=Chapter 9=
Amy was having trouble sleeping that night. The events from a few days earlier and the entries from Gerald's diary were keeping her awake. The cherry-pink female didn't want to believe that all those fairy tales and hookum about blood sucking creatures were actually somewhat true.
Finally, Amy got up from her bed and left her room to head downstairs. She went into the kitchen and got herself a glass of water. While staring into the crystal etched cup, the young flower went back and forth between whether she should go back to bed or go into the parlor and knit for awhile. At until she felt sleepy. Then, her ears twitched to the sound of footsteps coming her way.
"Amy? Are you alright?"
It was Shadow.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep." Amy told him.
Shadow stood there in silence, sensing that something was troubling her. He went over to his adoptive sister and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Are you quite sure everything's alright?" he said in a parenting tone.
"Mmmm-Hmmm." the sakura hedgehog replied.
The midnight warrior took his hand and felt her forehead.
"You're a bit warm." he murmured.
"Well, I don't feel ill..." Amy murmured back.
"Hmmmm, take some chamomile just in case, won't you?"
The cherry-pink female had to smile. It was just like him to worry over her health. Amy wrapped her arms around Shadow and squeezed him as a child would with a plush toy. She then realized that he was well over 100 years old which meant he would have to watch her become an old lady while he still remained the same. Shadow noticed how tightly she was holding him and began stroking her quills.
"What is it, Amelia?" he asked.
Amy didn't know how to answer him. She was afraid of how he would react to her having read his caretaker's diary. Perhaps she wait until the time was right.
"It's really nothing, Shadow." she half-lied. "I was just thinking about...the other day."
The ebony narrowed his blood-red eyes. Then he himself started holding her tightly and nuzzled her neck. Amy began trembling as her jade orbs started brimming with tears. She held them back as best she could. Suddenly, her ebony brother scooped her up off the floor.
"Come. You need to get to bed." he said softly.
Amy nuzzled into his snow splashed chest as Shadow carried her up the stairs again.
"Are you and Sonic going back out in the morning?" Amy meekly asked.
"We might." Shadow answered.
The young flower said nothing more. The pair continued up the stairs and into the hall. A few seconds later, Amy was back in bed.
"Pleasant dreams, little one." Shadow softly told her.
He gave her a peck on her right cheek and started to leave. Amy thought for a moment and called him back.
"What is it?" the crimson-splashed male asked.
Amy thought again and decided against telling him what she had on her mind.
"...nothing. It's nothing. Good night, Shadow." she said.
Shadow lowly gazed at her for a minute before leaving her in peace.
XXXXXXX
Mina went about the mansion, stealthily making her way to Alicia's room. Her suspicions compelled her to investigate her 'sister's' recent activities. Mina stalked like a huntress into the dark halls and corridors of the upper levels of the mansion. She was careful not to be seen or heard by anyone, especially Mephiles. A chill ran down her spine at the thought of her King finding her here.
Within a few minutes' times, the saffron mongoose found Alicia's bedroom. It would've been entirely neat if the desk in the far corner wasn't completely filled with diaries and page upon page of hand written notes. There was a typewriter to the left, but it looked as if it wasn't used very much. With time being her enemy, Mina quickly looked through the papers strewn all over the desk. She was sure and careful to put everything back the way it was, so that it wouldn't arouse suspicion in Alicia or anybody else.
However, Mina didn't find anything that was even worth looking at. It was basically old information and data. Mostly notes written about Mephiles' physic and biology. But it was just enough to make the violet-haired female sickened and angry. It was evidence enough that Alicia was treating her and the other Brides as mere tools and either Mephiles isn't aware of it doesn't care.
Honestly, where was the justice?!
From that moment, Mina didn't tread blame on Shadow for hunting his own kind. It didn't really make them any better than the mortals.
XXXXXXX
The next morning, Amy wanted to at once read more of Professor Gerald's diary. However, Shadow was still in the apartment, and she didn't want him to catch her reading it. At the very least, the sakura hedgehog wanted to fully learn about his past before asking questions.
Instead she went about her morning routine which would appear that everything was normal. But Sonic and Shadow both noticed that she was strangely quiet throughout and not humming her usual tunes. Amy just simply smiled and assured them that she was alright.
Then, as the group of four were tucking into breakfast, the telephone in the hall rang out.
"I'll get it." Knuckles said.
The ruby echidna got up from his chair and event to answer the phone. A few minutes later, he came racing back into the dining room.
"That was our informant. We've got another mouse runnin' amuck in the city!" he rasped.
Both Sonic and Shadow quickly rose out of their seats and rushed for the front door while simultaneously grabbing ahold of their weapons. But not without the Blue Blur racing back into the penthouse to grab the last of his sausage and take it with him. Rouge shook her head.
"Now will you look at this?" she ranted. "They left us with another mess to clean up."
Amy just let out a sigh and continued with her meal.
xxxxxxx
The trio raced to the busy streets of Station Square, nearly getting hit by a passing vehicle or two.
