Allergy - part 3
A bright light appeared in the middle of a jungle and soon vanished uncovering a black hedgehog with red stripes, known as the Ultimate Life Form, Shadow.
His eyes went wide at first, not expecting being send to this place. The chaos control, he had performed had send him strangely to a different location, instead of the desired one. But after inspecting the powerful gem and not finding anything unusual; he soon took notice that his surrounding which on the first sight looked like a jungle made of violet and purplish plants, wasn't a jungle at all, but a city. A city fully overgrown by the strange alien like vine plants, the same seen on the planet from the Colony Ark in space.
The cars, the streets, in other words everything within sight was taken over by the plants and no sound was heard, except of the wind moving the leaves, the city just looked deserted. The only question was, where were the citizens?
Shadow activated his hover skates and went running, passing by G.U.N's vehicles and other obstacles, which now reminded more of a giant pots for the plants, instead of their previous function.
While skating he had a funny feeling of being observed, but whenever he took a glimpse in the direction he didn't find anybody, or anything unusual. Finally he started to slow down his movement as he got to the center of the city. The feeling never leaving him.
There he found some marks of a battle. He bended to examine a punch like shape in the cement and from the looks of it the ones fighting had to be Sonic's friends.
- But with who were they fighting with?
It could be Robotnik, but the place was lacking of debris from his robots.
Not knowing the enemy Shadow didn't know what were they dealing with. So while distracted he wasn't aware that few vines had slithered from behind him and aimed at his head.
- Watch out! – he almost got caught, if not his reflex and the warning from a friend.
He jumped from the spot and rolled out of the vines reach, they had instead pierced the ground where he stood few second ago and got stuck there, wildly trashing to get fee again. The one who warmed him crushed immediately his spiked punch into the vines, splashing their black colored juice and cutting from the main branch. The plant shrieked like a wild hurt animal and the remaining alive part took cover from where it came from, hiding from sight as fast as it attacked. Not interested for now in persuading.
The one from who he received help, which wasn't really needed as he could take care of his attacker by himself as he was the Ultimate Life Form, was no other than the Guardian of the Master Emerald and the last echidna, Knuckles.
- Took you long to get here, hedgehog – not waiting for a response the echidna started moving, looking only once to check if the other followed.
- Hmph, a blue annoyance which is a friend of yours was holding me back – re replayed with a snort.
- I see.
After that they didn't say a word to each other as they didn't like being in the other's presence for too long, they could fight arm by arm for the same reason, but other things just never worked. The red Guardian with the white moon like shaped crest had mostly a bone to pick with the black hedgehog, being secretly jealous over a jewel thief that was a coworker and a friend of Shadow, and only a friend. But the red headed Guardian couldn't have known about it and was trying hard to hide his true feelings, which was obvious for everyone who he had known, except the bat in question as he was plain rude against her, whenever he saw her near the Master Emerald.
The echidna leaded to a covered place were the shadows were casted on the alley by the older branches of the plants. There he lifted a cover from a manhole and let the other known to go first. Then he got inside as well and placed it back on its place, as if they've never have been there.
For Shadow's horror and disgust, they had entered the sewers. The last place that the hedgehog who had lived on a sterilized colony in space would have imagined to enter.
Trying not to look at the brown snot like contents of the impure water, he concentrated on avoiding whatever could be on their small sized path they used to get to a different part of the sewers. As expected the sewage system was connected with the territory of the wastewater treatment plant.
There they went to the upper parts of the building and while getting closer to their destination they've started hearing the shouts of the pink annoyance that is Amy Rose.
The echidna was going to pull the door, so they could enter, but before he placed his hand on the knob, the door had swung open with great force crushing him to the wall behind it. Next a really angered Amy moved out fuming with every step, till she noticed Shadow, getting her even more riled.
- Where's MY Sonikku?! – she shouted at him.
- At ARK, – he told without the care in the world crossing his hands on his chest like he always does when annoyed.
