…
He knew that.
And still, his heart began racing again.
Every time Knuckles stroked his head, Shadow could feel the corners of his mouth beginning to soften.
Ah—
And then he understood.
I want this to go on forever.
It was something that friendship alone couldn’t explain.
It was still too early, too immature, too uncertain to call it “love.”
And yet, there was no denying that the feeling had begun to take root inside him.
He couldn’t keep lying like this forever.
“I’m fine now. The wound’s healed, and the headache was… just my imagination.”
The next morning, Shadow finally made the declaration.
Knuckles looked relieved, but a little lonely at the same time.
“I see… That’s good.”
“Sorry for the trouble.”
“You weren’t any trouble. …Just don’t push yourself like that again.”
At those words, Shadow felt another small ache in his chest.
After saying goodbye to Knuckles at the altar, Shadow turned and left.
But he couldn’t resist coming back.
Hidden behind a tree, he secretly watched Knuckles from a distance.
Knuckles looked small as he walked around the altar.
…I’m not spying on him.
Shadow tried to convince himself of that, only to reject the excuse almost immediately.
Even I have to admit, this is creepy.
He let out a self-deprecating sigh and finally left the island.
The next day.
Another massive swarm of drones appeared over Angel Island.
This time, Sonic and Tails had been called to the island from the start. With Shadow’s advance intelligence and the record of the previous attack, they were better prepared.
“All right! Let’s make some noise!”
With his usual grin, Sonic plunged straight into the swarm of drones.
Tails provided support from the air, while Shadow calmly targeted the most dangerous units.
Knuckles should have immediately taken up a fighting stance as well.
But there was clearly something wrong with the way he moved.
His steps were heavy.
His eyes wouldn’t focus.
Knuckles had barely slept at all over the past several days.
He had spent them constantly at Shadow’s side, taking care of him.
“Hey, Knuckles!”
Sonic was the first to notice and immediately moved to cover him.
One of the drones struck at Knuckles from his blind spot.
Sonic slipped between them, intercepted the blade, and kicked the drone away.
By the time the battle was over, countless small cuts covered Sonic’s body.
Knuckles dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
At the sight, Shadow felt his entire body go cold.
This is because I kept pretending to be sick.
Knuckles had continued caring for Shadow without getting anything close to enough sleep.
And now he had gone into battle with all that exhaustion still weighing on him.
Sonic had stepped in to cover for him—
and gotten hurt in his place.
“…!”
Shadow rushed over, supported Knuckles in his arms, and hurried him into the cabin.
Sonic followed close behind, more concerned about Knuckles than about his own injuries.
Inside the cabin, Sonic peered down at Knuckles as he lay on the bed and joked,
“Man… what’s up with you, Knuckles? You can barely stand. And Shadow, what’s with you? Since when are you so nice to Knuckles?”
Shadow found himself unable to answer.
Deep in his chest, his irritation toward Sonic slowly began to swell.
—He’s in the way.
The thought only confused Shadow further.
“That’s none of your concern. Keep watch over the area.”
His reply was cold, but at that very moment, Knuckles shot upright in bed.
“Sonic got hurt because of me!”
The hoarseness in his voice silenced them both.
Shadow sighed and decided that the two of them needed to rest.
“Sonic. You’re injured too. Get some rest.”
“I told you, I’m fine.”
“Do you intend to make Knuckles worry about you any more than he already has?”
Caught off guard by Shadow’s unexpected concern, Sonic swallowed whatever he had been about to say.
Once Shadow and Tails left to patrol the surrounding area, Knuckles immediately got out of bed and began tending to Sonic’s injuries.
He fetched water, wrapped bandages around him, and applied medicine, without seeming to care about his own condition at all.
“Man…”
Sonic laughed in exasperation, though he looked strangely pleased.
“Hey, best friend. You really are way too serious, you know that?”
Sonic called Knuckles his best friend.
Knuckles never went out of his way to use words like that himself, but he never denied it either. Whenever Sonic suddenly showed up to hang out, Knuckles simply accepted him without complaint.
And perhaps being treated so carefully by the normally brusque Knuckles had put Sonic in a particularly good mood, because he cheerfully began making one ridiculous request after another.
