Chapter 9: tasks ahead and distractions behind
Once again Shadow headed out to visit Robotnik, this time on better terms and in a well improved mood about the doctor. Instead of going under the plan of threatening inquisition, Shadow had the opposite intent- he needed work. Eggman was the obsidian hedgehog's source of income and Shadow was not one to go back on his word. He was going to replace what he had damaged, and had assured Amy of the fact before leaving that morning while listening to her plans for his new living arrangements.
A room- of this own. He didn't know what to think of it all. Shadow was finally feeling comfortable and not as an outsider to be rejected or treated poorly. It was new and unexpected, but it felt good and that feeling, mixed with everything Amy Rose brought out in him, was the reason he knew he would return that night. While he continued toward the base, his thoughts dwelled on the night prior.
Amy Rose and Shadow had drifted off into sleep together on the couch, Amy resting against Shadow's chest while he lay propped up against one of the pillows. And though the first night he had dreamt of claiming her in his clutches and having his way with her, that night he had not a trace of lustful thoughts run through his mind, in reality nor his dreams. He had simply laid his arm on her, and lightly pulled her to him, making sure to not touch her in any way she might have objected to. He had never felt more rested over the previous two nights and could not remember a time when he slept better in his whole life. He was beginning to think the idea of staying there wasn't so terrible after all.
After awakening next to the midnight male, Amy had made breakfast and while they ate their meal together, they socialized quite contently. The two had become good friends and Shadow realized he genuinely cared for her, even if he had decided he still wasn't about to express it. He was uncertain on the idea that emotions and feelings were something he should allow himself, but they were harder to control than he had originally thought. After mentioning how she was going to set up the spare room for him, he couldn't stop thinking about her and the new prospect of finally having a real home after his departure from his new place of residence.
Shadow walked into the base of the deranged doctor once more, having a good idea of where he was located in the building. An alert sounded in the genius' room after the visitor entered the base, and Eggman hurriedly pressed keys on the control panel to turn on his surveillance cameras, watching as the hedgehog approached him.
"This couldn't go any better than expected. He showed up without me even having to try to find him!" He busied about different machines and controls, one opening a door to one of the robots that had attacked the Mobians on their outing. It marched over to stand near the doctor, stopping just as Shadow entered the room once again.
Eggman spoke as if he had just been visited by a long lost friend. "Shadow! Well, what brings you here?" His smile was not tainted but it had the malice he was planning written all over it as he watched the sable and crimson hedgehog walk into the room with confidence. He could tell something was distracting him, which made everything work all the more better.
Shadow didn't even look to the doctor as he answered him. His mind was still concentrated on the reason for him coming. "I came here under the suspicion that you had work you need completed, since you are quite obviously conspiring something. I decided I would be willing to assist you- for a price that is."
Eggman smirked as he chuckled to himself. 'This couldn't go any better' He turned to look to a screen, and a sinister expression spread over his face. "Why yes, yes I do Shadow! This one just came up recently in fact."
Robotnik went on to explain the details of his mission. He found out that G.U.N. had recently discovered new information about the doctor in the debris left from the Prison Island incident where Shadow, Dr. Robotnik, and Rouge had gone to steal Chaos emeralds in preparation for the eclipse cannon incident. Somehow, there was some data left behind on their plans in the rubble even though they had set off enough explosives to blow up the island. The information was stored in a nearby military base. Shadow was to infiltrate the base, steal back all the data, trash the remaining information, and bring back the disks for Robotnik to analyze. Eggman would send a robot for backup in case Shadow needed help and to keep a watchful eye on the whole process.
"Here Shadow, take this." He handed over the grey chaos emerald to his personal mercenary. "I'll be expecting this back, but it'll make your mission easier."
After Shadow had left the building to get started on his business, Eggman looked to the robot sternly. "You know what you're to do. Don't fail me. "
Shadow entered a garage in town. Sounds of machines and weaponry could be heard and the garage's vehicle door opened to reveal the cerise and onyx hedgehog speeding out with skill on a glossed black, cruiser style motorcycle. He tore down the streets, weaving in and out of traffic and leaning sharply to make the dangerous turns with precision.
He wanted to get this mission done as smoothly, simply, and quickly as possible. Mid morning wouldn't be the expected time of day to be under attack and it would give him plenty of time to get the job done before the more reinforced guards could arrive. Shadow continued to race down the roads to the base, when he noticed a shorter, mostly pink blur walking down the sidewalk. The scarlet tinged black rider skidded roughly to a stop, the end of the cruiser bike doing a small controlled fishtail shortly before the Mobian female staring at him. He waited, watching as she happily walked up to him in a quickened pace, and smirked a little as he thought of how he liked that she came in joy to see HIM- the excitement she previously expressed for someone else when he first met her.
"I didn't know you had a motorcycle!" Amy shouted out in awe, yelling over the roar of the burly exhaust. Amy looked toward the direction she was heading and in a hurry said "I need to go, I can't be late to work!" Amy moved to rush back to the sidewalk when she felt Shadow grab her arm. He smirked even more as he pulled her back to the bike, signaling for her to get on the back, and lended his hand to help her up, dropping the pegs for her to place her feet on with his free hand.
