Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Late Fall
“We're gonna make it just hang on!” The young hedgehog yelled. He dragged his sister behind him, pulling her arm so hard it might as well come out the socket. She was breathing heavily. He was breathing heavily.
But they could take it.
Their father trained them well enough.
The two ran through the large maze of a building as dozens of undead, and rotting bodies ran after them and were maneuvering through the debris and fallen structures as easily as the two teens.
Ozul saw light and dashed faster pulling his sister harder as he felt her energy waning and her will to stop running.
“No! Keep going!” He urged her.
“Ozul, I can't!” She screamed at him but he kept going. “Ozul!” She screamed desperately.
Did he not know?
Was he not watching when the zombie attacked her?
Her eyes filled with tears. Her heart pounded in fear. She couldn't go back. She’d jeopardize everyone's safety but he wouldn't just leave her. No. He would never do that. She screamed as debris from falling zombies fell close behind them. She and her brother ducked as their yelling and the screeching of the others brought more attention.
“We're almost there, Sonya!” Ozul yelled with determination. He wasn't exiting this place without her. Sonya was going to protest but then she felt the ground shaking.
Her eyes widened realizing it could only be one thing.
One dreadful thing.
With all her strength she tried to pull back. She started stomping her feet to plant them and slow him down. This upset Ozul so much he swiftly turned back to face her. His face was drenched with sweat mixed with dust. His breathing heavy and with each breath he blew out a puff of smoke.
Sonya remembered he could be like a dragon sometimes.
Just like their father.
Before he could say anything they both froze at the sound of a loud fall. This caused some debris to fall and partially block the undead gaining on them behind. Ozul watched the crowd behind them. Sonya's eyes widened at the monstrosity in front of them blocking their way out. Ozul turned as the giant zombie slowly stood, his flesh hung away from its body and some of it fell off. A green bile dripped from his mouth as he blood red eyes looked at the two teens. The smell of him was absolutely dreadful and the two were almost holding their breaths.
Ozul stood in front of Sonya protectively as she looked around. There had to be another way. Her eyes scanned the area as her ears kept up with the others behind her. Her sight was blurring in and out but she managed to see a way to the second floor. She pulled on Ozul to draw him away to the fallen debris and climb up. He looked between her and the beast before he roared with green spit and drool flying out. He shook the ground and caused more debris to fall around them.
But they didn't stop.
Ozul kept a watch out behind them as Sonya climbed the fallen walkway with him closely behind. The beast charged at them and hit the walkway before the others could start climbing behind it. Sonya fought against the fatigue as Ozul felt the makeshift walkway giving up from the weight.
“Sonya, we have to hurry!” he yelled as he watched the undead struggle to climb up after them. The beings stumbled over one another trying to climb around the big one by all means.
“I'm trying!” Sonya screamed back as she felt cuts reopen and her muscles scream for relief. Her lungs felt like they were on fire as she pulled up with her hands ignoring the intense burning in her left arm.
Ozul glanced between her and the undead behind them. He hated the fact she decided to wear a dress today. He could pretty much see everything underneath. He ignored the silly feelings it gave him and made a decision. He started pushing her up by her bottom and this caused the young girl to feel both funny and annoyed. Yet she ignored it as he used his strength to push her up faster.
They barely made it to the next floor as the structure completely fell separating them from the undead below. The two stood up to their feet as they watched the beast and the others get covered in more fallen debris creating a thick cloud of dust. Ozul kept his hold on Sonya before he looked around, spotting the broken window of the front of the building. He pulled her along as she watched the undead screech and struggle below them.
He smirked seeing the structure had fallen in a way they could slide down and out of this place. Sonya watched him deciding to stay quiet as they got outside being hit with the chilly air of early fall. They ran away as far from the abandoned mall as they could go.
They slowed down their pace and started walking when they could see the city they called home in the distance. Sonya slowed down even further as the burning in her left arm reminded her why she couldn't go back. Ozul looked back at her before her eyes met his. They were both breathing heavily, their clothes were a mess from all the blood, dust and dirt they were covered in.
“How are we going to get back in?” Sonya asked, her voice slightly hoarse. “We can't hide this…” she said once again as a mountain of guilt fell on her shoulders.
