Essence (Shadow The Hedgehog love story)
Chapter One ~ Beginnings
G.U.N. soldiers surrounded the house briskly as my family awaited for the events that would follow this situation. My three dogs paced with apprehension while one of them barked and growled sensing the matter that had befallen the peaceful home. Holding my hand flat to him to try to shut him up, he disobeyed and continued to howl loudly.
A loud bang rang throughout the air and the door blew open. My ears began to hear a high-pitched ringing after the shock occurred. The dogs all whelped and ran off in the opposite direction horrified at the action.
Soldiers then swarmed the insides of the house and surrounded us with haste, guns all pointed at our torsos. I looked at my dad for some guidance only to find how insecure I felt. After a bit of yelling and a small fistfight between my dad and a soldier, we were loaded up into military vehicles and were secluded from the rest of the world. My dad and mom were in separate vehicles from mine. I curled up in the darkest corner feeling for turns and slower to higher speeds.
What's going on…? Why are they taking us? Where are they taking us? Did we do something wrong?
After twelve hours of driving, we had stopped and there were some shuffling sounds and the cars doors opened then slammed shut. They opened up the back where they had thrown me and pulled me out.
I glimpsed around for the other military vehicles but they were nowhere in sight. Tugging roughing on my arm the soldiers dragged me quickly into the fenced in building that was before me. A couple of guards gave clearance for us to go inside. It was not very decorative inside and it mostly consisted of whites and grays, or any other neutral colour. Some of the walls appeared as if they were made of metal. After passing several metal doors, we reached what seemed like to be an experimenting room. We entered and that's when I began to really worry and not remain so calm like I normally do. They brought me over to a table and then I began to struggle, worried about being some science experiment.
They trained to handle this sort of thing and I was unable to escape. Being pinned down on the table and I tried to bite the soldier that was holding me down firmly, but he just grabbed my head and slammed it down on the tale while the other soldier strapped me down. Seven metal canisters rose up from under the floor the exposed seven coloured, brilliant cut, gems that reminded me of the Chaos Emeralds.
Each colour was there too, blue, red, green, purple, white, cyan, and yellow. One of the soldiers left as someone whom appeared to be a scientist walked in and started up a machine. In an instance, each gem glowed brightly; I closed my eyes tightly as they lit up the room with the radiance of the sun. Electricity coursed throughout my body and pain radiated from everywhere. It lasted for several minutes before everything numbed and the machine stopped.
With a small groan, I opened my eyes and tried to look around but I was strapped in too tightly. The male scientist came into my view. I noticed a needle in his hand and he pushed my head to the side and stuck it into my neck. I flailed to no avail; the injection was complete in seconds. My body quickly went numb and limp. The scientist removed the binds and I was lifted from the table. A black and red blur was carrying me. My vision began to fade to black, and I felt a falling sensation as unconsciousness consumed me.
Sensations of touch and smell slowly came back to me. Hearing came next, I opened my eyes, and a blurry dark image slowly cleared into something pristine. My throat felt parched; I swallowed hard in attempt to make it feel better. My ear flicked as I heard a bit of movement and I caught a scent of someone that was not human but my body craved it.
I felt myself slams into the metal bars without even realizing I had moved. The feeling in my throat grew worse and I looked to the floor and swallowed hard again. I then realized that I was on my knees and long quills flowed down to the floor. I looked at my hands and arms realizing that I was no longer human.
Before any shock could take over pain began to form. I gripped the bars tightly and felt my bones shifted, snapped and move. I winced and collapsed completely to the cool floor as my body continued to change, clothes ripping and falling off. Several grunts and whines worked their way out of me until the reformation was complete. Looking at myself again, I saw that I had a black pelt.
I'm… a dog. No… Werewolf? This doesn't make any sense…
Seeing something out of the corner of my eye and hearing a bag filled with liquid hitting the floor, I jumped up, startled. A blood bag laid there; I felt pain and my bones shifting again once I gazed upon it.