When nearing the more populated center of the city. They all heard the screams of men, women, and some children fleeing away in terror. All three males were already appalled and shocked that this was occurring in a very populated area. Finally they came across the mouse itself. Their informant was taking cover inside a local floral shop, trembling in fear. Knuckles immediately ran to him before anything happened to him whilst his comrades engaged the beast.
"Hey, what the hell happened here?!" the crimson-furred male demanded.
"Th-this guard was patrolling the streets, ya know, like they usually do?" the informant stammered nervously. "Then he...he started grabbing his gullet as if he ate something spoiled and...turned into that!"
"Well, you just keep your cover and don't get in his way!"
Meanwhile, Shadow and Sonic were able to lure the newly born creature away from the civilians and into the secluded alleys. They both noticed how quickly it caught onto Shadow's scent and engaged him as an enemy rather than prey.
"Is it just me, or are these things getting smarter?" Sonic asked breathlessly.
"Now that you mentioned it, I do sense a bout of intelligence in it." Shadow admitted.
"Seems like that they're really improvin' that Cell 64 thing."
"Which gives us a problem. But for now, let's just dispatch this creature as quickly as possible."
"Right."
The cerulean speedster began unloading his customized shotgun on the monster which roared with anger. Shadow growled. Their armor seemed to be getting stronger as well. He would have to take its head instead of simply slashing at it. With Sonic distracting the beast, the midnight clad warrior launched himself at it. However, the creature caught sight of him from the corner of its eye and slashed it behemoth claws at him, tearing open the crimson-splashed male's chest.
"SHADS!" Sonic shouted.
The monster's attention was quickly turned back on Sonic and let out a roar.
"Shit!"
xxxxxx
Back at the apartment, Rouge had been trying to get ahold of Knuckles with no success and then cursing about it. Amy snuck into the study and managed to get into the chest that held Gerald's diary. She then picked up where she left off yesterday...
One hot summer day both Shadow and Maria were in the courtyard. Maria had on a gardening hat and a pair of gloves as she tended to the rose bushes. She sensed that Shadow was steaming over something so she kept to herself and allowed him some space.
Finally, as if to unleash the fires that could no more be contained, the ebony hedgehog made himself be heard.
"You believe I'm strange, don't you?"
Maria looked at him blankly.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"Admit it. You think I'm abnormal."
Maria looked at him again, this time with an honest expression.
"I don't think you are strange." she said firmly. "I never thought of you as such. A little bratty and spoiled perhaps, but not abnormal. I just went to understand why you are the way you are. And just so you realize, you're not the only person on this planet that takes blood transfusions."
There was a silence between them. Shadow gave a nod and turned away, preparing to leave. Then, Maria got to her feet, ran towards him, and embraced the crimson-splashed male in a hug.
"I feel sorry for you Shadow." the golden-furred hedgehog whispered. "I only want you to be happy."
Shadow was caught off guard by her embrace. Nevertheless, he slowly held her arms.
'I am happy.' he thought. 'As long as you are here with me.'
Suddenly, his ears twitched to a strange sound of humming. It sounded almost childish. Shadow looked up to see he could locate its source.
"What is it?" Maria asked inquisitively.
"A tune, someone's humming a tune." the ebony male murmured.
"Odd, I can't hear a thing."
It was true, Maria couldn't hear a thing other than the sounds of Nature herself.
For the next few days, Shadow searched for the owner of the Voice, which turned out to be rather fruitless. Just when he was about to admit defeat and rather not be labeled as a mad man as well, he happened to come across one of the observation towers.
The doors were strangely locked tight and prohibited access to everyone including the scientists. Curiosity soon clouded Shadow's mind. Suddenly, the Voice began speaking to him.
"Who...who is there?"
The midnight male was caught off guard. He almost hadn't expect anyone to be inside.
"I'm...I'm Shadow." he replied nonchalantly.
"Shadow...?"
"Yes, what is your name?"
"Name? What is a name?"
"...you do not have a name?"
"...I don't think so..."
And thus, for the first time in his entire existence, Shadow felt sorry for someone.
"I shall to find you a name then." the crimson-splashed male said in slight annoyance.
The Voice in the sealed room did not reply. He simply let out a sigh. But Shadow was ever more curious.
"How long have you been inside here?" he asked.
"...oh I don't know." the Voice said with another sigh. "I suppose as long as I can remember."
'How pitiful.' Shadow thought.
"Does anyone else know you are here?"
"...Alicia visits me, if that's what you mean."
Now the ebony hedgehog was perplexed. Gerald's assistant never mentioned anything about this.
"Tell me..." the Voice said again. "...what's it like out there?"
"I...I beg your pardon?"
"...nevermind."
Since meeting the person sealed in the observation tower, Shadow never stopped thinking about him. To begin with, why was he kept locked up? And why was Gerald's assistant the only one allowed access to him? There must've been a reason...
xxxxxx
As Amy read through the diary, she suddenly came to a dead end. Some pages were torn and appeared as if they were burned by a fire. Where was the rest of the story?