ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS
And the Alignment of Business and Pleasure
ACT 2
Hunter
The rivals studied every corner of the majestic suite with vigilance. Said bedroom was decked with a couple of interesting artifacts, such as different types of swords dated to previous dynasties and handmade ceramic vases. The walls were covered with a few paintings too; some depicting Shamaran culture and other traditional imagery. All the large glass windows were closed, although the mahogany curtains were pulled to the side to exhibit the moon, not as full as in the night before. There was a beige chaise lounge in the farthest side of the chamber, as well as two elegant chairs around a short table, all in golden and cream tones.
No cameras in sight, but that was utterly obvious.
"Sonia. Sunshine," they looked up and waited for the feline's instruction. "On the bed. I don't want to hear a word from you."
Following his orders against their will, the undercover heroes regarded how the bed was indeed phenomenal and screamed royalty. Its canopy curtains were a transparent red, decorated with golden arabesques to match the duvets. Sonic transferred his gaze to the corner table under a lavish golden mirror on the wall, that reflected the massive bed perfectly. He didn't fail to notice all the selected candles on the table's surface, next to an incense burner and other colorful decanters filled with unknown substances, possibly alcoholic drinks.
The noble leader began to light up some of the scented candles to illuminate the room with a faint glow. Sonic almost sneezed when a floral scent reached his nostrils, but he controlled himself in time. He'd rather smell fresh air than whatever it was that spread out in the chamber. Shadow looked unaffected as always, eyeing the man subtly.
Both hedgehogs parted the drapes and sat on the bed with their legs out to the side, cautious not to pierce the bloody red duvets with their pointy high-heeled sandals. Double slit skirts fell around their lower bodies, considering Shadow's striped limbs were bent to the right in contrast with Sonic's, that were stretched to the left. The duo waited for the next order, side by side with a hand supporting their posture from behind.
"Despite you two being extremely clumsy tonight, I couldn't find myself punishing you in front of my guests," the lion said. With his back turned to the rivals, he appeared to be putting on some ambient music, given how the false entertainers' ears were met with a ghoulish tune afterwards.
The blue hero focused his eyes on the displayed weapon to the left: a large two-handed scimitar, its sharp curved blade able to slice through any enemy with one swipe. Shadow, on the other hand, fixated his scowl on the short table where a semi-automatic pistol laid unbothered. Team Dark knew the notorious leader was a firearm enthusiast, yet the striped hedgehog didn't expect him to let his collection out in the open for all escorts to see.
Unless it was left there as an implied threat.
"You remind me way too much of two well-known heroes. The resemblance is uncanny," the feline stopped to glance over them. "Ever heard of Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog?"
That got the hedgehogs' attention. Staring at the enemy with unreadable expressions, they watched the lion strip, throwing away his white tunic to reveal a strong physique underneath. Even though he was muscular and overall attractive, neither of the two rivals felt drawn to him, certainly due to his distasteful personality and repulsive behavior. The manner he treated and used women to his own benefit infuriated them, to put it mildly.
"Dr. Eggman told me about them," the noble leader evenly stated to his performers. He still wore the heavy jewelry around his neck and fingers. "They're dangerous. An obstacle to my business."
The music peaked up; its enigmatic melody was enough to make anyone but them shudder. Sonic looked restless, scanning the room for any signs of a possible surprise attack. At the same time, Shadow observed the tycoon pull an armchair closer to the edge of the bed as he resumed his monologue.
"I hope they never find me. Even so, I've always imagined how they would be like."
Sonic and Shadow looked confused for a minute, hence why the man continued, humoring them with an elaborated response.
"They despise each other for some reason," he pointed out, strolling to the corner table to pour himself a cup of whatever was inside one of the glass decanters. "I know exactly what I would do to them if they were under my control."
He took a sip of the brown liquid and approached the canopy, spreading the curtains apart a little with one hand so the hedgehogs could be seen properly, caramel eyes lingering on their exposed legs for a moment. Taking one step back, the strong lion tilted his head and licked his lips. It seemed like he was trying to solve a puzzle. The hedgehogs didn't move nor utter a sound.
"I would make them my girls," both heroes raised an eye ridge at the revelation and the lion felt like he needed to explain himself. "No, not that way. I only fuck hot women like you," he waved a hand and drank his beverage. "I would dress them up and make them please one another as I watch, knowing how disgusted they would be."
Unhurriedly, Sonic and Shadow shared a glance. The agent knew his blue counterpart was most likely smiling or holding back a laugh.
"I don't think they are into men. Let alone a nemesis for that matter," the noble leader chuckled and shook his head as if the idea was comical. Shadow pondered if the reaction was genuine.
"But it would be fun to watch them kissing, wouldn't it?" facing the dancers, he anticipated a nod. When nothing but complete silence followed, he pressed on. "I would pay a million rings to see the almighty Shadow the Hedgehog, on his knees, sucking the blue one's dick. Do you think he would swallow?"
Now that question was too much. Sonic had to be a bastard and nod frantically.
It looked like his quiet reply wasn't expected at all, seeing how the lion snorted and Shadow stared angrily at his assumed nemesis.
"I like you, Sonia. Perhaps you ladies could help me," and then he stopped pacing around the room to finally sit down in the armchair, putting the cup aside and stretching both palms on the armrests, legs spread wide. "I demand you to follow my orders. Make my fantasy come true," the target gestured to Sunshine and spoke again. "Let's start with a kiss. I want to see what's behind the veil."
For a second, Shadow decided against keeping up with the façade. However, he realized the lion still hadn't found out about their true identity. That was proven by the time he smiled at them fondly, with no trace of doubt whatsoever. Shadow moved to get on his knees on the covered mattress, prompting Sonic to mirror him till they were face to face, profile visible through the gap between the transparent red curtains.
Looking into each other's eyes, Sonic and Shadow proceeded to remove the harem face veil at the same time, loosening it behind their head quills. As soon as the exquisite accessory slid off their respective muzzles, the music took a totally different course, its sudden bass building up a rather sensual mood in the candle lit room.
Shadow's gaze instinctively dropped to Sonic's mouth. The hero blinked once his half-lidded eyes landed on the other's parted lips. All this time, the rivals had been wearing red lipstick behind the veil. Shadow looked wonderful in a belly dancer costume and make-up, which meant Sonic inevitably froze to take it all in.
And fantasize about him.
"Begin."
Sonic and Shadow smirked to each other, finding the circumstance amusing yet whimsical. They had no idea the infamous noble leader was a voyeur.
Then it happened. When the beat intensified, their red lips hastily met in front of the tycoon, who kept tapping his index and middle fingers on the armrest to the eerie instrumental. Nodding slightly, he grinned upon watching his entertainers' eyes flutter shut as they made out, green and lilac eyeshadow twinkling in the orange-ish light. In a maze, gloved hands came to touch Sonic's muzzle and waist, just when the other grabbed and squeezed a buttock over Shadow's lavender skirt.