Not again…
Once the pain was entirely gone, I managed to make out that I had quills once more and that I was void of all clothing. I tried to cover myself and I set eyes on the blood bag once more. Before I could process anything, I barely realized I had grabbed it and sunk my fangs into it and drank until there was not a drop left.
With a toss from behind me, a blanket covered my being, and I jumped startled and embarrassed. I covered myself quickly, let the empty bag fall to the floor, and lay there uselessly. Glimpsing back over my shoulder I saw a black and red hedgehog.
"Shadow…?!" I exclaimed, shocked.
But he's… a fictional character? Am I seeing things…?
"Humph…" He glimpsed at me then leaned against a wall and closed his eyes, his arms folded.
I felt my heart beat hard in my chest and I began to blush. Wrapping the blanket tighter around myself, I curled up as comfortably as I could. I sat there in silence with a million things going through my head.
My ear flicked as I heard Shadow move and then leave. He soon came back and tossed me a pair of clothes. I dressed myself under the blanket with great skill, then re-emerged once I was finished.
"Um… Thank you…" I spoke quietly and kept myself warm with the blanket. There was no reply and the room filled with silence again for a long period.
"Are you stable?" He finally muttered.
"Stable…?" I questioned and thought before replying, "I don't know…"
With a sigh, I nuzzled the blanket and closed my eyes giving into the tiredness that has begun to overcome me. Moving occasionally to become more comfortable, I eventually fell into a deep slumber.
Shadow's pov~
I watched her as she slept peacefully. I closed my eyes and remembered what my boss said, "Bring her to me when she's stable." Those were my orders.
But why go through all this trouble to awaken her? Why just to make sure she's stable and to talk to my boss… There has to be something more going on here and I'm going to find out what it is.
My ear flicked as she stirred in her sleep, "Just what are you?" I muttered aloud before sitting down and cleaning my gun thoroughly.
My eye peeked open as she awoke and stretched similar to the way a cat would. She then curled back up and hid in the blanket. I slowly stood and walked over to the cell in which encased her like an animal.
"Girl…" I spoke coldly and folded my arms.
She poked her head out and looked at me, tilting her head to the side.
"Are you stable yet?" I examined her trying to get a better feel for her condition.
She groaned and hid again before mumbling, "I don't know… I just want to sleep… Where are my parents?" She then yawned.
"Humph. Well figure it out girl, my boss wants to see you." I growled.
"Abraham…?" She muttered and thought for a while. "Well… I guess I feel okay…"
"Dammit there's no guessing! You either are or you aren't," I snarled.
Stupid girl make up your damn mind I'm not going to be your fucking babysitter.
"Yes… I'm stable…" She muttered looking away, her mouth barely moving when she spoke.
"Humph." I opened the cell and grabbed her roughly by the arm. I dragged her along all the way.
My pov~
I felt some pain where he was grabbing my arm. I looked around some as I followed him quietly. Once we were at his boss' office, he knocked on the door and then we entered a few moments later. I looked at Abraham as Shadow pushed me into a chair before he leaned against a wall.
Abraham looked up from his desk to me, "Well you're finally stable. Now I have something to discuss with you, and Shadow."
I glimpsed at Shadow then to Abraham and then to the desk and just gave a simple nod pondering what it was.
With a swift movement, he grabbed some files and put them in front of me. "Shadow look at them as well." He ordered.
With a sigh, Shadow sat next to me and looked through the files. "What the hell is this?!"
I gently took it from him and looked at it myself. It was files of me on ARK over fifty years ago. "Umm… I don't think that's me… I was born on earth, as a human kid, and it was way after this." I blinked not really taking it seriously.
"Yes I am aware of that, however, we did a DNA test and we also were able to awaken you. You are an exact match to that girl in those files." Abraham clicked his pen before writing down a couple of things.
"What the hell do you mean she's a match!? I don't remember her, she never existed!" Shadow snarled and stood not tolerating this.