“Rub my stomach.”
“Massage my legs.”
“Feed me some fruit.”
“Pet my head until I fall asleep.”
“Go pick me some flowers.”
“Sing me a song.”
Knuckles was flustered, but still feeling responsible for Sonic’s injuries, he desperately tried to accommodate every request.
When Shadow returned to the cabin with Tails, he was greeted by a sight he could hardly stand to look at.
Knuckles was sitting on the bed with Sonic’s head in his lap, awkwardly but earnestly stroking his head.
Sonic lay there with his head on Knuckles’ lap, laughing in a spoiled, affectionate voice.
“Knuckles, rub my shoulders. Oh, and don’t make me move.”
“Uh… sure.”
“Ahh, that’s good. Now scratch behind my ears.”
“Here…?”
“Ahh, perfect. Song next!”
“A-again? Uh… what am I supposed to sing?”
Something dark slowly spread through Shadow’s chest.
…What is this irritation?
It wasn’t merely anger.
Disgust at the sheer audacity of Sonic’s demands. Exasperation—and admiration—at Knuckles’ sincerity.
And then there was that unreasonable desire:
Why didn’t he let me be spoiled like that?
At last, Shadow could take no more. He grabbed Sonic by the neck.
“That’s enough.”
“Whoa! Wh-what the hell?!”
“Your injuries are minor. Something like that would heal if you just spat on it.”
Caught out, Sonic’s eyes darted away. Then his expression turned a little more serious as he shot back,
“Knuckles is worried about me. What’s wrong with letting him take care of me once in a while? It’s not like I’m bothering you, Shadow. So why’re you getting so worked up?”
Shadow froze.
What exactly was making him this angry?
Sonic kept asking for things Shadow himself had never even thought to ask for.
And though Knuckles was bewildered, he was still trying to accept every one of those requests.
…I can’t watch this.
Unable to stand it any longer, Shadow roughly pulled open the cabin door.
“I’m going to make another sweep outside. Tails, come with me.”
“Huh? Oh—okay!”
Tails hurried after him, stealing a quick glance at Shadow’s face.
“Even if it doesn’t look like it, Sonic and Knuckles are really close… You don’t have to worry so much. I’m sure they’ll be fine together.”
Shadow nodded.
“You’re right.”
—That’s not the problem.
Even as he screamed the words inwardly, his irritation surged again.
Then what exactly *was* the problem?
The fact that even he couldn’t answer that question only irritated him more.
When Shadow and Tails finished their patrol and returned to the cabin once again, they were greeted by a sight neither of them could have anticipated.
“…What is that?”
The first thing that caught Shadow’s eye was a skintight nurse’s uniform that clearly didn’t fit.
A pure white miniskirt.
It was tight around the shoulders, and the hem was obviously far too short.
And Knuckles was the one wearing it, his face burning red.
“I told you not to move, didn’t I?”
Half-sitting up on the bed, Sonic laughed gleefully as he lifted the hem of Knuckles’ skirt.
Knuckles bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut. Unable to bear the embarrassment, tears had begun to well in his eyes.
“S-stop it…!”
At that moment, the cabin door creaked.
Knuckles’ eyes snapped toward the sound.
Shadow and Tails were standing there.
“WH-WHOOOAAAARGH!!”
With a scream that was practically a roar, Knuckles clutched the hem of the nurse’s uniform and bolted toward the back of the cabin.
He ducked behind the tools propped against the wall and tore off the nurse’s uniform. Only his trembling tail remained barely visible.
Sonic doubled over laughing.
“HAHAHA! Did you see that, Tails?! Nurse Knuckles vers—”
He never got to finish.
Without a word, Shadow’s fist slammed into Sonic’s cheek.
“Ghk…!”
Sonic flew off the bed and rolled across the floor.
“Sh-Shadow?! H-Hold on!”
Tails cried out in alarm.
But Shadow, driven by anger, was already moving to strike Sonic again. Sonic instinctively twisted his body and prepared to counter.
“What the hell was that for?!”
“Do not insult his kindness.”
Shadow’s voice was cold as ice.