Shadow tasted the hero's mouth, tongue pausing to savor cherry-flavored lips in earnest. A low moan escaped his own, so he reminded himself to quiet down. It was a mission, a simple performance. Not an excuse to perchance have sex with Sonic in the presence of the enemy, even if the image stimulated him more than it should. Still, the dark hedgehog wondered how the lion would react if a thick cock emerged between his sweet Sunshine's legs. His so-called fantasy would look way more realistic in his opinion.
And he knew Sonic would agree with him.
His scenario was interrupted by Rouge's voice coming through his earpiece, its volume lower than usual. "Shadow, do you read me? I found the intel and sent pictures to HQ. About twenty fake invoices and bills of sale. It's a shame we need the target alive," the agent heard his partner sigh and continue. "I've pressured G.U.N. to get a warrant for his arrest immediately. I'll be searching for Sonic's papers now. Take care."
It was definitely a shame Shadow wouldn't be able to grant Team Dark's common wish. He had imagined ten different ways of killing the motherfucker with his bare hands in less than eight seconds.
At least Sonic made sure not to keep him bored.
The blue hedgehog was glad he had muted his transceiver, since he wasn't in the mood to explain what the hell was going on to Tails right now. Sonic's thoughts were cut short when Shadow tugged at his bottom lip, pulling on it with his fangs and breaking the kiss. Then, he pushed his rival next to the edge of the bed, parting the curtains so the noble leader could get a better view of them. Kneeling on the mattress, Shadow positioned himself behind Sonic, lowering his bra's strap delicately. He kissed his shoulder, leaving a lipstick stain on peach fur, while staring directly at the man, expecting any sort of feedback.
All at once, the feline lowered his hand, coercing his dick out of its sheath. Sonic held both ends of the canopy and smirked, catching sight of their reflection in the golden mirror above the lion's head. He saw Shadow's free hand rub his groin over the green skirt and bit his lower lip, watching the agent look ahead to see what had gotten his attention.
Ready to please, Shadow grinned and caressed Sonic's hidden nipple under the bra, hearing the other hum. When they saw movement in the armchair, Sonic and Shadow maintained eye contact with the target, whose length was seemingly out now. The man pumped his cock along with Shadow's motions on his blue counterpart's body. They had been waiting for this, however the act itself left them a little intrigued.
Because there he was, jacking off to two men who could beat him up at any second.
Enjoying the attention, Sonic let out a fake high-pitched moan, pretending to sound like an experienced porn star. He closed the transparent curtains with a single movement, leaving the performance's details up to the lion's imagination. He seemed entranced by them, especially since all he could do was watch two deep red silhouettes entangled behind the canopy.
Now that the heroes had a moment to bask in the atypical situation, Sonic pulled Shadow's muzzle closer to kiss him again. The black and red hedgehog decided to stroke his rival's sheath directly through one of the gaps in his maxi skirt, whereas Sonic did the same to him. The enemy saw them fall on the mattress with a thud, apparently lost in each other's touch. Shadow came out on top, using his free hand to reach for the drapes and pull them apart. They were lying across the bed, and the agent didn't fail to notice the noble leader's erection leaking pre-cum already.
"Go down on her, Sunshine," he ordered.
The striped hedgehog didn't have to be told twice. Gratefully, Sonic had stopped teasing his sheath, considering neither of them intended to get an actual boner. It was all business and nothing else. The blue hero was aware of this, given how he spread his legs and held the skirt to protect his sheath from the lion's prying honey eyes, which meant Shadow could easily pretend he was licking him, when in reality he would be just nuzzling his inner thighs.
Sonic may be a buffoon, but he had a moment of clarity at the perfect time.
Winking at his rival in acknowledgement, Shadow left a trail of wet kisses on his torso before feigning to go down on him. He started over his glittery bra and went lower, until he finished on his exposed abdomen, admiring all the lipstick stains left around the chest chain on Sonic's body. The agent had never worn make-up before, yet he began to enjoy the perks of his disguise.
He wondered if Sonic found him attractive like that. Not that his opinion mattered, once he knew he looked handsome.
Shadow nuzzled and kissed his blue counterpart's thigh behind the raised fabric. Its transparency still managed to hide where his lips went, since his tan muzzle and Sonic's blue legs were the same dark green tone in the target's gaze. Sonic pretended to feel aroused, letting out a few grunts here and there while contorting his face into one of pleasure. Still in character, the dark hedgehog raised his own ass and balanced his upper body on his elbows to bite Sonic's thigh softly, almost on all fours. The hero decided to push Shadow's head down to make the scene look a little more authentic.
"Yeah, just like that," the noble leader made himself known amidst the haze. Sonic realized he was probably close, therefore he nudged Shadow's back with his sandal's heel to notify him.
Shadow nodded and continued, listening to his fake cries of delight. The blue hedgehog was a great actor and it amazed the other to an extent. Sonic had trapped his head between his legs, which trembled to show the lion he was about to have an orgasm. The enemy sped his motions until he finally came undone with a silent moan. Sonic groaned one last time and breathed heavily, chest heaving as if he had reached his climax. That alone received a snort from Shadow, who wanted to get up and praise his acting skills with honesty. He had put on an impressive show, one the agent didn't know he could be able to.
They sat on the mattress when the man stood up to grab some tissues. Sonic raised a palm to his mouth to suppress a laugh when he saw Shadow's smudged lipstick. He knew he was in no better state, having red stains all over his body along with his own messed up lips. Shadow just rolled his eyes, controlling the urge to kick him, and followed the lion's steps to the adjoined bathroom with a sharp glare.
"Talk about a miracle… G.U.N. is sending out a local unit to place the noble leader under arrest. I told them to track our buggy. Who would've guessed that threatening to notify the Attorney General's office, about a certain military organization's negligence of duty, would make them so efficient?" Rouge snickered over the line and went on. "Anyway, I sent the file to Tails already. Mission complete, Shadow. Looking for the Sol Emerald as we speak. Over and out."
Shadow smiled and placed a hand on Sonic's shoulder, tilting his head to whisper into his ear. "She got everything."
"Good," Sonic muttered back and grinned. 'Not everything,' he didn't say.
"You did well, my girls," the noble leader returned and sat back in the armchair, curving both palms toward himself a few times. "Now come here and take off your clothes."
After being given the green light to put an end on the cover, the hedgehogs walked to the feline. Shadow nudged Sonic in the ribs to get his attention. Gripping his fitted top and skirt, the agent nodded to his rival with a smirk, encouraging him to do the same. When the target was about to question their odd behavior, Sonic and Shadow aggressively ripped their disguises off, throwing them aside so they stood in front of him wearing only golden accessories, gladiator sandals and elbow high gloves. The man's eyes widened upon being face to face with the feared heroes themselves, who had been presenting him a wicked grin all this time.
