Chapter 3 - Teamwork & Sonic

Eventually the bat came back with her equipment. She gave a nod, then we walked out to roof.

I walked over to the ledge and looked out at the landscape.

"Ready?"

She walked up beside me and gave me a smirk. "Ready if you are."

Without hesitation, I grabbed her arm and skated off. I could tell she wasn't used to traveling at such high speeds, because she went from dragging behind me to climbing onto my back and squeezing me tight. In a matter of minutes we were there. I noticed how even after I stopped she didn't let go.

"Uh, Rouge?"

"Oh sorry, I was just a bit dizzy from going so fast." She got down and walked in front of me, I noticed a slight blush on her face.

She glanced back at me "Next time we're flying." she said as she continued towards the forest we stopped at.

"Actually, I have a better idea, now where is this emerald?" I caught up to her and walked alongside her. She must've noticed, because she glanced over and smiled at me, that or she thought something was funny.

"What?" I asked harshly.

She chuckled "Nothing Shad, now trust me, the emerald is here."

We continued along for a bit in silence, then we came across some sort of temple, at the top resided a red echidna.

"Now Shadow, let me do all the talking, this guy's pretty tough." She sounded as if she was teasing me, but I felt she was questioning my power. Regardless, I followed her up the staircase.

"Rouge, what do you want, and who's that with you?" The red echidna pointed towards me, already I didn't like his tone.

"I'm here just showing the new guy around, and why do you care Knucks? You jealous?" She said with a smirk, she was clearly having too much fun with this.

"JEALOUS?! WHY WOULD I BE JEALOUS OF A LOSER LIKE HIM!" he screamed in her face. She took a few steps back and glanced over at me.

"Watch your tone. You have no idea who you're talking to." I snarled at him, the anger was eating me up inside, all it would take was one wrong word out his mouth and I was gonna make him wish he didn't.

"Listen, shrimp, you can't handle someone like me so back off." He got into a fighting stance.

A smirk came across my face, yeah, I was angry, but I knew what was about to happen.

I didn't even reply, I sped behind him and kicked him in the back of the head, he hit the stairs and bounced like a ragdoll, but he hopped up rather quickly, and answered with a strong right hook. I let out a slight chuckle then hit him with a quick combo, then slammed him into the ground. He could be a formidable opponent, but my speed was unmatched. I stood on top of him, looking down as he gasped for air.

"Don't ever cross me again, next time I won't take it easy on you." I glared back at Rouge and shook my head, then began walking away. Of course, she flew up to me and walked beside me.

"Wow Shad, I gotta admit I'm impressed, he's one of the strongest people I know." She said with a playful punch to my arm, but I wasn't in a playful mood.

"I told you to bring me to a chaos emerald, not that pathetic excuse of an opponent. That was a clusterfuck Rouge. I trusted you to get me and emerald and-" I was stopped by her putting her finger on my lip.

"Now now Shad, I lived up to my end." She pulled out a blue chaos emerald and held it in front of me. "Now, what was that about trusting me?" she had a huge smile on her face, and I couldn't help but smirk back.

"So, you went off and grabbed this while I beat that guys ass?"

"Exactly."

"So you wanted to see us fight?"

She smirked again "Maybe a little." She chuckled and got closer to me.

"So, we're flying to sonic, right?" she said, reaching to pick me up.

I grabbed her arm and met her eyes. "I told you I had a better idea. CHAOS CONTROL!"

After the flash died down, I found she was holding tightly onto my chest.

She let go after a second, took a deep breath and said "It wouldn't kill ya to warn a girl ya know." she had a slight smirk on her face.

"I think you just wanted an excuse to hold me." I said walking away from her, we had teleported to a rooftop.

"So, this Sonic you speak of, what's he like?" I asked as I sat down on the edge of the roof.

She followed and sat beside me before speaking. "Well, he's fast, like you. He's tough too, but I wouldn't say he's stronger than you, I've never seen anyone beat Knuckles so easily, even Sonic couldn't." she glanced out over the city.

"Sounds like he won't stand a chance." I glanced over at her, then stood up and got ready to look for the hedgehog.

"Shadow, I get it, you're strong, but don't underestimate him, I've seen him pull off the impossible more than once, plus, between you and me, Eggman has a reputation for getting his ass kicked by Sonic." she also stood and followed behind me.

"I guess we will find out if he's as good as you make him out to be." I shrugged slightly, then heard the sound of metal smashing in the street. I turned and walk back past Rouge, back over to the ledge, and saw a blue hedgehog battling GUN robots.

I glanced back at her before speaking "I'm gonna go introduce myself, enjoy the show." I left her with a smile on her face, then chaos controlled down onto a streetlamp.

"Well well, if it isn't the hedgehog I've heard so much about." I said with a smirk.