"Well, this says otherwise. Now either you don't remember her or someone is able to create files exactly like those on ARK and they are able to make a fool of our workers here and make it look authentic. Now sit down soldier." He ordered.
"No I will not sit down! This is unacceptable! She never existed dammit!" He then Chaos Controlled out of the room fed up with this situation.
My ears fell back flat against my head. I curled up in the chair hoping Shadow would be okay.
With a sigh, he slowly collected the files and put them in their proper place. "Well, if you have any flash backs let me know, or if anything strange happens."
"Okay… I guess." I muttered before he called a soldier to lead me out of the office.
The soldier led me back to my cell and locked me up. I sighed and slid to the floor and lost myself in my own thoughts.
I came back to my senses as a red glowing gem was floating in front of me. I grabbed it wondering how it got here. I felt a large amount of energy flow through my entire being as I was felt myself become weightless for less than a second before finding myself in a thick forest.
What just happened? Where is this?
Scanning my surroundings I was unable to pick out anything familiar. With a groan I looked at the gem thinking,
Well I guess you are a Chaos Emerald.
Chapter Two ~ Awakened
My stomach growled loud enough that I could just manage to hear it. Slowly putting away the Chaos Emerald, I began to search for any food that I could manage to find that was obtainable. However, this world was foreign and any berries I managed to find were all unknown to me.
I felt something smash into me and I smashed into the earth, and felt a huge burst of wind. Wincing, I slowly got to my feet feeling tingly with pain wherever the impact point was. Another burst of wind came along with a blue blur before it stopped in front of me.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to run into you. Are you alright?" Sonic the hedgehog spoke.
I blinked and just slowly went along with it, "Yeah… A little sore I guess, but I'm okay." I brushed myself off.
"I'm Sonic, Sonic The Hedgehog" He held his hand out to shake mine.
I slowly shook his hand, "Cathy" I muttered lowly. I pulled my hand away when he let go and glimpsed around then back to Sonic.
Well I guess I'm on Mobius?
I heard my stomach growl again; covering it in response, Sonic began to speak again, "We could get you a bite to eat. My place isn't far from here."
I slowly nodded and acceptance and followed him as he led the way. Within a few minutes, we were there. This large, hollowed out tree stood tall and strong as it whisked in the wind. He led us inside and showed me to the kitchen.
"Help yourself." He sat down and had a soda.
I looked into the fridge, grabbed many different assorted fruits, and ate until I was full. I curled up in the chair and tried to relax a little.
"So why were you out in the woods all alone?" Sonic questioned.
"A Chaos Emerald took me there… I'm far from home…" I mumbled softly.
"So you don't have anywhere to go?" I shook my head in response and he began to speak again, "Well if you want to you could stay here for awhile."
"Okay… Thanks." I gave him a tired smile.
"I'll show you to the guest room then." He bounced up energetically and waited until I was on my feet before leading me to the guest room.
I opened the door and scanned the area. "I'm going to get some rest okay?"
"Yeah. See ya later then." He left and shut the door behind him.
Crawling into the bed and hiding in the blankets I went over the events of the past couple of days until my body gave into unconsciousness.
When I awoke and stirred, soreness overcame me. Slowly sitting up, I checked where Sonic had banged into me the other day. Several bruises had formed where the impact was. Groggily dragging myself out of bed, I went down to the kitchen and got myself some bottled water, searching for something to munch on. Suddenly grabbed from behind, and pinned against the wall, an arm pushed up against my neck cutting off some air and circulation.
"What the hell are you doing here, girl?!" Shadow spoke venomously.
"Chaos Emerald brought me here… Sonic found me and he's letting me stay here." I answered him and pushed his arm away.
He growled and stormed off. My ears lowered and then continued to rummage around the fridge for food. Grabbing some parmesan cheese, I went over to the counter and set it down. Filling a pot up with water and setting the burner to high heat, I searched for some spaghetti and a cheese grater. Once I obtained them, I whipped out a bowl, grated the cheese and put the pasta in once the water was boiling. Soon enough it was complete, aldante, and strained. Pouring it into the bowl and placing some butter on top of the pasta, I mixed it.