“He is genuinely worried about you. I will not allow you to trample on those feelings.”
Sonic’s eyes widened.
Shadow was genuinely furious.
And there was more to it than that.
He spoke as though Sonic were somehow Knuckles’ enemy.
“There’s no problem! Knuckles and I have been close forever. We’re best friends. We were best friends long before you and Knuckles even knew each other.”
Sonic fired back without backing down.
“I know Knuckles. There’s not even the slightest reason for *you* to get angry on his behalf.”
A deep crease formed between Shadow’s brows.
“Then answer me this. Where did you get that nurse’s uniform?”
Sonic froze for a moment.
“Off the island, I presume? Which means you can move, you can run, and you’re well enough to go shopping at the speed of sound.”
“W-well…”
“You pretend to be sick, make things difficult for Knuckles, and amuse yourself by humiliating him. And you call yourself his *best friend*? You are a shameless liar and a coward.”
Sonic was lost for words.
Tails nervously looked back and forth between them, unsure what to do.
In his heart, Shadow apologized to Knuckles.
…I did the same thing.
Even after his injury had healed, he had pretended to have a headache and continued taking advantage of Knuckles’ kindness.
In truth, he had no right to condemn Sonic.
And yet—
Sonic had done the same thing he had, and then gone even further, humiliating Knuckles and laughing about it.
Shadow simply could not forgive him.
Then a tremendous crash erupted behind them.
“What—?!”
The rear wall collapsed.
The impact nearly sent Tails flying, and Sonic leapt deeper into the cabin to shield him.
A massive silhouette emerged through the shattered wall.
It was a large combat drone, built entirely differently from the drones they had fought earlier.
Knuckles hung limp in its arms.
“Knuckles!”
Shadow and Sonic shouted at the same time.
Both instinctively moved to attack—
but the drone shifted Knuckles in its grasp, using him as a shield, and pressed a blade against his throat.
The atmosphere in the cabin froze instantly.
Whether from his accumulated exhaustion or from taking the drone’s initial strike head-on, Knuckles seemed barely conscious.
“Damn it…!”
Neither Shadow nor Sonic could attack.
As though it had seen straight through their hesitation, the drone shot out through the opening and disappeared into the sky.
“Wait!!”
Sonic tried to race after it.
But the drone had already gained altitude, joined the swarm outside, and flown off. Within moments, it had vanished from sight.
Tails immediately began working on the information terminal he carried.
“Judging from the drone’s flight path… there’s a good chance it’s headed for Regina’s headquarters. And… according to what Shadow told us, Regina’s been gathering every piece of information she can find about the echidnas, right? And now she’s had a drone abduct Knuckles. She might be planning to use him for something.”
Shadow and Sonic listened with grim expressions.
“I’ll go rescue Knuckles.”
Shadow stepped forward.
“No. I will. This happened because of me. I’m going.”
Sonic refused to back down.
As the two glared at each other, Tails spoke quietly from just behind them.
“…Why don’t you both go?”
Both of them turned to look at Tails at the same time.
“I’m worried about Knuckles too. But if I access Regina’s data through the web server from here, I might be able to find something useful for rescuing him. You two just make sure you bring Knuckles back.”
Sonic and Shadow both lowered their eyes, as though the words had brought them back to their senses.
After a brief silence, Shadow spoke.
“…Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
Sonic smiled, regaining just a little of his usual spirit.
“I’ll show you just how serious I was about faking sick. We’re running all the way to Regina’s headquarters.”
Regina—the mastermind who had ordered the drone to abduct Knuckles—had her headquarters in what looked like an enormous fortress city embedded deep within a ravine.
By the time the two arrived, Tails had sent detailed maps of the fortress city to their information terminals.
Steel walls. Countless surveillance cameras. Patrolling drones.
The place appeared to be equipped with every kind of military facility the Maxim Company, renowned for its weapons and drone manufacturing, had to offer.
“This city’s about as ugly as one of Eggman’s bases. Guess we’ll have to go straight in?”
Sonic spoke through gritted teeth.
“It’s probably packed with traps, but if Knuckles is in there, we don’t have time to take the long way around.”
