CHAPTER 4
RAMPAGE
Meanwhile, Shadow was walking down the sidewalk of the city, making his way towards the Chaotix to meet the others. He had his hands in his pants pockets because it was so cold out. He stopped walking and looked up at the gray sky blankly. He watched as rain started to drizzle down from the sky and it had soon started to pour down harder.
The Mobians that were walking around him, gave him strange looks while they were noticing he was just staring at the gray sky. They were starting to think that he was crazy.
As the rain poured harder, he looked away from the sky and turned to the Mobians that were staring at him. He sighed and continued to walk towards the Chaotix. He thought they had every right to stare at him, like he was some sort of freak. Because of Darkness being inside of him, it made his whole life a living Hell. 'It's his fault I'm like this...'
When he had got to the Chaotix, he walked inside and saw everyone gathered in the lobby drinking coffee.
They all stared at him and the way he had looked. They all knew that something was wrong with him because of the melancholic look on his face.
Vector took a sip from his mug as he saw Shadow slowly confront them. "You're five minutes late, Shad."
He looked up at him with a few drops of rain running down his face, "I know. I'm sorry, Vec."
He placed his mug on a table and turned to the hedgehog with worry. "Shadow, what's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy that today's your birthday?"
He sighed and turned away from him muttering, "No, not really."
"Hey, what's wrong with, Shadow?" Tonya whispered to Espio.
"I don't know", he replied. "Something must have happened between him and Rouge last night I guess."
Midnight saw Shadow sit on a desk and stare down at the floor sadly. 'Shadow...'
Espio walked over to the hedgehog and punched him in the arm playfully. "Come on, Shad. It's your birthday so cheer up a little."
Charmy giggled as he and rest walked over to him. "Yeah! Cheer up, emo kid!"
Shadow gave him an annoyed look from the comment, "Fuck you, Charmy."
The chameleon sighed, "Stop being such a grouch and prepare for your birthday presents." He took out a new and fairly pointed kunai from his belt pocket and handed it to Shadow. "You said you always wanted one, so there you go. A new kunai knife just for you."
He took the sharp kunai and held it in his hands.
Espio backed away a bit, hoping he wouldn't get murderous with it. "Careful Shad, it's pretty sharp."
He placed it in the back of his belt pocket and tried to form a small smile towards Espio. "Thanks Es, I'll be sure to take good care of it."
Vector walked up to him with a piece of paper and handed it to him.
The ebony hedgehog took it and started to read some of it. "What? Whenever the leader is absent and the team is left without a leader to guide them, it is up to the second in command to take his or her place at all times. However, if the leader is presumed dead or deceased the second in command will be left to take his or her place as the new leader of the Chaotix. Vector, what the fuck? You trying to tell me that someone's trying to kill your ass!"
The crocodile shrugged, "You'll never know what could happen. That's why I need you to stay alive for me. Got it?"
He formed small smile but it didn't seem like a hopeful one, "Yes, sir." He then looked over to the purple cat who held a small bracelet that was made by a string with seashells in her hands.
She blushed as she held it up towards him, "Remember when I had that stupid crush on you? I was so obsessed with you, you were all I could think about..." She had stopped herself when Espio was giving them both disgusted looks. "Anyway, I made this for you." She placed it in his hands. "Just think of it as a...friendship bracelet."
He studied it then looked up at Tonya with a small smile. "I like it. Thanks, Ton."
She formed a wide smile as her face turned cherry red.
Ker and Midnight came up to him with a handmade card it seemed.
Midnight gave it to him, "We didn't know what to get you so we made you a card about how much you've helped us."
"Oh thanks." He began to read it. "To our new Captain, we were once enemies but you somehow broke through our wall of confusion and turned us into completely different beings, despite of what we are. We're happy that we have such a great friend like you. From, Ker and Midnight...Thank you, guys."
They both smiled and were glad that he had liked their gift.
Then they had all had their eyes on Charmy who stared back at them dumbfounded.
The kid bee shrugged, "What?"
"Well, Charmy?" Tonya started.
"Where's your present?" Espio asked.