"Who are you going to blow first, me or him?" Shadow asked the unfortunate lion, tone as sharp as his bristled quills.
"That's my line, dude," Sonic chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. Placing both hands on his hips, the hero tsked and spoke to the tycoon while Shadow's hands turned into fists. "So, are you ready for a beating, pal?"
A startled gulp was his answer.
•••
The third time's the charm. Rouge had to repeat the motto every time she searched for the emerald inside a drawer or behind a shelf. A continuous ring was pounding in her big ears, its repetitive sound indicating the closeness of the powerful gemstone.
She had inspected two private chambers and put Tails on mute, after sending him photos of the documents about Oil Ocean Zone's new oil refinery. The third chamber, also known as the enemy's office, was a room filled exclusively with credentials, books and dark furniture. It also stocked way more fancy objects than Rouge had initially thought the lion would like. Unfortunately, there were no actual jewels or a visual sign of the Sol Emerald in the surroundings, according to her beloved, updated treasure scope.
Rouge's hastened steps were muffled by the hazel carpet; her pacing had become erratic, since there was no progress in her treasure hunting so far. Even though she had successfully gathered all the papers G.U.N. and Sonic were looking for, informing Team Dark and the fox boy about her findings, Rouge still had a personal, secondary objective to complete. The Sol Emerald was there, although her desperation didn't allow her to pay attention to her innate senses, ignoring the impression of another presence nearby.
The self-proclaimed World's Greatest Thief removed her harem face veil and threw it to the side. Scanning the room again, she groaned in exasperation and climbed on the wall, kicking its surface with the tip of her sandal to see if it was possible to dig in. After realizing the wall wasn't made of sandstone as she had imagined at first, Rouge heaved a sigh and glided across the concrete partition, feeling the pounding in her ears become unbearable. It meant she was getting closer to the gemstone, even if her espionage tool would find nothing but a couple of golden rings in the corner of the office.
"It's got to be close…" Rouge murmured to herself until she came to a halt near the plafond, hearing movement on the carpeted floor.
"Looking for this, thief?"
Now she knew who had gotten her precious emerald in advance.
Knuckles was staring at her figure sprawled out against the wall, red skirt almost ripping apart due to her lower body's awkward position. Rouge took in the view underneath her, next to the couch: the irritating echidna was throwing the purple emerald in the air and catching it with his dark grey boxer glove, a malicious smile gracing his features.
Rouge recognized she had been too late to reclaim the emerald, but the sight of Knuckles there in enemy territory was ridiculous. Sharp white teeth told her the full story: the band of heroes had other plans even before the mission had started. She had to be an idiot not to realize the real motive of the red echidna's absence sooner.
Bitterness apart, Rouge didn't let her disappointment with Team Sonic show. Instead, she flew down and landed on the floor to take a closer look at the treasure hunter, who had been wearing an outfit she had never seen before, even after all the countless times she had bumped into him in different locations.
Knuckles' sturdy brown leather hat had little red stars in the middle of bright yellow circles, matching his sheepskin jacket of the same color. The utility belt around his waist carried a forest green bag and a natural fiber rope, too short to climb anything in real life. All in all, he looked kind of dashing if she ignored his old, stinky umber boots.
For a brief moment, Rouge wondered if he was into bondage. She definitely could make use of that useless rope.
"Oh, look who's here. Were you hunting me, sugar?" with a seductive tone, Rouge started circling the echidna, who scowled at her inconvenient attitude. "It looks like you've been waiting for me."
"Forget it, bat girl. I've been waiting for Sonic," Knuckles replied, clearly uncomfortable with the implication of her words. In fact, he had been waiting for her appearance. "I came to retrieve Blaze's emerald."
"Why didn't she come to pick it up herself? She could've set this whole manor on fire and save us the trouble."
The rivals were now circling each other around the center of the office, the atmosphere getting deadly by each passing second. Knuckles didn't care to dignify her comment with a response of his own, rather boring his amethyst eyes into her teal ones intensely. Rouge smirked, a little fang making itself known over her painted lower lip, and ripped her skirt off in a swift motion of her hand, leaving in place her fitted bra and skin-tight shorts, combined with a golden zipper attached to its slit, that matched her scarlet attire's details perfectly. Knuckles involuntarily flinched upon hearing the cloth's ripping sound.
"Do you want me to get the emerald from you, handsome?" Rouge detached her treasure scope from its place and saved it inside her bra.
"I want to see you try," his answer came at the same instant. Knuckles retained the emerald and halted in front of the wooden door, getting into a fighting stance with a conceited smirk on his face.
"We had a nice talk back in Blue's birthday party. Do I really have to fight you for it? We can go all night if that's what you want," Rouge pointed out in a sultry voice, stopping ahead of the window to block the moonlight with her stretched wings.
Knuckles wasn't one for small talk. Therefore, the echidna did what he does best: he ran towards his opponent and stretched his fist out. It had been a while since he last fought Rouge. He was aware of the bat's enormous physical strength, so he aimed his attack to her figure with the intention of not letting her achieve flight. It wasn't a secret how Rouge's lower body was strong enough to land precise kicks using skillful combat techniques.
Even taking that idea into account, Knuckles' fist met air, since Rouge was quick enough to evade his initial bout and fly out of his reach, throwing a smoke bomb downwards with sufficient force to paint the entire chamber with a grey-ish white colored dust.
"You're so stubborn," the spy teased with a chuckle.
The guardian coughed, trying to find Rouge amidst the fog. Said thief surprised him with an agile high kick in the back of his head, sending him to stagger forward with a grunt and a hand on his precious hat. Before she was able to perform another tricky move, Knuckles growled and punched the floor to create a widespread tremor that made Rouge lose her balance. Now aware of her exact location in the room, the echidna took the moment to execute rapid punches in quick succession, leaving her stunned body to land on the opposite wall with a strident thump.
Rouge recovered faster than most fighters he had encountered in the past, despite the force of the previous impact. Knuckles had physical endurance to survive an explosion; and with that in mind, Rouge didn't hesitate to summon the Bat Cracker as soon as he came running towards her to pin her form on the solid surface. The bat-shaped balloon bomb detonated, making the noble leader's guests and security robots in the main hall stand in alert.
Still, it hadn't been enough to motivate them to intervene the brawl, since the loud background music appropriately muffled the distant chamber's noises. Omega even took the opportunity to diverge the servants' attention to his newest trick. The robot balanced three tall glasses on his sharp metal claws, receiving a beep of wonder from his supposed co-workers in return.
Once the fog dissipated, the treasure hunters scaled the wall to test another strategy. Climbing as fast as her rival, Rouge raised her leg to land a side kick on Knuckles, striking a direct blow in the echidna's back through his light-brown jacket to make the emerald fall down. Her wings manipulated her descend in a drill drive before the guardian tried to counter her attack with a piercing uppercut, sharp reflexes telling him to dodge the screw kick that came from the bottom and almost hit him in the face.