He detested her for her personality, as she clung to everybody who at least a little resembled her blue hero only to freak out the moment she found not hugging Sonic, but somebody else. Other than that every time something went not like she wanted it to be she starts swinging her red and yellow colored hammer. In most of those times it was the blue hedgehog who got on her bad side and who eventually had to run away from her, before getting hit with the weapon by the fan girl.
But the most hilarious thing that he Shadow couldn't quite make place was the fact he's for a moment seen in Amy his lost friend Maria, triggering the true wish that the girl wanted from him to fulfill before she died.
After the incident with Black Arms he get to know the pink hedgehog a little better and he had to say it, Amy is nothing like Maria. And… well, she soon became for him nothing more than the pink annoyance.
- Why did you leave him up there?! What if something happens to him?! I need to get there!
She continued rambling over his head with idiotic questions, blind and deaf to the world even when Tails appeared behind her and tried to get her attention, politely calling her by her name.
- Amy… - and even he was losing his temper - Amy!
He shouted startling the pink one as she jumped on her hills swung her body and ended gaping at him, speechless.
- Amy! He'll be alright! It's probably the safest place for him to be right now - Tails looked at her with resurrecting eyes as he believed that everything will be back to normal.
He was glad that Sonic was safe, thanks to Shadow and he needed to thank him for that. He would love to ask the black hedgehog how's Sonic doing, but right now they had a bigger problem, where he couldn't receive Sonic's help, not when the Fastest Thing Alive had the allergy on their enemy.
This time the fate of their world was in their hands and it seemed that the Ultimate Life Form was willingly helping them, not wanting anything in return.
- What exactly are we dealing with?
The male hedgehog had abruptly stopped his train of thoughts and Tails could have heard the slight impatience in his voice.
The fox leaded the darker hedgehog to their temporary headquarters and to the desk with the computer, closely followed by Amy as well. He took the documentation files that Rouge the bat had gathered for them from G.U.N, not long before she left to make reconnaissance from the air, and handed them to the hedgehog. While Shadow was checking the report, looking through the photos of the purple vines attacking G.U.N's troops, Tails decided to tell what they found out about the threat.
- You see, those plants aren't normal. They are a mix of bioengineering and cybernetic technology. In other words the one who created them made a cybernetic plant with the DNA of a Drosera, but as well with the structure that is mostly foreign on our planet, except for one being that is you Shadow.
- Tails! Just get to the main point already! – Amy interrupted him, being already after the scientific mambo jumbo and she didn't want the repeat of it.
- You don't have to urge me so much, Amy. Besides I've just started – he said irritated.
- Yes, but we don't have time for this!
They were ready to start a new argument, like before Shadow had joined the group, but before it could get hot, Shadow silenced both of them, just after he ended reading the files.
- What are they, fox boy? And what connection do I have with them?
- The vines are half robots and have the DNA of Black Arms Shadow. And if Eggman had created them, he had to collect some of it while the invasion had taken place and that means they're really powerful, just like Black Arms.
Again his alien origin was the cause of the planets disorder. In other words this was his business now and the blue hedgehog shouldn't had got involved in it, even if the Doctor, Sonic's main adversary was the one who arranged it in the first place. 'So, it is decided.' He has made up his mind, he'll fight.
- Where are the citizens? – he asked.
- They have been caught and placed in those big star like flowers. From my research it seems, the sundew's flowers are feeding on their energy, through them. If we don't release the people soon they probably will die and in the best scenario they'll manage to survive like this for a week.
They didn't have much time as the attack started much earlier in some regions and if there are already any causalities, they should stop the vines before there would be more.
- The best solution of our action would be to deal with them even today.
- Yes, but we need a plan. We already found out the hard way that fire isn't working on them, we can't burn it.
- What exactly happened when I was away?