"Well...um...you see...it's not quite ready yet. I'm still trying to make some extra modifications. It'll be done soon though. I promise."
Shadow rose an eyebrow, "Oh? So it's another one of your crazy experiments I presume?"
Charmy formed a wide smile, "Not saying a word, Captain Shadow."
He sighed, "With a big mouth like yours, I doubt if that'll last."
"Right!" He shouted sarcastically. "Let's just say, it'll be worth the wait."
Suddenly Shadow and Ker held their heads and groaned as if they had a bad headache.
Tonya gave them a worried look, "Shadow? Ker? What's wrong with you two?"
The white haired demon winced, "An Almas..."
Before anyone could do anything, Shadow quickly got off the desk and ran out the door while taking out his machete.
"Wha? Wait, Shadow!" Vector had called but it was too late. Shadow had already gone to find the Almas. The crocodile turned to the white haired demon. "Ker, track Shadow down."
With his demon senses, he could track down any demon or half demon including the Almas and Shadow. He made a nod, "Okay I got his scent. Lets move fast." He then led the rest of the group out the door.
Meanwhile, Shadow had made it into the city and it didn't take him long to find the Almas. He saw it scaring away the Mobians because of its appearance and it's monstrous behavior. He studied the Almas' body and saw that its skin was brown and it had an extra arm growing out of its back. He also saw it tackle a young woman down onto the wet pavement with its fangs growing longer as it was going to bite her.
The woman's screams were full of panic and fright.
'What poor creatures they are...They were once pure souls after all. Why did they become this? Why do they have such a craving for blood?' He raised his machete, 'There are two ways to kill these things...'He studied its head, 'Decapitation of the head or blowing up the body.' He began to charge towards it with his machete in position. He came behind it and cut its third arm off its back, sending blood flying all over him.
The Almas let out a cry full of pain and got off of the terrified woman, directing its attention to Shadow.
Shadow watched its arm fall to the ground with blood flowing out of it. His eyes widened as he stared at it and while blood was dripping from his face. He looked up at the Almas, ready to strike at him. He raised his machete once more, ran up to it, and didn't hesitate when he cut its head clear off his body. One final cry of the Almas was all he heard after he had killed it. He then dropped his machete to the ground and fell to his knees while he was panting heavily until the woman that the Almas was trying to kill, walked up to him with a smile of relief on her face.
"Oh, thank you so much! You saved me from that monster! You're a lifesaver! A hero!"
He slowly looked up at the woman with his demonic eyes fixed on hers. His eyes traveled to her neck. Staring at her neck, made him lick his lips hungrily. He weakly got off the ground and suddenly grabbed her by her neck with his hand.
The woman tried to take his hand away from her but he was too strong. She was then suddenly pinned to the ground. While her body was laying on the wet ground, she looked up at the hedgehog with his sharp fangs appearing from his mouth. She tried to scream for someone to help her because she was so terrified, but he had placed his other hand over her mouth.
He parted his fangs and tilted his head near her neck.
The rest of the Chaotix finally caught up to him and saw Shadow pinning down a young woman and taking blood from her neck.
Tonya gasped and placed her hands over her mouth, "Oh God...Shadow...", she whispered in sadness.
Espio clenched his fists and couldn't watch another moment of it. "Sha-Shadow!" He shouted, knowing that he had gotten his attention when he gasped for air from the woman's bloody neck.
Even though he had heard Espio's voice, he didn't bother to turn.
The chameleon called again, "Shadow! I know you can hear me! Stop this right now!"
After hearing his voice the second time, he got off of the woman's now lifeless body and turned to the group with his mouth soaked in blood.
"Shadow, do you realize what you've just done?" Vector said, hoping to talk some sense back into him. He had hoped that Darkness wouldn't take him over completely and start to attack them as well.
It took a while for Shadow ro realize what he had just done when he looked back at the lifeless woman who was bleeding to death from her neck. He stared at her face full of agony and immediately snapped out of it. His eyes widened and knew what he had done. 'I...killed her...' He back away from her body slowly, still staring at her body.
"Shadow?" Midnight called. "Are you..."
"I...need to be alone now", Shadow then slowly walked past the group in sorrow.