Ozul looked at her arm as the blood soaked through the sleeve. He didn't say anything before tearing off the bottom of his shirt and wrapping it around her arm.
“We just gotta clean up.” He said calmly. When she thought to protest he glanced up at her swiftly. “There's a waterfall nearby. Let's go there and figure out everything else later.”
“But what about the curfew?” She asked.
Ozul looked around, listening out for anything that could have been attracted by the noise they made. He looked back at Sonya as she started to stare at the bite mark.
“Come on.” He said before grabbing her wrist and pulling her along.
They walked in the silence being careful of the undead and the living. Ozul kept a good ear out for anything suspicious as he led the way to the river nearby. Sonya couldn't stop looking back at the city. She just hoped her parents weren't too worried about them.
When Ozul heard water he picked up his pace. Sonya felt anxiety at the crushing of leaves under their feet making too much noise. The bite on her arm made it feel heavy at the thought of a zombie attacking them. She realized her heart was racing when Ozul suddenly stopped.
Sonya was about to question him till she heard giggling. She glanced at Ozul right at the moment he glanced back at her. They heard more talking before walking towards the source of the sound. Sonya and Ozul hid behind some trees right as they pinpointed the location of the voices.
They spotted two figures. Both teens narrowed their eyes at the appearance of their friends, Rojo and Mila. Rojo had Mila in a tight hug around her waist with his arms while his hand squeezed and rubbed her every curve. Mila, now fourteen, was a bit more shapely than her father would like and slightly overweight. But he could blame her mom for that. Rojo, now fifteen, was growing big and tall like his father but had a flirtatious attitude like his mother.
The two stood close by the water making out as quietly as they could. Rojo's hands explored her body as if he couldn't get enough of her and Mila wasn't holding back her own hands. She rubbed his head and tugged his locs making him groan in pleasure. Sonya gagged and looked away, before Ozul swiftly shush her.
Rojo reluctantly pulled away and looked around. Mila watched his face before her excitement became a ball of nervousness. She started to look around with him.
“What's wrong?” She asked, pushing herself closer to him.
“You didn't hear that?” He asked. Sonya and Ozul lowered themselves more before hearing someone running up towards them.
“I FUCKING CAUGHT YA!” Bragg yelled as he jumped through the bushes.
He knocked Sonya and Ozul to the ground in the process. Mila screamed, causing Rojo to go on full alert and push her behind him. Bragg bellowed out a loud laugh as the two teens registered what was happening. Rojo growled as Mila was shaking in fear behind him.
“Really?!” Rojo yelled as Bragg could barely breathe.
“You should have seen your faces.” He laughed before noticing Ozul and Sonya. His smile completely fell when he noticed their physical condition. “What the fuck happened to you two?”
“Bragg have you found them?” Everyone heard over the radio. Mila squeezed Rojo’s shirt as his head dropped.
Bragg kept his eyes on Ozul and Sonya as he pulled out his radio. “Yeah… but there's a bigger issue.” The voice on the other end didn't reply. Bragg nodded towards Sonya as she tried to hide behind Ozul. “Where have you two been? Do you not know your mother is in labor?”
Sonya glanced up at Ozul as he locked eyes with the older male. The two remained quiet as Ozul kept Sonya behind him. Rojo and Mila remained quiet knowing they were in big trouble themselves. Bragg smirked before shaking his head. “Your just like him.”
Ozul frowned before his father and Knuckles walked up. Knuckles almost charged at Rojo before Shadow stopped him. The large echidna looked at him before following his gaze towards Ozul and Sonya. Shadow approached them as Ozul continued to block anyone from approaching her.
Shadow and Ozul glared at one another. “Sonya.” Shadow called to her. She reluctantly looked from behind Ozul. Once Shadow looked at her she looked down. “What happened?” He demanded to know but kept his voice calmer than the others expected.
This made Sonya come from behind Ozul and show him the mark. Mila gasped and moved from behind Rojo. “No…” she whispered before turning to Rojo crying into his chest.
Rojo couldn't stop staring at Sonya. They rarely got along but he did care for her almost like a sister. But the weight of the moment made him hug Mila more. He didn't notice the fear in his father's eyes till Knuckles rushed to Sonya’s side.
“We have to get her to Tails.” He said frantically. He was willing to carry her just as she was. Regardless of the consequences. “He'll be able to help. You don't get infected that fast anymore.”