- Well, me, Knuckles, Rouge, Amy and as well Blaze and Silver as the two of them had arranged a meeting in our time and zone at the worst time possible; we thought that we can fight the plants using the element of fire, so we tried to get to G.U.N's armory to get some of those new flamethrowers that Rouge told us G.U.N had. The plan was that Blaze being able to manipulate fire at her will, will make a pass as we get to G.U.N, but the vines didn't even flinch from burning and charged at us with full force. Blaze and Silver let themselves get caught in the end, giving us the possibility to get away.
- Hmph. So if burning them doesn't work are they submissive to water? Did you choose this place for this reason?
Tails could only shake his head with uneasiness.
- No, it's not that they afraid of water, or the uncleans; if the vines have seen us getting here they would have followed. We actually hide here as the plants roots and branches are the most unmoving and oldest parts and probably stone like dead, they give us cover, from those that hunt for food – he pointed out, which was true, as those parts that even now were on the walls of the room were like fossil and unbreakable. They weren't dangerous as this, only passing the water.
- Did you try to fight them with chaos energy?
- They do react and even get turn to ash while getting contact with chaos, but like with crushing or slashing, the injured vines throw away their sickened parts, replacing by growing new ones. We tried fighting them like that, but simply, there is just too much of them.
Silence has fallen between the Mobians, none of them had any better suggestion of how to deal with the enemy.
- Why don't we just find Eggman and smash his ugly face? – Amy suddenly blurted out.
- You think that a brat like you can just go out there and smash whatever shows on your way? – the black hedgehog said irritated, he preferred to work alone, not babysit Sonic's companions.
- It's better than sitting here and doing nothing! Besides Sonikku would be grateful and he'll know that he can count on me! – she said with a dreamily love struck eyes. She would do anything to get on the blue blur's good side.
- You're just pathetic…
- Why you!
They've already gotten into a fighting stance, ready to smash the other into some sense. Thankfully, before one of them would regret, meaning Amy mostly, Tails found a solution.
- You know? It's not a bad idea.
Both of them stopped. The pink hedgehog run to the yellow fox and jumped in front of him.
- Really?! – she asked, clasping her hands happily.
- Why yes. If Eggman created the vines, he should know their weaknesses and how to fight them back.
Amy looked back to the hedgehog and stuck her tongue out, being victorious this time. The ebony only grumped under his breath; he will need one hell of a vacation away from everyone, especially other hedgehogs, after this mission.
- Fine. We'll hunt him down, but we would need to gather the chaos emeralds as well – he said ignoring the girl.
- There's one flaw in you plan, handsome. – a seductive voice took place.
Out of nowhere a white bat with a single wave of her wings landed in front of the group, winking at them.
- Rouge!
They've called not expecting her fast return and reunion with them.
She greeted with a hug the younger girl and smiled teasingly to the every grumpy hedgehog, who acknowledged her with a small nod. But the happy mood didn't stop Tails from figuring a problem in what she said.
- What flaw? – he asked curious with the topic.
Rouge immediately got into her business attitude, she looked only once to the hedgehog and receiving his acquiescence, she shared the secret.
- The G.U.N Commander. He has forbidden for Shadow to have more than two emeralds in his possession.
- Why would he do that? Shadow is on our side, right? – Tails asked disbelieving.
After all if Shadow and Sonic worked more often in fighting Eggman using the chaos emeralds and going super, they would have all long ago won against the Doctor at least what he hoped. The other thing was convincing the ebony hedgehog to actually help them, as the Ultimate Life Form wasn't interested in wasting his time on Robotnik.
The hedgehog had a dark past and even if he had spared lives last time he went berserk, he could have secretly dreamed about getting all the humans doomed in one of the catastrophes made by Eggman.
One thing for sure. Nobody knew Shadow's motives and nobody can predict what he'll do taking the path that he was now following.
Tails felt insecure with that thought about the ebony as he was always a little frightened of him, but as long as Sonic sees that something in Shadow, he'll trust his brother judgment.
The conversation was still continuing and hearing Shadow's voice, the kitsune concentrated back on what was told.
