THE DEMON WITHIN

Second chapter of 'The Demon Within' is now up and running. Enjoy.

CHAPTER 2

MEETING ARACH

It was a cold, dark night in the streets of Mobotropolis, and Shade the Hedgehog was roaming about the streets looking for something, anything to eat.

"So frickin' hungry!" He moaned to himself with a pained expression on his face. When all hope seemed lost, he saw a red fox come out a door in the wall and place a bin's worth of Chinese food in a garbage dump by the side of a Chinese restaurant.

His hungry eyes widened as he saw the man walk back inside. He looked around to see if anyone else was watching. He saw no-one. 'Well that's a shame, putting all that good food to waste. Oh well, finders' keepers, losers' weepers!' He ran up to the dump and looked in it. There was enough to keep him going for weeks! There was Sesame chicken, Chow mein, Chop suey, Crab Rangoon and lots more.

Shade jumped in the dump in joy and started his feast, clawing away at the food and stuffing it in his gob. He moaned in pleasure as he ate.

Within 6 minutes of feasting, he was full to the brim. He looked down and saw that there were still lots of food left.

He got bored and started playing around until something caught his eye. He picked it up and gasped. It was a fortune cookie.

He hastily snapped it in half, ate the cookie and read the little scroll. When he read it, he cocked up an eyebrow at the message that read: 'Your life's' wheel will turn in your favour.'

"Huh, what the fuck's that meant to mean?" he asked to himself. He felt a cool breeze and shivered. "Brrrr, it's getting cold..." He looked over to the just-visible sun. "...and dark. I guess I'd better be off." With that, he hopped out of the dump and started walking down the dark alley-way.

When he reached his little home, an upturned dumpster bin with a small door, he saw another hedgehog leaning against the wall with his arms folded. His fur was pitch black with yellow stripes in his quills. He wore a red trench coat and black jeans. He wore red and black sneakers and had a bandage on his right wrist.

Shade confronted the mysterious hedgehog. "Who the fuck are you? And what are you doing by my home?" The hedgehog looked at him with an icy-cold glare. "So, we meet at last Shade!" He said in a cold voice.

Shade stepped back in surprise. "How do you know my name?" The black hedgehog turned to him and smirked. "My name is Arach. I have been watching you struggle with life." He said.

"That still doesn't answer my question, what are you doing near my home?" Shade growled. "I'm here to help you. I have a mansion on the north cliff face and I want you to live with me as my apprentice!"

Shade walked up to Arach with a confused look on his face. "Your apprentice?" He asked. The black hedgehog nodded. "Yes. I need an apprentice to train, so I can pass on my powers."

Shade formed a small smile. "Okay, I accept." Suddenly, Arach snapped his fingers and a contract and pen came out of nowhere. "All I need you to do is just sign here, here, here and here." Shade did as he was told and signed in the designated areas.

When he signed the last deal, the contract rolled up and vanished. "Excellent!" Arach hissed. He then reached into his coat and pulled out a purple Chaos Emerald and grabbed Shade's hand. "Chaos Control!" He shouted to the air. They both vanished in a flash of purple light.

Wow, longest chapter so far, but that's because there's only 2 chapters. Duh! *Slaps himself*

XT-420 ;)