Black Revenge
Painful Memories
Shadow walked slowly through the city park of Station Square, he hugged himself hard in anguish and he squeezed his eyes shut, but he was unable to stop the tears, it had not been long since he had witnessed the court case of Knuckles the Echidna who had killed his girlfriend Rouge the Bat in a domestic issue.
Flashback
Shadow sat in the court with Sonic, Amy, Cream, Cheese and Tails along with some other people who were attending the trial. Knuckles the Echidna stood in the Dock with a look of uncaring in his violet eyes.
Amy was leaning on Sonic sniffling whilst Sonic tried to comfort her he was looking at Knuckles in a disbelieving and horrifying way "How could he?" Tails said in a small voice "how could he do such a thing?" Cream and Cheese were crying softly "did Mr Knuckles really kill Miss Rouge?" she whispered. Shadow looked at her and bowed his head trying to hide his tears.
As the judge read out what had happened to Rouge that fateful night, Shadow felt sick to the stomach, he felt like he needed to vomit after hearing how Knuckles had hit Rouge every-time he lost his temper, and every-time Rouge seemed to do something wrong. Then he felt like screaming when he heard how Rouge had come home after a night at Club Rouge and Knuckles had been furiously demanding where she had gone, and saying that she had been whoring with a certain back hedgehog (Shadow) then he had pulled back his fist and hit her, then punched and kicked the crap out of her until she was dead.
Shadow felt the tears fall again, how could Knuckles have done that to her, rained down punches and kicks onto her fragile and delicate body, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as the words of the judge drilled into his head, the pain in his chest was overwhelming, and it seemed worse than the grief and sorrow he felt when he helplessly watched Maria being gunned down by those damned GUN soldiers.
Shadow then lifted his head to see photographs of Rouge's corpse that had been taken from the morgue being shown around to them and the jury, it was a heartbreaking sight, the beautiful white bat was beaten up and bruised; her delicate and perfect face was crushed and bloodied up by the echidna's fists. A lifeless shell of where the soul of a fun-loving, beautiful yet seductive bat used to be.
Then pictures of the white bat's body was shown to them, Shadow then saw all the bruises on her body, he buried his face in his hands and let out broken sobs, Cream and Cheese began to wail and bawl and Amy was screaming so much Sonic had to take her out of the courtroom. Through the whole thing Knuckles stood there in the dock emotionless and showing no remorse for what he did.
Finally the judge asked the jury for the verdict, and the jury had immediately said without hesitation "GUILTY!" Shadow had looked up from crying when he heard the verdict, then the judge had said "Knuckles the Echidna, you have been found guilty of the manslaughter and grievous bodily harm with intent, therefore for your crime you will be sentenced to four years imprisonment"
When Shadow heard the verdict, it felt like a slap in the face, the woman he loved was dead and Knuckles was being locked away for four years! FOUR YEARS! Shadow felt his heart flare up and he felt his anger and want for revenge return. "Rouge!" he thought "this is injustice! He deserves to die! I will avenge you!"
He stood up and screamed at Knuckles "you God damned Son of a bitch! You deserve to die!" he leaned forward and continued to scream at Knuckles who stood there emotionless and blank faced. The judge was banging her hammer on the table angrily and shouting at him to be quiet, but Shadow wouldn't, eventually she motioned the security guards to grab him and remove him from the courtroom. But as they removed him, he continued to shout at Knuckles angrily.
End Flashback
Shadow felt the tears fall again, poor Rouge was killed and what that Echidna got was a four year prison sentence, he still got to live! It didn't seem right! "If the humans won't give Rouge justice" he declared "than I will!" he cracked his knuckles.
He looked up at the sky again, looking at it made him think of Rouge's eyes. His eyes watered again when he held her close and comforted her after she broke down in tears at Club Rouge.
Flashback
Rouge sat at a table in a corner, she was looking at her arm; she had rolled up her sleeve to look to see if the bruises had healed, she ran her delicate fingers over the bruise, brown and swollen.
As she stared at it, she broke down in tears, and buried her face in her white gloved hands not caring if it was making her make-up run, as she sobbed she heard a voice. "Rouge" Rouge looked up to see Shadow looking at her with concern. "H…Hel…Hello Shadow" she stammered between sobs.