“Agreed. Judging from the information Tails sent us, taking a detour wouldn’t reduce the risk anyway.”
With that, Shadow immediately glided toward the entrance to the city.
The instant they breached the fortress, they were met with a barrage of gunfire and traps.
Shadow and Sonic fought their way through the defenses back-to-back.
“Now *that’s* what I call hospitality! I’m getting indigestion already.”
“This is their headquarters. Naturally, the defenses are formidable.”
Shadow calmly fought back, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.
But inwardly, he was anything but calm.
…What am I to Knuckles?
Sonic was Knuckles’ best friend.
He probably knew everything about Knuckles—his past, his habits, his favorite foods.
Even pretending to be sick and causing him trouble wouldn’t destroy their relationship. Over all the time they had known each other, Sonic must have carefully built the kind of trust that allowed Knuckles to accept his selfish demands and forgive him.
What about me?
An ally who occasionally fought at his side on the battlefield.
The guardian of the Master Emerald, and someone who assisted him.
Shadow didn’t want to believe that was all they were.
Yet he could find nothing more.
Frustration spread through his chest.
Then should he simply give up?
Give up what? These feelings I have for Knuckles? …Give up on ever standing where Sonic does, as his best friend?
Shadow continued to think as he struck down the drones attacking them.
No.
He didn’t want to stand in the same place as Sonic.
That wasn’t enough.
And yet Shadow himself couldn’t put into words what it was that he wanted instead.
…What do I want to be to you?
The question kept circling endlessly through his mind.
Then an electronic projection appeared overhead.
“Well, well. Welcome, my adorable little intruders.”
It was a woman’s voice.
The image showed a woman with glossy black hair and cold eyes. Half of her body was mechanical.
“You’re… Regina…!”
Sonic ground his teeth.
The woman called Regina smiled with complete composure.
“I am willing to forgive what you have done here. So go home, and swear to me that you will never interfere with me again.”
“Go to hell! Give Knuckles back!”
Sonic shouted.
Regina gestured gleefully to the space beside her.
There was Knuckles.
His body was covered in wounds, hanging limp against a research table where he had been strapped down. Countless cables and instruments were attached all over his body.
Barely conscious, Knuckles let out a broken sob.
“Stop… please… I’ll do anything you say… just stop…”
Regina laughed with delight and kicked him.
Knuckles gave a small groan and faintly shook his head through his tears.
“Just don’t hurt everyone else… Sonic… Tails… run… please…”
Sonic screamed, nearly beside himself.
“What the hell did you do to Knuckles?!”
“I merely gave him a little attention. The guardian of the echidna tribe. The key to the Master Emerald. Once I possess his genetic material, the entire world will belong to me.”
Regina produced a syringe and drove it into Knuckles’ arm.
Knuckles’ bodily fluid was drawn up into the instrument.
“STOP!!”
Sonic lunged forward—
and Shadow seized his arm hard.
“We’re leaving.”
“What?”
Sonic stared at Shadow in disbelief.
“What the hell are you talking about? He’s right there, and she’s—”
“We can’t break through from the front.”
Shadow spoke quickly in a low, steady voice, without the slightest hesitation.
“She projected that image directly in front of us. She knows what’s happening throughout this city in real time. If we charge in head-on, we’ll only put Knuckles in even greater danger. I won’t allow that.”
“But—!”
Still breathing hard, Sonic glared at Regina’s image.
Regina laughed mockingly.
“Now run along home like the miserable little fools you are. This echidna is my toy from now on.”
Shadow pulled Sonic by the arm and turned him away.
“We’re *pretending* to leave.”
“…!”
Sonic looked into Shadow’s eyes.
There was a fiercely burning determination in them, and beneath it, a cold calculation.
This man was absolutely determined to save Knuckles—and to do it, he was prepared to cast aside even his own emotions.
“…Got it.”
Sonic exhaled.
“We’ll pull back for now. But we’re gonna find another way in and kick her ass.”
The two left the fortress, outwardly appearing to retreat.
But as soon as they were clear, they contacted Tails and began searching for another route inside.
Sonic ran with his whole body trembling in rage.
Beside him, Shadow’s heart grew colder and colder.
I will save him.