Knuckles was tired of this little game, having his hat almost kicked out of his head twice so far. In order to finish Rouge's stupid attempt to leave him unconscious and steal the Sol Emerald from his possession, the echidna made himself airborne and glided mid-air towards the office table, lifting it with ease to toss the furniture in the white bat's direction. Rouge used her acrobatic skills to throw herself across the room, hearing the table break upon colliding with the partition roughly.
She got to her feet and ran a gloved forearm across her mouth, where her lip was busted.
"Now that's no way to treat a lady. You could've smeared my lipstick with a kiss, honey," Rouge suggested and spat blood on the floor to stain the once spotless carpet. She knew the room was about to be wrecked soon.
Because a battle cry from both adversaries was overheard after that.
•••
Thrown across the chamber by Sonic the Hedgehog, the noble leader's solid build hit one of the wooden sticks that supported the canopy. The loud crash had been enough to finally warn all security robots in the hall, leaving Omega with no option but to commence his formidable arsenal.
Sonic and Shadow had been taking turns in hitting the lion with either a punch or a kick, regardless of the mission's stealth nature. The man's disheveled fur was covered in bruises and deep cuts, bleeding in some parts. Sonic could've sworn he had seen two of his teeth rolling across the chamber. They couldn't stand another second under the same roof as the target, who was nothing but a greedy predator.
He had suffered it all with his dick still out of its sheath. And of course, Shadow took advantage of that, kicking the same place over and over again whenever it was his turn.
"How do you like that, huh?" Sonic taunted, grinning maniacally as if he'd been having the time of his life.
"You will pay for this!" the feline roared, trying to get on his feet desperately.
"Not so tough now, are you? I thought you wanted to see what we are capable of!" the blue hedgehog cracked his knuckles while approaching the enemy, who had been crawling away from the destroyed bed until stopping near the short table. An expression of pure rage twisted his features as a black eye clouded his vision.
Shadow didn't need a sneak-peek to guess what would come next.
"No!" he exclaimed and jumped to protect Sonic from the gunshot that followed.
Fortunately, the lion's hand was shaking, so the shot hit the golden mirror, shattering it in a hundred pieces after Sonic and Shadow fell to the ground harshly. The black and red hedgehog wrapped his arms around his rival and rolled them both when the other tried again, now crouched. Shadow snarled and teleported away, leaving the hero to his mercy. Now up to himself, Sonic narrowed his emerald eyes after the feline raised the pistol to finish him off, waiting for the right moment to quick step.
Nevertheless, Shadow decided to save him the bother in an act of chivalry. He reappeared in front of the enemy and stomped on his right hand with all his strength – the same hand that had touched his tail in the main hall. The gun fired and left a hole in the armchair, but the shot wasn't as blaring as the scream that he had emitted afterwards. Sonic cringed, realizing that Shadow hadn't been kidding when he said he would break the lion's hand at some point. He was indeed a man of his word.
"Don't move," Shadow warned darkly. He didn't remove his foot from the noble leader's pinned hand until he confiscated the weapon from his now broken fingers.
The agent pointed the firearm to his head and tilted his own to signalize him to move to the farthest corner of the master suite. Whimpering in pain, the man held his injured hand to his chest and scowled at him. Instead of doing what Shadow ordered him to, he deemed it was the best moment to make things worse.
"Guards!"
Sonic and Shadow didn't hear the tumult outside because of the relentless music, so the sight of a dozen security robots invading the room a couple of seconds later felt too convenient, even by their standards. The blue hero got into a fighting stance as Shadow ran across the chamber to partake in the battle, hiding the gun into his head quills after putting the safety on. He bared his teeth at the bots, observing that some of them wore uniforms over mechanical limbs. It could only mean Omega was also engaged in combat for whatever reason.
"Okay, we're in this together, Shadow! Let's get this party started!" Sonic spurred on, swiping a finger under his nose after coming to his dark counterpart's side.
"Very well, let's do this," Shadow agreed in a serious tone before the two of them acted.
Sonic was the first one to leap. Using a homing attack, he stunned one of the minions that sprinted towards them. The sequence of fast-paced strikes went on until four robots were hurled in the direction of the expensive paintings, which broke and fell on the floor with a creaky sound. When a sharp claw tried to pierce his chest, Sonic crouched and performed a spin dash to take care of another threat, whilst Shadow took his starting position in the epicenter of the room to land a rough kick on the robot's head piece.
The agent's fighting style focused on close-range combat with the assistance of his Chaos powers, since his brutal strikes were boosted with the help of a Chaos Spear every now and then. Shadow noticed how the enemies kept coming back stronger than before, even after being thrown away or damaged enough to miss a limb. It looked like his and Sonic's Chaos abilities and spin attacks did nothing to stop them entirely.
Either way, Shadow's destructive nature took over himself. Having unbreakable willpower, the dark hedgehog dumped unrestrained blows to the robots' mid-section to reach their electronic circuits, ignoring his newest discovery. More enemies came storming in from the double door, after a few bots from the previous batch fell disabled on the ground, breaking ceramic vases and other decorations in the process. Additionally, Shadow still had to make sure their strange endurance wasn't because he and his rival weren't fighting at full-strength.
Despite their athleticism, the heroes weren't able to run at higher speeds due to their now busted disguise's fragile sandals. Therefore, Sonic and Shadow assisted each other whenever an opponent would fire a projectile, which would always hit a closed window or the noble leader's beige furniture with a blast. A scented candle almost fell off the table's surface during the inconvenience.
Sonic was reluctant to go all out. Thus, he tried his best not to reduce the room to pieces. Shadow couldn't care less, ruthlessly tossing enemies back and forth to shut them down. When the crowded room started to clear up, Sonic was able to take a glimpse of the lion hiding behind the chaise lounge, waiting for the disturbance to end so he could sneak out. Punching a foe out of the way, Shadow went on even if their chances to win were getting lower than normal, considering another horde of adversaries had arrived in the chamber.
"Tch. There's no strength in numbers," Shadow bragged to his rival, who had been watching his back as he returned the favor.
"My homing attacks are not working. We're surrounded," Sonic mentioned, using a flying-forward scissor kick to immobilize another badnik that ran towards them.
"They're called enhanced robots for a reason," Shadow retorted and crossed his wrists over his face to block a sudden attack with his inhibitor rings. "But you're right. There's no escape, looks like all we can do is dodge," he admitted.
Sonic had an idea after catching sight of various shining objects that remained safe and sound in the other corner of the suite. With a smug grin on his muzzle, the hero sprinted amongst robots to reach for a certain item he had been admiring, ever since he laid his gaze on the target's displayed weapon collection.
"Sonic! Come back here, you cowa–" even being incredibly resilient to harm, Shadow fell on his butt with a groan after a lock-on missile hit him in the chest.