- He invited me to join G.U.N to work for him, but he still fears of me and my power. If I break this contract he'll have a reason to hunt me down and lock again in that cryogenic prison; if he manages… - a promise of a fierce battle was heard, giving the creeps for the other furrys in the room.
- So what do we do? – Amy asked, breaking the awkward atmosphere .
- Rouge and Knucklehead will get a hold of the five remaining emeralds while me, Tails and Amy will find the Doctor. If he tells us a solution how to win against the plants we would not need the emeralds at all and if not… I'll go Super and deal with the consequences… later.
The others nodded. The only person who actually knew how to deal with the mobs was the mad scientist and finding him was priority right now.
With the plan in hand the two hedgehogs and Tails left the base as silently as possible, which was of course to load for Shadow's liking, leaving the bat and echidna behind. The reason for it was that Rouge had to scrape the forgotten heavy red weight of an echidna yet from the wall stuck behind the door.
XxX
They somehow managed to avoid most of the tentacle like vines with Tails' small bombs. He send them in different directions away from themselves, distracting the plants to go to the commotion that they've made. And if that didn't work Shadow would chaos control the three of them somewhere else. In that slow like progress they finally found the Doctor and his robots fighting the star like plants off of his battleship, which had got stuck between the vines.
The Doctor was shouting furiously through the speakers his orders.
- You useless robots! Get those plants off of my ship already!
Shadow gave a sign for his companions to hold to him and used the chaos energy to get them inside the large vehicle.
The egg like shaped human jumped in his seat startled from the sudden appearance of the Mobians in his control room.
- You! – he noticed at first only Tails and Amy - What are you doing in here?! And how did you get here?!
- We need to talk, Doctor. – the last of the three answered the question.
- Oh, and what would it be, Shadow? – he relaxed a little bit - It's not like you to be helping those two, at least not getting something in return.
- It's not of your concern, why I'm helping them. I need to know how to destroy those vines creatures.
- Hohoh! And why do you thing that I'd tell you.
Just after that the ship's energy was cut off, turning off the light. Not long and the sirens when on thanks to the backup generator, followed closely by the last working computers informing of the ships shields being crushed.
Using his own chaos energy Shadow lit the room in green light. The Mobians looked then with disapproval.
Startled, the human brushed his orange moustache with his fingers, thinking about his next move. The robots were still fighting outside, keeping the vines from entering, but they won't last long.
- I guess, I can share my brilliant plan with you of how I was going to take the world in my possession.
Amy wanted to shout at him for his stupidy and wasting their time, but Tails had took a firm hold over her mouth before she could blurt it out and get him uncooperative.
- The combination of Drosera and Black Arms DNA had successfully created those enormous sized plants. Knowing that many plants have the ability to create a system of fighting back pests that would try to get into their green flesh and with my geniuses I managed to implant in them an order to fight a major pest, which would be Sonic, of course. You probably know how they fought him back from interfering into my plans as you've seen.
The only problem as it developed with their extending was that they started getting not enough food supplies, till they found one in humans and mobians alike. I thought their new ability would let me caught my enemies and later let them free when I would took over, as I've created an indestructible force that wouldn't be so easily won by Sonic or you!
- Seriously?! You can't even control it! – Amy finally shrieked, when Tails wasn't watching.
- My plan was flawless! And I had control over them!
- Why you do no longer have that control? – a dead-pan like stare he received from Shadow's side.
- They went berserk when they saw Metal Sonic, they recognize colors and shape, but not persons… or robots. And so they no longer listen to me.
'Warning! Warning! Unfamiliar foreign objects had entered through the hangar! The closing procedure has been activated' the remaining machines wailed and the distant overpowered sound of gates closing could be noticed.
They had been locked inside the control room without a possible way of escape. Eggman and Tailes not wasting time got to the computers, looking for a way to open at least one exit. They had to as one of the security cameras showed the plants crushing and making holes in those gates and getting closer and closer to their position. They were an easy target like this.
