Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. They all belong to SEGA.
The story, however, belongs to me.
Story Beta Read by: Pepper1622
~4~
-Introductions Are Made, Friends Are Made-
My journey through Hill Top Zone took up most of the day, surprisingly enough, and the once blue sky is now dark with twinkling stars, a far too familiar sight. A gaping hole in the mountain I've been descending allows me to take my thoughts off my troubled past and enter the cavern's depths with caution.
From what I gather, this should be the entrance to what is known as Mystic Caves Zone. My crimson eyes begin to analyze the place immediately, taking in its collapsed state with distaste. Purple and green rocks are everywhere in large piles from what I can assume was once an orderly formation. I can barely make out what is supposed to be train rails but are now rusted beyond repair.
I begin to walk slowly through the piles of rubble, seeing shattered lanterns here and there. Well, at least there used to be a light source. My heightened senses allow for me to see enough to get around, so a light source isn't really needed; it just would have been helpful.
I take a deep breath of stale air and allow my sixth sense to try and guide me to where the Chaos Emerald in the Zone might be. All I can gather, though, is that it's further, or deeper, in these caves. I guess when I get closer, it will become clearer where it's located.
I begin to trudge forward, taking in what could have once been "Mystical" but is now just ruined rocks. A shifting of terrain alerts me to danger, but I don't realize exactly where until the ground below me disappears.
Thinking quickly, I grab one of the hanging green vines just in time to spare myself from… What exactly? Taking a look down, I see shiny white spikes just waiting to skewer me. Huh, I guess I won't be someone's shish kabob today.
Hanging onto the vine with one hand, I begin to swing back and forth, gaining momentum until I let go at the apex of my swing and land on the other side of the gap with ease. I don't look back as I continue walking forward with determination.
My left ear seems to twitch as I sense something… different, not necessarily dangerous. I'm still so unused to sensing the Chaos energy of other Mobians that it puts me on edge for a moment when I do. I'm not alone here.
I ignore the presence as I maneuver through the rocks and hidden spikes until the being quite suddenly drops down beside me. If they were expecting some kind of startled reaction from me, they're sorely mistaken.
I continue to walk and only turn my eyes to take in the newcomer. It's a female albino bat. Does she inhabit this place by chance? Her eyes are the color of teal, the lids of which are colored with that of light blue. The outfit she adorns is rather scandalous, I suppose, being tight black fitting leather with a pink heart emphasizing her bust. Her gloves are white as well as her boots, and they too have highlights of pink with the boots having similar hearts as the one on her bust.
I refuse to be the one to speak first, as I like to analyze the people I come in contact with for any signs of weakness if there is a need for it.
"So you're not going to speak to me? How rude." Even her voice is sultry, seeming to match her appearance fairly well.
"Well, you're the one who approached me. Clearly you wanted something?" I respond, hoping to ruffle her nerves a bit.
"Why, I never! Is that a way to treat a lady?" she huffs in my direction while crossing her arms under her large chest.
"That depends. I don't really see a lady nearby," I say with a growing smirk, having too much fun picking at her.
"Oh, you jerk! I ought to teach you some manners!" she growls as she begins to flap her wings, hovering in the air next to my walking form.
"No need. I know them quite well." I can't really help it when I chuckle now. This is pretty amusing.
"Oh, the nerve!" she rants, but despite her anger she continues to follow me towards where the Chaos energy I feel is getting stronger.
Hmm. I think I know what she's up to… Regaining my seriousness, I decide to ask her a question. "So what exactly are you doing in these caves? With your standards I would assume this would be the last place someone would find you."
She turns her nose up at me. "Hmph. Shows how much you know."
"So this is your dwelling?" I question instead, since she wants to respond with such attitude—even though I know I'm the cause of it.
"Hardly."
I decide to take a second look at her and realize that although her outward appearance labels her as something shameful, inward she's rather cunning. She's not going to give me any information, just as I wouldn't for her. Like this we're almost evenly matched.
"What about you? You seem like the type who'd be out riding motorcycles or something. Why are you here?" she questions me with a smug smirk as she flies with ease over most of the obstacles I have to climb or jump over.
