Wow...you guys actually wanted a lemon? I'd have to change this to M then... I dunno. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. Now to comment on the comments. I pity the guard too, but war is war. Yep. Shadow's one bad boy. Are you psychic?! Yes, Sonic is gone. Rouge is canonically a spy, 'course she's careful. Even wars have some happy times. I haven't yet opened an appropriate situation.

Bloodstained Ivory

Chapter 24: Idiosyncrasy

Skidding to a stop and barely avoiding getting struck, she stared at the object before her. The chaos emerald seemed to glow as the lightning struck it, looking almost as if it was absorbing it's sheer power.

It didn't look safe to touch just yet. Rouge sighed. Hopefully this storm would end soon. Striking her metal heeled boots on the ground in exasperation, she waited. As she waited, she observed the gem carefully.

"A beauty isn't it?" asked a creature who happened to walk up to Rouge. Rouge jumped and sprang around to face the creature.

"Who are you?"

xxxxx

The creature was wearing a hooded cape that protected it from the rain. Since the hood was on, Rouge could not determine what it was, or whether it was friend or foe. The creature laughed a soft chiming laugh.

"You do not recognize me?" the voice asked.

The creature lifted the hood of it's cape, and Rouge gasped.

"Tikal! My friend! I thought you had died!" Tikal smiled lightly.

"And I thought I'd never be able to visit you again. I have been sent to aid you with your mission." Rouge tilted her head.

"How do you know about that?" Tikal shook her head.

"It is not my place to say." Tikal walked over to the lightning-attracting emerald, and picked it up. Another bolt of lightning hit it, and Rouge gawked when she saw that Tikal was in no way affected. Tikal walked over, and handed the emerald to Rouge.

"Wait what if- aahh!" Rouge shrieked as lightning struck the emerald. She, however, was not in any way harmed. Tikal smiled.

"You see, The emerald is indeed absorbing power. In fact, so much of it, that you didn't get hurt," Rouge nodded but said nothing. Tikal grabbed her arm, and led her back to the forest. "Come on. You need to get some place dry, and I happen to know just the place."

Rouge followed the pale orange echidna back into the forest. Tikal went over to a tree, thickly covered with moss, and seemed to disappear into it. Rouge looked at it, then around it.

"Tikal?" The orange echidna jumped out of seemingly nowhere. Rouge started. "Where were you?" she asked. The orange echidna giggled, and motioned for Rouge to follow her. She showed the white bat an opening in the tree, secreted by moss.

When she went back in, Rouge followed her. To her great surprise, the tree was not only hollow, but furnished as well. Oh sure it was rather homely, but Rouge was thankful nonetheless. The inside of the tree was surprisingly large to one who had seen the outside.

"Do you live here?" asked Rouge, shaking her wings dry. Tikal looked at the ceiling.

"Not...exactly..."

(Back at the Palace)

Shadow and Silver took a small walk outside in the palace gardens. Silver's gaze saddened as he scanned the grounds.

"It seems as if all the life has been drained out of the kingdom," he whispered sadly. Yet it was true. The very plants in the garden seemed dull and shrivelled, and the lively noises from the city had diminished until no longer existent.

Shadow sighed, as he too had noticed these things. While walking through the garden, they stopped by an area especially made for roses. Shadow stopped by a rosebush that was decorated with the white blossoms. Even these looked dead. He noticed one that still held that glow of life in it. Disregarding the thorns, he reached with his bare hand, and carefully plucked the white rose out.

As he did so, the thorns pierced his skin, and blood ran down the wounds. He handed the bloodstained rose to Silver.

"Blood embraces the purity of this white flower. In the same way I will always hold on to you. You are what I live for. You are what I would die for. You are my reason for living. You are the very source of my love. I am a monster. You changed me. If you ever feel alone, come to my embrace. You are already my life Silver. Let me be yours," he said, as Silver accepted the rose.

"Blood has become a part of this flower. In the same way, you are a part of me. You are my life. Your death would mean mine. You are my reason for living. I am a monster. You understand me. If you ever feel alone, embrace me. You are my life Shadow, and I am yours," Silver replied, as he held the rose to his heart.

Silver grasped Shadow's hand, and began to stroke his tongue over it, until the bleeding had stopped. He let go of Shadow's hand trembling slightly. Shadow looked at him.

"Silver, are you all right?" Silver swallowed and nodded. Shadow could see that Silver was lying. He could see the eyes of the other clouding up.

Shadow pulled the argent hedgehog into a soft kiss. Silver stiffened, then relaxed in his grip, accepting the show of affection. Shadow hugged the ivory hedgehog tightly, hoping that he wouldn't break off for his neck.

Why Silver? Shadow internally screamed. Why turn the most beautiful, most gentle, most kindhearted being in the world into this? Why now? Why him? Why not me? Shadow broke off, and hugged Silver to himself, resting his head in the crook of the argent hedgehog's neck.

Silver felt something wet penetrate through his fur, to his skin. He looked at Shadow, whose face was buried in his shoulder.

"Shadow? Shadow are you crying?" Shadow didn't reply. Silver uttered a small sigh, and stood there, hugging the ebony hedgehog.

Shadow sighed and lifted his head. Silver squeezed him before letting go of him, and grasping his hand. They continued their walk.

Suddenly, Shadow made a noise that sounded like a quiet strangled gasp, and fell to the ground. Silver looked over to him, but could not see anyone. Shadow was clutching his side, his teeth clenched in pain.

Silver helped him up, but not before catching sight of something embedded in his side. It was an arrow. Silver walked over to the side on which Shadow had been shot, and carefully extracted it, causing a few pained hisses to sound from Shadow's throat. He could see a piece of paper, now crimson stained, was attached to the arrow.

Unwrapping the paper, he read it. Crumpling to his knees, he put his head in his hands and sobbed. Shadow bent down.

"Silver...Silver what's wrong? What was on that piece of paper?" Silver handed him the paper. Shadow scanned it.

I have the woodchuck lady. I'll let you have her if you give me the kingdom. If not, I will hew her to pieces in front of your very eyes. You have a week to answer.

"Rosie!" Shadow exclaimed. How on earth did she get caught? She didn't seem the type to just wander around and get caught. His eyeridges angled angrily. Scourge would dare harm an old lady who wouldn't hurt anyone!

"What can we do?" Silver asked, looking up at Shadow. Shadow looked up to the sky.

"I don't know, Silver. I just don't know..." It was only one citizen. One citizen or the whole kingdom. Would it really be a crime to let her go?

Shadow didn't have to answer. But he also didn't know what to do.

Heighten the depression factor! Cos I'm depressed. -sighs- Well now we know who it was. Tikal! But I haven't explained everything just yet. Review?