That determination alone kept Shadow’s blood moving.
If that’s what it takes, I can be calmer than anyone.
And yet—
some part of him envied Sonic, who could explode with anger for his best friend without the slightest hesitation.
Watching Sonic and Shadow leave through the video feed, Regina laughed.
Then she turned back to Knuckles and injected even more drugs into his body.
Knuckles groaned in pain, but by then he could barely move.
His entire body felt as though it were burning with pain, and even breathing was agony.
Still, through his fading consciousness, he continued to shake his head weakly.
“Stop… please… I’ll do what you say… just leave Sonic and Tails…”
Each time his delirious pleas reached Regina’s ears, she trembled with laughter.
“Cry more. Suffer more. Grow weaker. Do you have any idea how much humiliation and pain I endured to claw my way up this far? Your suffering is nowhere near enough.”
With her mechanical leg, Regina kicked Knuckles.
“Try resisting me even once. I’ll tell you as many times as it takes: your friends will be my next targets. So go on… suffer more. Once I’ve successfully analyzed your genes, I wonder what will happen to you next.”
Knuckles groaned, barely able to breathe.
Even so, somewhere deep inside, he still believed in *someone*.
—Sonic.
—Tails. Amy.
—Shadow.
The names of his friends surfaced and disappeared again within his clouded consciousness.
Then the laboratory door burst open.
“That’s enough!”
A blue flash and a streak of black lightning tore through the ceiling vent at the same time and dropped into the room.
Sonic and Shadow.
“Hope you don’t mind us dropping in through the vents! Seemed like there was better airflow this way than through the front entrance!”
Sonic shouted as he moved faster than the waiting drones could react, kicking them away and smashing them one after another.
Regina looked startled, but only for a moment before a cold sneer returned to her face.
“Welcome. Perhaps I’ll capture the two of you as well and add your genetic data to my collection.”
Blades unfolded from the mechanical half of her body, and she lunged at Shadow.
Shadow deliberately drew her toward the opposite side of the spacious room as they fought, keeping her away from Knuckles.
He narrowly evaded Regina’s vicious kick.
A tremendous metallic crash rang out, leaving a deep dent in the floor.
“So you’re Shadow, the Ultimate Life Form. If I analyze your genetic data and mass-produce it, I imagine it would fetch quite a price.”
Regina taunted him, but Shadow’s movements remained razor-sharp.
“Try it if you think you can. The bigger the mouth, the harder it ends up tasting the floor.”
Shadow slipped effortlessly past Regina’s attack, his hover shoes accelerating him into a high-speed glide.
Meanwhile, Sonic had destroyed every drone swarming around him and was releasing Knuckles from his restraints one after another.
“Knuckles! Can you hear me?!”
“…S-Sonic…?”
A faint voice answered him.
Sonic forced a smile, as though nothing were wrong.
“It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay now. Just hang on a little longer. I’ll finish this right away.”
Sonic laid the rescued Knuckles down on the floor, then launched himself at Regina from behind with the speed of the wind.
Caught between Sonic and Shadow, Regina lost her balance as she tried to evade Sonic’s attack.
Shadow’s knife-hand strike mercilessly split her mechanical leg in two at the knee.
With Sonic’s finishing blow, Regina crashed helplessly to the floor.
Though his legs nearly tangled beneath him, Shadow immediately rushed to Knuckles.
“Knuckles!”
With trembling hands, he lifted Knuckles into his arms, made sure he could breathe, and checked the extent of his injuries.
Knuckles’ face was a mess of tears, sweat, and blood as he repeated the same words faintly in his delirium.
“Please… stop… I’ll do anything… just don’t hurt… everyone…”
“I’m sorry we took so long.”
Shadow gently embraced him.
“It’s all right now. I won’t let anyone kill your friends. And I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”
Knuckles’ body trembled faintly.
A short distance away, Sonic watched them.
The truth was, Sonic had wanted to be the first one to embrace Knuckles too.
But—
…Well, I guess it’s fine.
Sonic gave a wry smile to himself.
He had a feeling that Shadow was trying to become something to Knuckles.
Sonic was already Knuckles’ best friend. That place wasn’t going anywhere.