Motorcycle? I think I recall seeing a picture of one before. Some type of motorized bicycle, but that's not the point right now. "I have a personal mission to complete."
"Hmm. Sounds mysterious… Mind telling me what it is?" she questions with a flutter of her eyelids, which to most would probably be alluring, but when I think of the word only the image of that blue hedgehog comes to mind, causing me to stumble on the rough pile of stones I'm crossing.
Her chuckle makes me think that she believes her behavior was the cause of my loss of concentration. Let her think she has some kind of effect on me. It might prove to my advantage. "I'm pretty sure you and I are here for the same reasons. No need to beat around the bush," I chastise her as if we've known each other for ages.
"Who? Me? I wouldn't do something like that." She changes her voice to sound innocent, but in actuality it makes her sound the opposite.
"Really? Is that why you've been following me around this whole time? To make sure I didn't actually get to the Chaos Emerald before you, or so that you could find it when I did and try to make off with it as soon as you got the chance?" I address her knowingly, having finally concluded my analysis on her for the moment and knowing this is exactly what she was up to.
She looks frustrated at having been caught but at least has the decency to admit it. "Fine, you caught me. What could you possibly want with the Emerald anyway?" she grudgingly asks.
I notice that the path before me is a wide-open pit not lined with spikes but far too deep for my liking to fall down. Looking up, I grab a sturdy vine and swing across like earlier, landing with a thud before continuing to the now stronger pulse of Chaos energy. "I told you before: I have a personal mission to complete. I cannot allow the Doctor to collect all of the Emeralds," I finally respond to her inquiry.
"The Doctor? You mean Eggman?" She sounds surprised by this.
"Yes. You know of him?"
"Yeah, who doesn't? The loon's been trying to take over Mobius for as long as I can remember. If it weren't for Sonic and Tails, for the most part, he would have succeeded," she tells me truthfully.
"Hmm. Well, this matter has to deal with me—therefore I'm doing something about it. Why are you after this gem?" I ask in return.
"Well, believe it or not, you're traveling with the world's greatest treasure hunter and spy. Rouge the Bat's my name, and I absolutely adore gems. But Chaos Emeralds are of a different class of their own…" she trails off in a dreamy sort of way.
Obsessed with jewels. Who would have guessed? Rouge is a fitting name for such a person. I can tell she's not a bad person per se, but I cannot let her have this gem, especially for such material reasons. Her next question brings me out of my thoughts.
"So you got a name, sunshine?"
I can tell "sunshine" is a way to mock me, but I let it slide. "Shadow the Hedgehog."
"Well, Shadow, nice to meet you," she purrs as she leans her hovering body more towards me, but I ignore it for the sight in front of me. The purple Chaos Emerald sits on a green rock formation in a form similar to that of a pillar. It looks innocent enough, but I don't approach it yet for two reasons. One, I have to make it clear to Rouge that under no circumstances is she getting this gem, and two, I can sense that it's more dangerous than it looks.
I turn my ruby red eyes towards her and find her studying me as well, waiting for my next move. "I have to let you know that you can't have that Emerald. It's far too important to just be looked at due to its beauty. Besides, it has to be kept hidden from the Doctor or else… this world could fall to ruin," I attempt to explain calmly.
I can tell she's a somewhat reasonable person when it comes to everything else except gems, so my little speech just went in through one ear and out the other, I can see.
"Oh, yeah? Who's going to stop me?" she demands cockily as she darts off quickly in flight towards the shining purple Emerald.
As I predicted, something wasn't quite right about the situation, so seeing the green rock formation similar to the one holding the Emerald come out of the roof in preparation to crush the bat doesn't at all surprise me.
I actually stand there and consider for a moment if I should do something; I mean, I did warn her. Seeing the danger draw nearer, though, seems to bring about my long-lost friend's voice that seems to scold me for even considering letting such an innocent person get killed.
I roll my eyes at my friend's choice of words and lift my glowing hand to send a Chaos Spear at the descending rocks of doom, saving Rouge by seconds. The shock wave sends her to the ground none too gently, but, hey, she's alive.
I walk up to the pillar and grab the chaotic gem, placing it securely in my quills before turning to the girl whose life I just saved. She looks absolutely stunned and awed at me, but I simply ignore it and offer her my hand. "Are you going to sit on the floor all night or actually leave this wretched place?"