Sitting down I feasted until I was unable to consume another morsel. Standing, I reluctantly began to clean my mess. After I put everything away, I went and cured up on the living room couch and began purring without consciously noticing it.
"Hey. Who are you? I don't think I've seen you around here before." A higher pitched voice spoke.
Peering over to where the sound emitted from, I saw Amy. "Cathy… Sonic is letting me stay here."
"I'm Amy Rose!" speaking energetically before sighing, "Do you know where he is?" She asked. I shook my head and she verbalized once more, "Okay. I'll see you later then." With that, she left.
I curled up more in the corner on the soft, fabric couch and began to lose myself in my thoughts. While pondering, I felt myself being teleported again, snapping myself from my mind. Analyzing my surroundings, I was unable to detect anything memorable. Slowly standing from the sparkling, dew covered grass, I stretched and started to stroll.
How and why do I keep teleporting everywhere?
Yawning, I watched nature thrive. Blue and red birds glided gracefully, chirping to the early morning sun. Bugs warmed up their bodies in the sun before flying off into the early, dazzling mist. The serene air calmed my spirit, soothing me like as if it was a babies' rocking cradle. Giving into the mystic dawn, I settled down flat against the ground, back soaking up the dew, and my front aimed towards the softly lit, colourful, arrayed sky. Muscles easing up, I enjoyed the crisp air, the tranquil sensation overflowing from my very being. I was at peace.
My brow scrunched up as an odd sound hummed off in the distance. Opening my eyes and sitting up, I looked around and narrowed in on the noise that was gradually approaching. It was an unnatural sound, something more machine-like, something synthetic. I sighed in dismay.
Well I guess this relaxation is ruined…
Getting up from my resting position, I felt my muscles tense up with each movement in revolt, wanting to remain relaxed. Forcing my body to move and strain, I hid behind a tree and waited for what it was to come closer, and into sight. It was not long before my eyes spied on Eggman's robots along with Eggman himself.
"That Emerald is around here somewhere. Now if only I could get rid of that bastard Sonic!" The tone was exasperated. "If that nuisance was gone why I'd rule the world, everything would be mine! People would learn to respect me and they would love me whether they lied it or not!" He laughed evilly and hysterically.
This isn't good; I need to get out of here.
I glimpsed around and started to fall back into the darker, thicker wooded areas, then stopped slowly as a twig snapped. Ear flicking and hearing an "hmm" come from Eggman, I tied to conceal myself as best as I could.
"The Emerald just moved. Perhaps that pesky blue boy has already beaten me to it. Come out you filthy rodent!" Eggman cooed with lunacy and insanity. "My fellow robots, find him and anyone else who may be in the area! Capture them!"
Shit.
The robots flew out in every which direction. I tried to slip away before they were able to find me, but I was unsuccessful, the robots had spotted me quickly and a net shot at me and wrapped around my tiny figure. Falling to the ground they quickly picked me up as the rest of the robots analyzed the area. I dropped in front of Eggman within seconds.
"Well, what do we have hear? Just a kid?" He muttered dryly.
"I'm not a kid… I'm seventeen…" I murmured under my breath even though I was well aware the legal "adult" age was eighteen.
"Well it appears you have a Chaos Emerald. Now why don't you just hand it over peacefully, it's not like a kid like you would know what to do with it anyway." He held out his hand for the Emerald.
I ignored his hand and remained silent, yet strongly giving off the sense I was not simply going to hand him the Emerald. I curled up on my side and peered at the net; grasping my pocket-knife in hand, I was ready and capable of breaking the net by my mind played out several things that could happen if I did get free, and if I defied him.
"Come on now child, be a good little girl." He tried to squeak out nicely.