Shadow didn't respond immediately. He had taken her arm and was holding it as he could only stare at the mark not understanding the feelings that bubbled inside him. He was angry. More angry than he could imagine. He wanted to scold them both till they were in tears. How could they be so reckless? Why would they put him and their mother through this?
“It's too late for that.” He said before touching the mark and making Sonya flinch. He looked up at her and saw the tears.
“I'm so sorry.” She whispered before Shadow pulled her into a tight hug. Sonya immediately began to sob into his chest.
Shadow wasn't sure why he did it. In that moment when she flinched in pain he remembered her being smaller. In his mind, she was the small hoglet that came to them sixteen years ago. He remembered the feeling he got when she called him daddy, confusion and later warmth. It didn't take long for her to grow on him and now, he can't imagine losing her. A heavy weight now sat on his shoulders.
"We can't tell Amy..." Knuckles said almost in a whisper.
Sonya sobbed harder at the fear of her mother's reaction to this. "Daddy...I'm so sorry." She cried heavily. "I don't want to die. I didn't mean to. I just wanted to-"
"Stop..." Shadow told her calmly. "Come on."
Everyone else looked at him as he picked up Sonya and carried her away. Ozul watched before following with the others following behind him. The walk back was quiet except for Sonya and Mila sniffles. Rojo got beside Knuckles as the father echidna walked ahead of the group. He looked straight ahead not wanting to see Sonya if the worse were to happen.
"Dad-"
"We'll talk later." He growled with a glare thrown at his son. Rojo could tell his father was still angry with him but the worry for Sonya was priority for now.
As the entrance to their town came into view Shadow took on a stern look. Sonya almost panicked and wanted him to put her down but he didn't. He refused to do so. The guards at first seemed on alert but slowly calmed down as they realized what was happening. Their gazes followed the group as Shadow continued to walk to the hospital. Anyone that saw them saw Sonya and Ozul's appearance. They all stopped and whispered at the sight.
Sonya buried herself further into Shadow's arms. She hadn't stopped crying and hearing the whispers didn't help.
"What happened to them?"
"Ozul and Sonya got infected?"
Ethel and Silver were coming back from the bar and saw the crowd. Silver rushed to them while Ethel stood back in disbelief. The motherly cow had already watched the dark hedgehog and his wife lose enough in the last few years. They were very protective of the youngest daughter for that very reason. She shook off the dreadful feeling and hurried behind them as they entered the hospital.
Tails and Nini were discussing the next steps with the medical staff before Blaze spotted them. Her eyes immediately went to Sonya. She rushed over to Shadow causing the team's attention to shift. Tails' eyes saw Ozul first before they landed on Sonya. A wave of emotions went through him all at once. He wasn't sure what to do and Nini didn't leave his side as the others rushed towards Shadow and Sonya. When they all realized there was nothing that could be done they backed away but Shadow was still holding the young female.
Tails met Shadow halfway before the dark hedgehog spoke, asking, "Where is Rose?"
Tails was still staring at Sonya and assessing her wounds. His eyes landed on her bite mark before he looked up at Shadow, having remembered his question. "She's still in the room. They were twin boys..."
"Take her." Shadow said, realizing that this was something Tails needed to do.
The kitsune carefully took Sonya. He listened to her breathing, it seemed steady. He concentrated on her heart rate, it was racing which should be expected. He slowly and carefully carried her to the basement of the hospital. As he walked away everyone stayed in the lobby but remained quiet. Ozul hadn't stopped watching Sonya and his father until Tails took her. From that moment he stared at his sister till he no longer saw her.
Nini gently tapped his arm making the teen look at her, "Come with me." She said calmly. He didn't move at first which didn't bother Nini. She understood completely why he was still frozen in place.
Shadow turned to see everyone with their heads lowered except for Knuckles. He began to leave everyone to go to Sonya. Rojo thought to follow but stopped. The teen echidna watched his father follow the path Tails took quietly. Mila squeezed his hand and leaned towards him. She was trying her best to not cry but the more she thought about losing her friend the harder it got.
Ethel could see Nini trying to convince Ozul to come with her. She started to approach the two but Shadow beat her to it. She frowned at the face Shadow had. The elder didn't always like the way Shadow trained the children. But she especially didn't like the way he scolded them. She thought to approach anyway till she saw Shadow place his hand on Ozul's shoulder. The dark teen looked away before his father made him walk along with him.
