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Brown-eyedFiction

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The sun was well up in the sky as the trekked on the outskirts of the forest. They had long left camp and needed to get to the nearest city to find the next chaos emerald. So they had set off in order to reach it quickly. With Sonic looking for it, there was no doubt he'd be not far behind especially with the quick-witted fox as his ally. Kya had decent resources but they weren't endless. The last two emeralds almost seemed to disappear. There was no trace of them, at least not in the files at the resistance. If they had trouble finding them no doubt Sonic and his group would as well.

She just hoped that woman didn't return. If she ever said that she liked her, she'd be lying. Now if she said at first she just found her annoying and could care less about her that would be true. When she started playing that shit though, was when she drew the line. She was trying to manipulate him and it ticked her off.

"Still can't find the emerald can you?" her voice was enough to make Kya clench her fist.

Shadow just stopped turning back to look in the shadows over his shoulder, "What do you want now Rouge? We don't have time to stop and chat." He spoke just as cold as ever

"Then I think you should make time…" she stepped out flashing suggestive smile."We don't need your help. We can find the information on our own." Kya snarled bitterly.

Rouge just turned on her, one hand on her hip, "I'm sure you could, but I already have it. And we all know that time is of essence now don't we? So whether you can find the information or not is of no importance, it's whether you have it right now or not." She spoke like you would a little child who didn't understand.

It was belittling and condescending and it did nothing more than make her hate this woman even more. She just glared. This wasn't like her. How could she let her get under her skin so easily?

"What will it cost us?" Shadow arched an eyebrow.

Rouge turned with a satisfactory smile. It seemed she had finally caught his attention, "I need to go with you. It just so happens I need to collect some information from the main computer there. I don't have the correct access to reach it, but since when has that ever stopped me?"

Shadow scoffed, "I can't believe you still pay the government's little games."

"I may play but a different set of rules than my own Shadow, however at least I know what role I play in the game," Rouge retorted.

Shadow stared at her, a mixture of emotions crossing his usually cold expression. Kya's attention turned to Rouge who pressed onward quite satisfactory with her actions. "Listen bitch, I don't care-" Kya started only to have Rouge turn on her with a snarl.

"And you have no idea what you're talking about," Rouge interrupted.

"I swear-" she was interrupted again except this time this voice caught her off guard.

"Kya, that's enough," Shadow growled.

It made her stop abruptly. She just stared at him startled. Here she was defending him and he sounded like she was being a nuisance. Well, if wasn't going to tell Rouge off, she was! Yet the abrasive nature of his voice was a complete flip-flop of how he acted at the fire that was what shut her up more than anything. He seemed different…he wasn't acting the same. Why?

Rouge only shot Kya a look that clearly stated she had won before turning her attention back to Shadow leaving the purple hedgehog to stew.

"You have a chaos emerald don't you?" he seemed to have forgotten about Kya completely and kept his mind on the situation at hand.
Rouge just blinked, finding it pointless to lie for she knew, he knew better, "Yes, but only one."

"Hand if over, it will be collateral I'll give it back to you only once you have done you're part of the job to my satisfaction." He explained holding out a gloved hand.

Rouge just stared at him a bit taken back. She was trying her best not to appear flustered but failed miserably. She responded the only way she knew whenever something caught her off guard, "So this is how you treat me after all this time? Do you not trust me? An old friend?"

Shadow's reply was short, concise, and too the point, "No."

Rouge snorted before crossing her arms. She couldn't very well argue. As much as she hated to admit it she needed his help. So she merely snorted before handing the precious gem over. Shadow placed it with the others in his growing collection. Kya loved watching Rouge squirm, it was the only reason she put up with Shadow's attitude this long. If he kept it up however, he'd find himself at the short end of the stick.

They stood in front of tall steel doors shut tightly and securely in place. Though rust was starting to keep up from the hinges. No one in: no one out. It was a tall warehouse stuck back in the middle of no where. It was in here? That would explain why no one knew where it was. It didn't look like anyone had ventured in there for some time…

"Once in side the security is strict," Rouge explained. "Do you really think you can handle it in such a state?" Rouge sighed.

Kya turned, "I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty."

"Quit it." His voice was firm and even a bit disgusted.

What a minute? Was that directed at her? What the hell? She started it. Okay, so that sounded elementary but how could he stand her.

"You won't be able to break that lock," Rouge stated.

"I don't need to," Shadow retorted.

He went over to far side of the door before stepping back a few steps and rushed at it. He pulled his leg around to land a swift kick to the side of it. The hinges squealed and snapped, the rust taking it's toll. One door fell pulling the other door with it, making a loud noise that echoed throughout.

They blinked before stepping inside. Dust rose in clouds from the sudden burst of air. The entire warehouse was empty much like that of the prison; however it was far from downtrodden. The walls were a crisp and the floors blinding black and white tile. It seemed almost untouched by living hands as if computers ruled the building.

"Lasers and traps lie everywhere," Rouge spoke as she looked around.

Shadow slipped off his bag handing it back to Kya, "Hold this." He commanded.

What was with the command? "…" She took it but she was anything but happy about this and if kept acting like this she'd be more than happy to let him know what kind of prick he was acting like.

Shadow glanced around finding the sources of each trip laser. They had them spaced out quite strategically. No wander Rouge had no hope of doing this herself. They shifted in some sort of pattern so quickly she neither had the agility nor the speed to get by this herself.

