Dream Girl
Author's Notes:
This is my first Shadikal fic.
Shadow is running...
The air is cold and his heart is thumping in his chest, he can barely catch is breath. No matter how fast he runs he can't get far enough to reach the screams. The long narrow halls of Space colony ARK twisting before him.
"Shadow! Shadow! HELP!"
"MARIA! I'm coming!" screamed Shadow.
The walls become a blur, his body aches but he pushes on. Suddenly a crash of thunder wakes Shadow!
He looks around finding himself under a bridge next to his motorcycle. The sky lit only by streaks of lightning he tries to sleep again, trying to ignore the intense rain and wind. He drifts slowly back into slumber holding back a tear the rain would hide but he could never let go of.
The next day the sun pries open his eyes. Shadow stretches his body, he starts up his motorcycle and begins to ride. The wind whipping through his quills and the fur on his chest Shadow tries to clear his mind. After a while Shadow finds himself riding along a winding cliff-side road. Out of the corner of his eye Shadow notices a strange green glow. Curious he gets off his bike and walks to a nearby rock. Behind the rock there is a piece of the Master Emerald. Not knowing how the piece got there naturally Shadow wouldn't care. Something was different today though, he could feel something... compelling him to pick it up.
He reaches out... gently lifting the piece of emerald. Suddenly a flash of light blinds Shadow, as his eyes adjust he is in shock. All around him, there is fire everywhere roaring and crackling. Through the smoke he can barely make out the figure ahead of him. He hears heavy sobs of anguish. He crawls through the dense smoke trying to find the source of the crying. Then Shadow sees her; a young female echidna wearing beautiful beads. He begins to feel something hasn't felt for years.
Shadow is snapped out of his vision by the impact of massive punch to his gut. Rolling over he looks up to see Knuckles staring him down; the shard of the Master Emerald laying on the ground between them. Shadow charges up a spindash as Knuckles runs towards the shard. The two of them collide with intense force! Shadow stands up and lunges for the shard. Running to his motorcycle he is intercepted by a hard punch to the back of the head. Shadow's face deep in the dirt grimaces as the shard is taken from him.
"Hmph! So much for the Ultimate Life Form. I'll be taking this with me."
Realizing what he must do to put his mind at rest, Shadow walks back to his motorcycle. He begins riding in search of the next piece of the Master Emerald. "I don't care about Knuckles 'duty to the Emerald, I want answers" Shadow thinks to himself as he rides.
Some time later Shadow sees his gas tank and realizes he needs more fuel. He rides into a neon haze of city lights on a dark street. The sounds of heavy bass lines echo through the streets. He pulls up to a gas station. He looks around and notices Rouge calling on a payphone.
He calls out to her:
"Rouge, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing Shadow."
"I'm just here to refuel my motorcycle, now you can answer my question."
"Well, I had some business with G.U.N. to deal with."
"Whatever it is I need you to put it on hold."
"This better be good."
"I need your help."
"Well, well, well... Mr. Tough, what kind kind of help could you need?"
"I need you to help me find more pieces of the M-"
"THE MASTER EMERALD! Oh my, why didn't you start with that. You know how much I love jewels."
"I need answers and those shards are the only way I can get them."
"I'll help you find those shards Shadow. But don't expect to walk off with my jewels."
"Just get on the bike!"
As the two of them ride off into the night Shadow ponders his vision from the shard.
TO BE CONTINUED