I just simply glared up at him with no other response excluding the electric spark of fire in my eyes. Eggman sighed heavily and his face dropped in annoyance; snapping his fingers, the robot began to search me. I growled heavily, getting aggravated from being touched, searched, and prodded.
The robot suddenly seized up and fell apart before turning into a liquid substance before us; confused Eggman spoke, "What the hell…?"
"What just happened?" I tried to drag myself away with various muscles as to avoid contact with the liquid metal.
He inhaled, just about to say something, but he stopped and looked puzzled. Remaining silent in bewilderment, I grasped my pocket-knife tighter and cut open the net. Sliding out of the net, pushing the rest off, and slipping my foot free of where it had apparently tangled, I tried to make a break for it. Within seconds, another net wrapped securely around me holding me in place.
So pathetic…
"Now I cannot let you leave while you still have that beautiful little gem of mine." He cooed at the thought of obtaining the Chaos Emerald.
"I'm not giving it to you!" I exclaimed, fed up with this child-play. With a quick snap of his fingers, the robot beat me until I was bloody and bruised. It then searched for the Emerald. Once the machine had it found, its synthetic hand grasped it with precision. An electrical current emitted from the brilliant, red Chaos Emerald causing the robot to shut down. The red Emerald then floated back into my pocket.
"It seems to like me more than you." I spit up some blood and looked away, focusing on my breathing, desperately trying not to let it perturb to me.
He growled and picked me up with one of his large robot arms. Wincing slightly from the pain, he dragged me along with him back to his evil lair.
Chapter Three ~ Malevolence Disrupted
Once we arrived, he tossed me into a cell after releasing me from the net. "Now hold onto that precious Emerald for me." Eggman ordered as he left.
I examined the cell carefully and looked at the lock on the door. It was just an average looking, criminal cell. Pulling out my wallet, I opened it then grabbed a bobby pin. Grasping it firmly, putting my wallet away, I slid it into the key hole and began to prod and wriggle it around attempting to pick the lock.
Even if I did pick the lock… What would I do then? Robots would swarm; I can't fight them off. I just can't stay here though. No one's going to know where to look for me. I'm so… useless… pathetic… How am I to get out of here? I don't even know where the exit is. It's maze-like in here.
I removed the bobby pin and put it away just in time to hear a familiar voice come from the shadows. Startled, I peered over and attentively listened.
"What do you think you're doing, girl?" Shadow's voice illuminated the room.
I looked at him then looked away thinking of what he may be thinking of, thinking of what I think of myself. I just shrugged and slid to the floor expecting nothing more from him, except to maybe help Eggman.
"So what now, girl, are you just going to sit there? Are you just going to give up?" He growled lowly with detest.
"What can I do? If I did manage to get myself out of this cage what then, huh? I'll just get myself killed. Someone will notice, an alarm would probably go off; robots would come… I'd be captured again or killed. Either way I'm rotting away in this cell; does it really make a difference?" My voice was dull.
"Humph, pathetic." He walked away.
After hesitating and thinking for a few brief seconds, I had pulled out the bobby pin once more and worked away at the lock.
I sighed, exhausted and fed up with the lock. With one harsh thrust and turn of the bobby pin, I heard a click and the cell door, which I had also been leaning on, flew open. Within the next thirty seconds of getting my bearings and looking for any cameras as quickly as possible, an alarm went off. Dashing for it, and avoiding cameras when possible, I worked my way around the base keeping an eye out for robots. Some whizzed by in other halls, some turned and came towards me so I stuck to the shadows and tiny crevasses as best as I could. Adrenaline pumping strongly through my blood I was about to make my way to a door when Shadow pinned me against a wall.
"What are you doing?! Get off!" was my instant verbal reaction. Struggling and thrashing was my physical reaction.
He slapped his hand over my mouth then pulled me by my shirt to a dark shadowed, tiny hallway. He put a finger over his mouth telling me to be quiet. Glimpsing to the side, just beyond the hallway a giant, mechanical dog trotted by. I glimpsed at Shadow to see him watching it carefully. Once it was gone, he uncovered my mouth and let me go.