A great number of golden rings left the striped hedgehog's body and disappeared into thin air within seconds. He tried his hardest to focus his vision on the damned machine that shot him. Getting the noble leader's pistol from his quills, Shadow cocked the weapon and aimed at the robot, which had been running in his direction. Perhaps a bullet to its core would cease its movements.
About to pull the trigger, Shadow's crimson eyes widened and his mouth opened in awe.
Metal clashed against metal and the agent could only gasp when the devious foe was vertically sliced in half all of a sudden. He gawked when he saw Sonic landing in front of him, blocking another enemy attack with both hands around the adorned hilt of a brilliant scimitar sword, its curved blade already leaking machine oil. The blue hedgehog let out a snarl and applied speed to his swordplay, chopping the next robot with an effective quick slash.
Shadow gulped and turned his gaze elsewhere, shooting another badnik to the left before standing up.
"A sword," he cleared his throat and spoke in a casual manner.
Sonic looked over his shoulder and wiggled his eye ridges at his rival, who frowned and turned his back to him. The blue blur moved until they were back-to-back once again. Exceling in swordsmanship, Sonic wouldn't waste the chance to brag about his mastery of the sword to Shadow, who was fond of katanas. Besides, he heard the gasp the other had released after he saved him. Overall, he could say they were even now.
"Well, a friend once told me a knight never flees his foe," Sonic winked at Shadow and countered another assault with the curved silver blade.
"Hmph. Points for style," Shadow kept his voice neutral and fired towards an approaching minion.
"Thanks, Shadow. Can't leave a damsel in distress behind," the hero declared with half-lidded eyes and a suave tone.
Shadow shook his head at the absurd remark. He wouldn't acknowledge his rival's attempt to tease him now, since they were in the middle of combat. Therefore, he parted ways with Sonic and went after the new mass of enemies. Sonic really had formal sword training like he had revealed to him in Casinopolis about a month ago. Yet, Shadow had never seen him wielding a sword with his own eyes before. Never in his life he would think the other still would be able to surprise him.
Spinning with the scimitar, Sonic curled into a ball and sliced clean through multiple bots at once, like a buzz saw. Shadow smirked at his showcase of raw ability and focused on his own batch. As soon as he got out of ammunition, he threw the weapon aside and his hands gleamed a green-ish yellow in the now blazing room. A fire had been started after two candles fell over the curtains, triggering sprinklers to go off a few minutes later, with the sound of water droplets hitting the flooring continuously.
Wet bodies fought under the unceasing shower, glinting in the bright light provided by the impromptu fire. Sonic and Shadow took out all targets in sight, wary not to slip on the soaked ground in their footwear. Glancing sideways at his rival, Sonic granted a second to appreciate his sodden black fur contrasting with the flare. A real masterpiece per se. Shadow always managed to look good even during a life-threatening battle.
The blue hedgehog glared at the last machine still standing in the area. With one firm hand around the hilt of the sword, he sliced its torso in a diagonal swipe. That move earned a smile from Shadow, who was standing across the chamber with his arms crossed over his chest. Surrounded by metal junk, his rival's amber-ish red eyes twinkled in the dim light, since the fire had decreased substantially. After they made eye contact, the heroes nodded to each other in respect. There were no enemies left.
Except one.
•••
Pissed off would be an understatement.
Knuckles was sure Tails could be having a good laugh at his unlucky condition right now. The scene was set: documents scattered all over the worn-out carpet; scratched wall paint and broken glass shards among ruined home-décor; and, to finish the mockup crime scene, there were specks of blood here and there. The guardian was aware he had cuts all over his red fur, now matted with sweat. His hat was nowhere to be seen either, and he realized that would become yet another motive for Tails to make fun of him later.
Now that he came to think about it, the security camera must have been tilted at some point. All the same, Knuckles had no idea if it was true, recalling how the bookshelf that fell on his head had left him a little dazed.
The treasure hunter had a difficult time trying to breathe, because Rouge had encaged his head in an almost triangle chokehold on the floor. Using both of her toned thighs, the white bat squeezed his neck as he tried to free himself, gripping her limbs in a poor attempt of loosening them around his windpipe. Knuckles could boast all he wanted about doing a number on her. However, it had been close to nothing in comparison to the way she had managed to knock him out multiple times and counting.
Grinning in triumph, Rouge secured the purple emerald from where Knuckles had hidden it inside his jacket and relaxed her legs around his neck. After being released, the echidna widened his eyes, gulping for air, then switched positions with his rival once she was about to get on her feet under him.
Startled, Rouge yelped when Knuckles gripped her ankle and dragged her down. He was able to put her on a headlock from behind, making the gemstone slip out of her hand. The elite agent growled in frustration and extended her arm to reach for the emerald with her fingertips. Rouge touched the gem just in time the guardian rolled them both over the mess of torn papers, landing on his back while keeping her body restrained. Knuckles wrapped his legs around Rouge's hips to prevent her from struggling, careful not to be hit by her wings that moved across his torso restlessly.
"You never give up, do you?!" Knuckles asked through gritted teeth, tone filled with anger.
Rouge giggled breathlessly, a hand on his forearm. The echidna frowned and considered letting her go, wondering if the batty woman had begun to hallucinate from the restriction of oxygen going to her brain. Either that or she was into asphyxiation. Nevertheless, Knuckles decided against it when Rouge raised her other arm to show him her achievement – she had claimed the Sol Emerald again. No wonder she looked so happy about it.
"You'll have to get the emerald from me now, Knuckles," the spy pestered between labored breaths and hid the gemstone inside her shorts.
Knuckles had a scandalized expression on his face upon realizing where she had kept Blaze's emerald in safety. Bold of her to assume he would easily put his hand in her panties before kissing her first.
"What kind of game are you playing, anyway?!" the echidna questioned, feeling insulted.
"You're cute when you're angry," Rouge spoke against his upper arm, moving her face to the side.
Knuckles felt his cheeks heat up at the observation. "Enough, Rouge! Hand it over or I will–"
"Knuckles! Trouble in the main hall!" Tails' hurried voice resonated through his earpiece.
"Fuck," Knuckles freed Rouge and got up, holding out a palm to help his rival stand on her feet as well.
"Something wrong?" Rouge breathed heavily and took his hand, checking if she had broken a heel after eyeing a few bruises on her exposed legs.
Knuckles reluctantly let go of her hand and looked around the office. "We have to go," the guardian dusted out his brown jacket and crossed the room to retrieve his hat, placing it back on his head. "They know we're here."
"Activating offense mode. All Eggman robots must be eliminated," a robotic voice reached the treasure hunters' ears after a minute.
"Omega!" Rouge recognized the command and motioned for Knuckles to follow her out of the chamber. The two mobians were met with an explosion coming from the loaded hallway.
•••
Avoiding the aches, Sonic brushed a hand across his torso. His now damp fur permitted him to clean off all the lipstick stains Shadow had left on his body. The sprinklers had stopped completely and so did the fire, meaning all that was left was a mess of debris and puddles. Before passing over scraps of an eradicated robot, the hedgehog saw movement next to the double door and alerted his distracted rival.