Shadow sat next to her and placed his gloved hand on hers. "What's wrong Rouge?" he asked, Rouge wiped her eyes and looked up at Shadow, "I…I…I" she whispered, "I…" she couldn't speak. Shadow moved closer to her, "tell me what's wrong" he demanded, he laced an arm around her shoulder, as he did she winced loudly.
Shadow then noticed a large black bruise on her neck covered by her pure white hair and collar of her cat-suit. His eyes went wide "Who did that to you!?!" he cried, Rouge moved her lips but no sound came out. "Please" she whispered "please keep me safe" she looked up into Shadow's blood red eyes pleadingly.
Shadow felt his emotions strangling him at the throat, he laced his arms around her and pulled her closer; he then whispered in her ear "I will protect you" he then moved his lips to hers. Rouge then felt his lips on hers, the tears began to flow again; she wrapped her arms around Shadow's neck as he pulled her closer.
Shadow then broke the kiss and looked over his shoulder, at everyone in the club; no-one seemed to pay attention to what they were doing. Shadow looked down at Rouge "I promise I will protect you, when you come here Rouge, I will always be here every night" Rouge nodded "I would be glad if you did" she whispered, he rested her head on Shadow's chest and began sobbing again, Shadow held her close and began to rock her to soothe her. "One day Rouge" he thought as he held her "I will come and take you away from that damn Echidna, even though you can't tell me what's happening to you, I know in your eyes that, that Echidna is hurting you, I promise I will take you away and end your suffering and you will be safe and happy once again, in a new life with me"
He thought about the Space Colony ARK "I could take you there" he whispered "then you can be safe with me" he held her tighter but being careful of her hidden bruises. "There you will be safe with me and that Echidna would never come never you again, you will be safe with me" he nuzzled the top of her head and continued to comfort her as Rouge continued to sob.
End Flashback
Shadow collapsed to the ground, "I'm sorry!" he whispered "I'm so sorry!" he looked up to the heavens, "I said that I would protect you Rouge!" he screamed "but I didn't! I couldn't! Now you're gone!" he knelt on the ground sobbing, "It's because of me!" he felt his heart get wrenched out when he remembered the beautiful funeral they held for Rouge after Knuckles had been sentenced.
Flashback
Shadow stood outside the chapel with Sonic, Espio and Tails; there were loads of people as well as the rest of their friends dressed all in black because it was Rouge's funeral, Topaz was crying harder than any of the mourners as she was one of Rouge's closest friends and allies. Even the President was there also dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief.
Shadow bit his lip and tried to hold back his tears when the funeral car turned up, a large black carriage with glass sides that showed a black and silver coffin. The carriage was pulled by two beautiful black horses with black feather plumes on their heads. The undertakers then opened the carriage doors and they pulled the coffin out, then Shadow, Sonic, Espio and Tails took the coffin on their shoulders to carry it into the chapel.
When they placed the coffin on the stand at the front, Shadow, Sonic, Espio and Tails sat at the front and watched in sorrow as the priest began talking. All through the service Shadow couldn't stop crying, he had loved Rouge so much and he felt that it was his fault that she had died because he couldn't protect her. "I'm so sorry" he kept saying under his breath "I should have been there for you"
It was a beautiful service; many of the people including Topaz from Club Rouge had come up to say nice things about Rouge and how they would miss her. Sonic and Amy made a couple of speeches and Shadow tried to say his speech but found it very difficult because he was so upset, he got through it and had to be helped back to his seat by Tails.
A couple of songs were also played for Rouge. During a slideshow of photos, The Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler was played, and when they finally cremated Rouge, the song I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston was played. Shadow loved that song because it was the song he and Rouge had danced to when they were at Club Rouge.
After they cremated her, they buried her in the cemetery and put an angel statue of her on it and a polished tombstone with her name. Shadow had stayed the longest at her grave and had cried for her, but not before he swore revenge on the very man who had ended her life so violently.
End Flashback
Shadow looked up, "I promised you Rouge" he whispered, tears still rolling down his cheeks "I will get revenge, for you, I swear to you! Knuckles the Echidna will pay dearly! Even if it costs me my life!" he then stood up and carried on walking towards his apartment.