She looks at my hand, the same one that wielded the Chaos energy, and takes it gingerly. I hoist her up then abruptly turn in the opposite direction in which we came and start to backtrack my way out of the place.
The displacement of air lets me know that she's airborne again, and I soon feel her presence at my side. "Don't think I've forgiven you for how rude you were to me earlier… but thank you," she tells me sincerely.
You should thank Maria. "No problem."
~XxX~
"Oh, don't you just love the evening life?" the bat girl exclaims as soon as we exit the cavernous mountain. She makes an aerial swoop in show of her excitement before settling in her "appointed" side near me.
I don't answer her question and just continue my trek back up the mountains towards my home in Hill Top.
"You're not much of a talker, are you?" she asks quite plainly after the continued silence.
"Nope." We continue the journey up the elevation when she speaks again.
"Well, could you at least tell me where we're going, sunshine?"
That name again. I narrow my eyes before I respond to her taunt. "I am going to my home, if you must know."
I can tell I just gave her something to work with by the teasing smirk on her lips. "But we just met! Isn't that kind of sudden? Besides, I already have a mate. So sorry, this"—she gestures to her curvaceous body—"is off the market."
I look at her as she chuckles amusedly and give her a deadpan look. The way she dresses and teases guys must be some tactic to get them to do her bidding. A very crafty move.
She arches an eyebrow in my direction. "What's with that look? Don't tell me you weren't interested."
I huff and make the final steps up the steep climb and finally see most of the terrain that marks Hill Top: green pine trees colored in shadow due to the night, various pits illuminated in vibrant orange because of the lava, and way off in the distance to the sides are illuminated homes where the Mobians reside. It makes me wonder why the house I discovered is located deeper in the Zone, not that I'm complaining. I like the solitude.
"You're just upset that I'm turning you down. It's okay, I'm sure you'll find your Chaos Bound out there somewhere. Even with your surly attitude, there's got to be someone who's nice and happy all the time to balance you out," she tells me sincerely.
I want to deny her words, but the image of those bright emerald eyes keeps coming to mind, and my hand instinctively goes to my stomach as I answer. "I-I don't have a—I mean, I can't be with—" I grit my teeth in frustration at my body's refusal to say the words. Is this connection that strong?
She lands on the ground and places a careful hand on my shoulder. "Whoa, there! No need to get so worked up! What's the matter, Shadow?" she actually sounds genuinely concerned, and this surprises me.
I'm not quite sure how to respond, seeing as the only people who cared for me were Maria and the Professor, so I just keep it to myself like I usually do. "It's nothing. Besides, we should keep going."
She looks upset that her efforts were shrugged off, but having been around me for the better part of the evening, she takes it in stride. "Why are you going further into the Zone? I thought you said you were going home, so shouldn't you be heading where the more settled areas are?" she asks curiously while walking next to me.
"I live away from everyone" is my only answer.
"Figures," she responds with a careless shrug.
After traversing through the Zone in surprisingly companionable silence, I finally see my log cabin nestled in the pine trees. Upon entering the small home, I realize just how empty the place truly is now that another person is here.
"Uh… nice place you got here," Rouge hesitantly compliments upon gazing around.
"I've only been here for about a week, so…" I feel unusually uncomfortable.
"Oh, that explains it!" she says in understanding. You have no idea. "So where were you before you moved to Hill Top Zone?"
Her question is a normal one to ask; the answer, on the other hand, is not a normal response to give. "I was on planet Earth."
The seat she was taking on the red couch turns into a flop as the words enter her ears. "E-Earth? What were you doing there? You didn't come with Sonic and our gang…" she trails off confusedly.
Again that name. He's some kind of hero, right? "Well, no. I am from Earth. It's hard to explain. I shouldn't even be telling you this," I mutter with a cross of my arms as I lean against the wall nestling the empty fireplace in front of Rouge.