- They'll get here sooner or later… Imprisoning you… or you tell us how to destroy them.
The ebony hedgehog had an upper hand in their situation, when the vines finally get to the room he'd just take Sonic's friends away from here and let Eggman rot. The scientist was sure about it. That or he, Eggman will acknowledge defeat and tell them the secret.
- Oh, fine already! But I'm telling you only because I wouldn't have people to rule above!
The mad doctor told then about the core of the Black Drosera's. It was the heart of the vines hidden under the thick fossil branches deep inside the earth, placed directly under a fresh build playground in the park, where both hedgehogs before the plants invasion met that day.
Which was also the reason of why Metal Sonic had chased the blue speedster in that direction last time. From that place the Drosera spread further with its flowers, having firm connection to the heart. The plant being highly impassive too most threats, except chaos energy, was possible to kill only if the core got in contact with a chaos attack. But it was secured by the stone like roots and branches, so in the need to get to the core someone would have to break through that stone and with the attacking vines it won't be possible to achieve.
- Even if you manage to get to the park, you won't be able to spindash your way to the core, Shadow.
The round doctor concluded not taking his eyes from the screen.
- Me and Tails can keep those plants at by, while Shadow drills in. – Amy pinpointed at herself enthusiastically swinging her hammer. She promised herself that she will be useful, but so far she couldn't do much.
- You two aren't enough, but I can lend you a hand.
- What do you mean?! I can fight, I can prove it! – she swung her hammer more fiercely.
- Indeed, but not alone like this, after all your job will be to focus their attack on you, but not get caught.
With a single press of a button a hidden trap door was opened and the blue robot resembling the hero stepped inside. Metal Sonic. Picking up with his sensors the mobians, he prepared himself for an assaulting attack, but his creator stopped him.
- Metal! You're going to help Sonic's friends on fighting of the vines and do not fail me. Or I make of you a tin can.
The blue robot flexed his claws, not expecting this kind of an order, but he couldn't disobey.
- Affirmative.
He said, instead. His priority was Sonic, so for now he'll do what is demanded from him. He's got a chance to be useful again after so many loss, he could not afford getting again into the brooms closet and turned off.
Before they eventually left, Tails received a message from the two treasure hunters as they found all the remaining emeralds, he passed the coordination of their destination and settled for the park with Shadow's chaos control. There the battle begun, but without the chaos emeralds they couldn't do much, having less power to keep the swarming vines away from the ebony hedgehog to let him get to the core.
So the game of waiting for the emeralds' aid, started.
XxX
Unaware of the fight that was taking place below a blue hedgehog, Sonic was getting horribly bored in the closed space that was ARK. He already run some laps over the silent corridors, eat most of the supplies, which now he was actually locking it away from himself, as the thought of being possible stuck here for more than two days sunk in his head… and without chilidogs. He even tried to find a way to get back on the planet, but there was only one escape pot left, which he truly didn't want to use, not after he almost got killed the last time Eggman had send him in one of these and even then he had at least a fake chaos emerald that he used in the last moment saving his life.
- I guess, I'm forced to some unplanned vacations…
With no possible ways of leaving the colony, he eventually returned back to the room where Shadow had left him. He laid back on the bed facing the plain ceiling and whistled some tunes, then he decided to roll on his belly. The problem was that he already was lying too close to the edge, it meant that with a thud he found himself on the floor.
- Oww, this bed is seriously too narrow – he massaged his temple as a bump was forming there.
Suddenly his eyes caught a gleam under the bed. He reached for the object and took out a blue book with some metallic ornaments, formed into butterflies. It looked like a diary at first sight, but there was no locker.
- Huh, should I really growl through Shadow's stuff? – he thought, but then the idea of finding Shadow's secret diary (if he actually had one) was bigger.
He opened on the page where a corner of the paper was folded.
A bright grin appeared on the hedgehog's muzzle. He found something better.