Dashing forward he ran up along the wall avoiding the floor that was the most heavily trailed. If the floor was heavily guarded then fine, he'd wouldn't use it. Using the force he built up when the lasers switched their pattern, he switched walls jumping to the other to run down it a few moments before once again changing back to the previous wall as the lasers switched once more. It was a simply tact yet only something he could pull off.

Once out of the lasers' reach he fell to the floor. Without being told he glanced around, finding what he sought he flip a switch pressed a few buttons, and the lasers vanished. "We don't have much time, no doubt what I just did triggered the silent alarm," Shadow retorted before dashing ahead.

"Shadow!" Rouge yelled after him but it was pointless. "Damn him!" she spat.

"What's your problem?" Kya arched an eyebrow. Well, at least he was being a prick to everyone.

"I may be a treasure-hunter by passion, but I'm a government official by nature. If I get caught breaking in here can you imagine what would happen? How would I explain this?" Rouge crossed her arms bitterly.

" 'Burning one's bridges makes a lovely fire'," Kya quoted quite pleased at this comment before dashing off. For once she was somewhat pleased with Shadow's actions; it was one of the few times Rouge didn't seem to be in control.

The entered the next room which went no where but up. A long spiral staircase edged the tower it stopped at a solid door which no doubt lead to the master computer room and the chaos emerald. The three started up the almost seemingly upward spiral, their footsteps resounding as they hit the steel stairs. "I thought there would be more security than this…" Rouge trailed off.

"It's not getting in that's the problem…" Shadow growled before finally coming to the top of the spiral staircase.

He tried the keypad a few times but it was no use. There was no way to open it other than force. He stepped away turning his gaze to Kya.

"Wait a minute-" as Kya met Shadow's gaze however something flickered between them that made Rouge think twice about objecting.

Though she didn't say anything this gave her quiet satisfaction even if she didn't get what she wanted in the end of this little fiasco, at least she'd created a situation in which it was only a matter of time before the "shit" hit the fan.

Without another word, Kya pulled the rifle around and aimed at the locked. It shattered, spraying pieces of metal and wood everywhere. It left a hole so large you could see through to the room on the other side.

Shadow and Kya seemed not to notice however. Kya merely kicked down the door and the two entered. Besides the fact each was thoroughly irritated with the other they both proceeded with an eerie collection of calmness and professionalism. Not saying a word, just going about their business. It was strange, liking looking down at a frozen river. The ice was cool and calm yet the river still raged wildly underneath. Kya wasn't nearly as good as hiding her emotions as Shadow was, in fact it would be hard to tell that he was even annoyed.

However, Rouge had been around him enough to know.

Rouge finally entered the room a bit panicked. So far things weren't going as she had planned. Damn him! She raced to the computer and though it cost her precious time she finally got the files she needed. She turned around a CD in hand only to face Shadow and Kya with their arms crossed. She was many things but stupid was not one of them. Very well, if she couldn't leave here with everything she'd take what she could and leave with plan B. And for this to work…it would require being the one to start that particular fan.

"So tell me Shadow, have you really not found your past even after all this time?" she inquired.At first Rouge thought Kya was too mad at the certain black hedgehog to even speak up but it seemed Rouge had underestimated her feelings. Perhaps the purple hedgehog felt more towards him than just infatuation as Rouge had decided earlier. For what else could it mean to stick up for someone even when you're mad at them?

"Rouge, I'm pissed, tired, and in pain," she pointed to her arm that had started bothering her earlier that night, but she was too prideful to say anything, "Don't even start."

Perfect, Rouge couldn't have asked for anything better.

"Well, I don't remember asking you anything Kya…" that was it…it was like striking that match.

"I'm very well able to take care of myself and hardly need help from someone who can't even keep themselves from getting injured in battle. Stop trying to get so attached." His words were so cold, emotionless, and even more neutral than ever.

And that was what hurt her the most. The way he said it almost made it seem…factual. Like it wasn't something said just in plain anger, but it was just fact. It was as it was. Kya's own emotions went into a tumbling mix. Her anger subsided to make way for pain and sorrow. It took all she had at that moment not to give in to the sting she felt behind her eyes. She could many awful things, but to cry in front of him was the worst thing she could do. With them distracted Rouge now found the time to execute the next stage in her plan. "Well my comrades," she winked as she passed by them. "As I stated before there is no way I could get caught up and have my record destroyed by this whole little thing. So the whole matter of the emerald? Keep it; think of it as…a parting gift." She stepped towards an open alcove…or at least that was what they thought it was. When she hit a button however steel doors slammed down all around them sealing within the room as well as causing her to vanish. Once again the alarm sounded and the whole room flashed in red.

Kya was mad and upset. Mad at him, mad at Rouge, but mad at herself…mad at herself for letting him get so close. What he said was true…they were first and for most just two people with common interests. That was the very thing she had said…

Yet the pain she felt didn't subside. She stormed over to the glass that held the emerald and without warning kicked the container. She was so in a mixture of emotions she ignored the shattering glass and snagged one of the few chaos emeralds from its stand.

Kya stormed back over held out the emerald. The fact the Rouge and just betrayed them both barely flittering on the edges of her mind.

"Get us the hell out of here," she finally spoke her voice growing almost as cold as his.

Shadow didn't say anything; he only took the emerald and her wrist, "Chaos-"

The two disappeared once more in a streak of brilliant light.