I see her roll her eyes dramatically and even sigh exaggeratedly. "You haven't figured it out yet? That's what friends do. They share stuff with each other." She points this out as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
Friends…? My wide crimson eyes take in the warm smile she's giving me, and I feel like her words are actually true. "Friends? Why would you want to be such a thing to me?" I have to ask, honestly unsure of why she would want to hang around a… creation like me. Maybe that's it. It's because she doesn't know the whole truth about me.
"Well, you saved my life, and even with your standoffish attitude I still think you're a good person. That's enough for me," she answers simply.
"I'm pretty sure that once you hear my full story you won't feel the same way." I let out a sigh and continue speaking before she can offer a retort. "I am from Earth, yes, and I was created, not born, approximately fifty years ago aboard a Space Colony named ARK."
She looks intrigued but doesn't comment and allows me to continue. "My creator is named Gerald Robotnik. Yes, he's related to the Doctor. He's his grandfather, in fact. I was created for the sole purpose of being the Ultimate Lifeform, specifically so that I could help people. The Professor had a granddaughter named Maria who was a very close friend of mine; in fact, I looked at her as a sister," I say with softness as I remember her sweet smiles and happy laughter.
"I spent a few years with them, being put through tests and experiments by the other scientists who looked at me with fear and disgust, but as long as I had the Professor and Maria, I was happy." Even without me saying anything further yet, the shift in the atmosphere of the room speaks of impending doom.
"You've seen only a sample of the power I wield when I saved you. Well, the humans soon began to fear me because of my powers. They thought that I would turn on them…" I say while looking down at my hands now held in front of me.
"So they tried to get rid of you…?" she questions hesitantly.
"Worse. They sent GUN (Guardian Units of Nations) soldiers to shut down the ARK. We of course tried to escape, and they were killing anyone who resisted. I tried my best to protect Maria, but in the end…" My throat closes up as I recall the blood that began to blossom on her light blue gown that she loved to wear so much. Her hand weakly reaching out to me as she urged me to continue on…
"I'm so sorry, Shadow." Her eyes hold sympathy for me as she holds her hands together over her chest.
"She ended up sacrificing herself so that I could live; she wanted me to continue on and give the people of Earth a chance to be happy, even after all they had done. She was truly one-of-a-kind. I guess when the capsule I was ejected in landed on Earth, I was knocked unconscious, and they took that chance to seal me in a cryogenic chamber where I was kept for the past fifty years.
"If it weren't for the Doctor, I would still be sealed and back on Earth," I conclude.
"Cryogenic chamber? Was that the thing I stumbled upon on Eggman's ship that day?" she wonders aloud to herself.
She stumbled upon… And then I remember the Doctor saying something about someone named Rouge having been the one who reminded him of my existence in the first place. This is the girl? This can't be a coincidence.
"Shadow, I hope you realize this doesn't change anything," she tells me while standing and placing a hand on her wide hip. "I like you as a person, and I want to be friends. So if you ever need any help, you can always ask." The smirk on her lips is playful but genuine, and I finally decide to return it.
"Okay, then I think I'll take you up on that offer."
She holds her hands up in in fake admonishment. "Whoa, there, buddy! I thought I told you this is off-limits."
I roll my eyes in amusement as she laughs wholeheartedly. "Okay, seriously, what do you need?"
I pull out the purple Chaos Emerald from my quills, leaving the red one hidden as I speak. "It's about the Chaos Emeralds. I told you before that I need to protect them from the Doctor. He found some prophecy which I don't wish to go into details on at the moment. If he gets all the pieces to the prophecy, things could become very bad. This may not be Earth, but Maria wouldn't want me to sit around and let bad things happen if I can do something about it, especially when it personally involves me."
She crosses her arms and thinks for a moment before offering her two cents. "Well, okay… I'll help you with this, but only because we're friends and you saved my life. Otherwise those Emeralds would be mine. I know of where another Emerald is located. It's one Zone back in Casino Night."
I nod and walk towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "No use wasting any more time. Let's arrive there in style." She looks confused at my comment and gesture, but I expect it. Lifting the shining purple Emerald in the air, I say in a commanding tone, "Chaos Control."
We disappear from the cabin, leaving it once again bare and empty.
Thank you guys for all the reviews, follows, favs, and just support in general! It means a lot. :) Next week a meeting occurs in Casino Night Zone!