She smiled to him with a twinkle in her eye, thrilled by her dark knight friend giving her a ride. "Hold on." Shadow spoke with a grin, as they tore off, leaving a cloud of exhaust and tire marks weaved across the road where the large cruiser motorcycle had once rested.
Amy had wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and clenched his fur, holding him as strong as she could. She was enthralled by the speeds and tight turns Shadow took them on. Pulling herself to him, she noticed that his body was amazing. His fur coating felt smooth under her gloves, and his quills and fur were soft against her face. But that wasn't what intrigued her the most. Shadow's body was perfectly tone. Right under his softly coated skin she could feel the strengthened muscles and bones of his body working as he shifted and moved. There was not a trace of cushioning between them like Sonic's body. Though every living thing needed fat cells, and Sonic was very lean himself, Shadow's body quite obviously had very little of the soft tissue lining. She released and tightened her fists once more- taking note of how freely his furred skin moved over the muscles enticingly, arousing Amy's desire of the dark male before her and making her press herself against him, coveting to feel his body's muscles and vigor. She sighed in a swoon over him. 'If I didn't have a crush before, then there is no doubt I do now!'
Shadow felt her clench his body tighter and pull herself against him even more. He was enjoying this. He sensed his own desire building up inside when he felt her shift to him once again. He wanted Amy Rose, and now he didn't doubt it. It was a fact and though he hid it from the world, there was no hiding it from his conscious now.
While Amy had thought he was racing as fast as he possibly could, Shadow had actually slowed down out of concern for her. When he was alone he was reckless, but with her riding, he wanted to take care to do nothing to risk hurting the flowery female. As he rounded the corner, he braked hard, lightly thrusting them both forward from the inertia of their speed, pressing her even closer to him, on purpose.
After stopping, both hedgehogs looked to the large garden with the little café nestled inside the grounds, Amy's face showing her regret at their ride ending so soon while Shadow hid his mild disappointment. Carefully she slipped down from the motorcycle, and he turned to watch her step down onto the curb modestly. She cheerfully smiled to him and giggled softly as he lightly reciprocated the expression to her.
"You have a wonderful smile Shadow. You should do that more often."
Shadow grinned at her comment and cocking his head arrogantly, answered her. "Well then, I guess you will have to encourage me to do so." Amy closed her eyes in her blush and giggled even more at his comment. When she opened her eyes and returned her gaze to him again, she saw him looking to her calmly. "You are beautiful Rose. " Shadow sincerely complimented to her.
She blushed hard. Amy had on the same style outfit she had worn the day prior, right down to the matching details of her headband and colors in the dress. The bubblegum hued hedgegirl found she was extremely glad this would be her new uniform, seeing as two guys had complimented her while wearing it. She sweetly glanced to him. He was burying himself deep in her heart and he didn't even know it. "Oh Shadow, you're too sweet. I'll be wearing this a lot since my boss thinks these look so much cuter than our old dresses, granted mine is a little different style than the other girls- not being a human and all."
Shadow thought to himself for a moment. As he started the bike again he softly spoke to her. "As far as I'm concerned, you should be content with not being a human Rose. I wouldn't change that fact at all, and I hope you do not want to either. You are a living model of how a Mobian hedgehog girl is far better than any human female could ever hope to be."
Amy was awed by Shadow's exemplary compliment, and stood on her toes to reach up and hug him tightly. She kissed him lovingly on the cheek, and passed her hand over where she had firmly pressed her lips, lingering her fingers to pull lastly from his face, as she gazed to him in a sweet flirtation. He continued his smile as she turned and walked into the garden.
Shadow tore off on the cruiser after his pretty companion was out of sight. He shook his head and his face grew stern as he rode away. 'Why did I do that?! Why did I say those things!? I am acting like a love-struck amorous idiot!' He thought about what he said to Amy as he reached the city's limits, heading in the direction of the G.U.N. base. 'What is wrong with me? I do not think Amy Rose is better than Maria. I could never compare them to one another- it would be impossible! They each stand out on their own. I realize I am physically attracted to Rose, who also brings me happiness, but the idea of experiencing turmoil similar to the end of Maria's friendship…. I cannot feel these feelings. I cannot allow myself to do these things. Desire or not- natural or not- this shit cannot keep happening. I am beginning to act like an ignorant fool. I do not correlate with, nor am I similar to any of them. What good could ever come from Amy Rose being with me, whether I long to have her or not. What kind of a relationship could we ever give to one another? I doubt I could even reproduce if she wanted to. She would grow old and die as I stay young and live on after her death. I do not want to experience that pain of loss again, especially if I my emotions wore through and I actually came to love her.'
Shadow shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts to ready himself for what he needed to do. 'Stop being so crass- you have to complete the task ahead. Emotions should have no control over actions. It is absurd to let that happen.'