So for now, he could let Shadow have this moment.
Just as Sonic was quietly thinking that, Shadow’s fist suddenly came flying at him.
“Bfh?! What the—why…?!”
The blow caught Sonic square in the face, sending him sprawling backward across the floor.
“What the hell was that for?!”
“Why did you leave Knuckles lying on the cold floor and come over here? I could have dealt with a woman like that by myself.”
Shadow glared at him.
I backed off because I figured you’d want to be the first one to help him up!
Sonic nearly shouted it aloud, but swallowed the words.
He knew perfectly well how proud Shadow was. The last thing he needed was for Shadow to start picking another fight with him.
Instead, Sonic gave him a strained smile.
“Knuckles’ll be fine. He’s tougher than I am, you know.”
Hearing that, Shadow relaxed ever so slightly.
Late that night.
Several hours had passed since they escaped Regina’s fortress city and returned to the half-destroyed cabin on Angel Island.
At last, the battered Knuckles opened his eyes on the bed.
Sonic and Tails leaned over him at the same time.
Shadow stood quietly near the wall by the entrance, watching the three of them.
“…!”
Knuckles shot upright, breathing hard.
He looked around until his eyes met Tails’.
“Where… am I…?”
“You’re on Angel Island. We all went and rescued you from Regina.”
Tails explained gently.
Knuckles let out a breath of relief.
“Tails… everyone else…?”
“They’re safe. Nobody was captured, and nobody’s hurt.”
“…I see… Then there’s no problem.”
Knuckles gave a weak smile.
Sonic immediately cried out in exasperation.
“No, you’re the one who’s not okay!”
Knuckles stared at Sonic in surprise, his gaze wandering for a moment before he turned away with a sulky expression.
Sonic’s shoulders sagged, and he let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Man, I was having such a great time seeing Knuckles in that skintight nurse outfit, and then the night had to turn into a complete disaster.”
“Shut up… Don’t remind me.”
Knuckles groaned quietly, burying his face in the blankets.
“I’m just glad we got you back safely.”
Tails smiled.
Still smiling, Sonic continued,
“Well, I’ll leave the rest to Shadow. Give us a call if anything happens.”
Shadow stared at Sonic, his eyes widening.
Sonic flashed Shadow a deliberately provocative grin, then walked out of the cabin.
Tails watched Sonic’s back with a puzzled expression before getting to his feet and speaking to Knuckles.
“I’ll come back tomorrow to help repair the cabin.”
Tails closed the door behind him and left.
Silence settled over the cabin.
Only Shadow and Knuckles remained.
Shadow quietly approached the bed and sat down in the chair beside it.
“Does anything hurt?”
“…Everything.”
Knuckles answered with complete honesty.
“My whole body hurts. After they took me away, Regina beat the hell out of me while making me take some weird drugs… But I’m alive… Guess I can’t complain.”
“You can.”
Shadow answered immediately.
“If you want, I’ll rub your arms and legs. I’ll stroke your head. I’ll make you some warm soup, too.”
Knuckles looked slightly surprised.
“I was happy when you did those things for me. So this time, I want to do them for you. If you don’t mind.”
Knuckles fell silent.
For a while, he remained motionless with his face buried in the blankets.
Then, at last, he murmured in a faint voice.
“…Until I fall asleep… my hand…”
Shadow’s heart gave a powerful leap.
“Never mind.”
Knuckles immediately took it back.
But Shadow took Knuckles’ hand and gently enclosed it between both of his own.
“I said I don’t need it…”
“I want to do this. Just tell me you don’t mind.”
“…Fine…”
With that, Knuckles pulled the blankets even farther over himself.
The strength in the hand holding Shadow’s gradually loosened.
Before long, the quiet sound of Knuckles’ sleeping breaths filled the cabin.
Feeling the unmistakable warmth of Knuckles’ palm against his own, Shadow could no longer deny what was in his heart.
—I… want Knuckles.
It was still too soon to put it into words.
He was still too afraid to say it aloud.
Even so, as he listened to Knuckles breathe softly in his sleep, Shadow quietly let himself feel what was in his heart.
I never want to let go of this hand again.