"He's getting away, Shadow!"
Shadow turned to the noble leader, who was groveling on the floor without making a sound. Less than a second later, the agent delivered a roundhouse kick in the back of the lion's head, sending him crashing against the wall. Sonic winced and approached Shadow, who had been glaring at the motionless target.
"Damn, is he dead?" Sonic asked warily, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck while discarding the now useless scimitar.
Shadow squatted to check his pulse and provide Sonic a definite answer.
"Unconscious. I'd kill him myself but we need him alive," he stood up, eyes glued on the noble leader. "If it were up to me, I would have made him pay for what he did to those women," scowling, Shadow finished with a curse. "Utter scum."
"I… can't argue with you on that one," Sonic patted his back in sympathy.
He didn't know what to expect when Shadow turned his face to regard him, a hostile look in his orbs. But he wasn't expecting him to grip his upper arm violently and pull him towards himself, closing a fist around his chest chain with enough force to almost snap the golden body necklace. Sonic felt Shadow's warm breath tickle his muzzle as he waited for an explanation on the outburst.
"Why did you have to nod?" Shadow inquired sharply.
"Nod?" Sonic tilted his head in confusion.
"Yes. You nodded when he asked if I'd swallow," the black and red hedgehog tightened his hold around Sonic's arm.
"Shadow, you literally swallowed last ni–" he was about to finish his sentence when a gloved palm covered his mouth.
"Shut your fucking mouth!" Shadow hissed.
"He's not even listening!" Sonic mumbled against his rival's hand.
"Shadow, come in!"
Eyeing the suspicious hero after releasing him, Shadow raised a finger to his earpiece and answered Rouge. Sonic looked clueless, but that wasn't new.
"What is it, Rouge?" the agent showed his clenched fist when Sonic stuck his tongue out at him.
"We need help in the hallway! The robots have been alerted," the line disconnected briefly, then came back with static. "Restrain the target before he escapes. Can you believe the local unit hasn't arrived yet?!"
"Relax. I'm on my way," Shadow cut the conversation short and turned his attention to Sonic again. "We have to assist Rouge and Omega in the main hall."
"Shouldn't we tie him down first?" the blue hedgehog pointed a finger at the knocked-out feline.
"Why? You like to tie men down, Sonic?" Shadow smirked maliciously and searched for a rope nonetheless.
"Not the time or place to talk about this," Sonic answered in a resolute tone, but his rival didn't let the wide smile plastered on his muzzle pass.
•••
Back at Team Dark's hideout, Tails' leg bounced involuntarily under the wooden table, blue irises focused on the mansion's security cameras. The screen displayed nothing but complete chaos. From three different angles, the fox had watched Omega countering five badniks that were heading to the corridor, where the private chambers were located. Even though the videos had no sound, he could only imagine how loud the guests' cries must have been after Omega's concealed arsenal was exposed, even more after his rapid-fire rotary cannons began spinning wildly, followed by flashing lights, fallen enemies and merchants fleeing out of the manor.
A clatter must have triggered them.
Tails had seen what happened in the noble leader's office, until the camera became another victim of Knuckles and Rouge's intense battle for the Sol Emerald. Yet, he had an impression that they hadn't been the actual reason why the bots stood in alert at the end.
The aerial pilot had lost contact with Sonic and Rouge throughout the mission. He was aware of Rouge's intentions, since he had watched her contacting someone else, perhaps a G.U.N. soldier, while he was left in indefinite silence. The jewel thief had gotten the evidence Team Dark needed, which meant she had tried to fool him during her never-ending search in the third chamber. Tails let Rouge believe he was dumb, although in reality, he had always been one step ahead of the double agent, spotting what the bat was attempting to find there beforehand.
Tails wasn't one to brag about his qualities and talents, but he could say he was one smart guy.
All the same, he understood where Rouge came from. What he couldn't comprehend was Sonic's motivation to do the same thing. Tails realized his friend had a considerable reason, given how the mobian lion had insinuated he desired to have Sonia and Sunshine in his bed. The fox wasn't a prude; he had easily understood his reference to an adult-restricted pastime. In other words, Tails was aware of what Sonic had spared him from.
Besides, Sonic would never let anything happen to himself, let alone Shadow. It was reasonable how he didn't want him listening to a couple of nasty compliments, but the transceiver should've been turned back on after a few minutes in. Tails wanted to check on him, see if he was fine. Switching his gaze to the camera pointing to the vast corridor, he waited for the hedgehogs to make a surprise appearance.
Instead of Sonic and Shadow, he saw Knuckles and Rouge rushing out of the target's office at the same time Omega's equipped missile launcher fired, an explosion blanking out the entire transmission. Tails jolted up, but his initial concern faded after he caught a glimpse of Knuckles protecting Rouge from the thunderous boom, hugging her tightly against his chest. Smiling, the fox nodded at the screen and decided against voicing a witty comment. He would let the echidna figure this one out for himself.
Being distracted by the skirmish, Tails' mind started to wander back to when he and his friends had arrived in Shamar. It had been Sonic's idea to have a joint mission with Team Dark in the first place, seeing how the agents would have business in the location soon. Tails didn't recall G.U.N. requesting for the noble leader's whereabouts to the general public, but it seemed like Sonic had been keeping himself updated on the group's latest official publications. Thinking about this finding in specific had worried Tails, because Sonic had never cared about the special forces itself, let alone shown interest to work with them.
But he did care about his friends.
Tails pondered if Sonic had another reason altogether to contact G.U.N. and share the information the two of them had collected with Team Dark. The night before the scheduled meeting with 'Agent Rouge,' his friend looked fidgety, pacing outside Professor Pickle's lab. Knuckles had been eating a meal with Tails in the office, when he told him Sonic was on the phone with a woman called Brenda. Tails recognized the name, but ignored the hints that followed next. Sonic had sprinted to the bathroom, taken a shower, and left in a hurry after telling him and Knuckles he was going for a run to appreciate the full moon from the dunes.
He hadn't come back until it was 5 AM, the time Tails had woken up to finish his research on Eggman's brand-new oil refinery. What kind of moon was he willing to worship until dawn?
Staring at the screen, where the trio fought about ten robots dressed as waiters, Tails realized there was something else at stake here. He couldn't pinpoint what, but there was something fishy going on with Sonic. Knowing his outgoing nature, Tails had never made much of Sonic's escapades. He was a man, he had needs. However, this time in particular felt weird enough to raise suspicion. The yellow fox pondered for a moment if Amy was in town. Sonic had acted as if he had to be somewhere at a certain time urgently.
As if he expected to find someone there.
