Disclaimer: James Harrison is mine. None of the others are.
Chapter 12
Black Doom paused in the center of the hall. Great despair and sadness had flooded into his mind. The source was unmistakable. All three of his red eyes widened. Sonic hadn't noticed anything, still gleefully tearing through humans in a manner that made him proud. If such emotions weren't tearing through him, he'd have gladly eaten more than a few of them. Sonic's laughter stopped when his attention turned to Black Doom.
"What's wrong?" he asked. Those green eyes faded back to normal.
"Shadow is filled with great despair. I doubt she is aware of it, but she's calling out. She needs someone at her side." Black Doom laid his hands of Sonic's cheeks and peered directly into his eyes. "Go to her."
Sonic's cellphone rang loud and clear, cutting through the thick air. Sonic answered just before it stopped.
"Knuckles says he felt something," Tails said. "Can you get to Angel Island right now?"
Sonic knew the fox would be unable to see him. He nodded anyway.
"Be there soon."
Sonic hung up and looked at Black Doom.
"We can handle this," Black Doom said. "Go."
Sonic smiled gratefully and set off for Angel Island. Part of him was glad something had come up. He'd been stuck in an angry rage for too long. Sure, most of Umbrella had been destroyed. But that didn't make it any better for Sonic. He hated losing himself to the darkness in his own mind. It was one of the reasons he tried to stay positive all the time. Now that he had to see Knuckles, he got the feeling he wouldn't be himself for long.
-Angel Island-
Sonic landed near the Master Emerald's shrine. Knuckles was standing there, looking solemn. Tails was pacing around the Master Emerald.
"Sonic! What's up with your appearance?" Knuckles looked him over as he spoke. "Never mind," the guardian shook his head. "That's not important. Shadow's Chaos Energy flared suddenly. It wouldn't be unusual, if he were himself. But his energy had been dim lately. Like he wasn't using his powers as often."
"So you think something happened to her?"
"Something has happened to her," Knuckles said. "An energy surge like that could only be a Chaos Control."
Sonic didn't like where this was going. If Shadow had done a Chaos Control this far into the pregnancy... Sonic shook his head. Those were the last thoughts he needed to be having. Positive was good. Positive would keep him sane.
"A Chaos Control to where?"
Knuckles looked back at the Master Emerald. Tails wasn't meeting his gaze.
"That's the problem," Knuckles explained. "The Master Emerald shows her on the Ark. I doubt we have a means of getting there now."
Sonic couldn't believe it. After everything that had happened, he was going to lose. All because of one, two-faced, slippery doctor. He almost wished it was Eggman. Hanging his head, he tried to think of something. Anything to help him get Shadow back. Knuckles and Tails were thinking as well, but none of them were having any sudden epiphanies.
Sonic wouldn't give up until he either died or had Shadow safely wrapped in his arms.
-Space Colony Ark-
Shadow was screaming. It was enough to cause some of the weaker scientists to abandon the operation. Nothing quite like a pregnant female hedgehog screaming and cursing your very existence as you operated on her. The blood soaking from her body was staining the table beneath her. Tears streamed down her muzzle, leaving long darkened trails on her cheeks. James refused to give up until they found what they figured it out. The open wounds across her thighs had begun to close. One of the scientists took notes on the process, running a scanner over it to check how much Chaos Energy was leaking from the wounds. Shadow's chest was heaving, breath leaving her in shallow pants. One of the doctors looked at her face. Pity had filled his features. Telling himself it was for the best of everyone was the only way to make himself continue.
Another scream tore from her throat. Her breathing was more ragged after that. The device they'd inserted into her arm was connected to a monitoring screen. If her blood flow had anything to do with her powers, they would soon know. The workings of the Chaos Energy had eluded scientists long enough. Once they were done here, they'd have enough of an understanding to use it just as well as the Mobians could. Sobs wracked her body as she prayed her child would live. It was the only thing she could do to keep herself from completely losing it. With her Chaos Energy focused on rejuvenating, she wouldn't be able to force a Blast even if she tried. Another deep cut into her leg had her snarling. They were hurting her, and she couldn't do a single thing about it.
