Threads Of Sanity: Chapter 2 -Collab Fic-

I fell out of the portal and landed on the cold, metal floor, not making so much as a sound when I touched down. Being a shadow creature like myself had it's perks... As no one would have heard me. I would have smirked if I was able to.

I surveyed the area, taking in the obsessive attention to cleanliness, with not a cobweb or a speck of dust in sight. I suppose it would be jarring to someone else, but I really don't care. There were far worse things, after all. Which reminds me...

Taking my time, casually, as I, more than anyone, know that I can make all the time that I need... I explore the halls a bit, getting more familiar with the labyrinth that had once seemed impossible to navigate.

My body now shivers, not from fear as it had then, but from anger.

It was all Shadow's fault. It had to be. I know that I had done nothing wrong at the time, other than coming into existence, but that was strictly out of my hands. If memory serves right, I recall doing what any creature would have done when faced with such an overwhelming situation: Attempt to flee and hide until I could better assess what happened and what to do next.

I had barely come to term with realizing I existed, and just what it meant to "exist". It wasn't long until I then learned what it meant to be imprisoned. What darkness was. Alone, and powerless in an empty void, no answers... Nothing.

Like any creature new to the world, I had wanted to learn, explore and experience. Age wise, I was only a child, and that kind of yearning was only natural. All of those chances were ripped from me the moment Shadow said "Chaos Control".

The decade that passed in my prison, I grew bitter and full of hate for him, losing my desire to learn about the world, deciding that I would rather destroy it if it meant that Shadow would never be able to walk on it again...

Oh, my apologies... I'm trailing off in thought...

Bringing my thoughts closer to the ground, I realize that I'm dragging a clawed hand idly against the wall, leaving scratches in it, as well as the sound of crystal against metal was literally grating on my senses. No doubt someone would hear me, so I drop my arm and change my form, having realized that the crystals glowed in the dim lighting of the halls, which would have made me an easy thing to spot.

I honestly hate this form. I resemble Shadow too much like this, which has caused several individuals to mistake me for him at first glance. Not the way to get on my good side, if I have one.

Back to my task.

Time is an interesting and curious thing. Every action opens infinite possibilities, creating new universes from something as simple as deciding to hold my breathe. Then if I decide to see how long I can do so, once my limit is reached, I might have to gasp for a short while, perhaps looking around and finding a new path to follow while I catch my breath. Perhaps later, I'll wonder if I had simply continued on with breathing normally, would I have eventually followed that path..?

Of course, with my capability to travel through time, I can find that out, as well as all the branching paths that resulted from it.

I'm saying this because I got to thinking, and wondered if all this time, I could alter events... Why didn't I just go straight to the source?

Perhaps to answer that, I suppose I get too easily distracted. Maybe you've caught on by now.

It didn't take me long to find the laboratory. The scientists were continuing their project, unaware of impending doom that was scheduled to result in the next quarter of an hour.

It was simple to remain hidden, as it was something I was very good at, another perk of being a shadow creature. I examined the large container, briefly mesmerized by the handheld sprite of light that drifted about lazily in it.

I was looking at the purest and simplest form that Iblis and I made up... That of Solaris.

Truly the first thing to have captivated my attention like this for as long it did. And why shouldn't it? It was so perfect, so stunning, and positively calming to me. Half of it was me. I was part of this pure creature that was immortalized and praised by this kingdom. So different than the beast that Iblis and I formed into not long before I jumped through that portal.

It's a pity that this precious being was destined to be ripped in two in a matter of minutes...

Wait.

Minutes..?

I've wasted a great deal of time just gawking at the thing! What's gotten into me?

Surveying the machine, I realize that despite being knowledgeable of most everything... This was one of the rare instances that did not fall under "most". I have not an inkling how this thing worked, and not enough time to educate myself by simply going in and seeing it's internal workings.

I hate to admit it, but I might have ruined my chan-

No! I will not say it! I can still do something! I transcend time itself, dammit! I can still-

Ohhh... Chaos. I really need to work on that. Flying into a rage like that is the perfect catalyst for triggering a burst of power from me. The last thing I need is to let anyone know I'm here...

Oh, dear... I don't even know what caused the accident to begin with. What happened before the explosion... Anything I can remember..?

Of course not! I didn't have my first intelligible thought until after the explosion. How would I know..?

A flash of light and crackle of electricity rip me from my thoughts. I look up and narrow my eyes at what I see: Experimenting! Those humans are experimenting on the younger Iblis and I! How dare they! The accident was probably caused by the humans' foolishness!

I watch in mute rage for no more than a minute, a complex mix of emotions gripping me tightly, some I can easily identify such as hatred, contempt, and fury, and others that were new and therefore baffling and somewhat unnerving to me.