He saw in this photo album, a photo of Shadow taking a bubble bath with a yellow rubber duck and watching it with curious look of crimson childish and innocent eyes as the ducky swam on the surface; below was a note: Shadow loves that pink baby shampoo, he's fur gets really soft. Sonic burst into laughter, it was just too much for him.
- He looks so cute – a bright blush appeared immediately after Sonic caught himself saying it a load, thankfully there wasn't anybody with him on the Ark… He only hoped that the security system was turned off after the last visit the Team had here. Or… he will need to smash some cameras.
Next to it were the photos showing the next steps of the lil' Shadow's bath. The younger hedgehog from the past had hold the duck underwater; in the next he was crying, trying to get the water with soap from his eyes, as the duck had probably spring up when he let go and splashed him. In the last photo he was of course with the girl that Shadow had mentioned so many times, his big sister Maria, helping him to get the soap from his eyes. Other thing, the black hedgehog was smaller from the one that Sonic knew now and surprisingly seem to look much younger as if he was six?
The Speedster didn't think about if for long as he started to surf with his eyes through the album, curious what he would find and laughing from every funny and as well gorgeous moment that Shadow had been caught with the photo camera. He was enjoying it just too much, getting closer and closer with the next pages to the date of the last photo before the Ark incident… leaving the earliest photos before the bath for later to see. While occupied with the album, he stopped noticing the flow of the time as the night never ended in space.
XxX
- Shadow! We can't keep going like this forever! – Tails warned his companion, weakening with every avoided blow.
They had been jumping, flying smashing with hammer, sending spears or laser beams for quite a time. But the vines kept persuading after them without a break. When one had fallen two new would attack in its place, trying to wrap the furry animals in place to be able to devour with their ever hungry flowers.
The ebony hedgehog kept attacking near the place where the core was buried, but with the loss of energy of his associates he had to keep his position near them. If asking Shadow, the two younger mobians were more interfering in his mission than helping him. But taking this task he also unintentionally declared to take care of Sonic's younger brother and fangirl.
He decided to replace the Faker in this one battle and promised to fulfill it to the end. He couldn't turn back.
Amy and Tails were at their limits by now, fumbling with every vine that made them stumble to the ground and while they were distracted the swarm of flowers and vines encircled them, entangling over their hands and legs.
- No! – Shadow shouted.
Without a second thought, seeing the thorn of a vine trying to pierce the fox and pink girl as if the plants made the decision that the pests need to be eradicated, he run into the circle and shielded them with his own body.
The strike never came.
Never made contact with flesh. At least not organic. The metal hedgehog did receive the order to guard the black hedgehog. So it's powering core was pierced instead.
The vines feeling something got caught warped around the metal construction and started tugging so powerfully that the parts of the robot gave in. Metal Sonic has been tore apart with a horrible shriek from the plants as they got mad. It wasn't a living being, but those forsaken tasteless things!
Eggman had stayed in the cockpit of his ship and was watching from there the whole event. It seemed that without the blue rodent the world would be doomed.
- It's time to flee.
He managed to escape just in time before the vines rushed to the room.
XxX
With the saved time Shadow hid Amy and Tails away from the mobs reach as they passed out. Now it was his alone fight… but even he was at chaos energy loss. His own emerald and the one from Tails could give him an extra bust of power, but how long he would be able to feed on it before the emeralds would need to restore their own energy?
- Psss… Shadow… Up here!
Somebody whispered in the upper parts of the skyscraper in which they took cover. He looked up to see a hole in the ceiling (or floor for the other person) to find Rouge waving her hand at him.
- Rouge – he let himself smile a bit seeing his friend safe and sound.
- Nice to see you, big guy – she said with gentleness, noticing also from her place the younger ones on the ground - How are they?
- Unconscious and with some scratches. Where's the echidna and did you got the emeralds?
- He's fine, but count him out of the fight.
Somewhere further behind the bat a meek call was heard, being the red guardian offended by what she said, but the ebony couldn't quite understand what exactly, as if the guardian was in a drunk like state. Even so Rouge did understand him.