"Don't go through that door." He whispered and darted his eyes towards the ends of the hallway.
I nodded and glimpsed over to where the synthetic dog had been. "What's beyond the door?" I mumbled quieter than a whisper.
"Humph…" He grabbed my arm and pulled me down through the hallway. Once we reached the end, he peeked around the corner while holding me back. He pushed me further in and looked at me; "If you want my help, you have to do exactly as I say." He growled lowly.
"Okay." I whispered.
"Stay here until I come back and get you. If something does find you, fight it off, if you can't… run." He took off.
Sliding down to the cold floor, I held myself remaining hidden. After a few, long, minutes, the imitation dog made its rounds again. I tried to remain hidden and out of sight, however, it slowly crawled closer to me and rang an alarm. Knowing that it had seen me, I began to back away as it reached a paw in, for its body was too large to fit into the tight hallway. Another one snarled as it blocked the other end of the hall.
Crap… What now?
I looked at how high the ceilings were. Toping out at twenty feet high, I looked for anywhere I could possibly go that was high up. Laying m eyes upon an air ventilation system, I decided to climb up and enter the enclosed space rather then taking my chances with the robotic dogs. Leaving the hatch open to leave Shadow a clue as to where I went, I then crawled through the dark area, occasionally feeling around to give myself some sense of surroundings.
Eventually, I reached a slope with a bright opening at the end. Crawling and climbing upwards, I eventually reached the top and slid myself out onto the roof of the base. I looked around and saw several robots scanning the perimeter. I then quickly hid behind the vent and studied the surroundings once more, as my eyes ached, trying to adjust to the bright, natural light. Robots were there as well, searching for me.
Where can I go now?
Being grabbed, and my mouth covered, I then was dragged to a dark, secluded area, crouching down, I looked at Shadow. He slowly let go of my mouth, then watched our surroundings closely. I made sure I remained very low, and in the shadows.
"I told you to stay." He whispered.
"Those… dog things noticed me. They set off an alarm." I whispered back lowly.
He nodded, quickly grabbed my arm, and pulled me along until we were in another darker, more secluded spot. I pulled my arm away gently then looked at him.
"Why aren't you just using your Chaos Control? You could have used it so many times." I asked him.
"Humph. I'm helping you, but I'm not going to make it easy on you. I'd like to see you try to do better without me." He growled coldly, and lowly.
"Sorry…" I muttered before letting out a light sigh.
"So since you seem to know what to do, what do you suggest?" He spat out venomously.
"I don't know. I'm sorry. I just don't see much for good options." I whispered apologetically.
"Pathetic. Why am I helping you?" He sighed.
My ears lowered as I continued to look around. I tried to figure out what action I should take next. I watched the patterns of the robots carefully, learning the way the react and search. I searched for something to throw, or some sort of alarm.
"We could draw them to a different location and try to slip out. A diversion." I softly said, then peered into his cold, crimson eyes.
"Well, at least you're starting to think now." He then looked around for something. "Over there, it's an alarm." He pointed to where.
I looked and saw a red siren looking thing at the top of a rod. I looked around for anything to set it off. I took a penny out of my wallet and tossed it over. The alarm went off as the penny skipped by. Shadow pulled me against the wall once more. He held onto me firmly, waiting for the right moment to go. Once it was time, he led the way, running. I kept up with him all the way, until we eventually slipped out of the bases' immediate area. He let me go when we were at a safe distance.
"Shadow… Thank you." I gazed at his eyes thankfully.
"Humph." He began walking away; I quickly tagged along.
We walked in silence for a long while. It was rather peaceful; the wind blew gently, the leaves swayed and clattered together in a rhythm that whispered a soothing tune. With a deep breath, then a sigh, I started to see Sonic's house come into view. I smiled a little as we approached.
Food, rest, shelter, and protection; sounds rather nice right now.
Chapter Four ~
~7~