Silver was left behind before turning to the rest of the medical team. "Everyone should go home." He said sadly. They all reluctantly left except for Rojo, Mila, Bragg, and Ethel.
"What's the game plan?" Bragg asked not liking where this was going. None of them had buried a child they raised in the last ten years.
"Gather the others."
-x-
Amy sighed at the heavy feeling sitting in the pit of her stomach. She was happy that her sons made it through birth. But something was wrong. She looked at the door thinking she heard someone coming but once again it was just her imagination.
The sakura hedgehog sighed to calm her nerves. She couldn't understand why she was nervous since the twins came out healthy as far as Tails is concerned. She looked at the infant hoglets as they slept in their cribs. One was a very dark shade of red while the other had dark purple fur. She named them Onyx and Jax. Even though she would have rathered Shadow been there to do so. She smiled and rubbed the head of Onyx who was dark red. The little one opened his eyes to reveal he inherited her green eyes. Amy gasped before carefully picking him up.
"I can't wait to show you to Sonya." She cooed at him. The little one watched her before yawning and closing his eyes back. She giggled and held him close before carefully relaxing against the pillows Nini propped up for her. She continued to stare at him as he occasionally opened his eyes.
She checked on Jax who was still sleeping soundly. A mother to five children after an apocalypse was not where she thought she would be. If she remembered correctly she turned thirty-four sometime this year. She smiled more, thinking more of her children.
Onyx and Jax already seemed like they would have interesting personalities. Coral was more like her father than Amy would have liked. The hoglet was six years old and looked just like Amy except for her eyes. Ozul was his father's twin. Amy has to remind herself from time to time that she was the one who actually gave birth to him. Last but not least was Sonya. Amy couldn't help but see Sonic when she hears Sonya crack a lame joke, argue with Rojo and play with Mila. She was just like her father through and through. Her smile started to fall and she wasn't sure why.
She thought that maybe it was a good thing when Shadow entered the room and brought her out of her thoughts. She smiled at him before it slowly went away again when she noticed the blood in his clothes. He didn't speak as she nervously watched him approach Jax still sleeping in the crib.
Amy knew his silence meant something. The two had grown so close arguing out loud wasn't needed anymore. They knew how to read each other very well through their body language. She could tell he was hiding something from her and it had something to do with their children. She watched him take the sleeping hoglet into his arm before nodding towards the other. She had to shake herself out of her thoughts and carefully pass over the second baby.
Shadow stood with both twins on the same side. He stared at them taking in their features. The second twin opened his eyes revealing he also had green eyes. Amy watched this and her smile came but her thoughts on the other children made it hard for her to enjoy this moment.
The couple was not expecting any more children. They had given up trying before Coral was born. Then after she survived infancy they really weren't trying but then she got pregnant again with these two. And as happy as she was to have them she would have loved to keep all of her children.
“What are their names?” Shadow asked, making Amy come back to the present.
“Oh…” she smiled again before saying, “Jax and Onyx.” Shadow hummed in response. Which told Amy he didn't mind the names. They didn’t argue over naming their children since they were happy they had survived either way. But she couldn't help but wonder, “Where-”
“Sonya has been infected.” Shadow said, making the two fall silent.
-x-
Tails watched Sonya as she slept.
He had not.
He couldn’t sleep.
Not with the life of his friend’s daughter on the line.
It had been four days and the fifth day was coming in. It was the same amount of days that Sonic took to get to the point he wasn’t leaving that house. Tails never forgot it and as he sat in the chair watching Sonya hug herself as she slept throughout the night, his heart ached.
Amy had tried more than once to get into the watching room to see Sonya. She thought about the young female, asked about her and wailed to the point that Nini had to give her medicine to stay calm. Amy couldn’t take it, she couldn’t think about losing her daughter.
She couldn't handle the thought of breaking her friend's promise.
Tails watched the sky brighten as the sun rose. His eyes went to Sonya watching her closely. By day four Sonic’s fur was pale but not Sonya’s. In fact, Tails was starting to suspect something was off. Sonya kept her sound mind, she ate the food they brought her and kept it down. She didn’t hallucinate. She didn’t show any signs of sickness.