Tails shrugged and paid attention to the cameras again. He trusted his friend to do the right thing, regardless if he kept whatever it was a secret from him. The young inventor didn't have a motive to doubt Sonic's judgement, so this wouldn't be the right time to open a can of worms. Especially because he still had to hear a word from him. Tails could feel in his gut that his best friend was in danger somehow. He didn't trust Shadow to give him back-up wholeheartedly, even if he respected the hedgehog and his conflicted ideals.
Bearing in mind the noble leader was an influential man among politicians, Tails started deleting all of the video recordings from the security cameras' drive. He wouldn't let him use them against either team to pretend he was the good guy. Cautious not to leave any traces, the smart fox accessed the Miles Electric's several functions and found a way to remove the entire content, including his subtle alterations, from the hidden server. The only function he could open was the device's standard radar operation, so he was still able to detect hostile targets inside the manor's perimeter.
Tails had to be quick and reach the location in time. He closed Team Dark's laptop, disconnecting his tool from its entry and stood up. No matter how dangerous the situation could get, Tails was ready to fight alongside Sonic and Knuckles. Securing the Miles Electric, the mechanic genius spun his twin-tails to boost himself out of the open window, achieving flight after rotating his namesakes like helicopter rotors in the night. He headed to the desert area of Arid Sands as fast as he could with one thing in mind.
Sonic needed his sidekick.
•••
The mayhem in the hall was worse than Sonic had previously assumed. He watched his friends contain the enhanced machines, which didn't seem to stop appearing to cause more havoc. The rivals had run down the corridor, after restraining the noble leader on the bed with a few handcuffs they found in his drawers. Shadow had asked if he could run properly in heels and he had nodded. Disregarding his own affirmation, Sonic had almost fallen face down after stumbling on a misplaced vase, but he was glad Shadow remained by his side to hold his wrist until they reached the finish line together.
Embarrassment aside, the blue hedgehog spotted Knuckles helping Rouge take down some flying gardener robots. He grinned and chose a group of enemies for himself, curling into a ball and directing his bouts to the walking targets. Using focused homing attacks, Sonic tossed most of the threats to the empty stage, where he and Shadow had performed their distraction number to the guests.
Approaching Omega amidst the uproar, Shadow couldn't help but voice his disappointment with the newest turn of events.
"Have you lost your mind?! This was supposed to be a stealth mission!"
"Negative. New objective: extermination of all Eggman robots. Recommend immediate destruction," Omega dismissed his call-out and kept firing bullets and lock-on missiles toward the servants, pieces of his now ripped off white shirt still hanging around his mechanical build.
"Whatever," Shadow settled in defeat and got into a fighting stance beside him.
"You are in the way of my massacre, meatbag," the robot's monotone speech made Shadow growl and spin jump to ambush other enemies close by.
"Did you have fun on stage, Sonia?" Knuckles asked when Sonic was within earshot, taking out the fastest minions at the same time he punched holes through steel limbs consecutively.
"Enjoyed the show, Knux? Someone had to get the job done," Sonic eyed the Sol Emerald peeking out of Rouge's tight shorts, inducing the echidna to follow his gaze. The elite agent had been wiping out her opponents with lethal spinning kicks, leaving plenty of dents in the targets' vulnerable spots.
"What are you implying?!" Knuckles bared his teeth and delivered an uppercut on another badnik, landing successive strikes on its destroyed form so it had no chance to counterattack.
"Well, hello there. How did you smudge your lipstick, Sunshine?" Rouge questioned Shadow after touching the ground, judging his features attentively.
After the striped hedgehog's Chaos Lance hit one of the enhanced robots near the bar, he ran a gloved forearm across his mouth, glancing forward at the tables, now turned over. "Entertaining an important man," he repeated Sonic's lame excuse with disinterest.
"Sure," the white bat chuckled and shook her head. Getting the purple gem from her panties, Rouge asked him a favor. "Can you hide this for me?"
"Where? Up my ass?" Shadow looked from the emerald to his partner, unamused. "I will leave this to you, Rouge."
"Shut up and take it!" Rouge pressed the stone to his chest fur and he did what he was told, hiding the treasure into his head quills while chuckling at her expense.
The hallway was almost empty, which made Sonic proud of their teamwork. However, the peaceful moment was short-lived. Two enormous badniks with remarkably tough armor had entered the area, cracking the large front door. One had laser beam cannons attached to its arms and the other showcased its sharp claws threateningly.
Swiping a thumb across his nose with a self-assured smirk, Sonic spin dashed across the main hall, bouncing on the ground a few times to boost himself upward, and used his fast footwork to land a high kick on the regular bot's head. He didn't predict to be halted mid-air by its iron claw, though. Sinking to the floor with a groan, the blue hedgehog reclaimed a few golden rings and tried a new approach.
That was when Sonic's positivity died down a little. The mechanical duo gave him and his friends a hard time. Golden rings dispersed all over the room from the mobians' injured bodies, pressuring them to be collected back with some effort. Omega avoided the robots' attacks while suppressed behind the counter, its bottles and glasses now mere shards. Things had gotten ugly way too soon.
Gritting her teeth, Rouge noticed her kicks weren't able to slice through metal anymore, thus she threw heart bombs to stun the enemies temporarily. The tactic had worked, granting Shadow momentum to use his Chaos powers and do minimal harm. Both targets would be eradicated this way, even if it would take some time.
On the other side of the hall, Omega launched drill-shaped missiles against the clawed robot, whereas Sonic and Knuckles tried to weaken its armor with their exceptional abilities. One unfortunate accident had taken the heroes off the fight, after a miscalculated laser beam from the other badnik had hit them in the back.
The two mobians lost their balance and fell on the floor with a grunt, rings dropping everywhere. Knuckles didn't have time to protect Sonic after the other tried to gather the only ring still twinkling in the vicinity. His mouth fell open when the machine rapidly stomped on his blue friend, leaving a shallow crater in the middle of the hallway.
The last thing Sonic heard was a weak, familiar sound before he died.
…for approximately five seconds, to be exact.
It all became a blur then. Sonic felt the sensation of his body flashing in and out of existence for a brief time, not being able to distinguish the echoes resounding around him with precision. He heard gunfire, minor explosions, cries and footsteps nearing where he was partially stuck. The hero felt a significant weight taken off his figure, which meant the robot had been defeated. With his eyes still closed, Sonic began to concentrate on the voices and touches that came next.
"…onic! Wake up, dude! Wake up!"
There was a hand on his chest. When it shook him, the hero tried to discern its owner. The hand was big and he couldn't quite point where its fingers were, so it most likely was Knuckles' boxer glove. Soon enough he felt another hand – smaller this time – find its place on the side of his head, feeling warm to the touch. Its glove's silky texture brushed his muzzle slightly, almost tenderly. Once a thumb caressed his cheek, Sonic knew the appendage belonged to his rival. He confirmed his hypotheses after taking a good sniff at both men's musky scents.
"…onic! Don't die on me, damnit!"