- Still, I'm not going to let you fight those creatures!
- Rouge? – Shadow asked surprised of her open concern.
- It's nothing, really. We had a hard time getting those emeralds, but managed. I'll pass the emeralds to you now, here catch!
She used the hole to throw the five emeralds to the hedgehog below.
The emeralds fall ended, gently suspending in midair as Shadow concentrated on their energy. His ebony fur took the energy of chaos and turned platinum white, ending the transformation on the tips of his quills. He opened his determined crimson eyes.
Then he let himself hover above the ground, next to flow outside the building taking care or burning with his speed and spears the vines that were coming closer to the spot. They've shrieked with animalistic fear, when chaos made contact with their flesh and took distance from the floating creature.
They were at least that much intelligent that they immediately knew what was the hedgehog seeking for and what's danger. Fearing the luminescing form they formed a wall to hold him from getting to their core. They did not want to die.
Suddenly their wall felt pressure of chaotic force, which was the hedgehog who kept drilling into the vines uncovering the path to the stone shielded core. The other uncaught mobians and humans were flinching from hearing the horrible outcry of pain that no living being on the planet could utter. But it couldn't be helped…
Within seconds the Ultimate Life Form got outside the thick wall and crushed with his fist the stone shielding branches and roots. There was the core.
The core which seemed almost like a small embryo like copy of Black Doom…
Bloody eyes narrowed, as Shadow felt furious... And with a single but eternally powerful chaos blast, he lighted up the city like a supernova, disintegrating the core and turning every vine of the Black Drosera into ash from the base to its buds.
The whole planet brighten up in seconds taking serpent like pattern on its surface, matching the sun in its beauty.
And the single spectator in the first rows' seat, the hedgehog locked at Ark, was the only one who was able to see it like this, being set in an awe like state, just speechless…
XxX
Everything went back to normal. The planet received back it's true colors as the vines had fully perished from the world, which meant that it was ready to welcome back the Fastest Thing Alive.
On which the blue hedgehog couldn't wait any longer, to set his feet back on the ground and run.
He was getting restless with the waiting that the ebony hedgehog had made him experience. So he decided to have a look in the album and see the earliest photos. Yet, before he had the chance to pull it out of his quills the other appeared in chaos light in front of Sonic and startled the blue hedgehog.
Shadow grabbed his hand as fast as he appeared and chaos controlled back on earth.
When the feeling of the teleportation left Sonic's bones. He turned to the hedgehog who had been mocking him.
- Jeez, Faker! You could have warn me!
- The only Faker here is you.
He passed by Sonic, leaving the place as fast as possible in mind. His job was done, he didn't have a reason to remind here with the other. But before he made a second step he was abruptly stopped.
- Thank you… Shadow...
The ebony turned his head sharply, checking if he heard correctly, he blinked uncharacteristically, not believing what he heard. While Sonic continued.
- …for being there when the world needed and when I couldn't fight. I really appreciate it – he smiled with a warm expression.
- Hmph – Shadow turned around so the other wouldn't see his strained red cheeks, - I did it for my own sake- he lied instead.
- Sure, Shads, sure… But one more thing… - he neared closer to the ebony hedgehog - Next time you try a stunt like that with locking me on the Ark… - he tried his luck further and got close with his lips to the black ear and whispered, - Some embarrassing photos that a close friend of yours have taken of you will be shown to the world. So… - and with that he run of shouting - See ya!
The agent stood there speechless, wondering about it. He knew that Rouge had a camera and she did take some photos of him, but as well he didn't see nothing that would make him look embarrassing. But maybe the bat had secretly managed to hide from him some other photos. And if those where in Sonic's possession…
He run after the other hedgehog trying to catch to him even if the speedster had a head start, shouting and as well fulfilling the small wish that Sonic wanted from him… a race…
- Get back here, Faker!
Next story in the Fallin series - Goldilocks and the Three Hedgehogs