A stirring in her abdomen had her eyes flying open. There was no way the doctors would miss that. Not when at least one of them had his disgusting hand on her.
"James?" the man said. "Something's happening in here."
James came to stand beside his colleague. Laying his hand beside the other's, he smiled.
"Interesting. I believe it's reacting to our tests." A hand motion from him had yet another scalpel edging near her.
"Don't hurt him!" she yelled.
The doctor's ignored her, of course. The scalpel came to rest on her abdomen. She felt more movement as the blade pressed closer. How the baby knew the danger it was in, she didn't know. What she did know was that they were going to kill him. Struggling wouldn't do any good, but luckily she didn't need to worry about that. Chaos Energy surged into her abdomen, pulled from the very energy mending her. Eyes closing in pain, she tried to curl into a ball. The straps over her wouldn't allow it. Before the scalpel could do any damage, Shadow's abdomen was filled with more intense, focused pain than she could ever remember. Sticky red blood formed a line down the center of her round abdomen. The doctors watched in fascination as a gash began appearing. Cracked screams filled the room. A clawed hand slid from the opening in Shadow's lower torso. The attached arm followed, bending at the elbow and curving to Shadow's hip. The other hand came in the next second. Pressure forced by the arms split Shadow open. The immortal hedgehog's throat hurt from all the screaming she was doing. Strapped down, all she could do was remember what Black Doom had told her as the pain increased tenfold.
Don't try to fight it when the child is ready. All will work out in the end.
Shadow wasn't sure how things were going to work out. Her body had been torn open, and her life was flowing from the wound. If there had been sheets under her, she would have held them in a death-grip. She could feel every movement the baby made within her. He pulled himself from Shadow's body as the life left her eyes and her breath faded. She was dead in under a minute.
"Astounding," James breathed. His eyes shone behind his glasses with the light children got Christmas morning.
The baby was beautiful. Never mind the fact that it was soaked in its mother's blood. Deep green eyes peered up at James. The whites of its eyes were tinted orange, instantly marking it as different. The baby looked around as tears formed in his eyes. Wailing pierced the air as his gaze landed on Shadow. Tears tumbled down his cheeks, hands hitting the white fur over her mother's breasts.
"Take the baby," James said over the wailing. "It's clearly not your normal Mobian. I want tests done to determine what it is and how many of its mother's traits were passed down."
One of the doctors moved forward and placed his hands on the baby. Then, everything went wrong.
The moment he was separated from his mother, his wailing got louder. When the doctor moved to take him away, a burst of Chaos Energy knocked him away. The baby fell back onto his mother, whimpering. Before anyone else could move, they had two uninvited guests.
"So good to see you," James said. He ignored the demonic hedgehog. "What do you think? You're baby killed her."
Sonic's gaze was glued to Shadow's lifeless form.
I failed... His body started trembling. I couldn't do it. Now she's-
This time, Sonic was glad for the anger. This time, he embraced the overwhelming hatred and despair that came with it. These humans would pay. Especially the one with glasses. Black Doom and James both ran as the murderous aura built around Sonic. James ran for his life; out the door and down the hall. Black Doom ran to Shadow. Lifting the baby, he held him close to his chest.
"She can't heal with you hitting her like that," he said. His own clawed fingers stroked down Shadow's cheek as her body began mending. "You weren't meant to give birth in this manner. A steep price has been paid."
Sonic had given chase to the humans as Black Doom spoke to Shadow. Rage at what they'd done clouded his eyes and judgment. The first few didn't get far. They fell, beaten and bloody. Left to die in whichever manner they saw fit as he pursued the source of his rage.
-One Hour Later-
James could feel the hedgehog hunting him. In all honesty, he was more terrified than he'd been his entire life. That it was of a hedgehog was what he found ludicrous. Mobians were the lesser race. Man was meant to rule the planet, not live in fear of the freaks sharing their land. He just had to get off the Ark. He'd be safe down on Mobius. Once there, he could come up with something. A story to benefit him. Too late, he realized he wasn't alone. Like an animal sensing a predator's presence. He wouldn't be able to outrun him. But he wasn't without a weapon either.
