Shadow the Hedgehog was busy getting ready for the races. He adjusted his shades and tugged on his gloves, clenching and unclenching his hands to test the glove's sturdiness. He cracks his knuckles and examines his vehicle. He smirked and ran his forefinger along the sleek black machine. Even when standing still, it looked fast. He leaned over the front of the car and opened it. The black hedgehog's red eyes trailed along the contraptions, examining the gears. Shadow grabbed a wrench and started to work over the tanks.
As he leaned forward to connect the generator to the fuel tank he heard a noise behind him.
"Didn't think I'd see you racing."
Shadow would know that voice anywhere. He turned around. There standing before him was none other than Rouge the Bat with her hand on her hip, her signature smile on her lips. Instead of her usual black and pink leather jumpsuit and white boots, she wore a black and white cropped tank top and black racing pants with white flowers all over them. On her hands she wore white gloves with a pink strips and gold rings around each wrist.
Shadow scowled and he quickly slammed the front of the car shut and turned away. Rouge smirked and strolled over to the midnight-colored vehicle. She ran a gloved hand seductively over it.
She glanced up at Shadow, who stood stiffly with his back turned as she continued to circle the black car. Finally, Shadow couldn't take it anymore.
"What?" He said through clenched teeth.
The white bat glanced up at him, her aqua-blue eyes staring into his crimson ones. She smiled.
"Nothing. I'm just wondering why you suddenly decided you were going to race."
Shadow glared at her, "What's it to you batgirl?"
Rouge stopped, "My, aren't we a little touchy today." She glanced up at him once more then hopped up and sat on the hood of the car. She crossed her legs and smiled innocently at Shadow.
Shadow rolled his eyes, "Just don't scratch it."
Rouge winked at him, "Dandy, what kind of girl do you take me for?"
It was silent for a moment. Then Shadow turned and walked over to the workbench. He stood there, his back facing her, silent. He closed his eyes.
"I'm not a coward. I mean, you can't expect me to be challenged and just walk away. I am after all, the Ultimate Life Form."
Rouge looked at him in the corner of her eye, clearly amused, "I don't?"
Shadow puffed out his chest in pride, "You shouldn't. What kind of man would I be if I didn't race and win? My reputation would be in shambles. Besides, that damn blue hedgehog is racing and I plan to tear his head off and break him limb from limb and drink his blood while I laugh as his soul writhes, condemned to an eternity lake of fire."
The white bat stayed silent for a moment before she burst out laughing. Shadow whirled around, teeth clenched, and stared as the self-proclaimed treasure huntress have a fit of hysterics.
The huntress fell over the pitch-black vehicle, hugging her stomach and kicking her legs wildly in the air as the black hedgehog glared at her, hands at his sides, clenched, and his crimson eyes glowing murderously.
"What could possibly be so funny to you?"
Rouge giggled and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She sat up and chuckled, "Oh Shadow, you are just so melodramatic!"
Shadow's eyes flared, "I am done talking to you." He growled.
Rouge smirked again and put her hand her hip.
"What? Too afraid to talk, your highness?"
"Get out." The midnight-colored hedgehog snarled.
But the purple-winged beauty remained undeterred by the dark hedgehog's hostility. Instead, she found his short temper amusing, humorous even. Rouge crossed her arms and remained sitting on top of the black vehicle. Shadow's red eyes narrowed.
"Do you have any idea or even the mental capacity, to process who you're messing with here?" Shadow said as he took a step closer to her.
Rouge shrugged her bare tan shoulders, angering Shadow even more.
"You don't know or you don't care?"
"Pick one." Rouge said smartly.
The black hedgehog took another step closer to her, "I could easily destroy you."
The white bat scoffed, "And what makes think you can?"
"It's not a thought, batgirl, it's a fact", Shadow said as he took another step towards her.
The huntress smile sweetly.
"Then it looks like somebody needs to get their facts right."
The ebony hedgehog smirked and took the last step which brought him face to face with the white bat. He leaned in towards her and placed his hands on each side of where she was sitting, his face only a few feet away from hers.
Shadow smirked again as Rouge slightly widened her eyes, obviously confused at this sudden strange behavior.
"But I do have one last thing to say to you."
The aqua-eyed treasure huntress arched an eyebrow amusingly at him, "Oh? And what might that be?"
The black hedgehog smiled, revealing pure white canines to the bewildered bat, "Just so you know batgirl, I don't plan on losing. I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. No matter who or what gets in my way."
Rouge stared at him, her eyes slightly widened but the beautiful bat wasted no time in being taken by surprise. She uncrossed her arms and leaned towards Shadow until her face was only a lip's distance away from his. She placed her hands on top Shadow's. A small smile played on her pink lips.
"Then I guess that makes two of us."
The ebony hedgehog stared at her, crimson irises searching her face. The white bat stared right back at him, her aqua-blue eyes boring into his. He slowly removed his hands off the car, away from her hands and stiffly turned away, his face slightly red from the close encounter. He sauntered off, folded his arms and closed his eyes once more.
Rouge's smile grew and she gracefully hopped off the car and stretched. She turned to walk out the door but paused and looked over her shoulder at Shadow.
"Hey."
Shadow opened one eye, but otherwise stayed with his back turned to her, "What?"
The purple-winged bat's smile grew and she winked.
"Good luck… handsome."
The midnight hedgehog whirled around but the gorgeous sly bat was long gone. Shadow sighed. He can never seem to figure her out. Whenever he seemed to start to understand her actions and motives, she would pull another stunt that made him think twice about who she was. She was mysterious alright, no doubt about it. Someone he couldn't figure out or solve. Strangely enough, Shadow liked that.
The huntress wasn't like anyone he's ever met. And he liked that.
He then thought about how close her face was, how her crystal blue eyes seem to go right through him and her pink lips always in that cat-like smile of hers. Shadow closed his eyes again and for once, actually smiled.
"Good luck to you to…Rouge."