He turned around and locked eyes with me. "YOU! You're the one causing so much trouble for me, what are you some kind of faker?" he shouted at me.

Faker? Okay, now I'm definitely kicking his ass.

I assure you Sonic, I'm too powerful to be a faker, soon you will realize that.

I spin dashed into the hedgehog, knocking him over.

He bounced up quickly and raced towards me, Rouge was right, he was quick, just not quicker than me.

I teleported behind him and landed a swift series of blows to his back, then spun him around and uppercutted him.

He looked up at me, blood rolled from his mouth "Who are you?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Look at you, Earth's best hope, squashed by me, and I didn't even break a sweat. The name's Shadow, but your earth will know me as the superior lifeform, especially when I remove your head from your shoulders and place it on a pike."

I was about to do as I said, but I heard sirens in the distance. I shook my head and pulled out the emerald. "You got saved by the bell Sonic, I'm sure we will meet again." I smirked and caused chaos control back to Rouge.

After the light had died down, the first thing I was greeted with was a horrified face.

"What, didn't enjoy the show, bat?" I waved her over, but she didn't budge.

"Shadow… were you really gonna kill him?" her voice cracked as she asked.

"Rouge, it sounds like you're actually worried about him." I studied her curiously, something was up with her, I knew all along, but she hid it well.

"No, I honestly thought you were acting tough this entire time, but you're serious." she walked closer to me. "I gotta say, it makes you that much more attractive, a man that backs up his talk." there it was, that tone again.

I quickly ended whatever it was before it could start, I grabbed her arm and chaos controlled back to the doctor.

Once we arrived, the doctor had an angry look on his face.

"Where the hell have you two been?" he scolded

I glanced at the funny looking man, shook my head and handed him the emerald.

"Our job, doctor. That's what we were doing." I said as I walked away towards the window.

I sat in peace for a few moments, for once I thought I had time to think, then the bat came over. Before she could even speak, I glared back and gave her a death stare.

"Will you always follow me around like this?" I growled.

"Now now Shady, that's no way to talk to a lady, let alone your partner." She flew over to me, regardless of my hostile tone.

"It's late. We should get some rest."

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. "I've been asleep for the last 50 years, I think it's safe to say my energy is fine."

She sighed. "Well at least let me show you our room."

I paused, this time glancing into her eyes "our room?"

"Yeah, Eggman doesn't have many guests, so there's only one room."

Shit, not only do I have to work with this bat, but now I have to sleep in the same room as her?

I let out a deep sigh "Lead the way."

We walked a short distance and then she pointed into a doorway. It was a small room, two beds, and a dresser with a mirror on it. One bed was black, the other was white.

"Well, at least they have our colors" I said as I sat on the black bed.

She giggled, then sat across from me on her bed "Yeah, and the dresser is filled with my clothes, just in case you get curious, don't go snooping." she had a sly tone, it felt like she was toying with me. Something wasn't right about all this, but it could wait until tomorrow, right? I wasn't tired, but if me sleeping would make her shut up, then I would do it.

I glanced over at her one last time "turn the light out when you go to bed."

I took off my skates and gloves, then got in bed and curled up.

She stared for a moment, then turned out the light.

"Goodnight, Shady."

"Goodnight."

It only took seconds for me to fall asleep, but I didn't sleep for long. I woke up, and the lights in the room were back on, I glanced over to see if Rouge was there. Nope. I put my skates and gloves on, then walked down the dark hallway. I could hear the doctor snoring loudly, then I noticed a light on the staircase, I walked up and saw the door to the computer room was cracked. I peered in, and noticed the bat looking at the screen and whispering into some sort of communication device on her wrist.

"Topaz, listen, Project Shadow isn't actually a weapon, it's a hedgehog. He's the real deal. I'll make a report to GUN soon, I'm trying to earn Eggman's trust at the moment. We will talk soon, agent Rouge out."

Agent Rouge? GUN report…

She turned off the computer and put what looked like a hard drive into her bra.

Then she started walking towards the door. Since it was so dark, I blended in right behind the door. After she passed, I didn't know whether to kill her or to get the doctor or to interrogate her.

I heard her gasp as she entered the room and saw I was gone.

Shit, gotta think of something.

I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, Rouge walked in and sighed with relief.

"Wow Shadow, you don't look like the type to get a midnight snack."

I didn't even wanna talk to her, but I needed to play it cool.

"I kicked a lot of ass today, I worked up quite the appetite."

She giggled and sat on the counter top next to me, her body was exquisite. Her pajamas showed off her curves and… damn it Shadow snap out of it.

"Shady, I gotta talk to you about some stuff, but I don't know how you're gonna take it."

Cliffhanger, I know right? More coming soon. I promise!