I can feel my already pale face get even more so as my fingers curl into tightly clenched hands, every bit of me fighting itself back, trying to rationalize with me, trying to keep me from doing something stupid...

Have I mentioned how interesting time is? I can jump to nearly any point in time that I desire, keeping a few simple rules in mind.

One: Keep crossing paths with myself to a minimum. Very important, as some versions of me aren't easy to interact with. A couple have attacked me before, not yet aware of our ability, and assume by my appearance that I'm Shadow at first glance. Some of them are not interested, and at least one was too scatterbrained to hold a conversation without trailing off. Anything that happens to a past me alters part of myself of now, so it's best not to bother.

Two: If I'm not careful, I could create a paradox. Something like "Event A cannot exist without Event B, and Event B cannot exist without Event A". Think about the chicken and the egg for that. Which came first? Are you sure? Why can't it be the other? It's a mess, isn't it?

I won't bore you with the rest, I suspect that you get the idea...

Another flash of light, and I just can't take it anymore! Seizing a handful of cords and cables in the back, I yank them loose, not really thinking or caring at the moment what this did to the humans' project. The electricity stops flowing through Solaris, and for a moment... I breathe a sigh of relief, finally stopping at being so tense.

I hear one of the humans exclaim in confusion, and I quickly sink into the shadows to conceal myself. One of them shrugs at the mess of cords on the ground, scratching his head, before  putting then back in.

The next few minutes, I'm sure you're very familiar with. You know, the explosion and all that. Boom. Glass and debris everywhere. Iblis and I split.

I suppose the part I wasn't quite prepared for was the moments after. Most of everyone present was either dead or dying. The latter rattled me me somewhat. Not that I wasn't familiar with death and killing, no... After all, I killed Sonic. But, he was dead before he hit the ground. I made sure of that.

So... I guess no matter what I did here, nothing can be changed...

Wait... I think I hear Shadow. Of course, because he shows up right as soon as-

Silver? What's he doing here? He doesn't exist in this era. Doesn't make much sense unless...

I see a Chaos Emerald for each of them, could they have managed to cancel two Chaos Controls at once, tearing the fabric of time?

No, I'm thinking to much into it... Shadow was always here, after all. He trapped me, and virtually left me to rot...

Which is what is about to happen right now. Blast.

Knowing where it all ends, I get myself to the chamber where I had been cornered, then stuffed into that wretched glass tube.

Perching myself out of sight on one of the center supports of the room, I wait for about fifteen minutes until I can see the inky black glob squeeze in from under the closed door, it's partly solid form crashing into several crates frantically, before coming to the other side of the room, which lead nowhere but the way it... I... came in.

I get up, ready to-

To what? I can't interact with it, as it's my earliest form, so my existence would be in great danger if I even guide it out. Right now, I resemble Shadow too much, which would cause terrible confusion. I should have realized that from the start: I have no power here.

Although I know should leave now, something was making me want to linger for a while. See what happens after I was sealed. What did Shadow do? Laugh triumphantly? Say something witty and go about his life? I honestly wanted to know, nit as a priority, but I mean... Well, since I'm already here, I might as well.

The door finally slides open, a large robot of some kind falling backwards as Shadow touches down to the ground gracefully, obviously having been able to destroy it as well as chase after me.

Arrogant showoff.

I watch my younger self get frozen in place, crying out in protest, almost in a pleading way. How out of character for me now.

The ooze demanded answers, at the very least a name, the identity of it's captor. Shadow states his name clearly, almost proudly, and I realize that I had copied that tone of voice when I stated a name to him in what would be a decade later. Strange...

The vapor's tone changes abruptly. Instead of sounding terrified and surprised, it becomes dark and threatening, almost hissing before being pulled into that glass prison.

To humor myself, I imagine how perfect for the situation it would be if the Scepter broke and shattered all over the metal floor at Shadow's feet, setting me free again. The imagined look on his face allowed me to brush off some of the anger welling up in me again. Which reminds me...

I peer over the edge to catch what he does. I had to know, how did he celebrate trapping me?

He reaches to the Scepter, lifting it from the ground with one hands as a dark aura radiates from it. I wait almost anxiously, straining my senses to catch anything. No victory cry. No striking a pose. Nothing. He just stands there and stares at it before lifting his gaze, staring ahead for a good while before mouthing: "That's what he meant..."

I'll be honest... That wasn't near what I expected. Was he referring to me? What I meant? He knows very well what I meant! Trapping me and forgetting that it ever happened!

That's it! I've seen all I want! Enough! I'm out of here!