Tails had watched many others turn over a process of three, five or more days. The longest he observed was seven days but that person was one of the most fit Mobians he ever met. Tails noted all the signs and symptoms, he even attempted to give them medicine to slow down the process. Nothing he had done before worked.
He glanced back before looking back at Sonya as she shifted and turned over in the bed. He watched her arm trying to get a closer look at the bite mark. He couldn’t see it through the blur in his eyes and the tiredness that weighed on him.
A closer look wouldn’t hurt.
He took one careful look back before slowly standing up. He walked over to the door unlocking it quietly. He then went to the room and opened the door before walking over to Sonya. She slept quietly as she shifted slightly in the bed. She hadn’t gone to sleep the first three days but by night four she was barely holding her eyes open.
He carefully stood next to the bed as the sun rose. He observed her fur and mentally noted that she wasn’t pale. He carefully lifted the sheet and saw that her cuts and bruises were actually healing. His eyes went to her arm before he carefully lowered the blanket and moved her arm so he could examine it. He carefully picked up her arm and was shocked at the bite mark seemingly healing on its own. He swiftly looked up at Sonya as she started to groan in her sleep.
It couldn’t be.
It had been over 20 years since the outbreak. There was no talk of a cure, there were no talks of even trying to seek one. Tails suspected that later generations would possibly become immune to the virus. He didn’t think it would be the generation of their children.
He rubbed the mark to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him but Sonya whimpered when he did. “Sorry…” He said softly before her eyes opened slowly and she rubbed them. He took another mental note with a smile. Her eyes were still white with the green she inherited from her father and mother.
“Uncle Tails…” She said tiredly before looking at him. She slowly sat up as Tails' smile grew more and more. Sonya stopped rubbing her eyes as she thought about where she was and why. “Wait, you shouldn’t be in here!” She protested, trying to frantically get away from him. She almost fell out of the bed till he grabbed the arm that was bitten. She yelped in pain before glaring at him. “Hey!”
Tails chuckled as he kept his hold, proving that he was stronger than he looked. “Your okay Sonya.” He told the confused girl. She looked at him with her brows furrowed before she watched as tears rolled down his eyes. “Everything is going to be okay…” He said before more tears escaped him.
Sonya looked more confused and concerned before her eyes went to the mark on her arm and she gasped at the fact that it had healed. Tails pulled into a hug before a banging came to the door.
“Tails! TAILS! OPEN THE DOOR!”
Tails groaned in annoyance at the sound of Knuckles panicking. He let Sonya go before dragging her behind him. She was confused, relieved, scared and excited all at once. Tails unlocked the door before Knuckles could even think to break it down. Mila and Shadow stood behind him with the latter shaking his head. Mila spotted Sonya before she ran out and tackled Shadow with a hug. Knuckles and Mila stood back watching this in confusion before looking at Tails. The dark hedgehog placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back slightly as she looked up at him.
“She’s fine…” Tails said as Mila stood close to him. She looked at Sonya and saw her father was right. She happily joined her best friend in a hug as Sonya pushed past Shadow’s hold and hugged him tightly again. Shadow slowly hugged the young girl as she began to cry against his chest.
Knuckles slowly put the pieces together as Tails walked up beside him watching the three. “Tails…She didn’t turn…”
“Nope.” He said happily with his hands behind him.
“She’s fine…” Knuckles said in disbelief.
“Yep.”
Sonya was suddenly grabbed as Knuckles lifted her up in the air as if she was a baby again. “HELL YEAH!!” He yelled, throwing her up and making her laugh just as hard as him. When she came down he hugged her tightly to him. “Thank Chaos.” He said as Sonya smiled and hugged him back.
Shadow watched the two as Mila joined them and they spoke amongst one another. “She’s fine…” He said quietly.
“Oh yeah.” Tails said before looking at the older dark hedgehog.
“What does this mean?” Shadow asked. He didn’t take his eyes off the young girl as she asked about her mother.
“It could mean that she is immune to the virus…And…” Tails said as he continued to smile. Knuckles patted Sonya’s shoulder before leading her away to Amy. She looked back at Shadow putting out her hand to him.
He saw the bite mark then and how it had seemingly been healing on its own.
“She may be the answer to a cure…”