James turned and fired at the dark from. It moved, leaving a trail of its dark aura behind it. A kick to the arm had him dropping his gun. It had come fast and powerful, breaking his bone in an instant. Cackling laughter taunted him as he looked around. The hedgehog was nowhere in sight, but he had to be nearby.
"Go on, run. This would be much more enjoyable if you did."
James hissed through his teeth in anger and pain. His body wanted to run. His mind told him there was a way to beat this monster. His instincts agreed with his body. James ran, the dark hedgehog's laughter following him. Dark wind blew past him as he ran down the hall. James turned the corner. His legs were one of the two things he had left.
There was no way they would not fail him.
A red shoe met his face, sending him back down the hall. Cracking had met his ears as he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor. Surprisingly, the kick had broken nothing but his glasses. Sonic came to stand over him, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the empty hall. Glowing green eyes looked down on him, though James could barely see them. With his glasses cracked, it was hard to see past them. Sonic stepped ion the doctor's chest and applied pressure. James winced in pain, but refused to do anything farther. His broken arm lay useless at his side as Sonic grinned sadistically down at him. Mobius' hero was enjoying this. James would have spoken if there hadn't been so much pressure on his ribcage. Sonic cocked his head to the side. Thoughtfulness now filled his eyes. He'd caught his prey, now he just had to decide what to do with it. His other foot came to rest on James' leg. Applying enough pressure had that snapping. James inhaled sharply and held in his scream. Mind racing, he tried to ignore it as Sonic's foot came down hard on his other leg. Pain flooded everything. It overtook his mind, his body, and nearly distracted him from his plan. His free hand moved into his coat pocket as Sonic broke the other arm farther. He counted himself lucky Sonic hadn't noticed what he was doing. Fingers closed around the syringe he'd been looking for and pulled it from his pocket. The blood within it had been taken from Shadow. With any luck, it would have a bad effect on the hedgehog and cause his death. The instant the needle stabbed into the flesh of his leg, Sonic tried to rear back. It only made matters worse as James moved his arm after him. The blood was injected into his system. Once the syringe was empty, James fell back onto the floor.
Sonic's yells echoed as his body felt on fire. Whatever had been in that syringe was causing him pain. The empty syringe shattered under his shoe as he stepped. Sonic collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony. James tried to pull himself away with his free arm, but to no avail. Sonic's ear twitched as his coat scraped against the floor. Green eyes bore into him before shutting in pain. James would have considered himself lucky if not for the feet in front of him. Furred black, they looked like Shadow had gotten up and come to him. His eyes looked up at the other hedgehog that had appeared with Sonic.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked.
Black Doom smiled at the human. Sharp teeth were exposed as he tilted his head to the side. Sonic's panting went unnoticed as he decided what to do with the human. Fright and despair were two of the things he loved most in the eyes of his victims. He could go on for hours just staring into such eyes.
"You've harmed my prince in one of the worst possible ways," Black Doom began. His powerful voice echoed in the hall. "Now, you've harmed his chosen mate as well. These will not go unpunished." All three red eyes narrowed at the human lying prone before him. All the doctor's thoughts flowed into his mind as he forcibly opened a link to them. "I won't kill you. That is far less than you deserve. No, you will join me on the Black Planet. You will learn to respect those with more power than you could ever hope to contain within that frail body. If I tire of you, Agnes may have you."
James tried to protest, but two alien creatures appeared and grabbed him. They nearly tore his arms from their sockets as Black Doom commanded them in his own language. Then, all three were transported to the Black Comet.
Black Doom turned his attention to Sonic. The blue hedgehog was on the floor, panting. Black Doom knew what the human had done to him. A sad smile crossed his face.
"He's done worse to you than he'd been intending," he muttered. "Do not fear, Sonic. You will be fine in a few hours. Go to sleep."
His monotonous stroking over Sonic's forehead soon had the hedgehog dozing off. Black Doom lifted him into his arms and returned to Shadow.
She looked up when the door opened, red eyes full of worry. The baby was curled against her breasts, breathing steadily. Shadow frowned when she noticed Sonic's condition.
"Is he-"
"He will be fine. Right now, we need to get the three of you back to Mobius. Everything will be explained later."