Sonic opened his green eyes leisurely and was met with the worried expressions of Knuckles and Shadow, purple and red irises filled with concern. He could've sworn there was desperation and other emotions behind them, too.
Did he even have an extra life, though?
Then he listened to the same faint sound. This time, he recognized it.
"Wha– Tails?!" Sonic jerked up so fast he almost bumped into his saviors' heads in the process.
Rouge and Omega had been taking care of the remaining badnik, after Knuckles and Shadow excused themselves from the battle to check on the fallen hero. It wasn't all: Tails had been fighting alongside Team Dark, serving as bait while the two agents unleashed their strongest attacks on the target. Upon hearing his friend's voice, Tails used his namesakes to glide mid-air and land in front of Sonic, extending an arm to help him. The dizzy hedgehog concluded his li'l bro had come to his rescue and claimed the last ring before and after he had been smashed.
Like the good ol' times.
"Thought I'd let you have all the fun?" Tails smiled as Sonic caught his forearm and lifted himself up.
"Now that's my buddy!" he gave his sidekick a fist-bump while Knuckles and Shadow stepped aside, sending each other a hesitant look.
"A little help here, boys?" Rouge interrupted them and Omega beeped a noise akin to impatience.
"Alright, let's finish this!"
Sonic had always been stronger with his friends by his side. Asking Team Dark to sit back and watch, the blue hedgehog regrouped his team and nodded at Knuckles to give him the honor. The treasure hunter fixed his hat on his head and moved to the center, waiting for Sonic and Tails to curl into a ball.
When the two heroes were ready, Knuckles attached them to his fists and performed a sequence of mighty punches on the robot, which had been damaged beyond repair by Rouge and Omega's synchronized bouts. Knuckles was granted the grand finale, throwing one last hit with a loud growl. It had triggered a superficial eruption on the floor, making it impossible for the enemy to protect itself after that. The poor machine fell to pieces instantly, causing debris to shower all over the place. Some landed near Team Dark's position in the hall, where Shadow had been staring at them with a blank expression, chest heaving with every steady breath he took.
"Oh, my…" Rouge trailed off, advancing toward Knuckles to look him up and down when the formation was dismantled. She noticed a subtle blush across his muzzle after that.
•••
Sonic realized the aftermath of the battle had been calmer than he imagined. Both teams waited patiently outside the residence's perimeter for the dispatched local unit, which Rouge had informed to be arriving soon. After three G.U.N. vehicles parked next to the large entrance, the blue hedgehog saw a few armed soldiers run into the manor to place the noble leader under arrest. Team Dark's buggy had also been recovered from its hiding place during the operation. Other agents closed the zone in the procedure, so no one would be able to trespass in the morning.
Team Dark had been reporting the details of their successful mission to a high-ranked G.U.N. soldier when Sonic was called to the sideline. Tails was holding the Miles Electric and showing some of its puzzling data to Knuckles, who seemed to be waiting for the right moment to confront Rouge about the stolen Sol Emerald. Sonic took his place in the conversation and nodded along to his sidekick's idea to infiltrate Eggman's plant on the next day. After the base's imminent destruction, Sonic and Tails would be heading to another one of his secret hideouts, where a new adventure waited for them.
Once Rouge was done talking to a short-haired woman holding an assault rifle to her torso, she started pacing around the sandstones, feigning innocence. Sonic's mouth curved upwards when he saw the bat running to Knuckles' direction in a flash. The echidna was distracted, meaning she got to kiss his muzzle and steal his brown hat, putting it on her head. Rouge flew to the desert while cackling up, making Knuckles fume in ire and wipe off the red lipstick stain from his cheek. The treasure hunter didn't hesitate to dash after her with his arms up, screaming and cursing as usual. Sonic and Tails snickered at the hilarious scene, keeping in mind their friend still hadn't completed his objective for their mission.
"Pleasure before business!" Rouge warned before taking off for real.
The noble leader left his magnificent den on a blue stretcher. Sonic shifted his gaze elsewhere after some paramedics began to ponder what could have happened to leave the man in such a degrading state, naked and all. Even if the lion was being transferred to a nearby hospital with a concussion, Sonic wondered if he would still be able to recall him and Shadow making out in his bed. A selfish part of him wished the tycoon would lose some of his recent memories, preferably till he was locked up in a cell.
No one would believe him there.
Speaking of his rival, Sonic frowned when he couldn't find him among the others. His emerald irises landed on Omega interacting with his co-workers, but there was no sign of Shadow anywhere. Shrugging, Sonic turned to Tails and said he was going to meet him at Professor Pickle's spare lab, after exploring the beautiful location. The yellow fox nodded and made himself airborne, bidding his goodbyes to the robot, who waved his silver claws back. Sonic watched his li'l bro leave at the same time Omega directed his red optics to him.
The idle hedgehog whistled and strolled with his hands interlocked behind his quills, staring at the endless starry night sky above him. Heaving a sigh, Sonic had to confess: the stars looked gorgeous in contrast with the landscape. The absence of continuous electric light and smoke fog made the air crystal clear, presenting all the shining celestial bodies in full detail. Allowing himself to mull over the latest events, Sonic remembered the uneasy expressions of Knuckles and Shadow after he had almost kicked the bucket. As a matter of fact, his best friend's reaction had been predictable, but Shadow's…
Perhaps Shadow had a flashback from the timeline when he died in Soleanna a few years ago? It was out of the question. Sonic was sure nobody else but him and Elise recalled said tragedy. But even if those memories somehow existed in the back of his mind, his reaction was still off.
He looked… shaken?
Lost in his thoughts, Sonic didn't realize he had reached the luminous oasis. Halting as soon as his inadequate footwear sank in greenery, the blue hedgehog looked around him and saw foliage. Sonic smiled, admiring the lagoon formed by an underground aquifer, created after rainfall had blessed the arid region. Its natural springs were protected from sandstorm by a shelter of date palms and other smaller trees.
As he walked deeper into the low vegetation mixed with sand in the darkness, Sonic's gaze landed on a man, bending over to scoop up water and pour on his face, pausing to scrub his mouth and clean off remains of lip tint. The guy straightened his posture, rolling his shoulders as he did so, and stood in front of the shore with his arms crossed over his chest and back turned to him.
It was Shadow, of course. Sonic leaned his shoulder against a palm tree, arms crossed in a similar way to his dark counterpart's. With half-lidded eyes and a sly smile, Sonic regarded Shadow's outline, highlighted by the glow of the waning gibbous moon amidst a thousand glinting stars. The blue hedgehog observed how his rear was lifted thanks to the high-heeled sandals he still wore. Licking his lips, Sonic realized something curious.
He didn't really want to know the actual reason for his rival's previous uneasiness.
Firstly, Shadow would never tell him. Secondly, Sonic wouldn't tell him either if he were in his shoes. Secretiveness was the basis of the new aspect of their rivalry, therefore Sonic had to respect the agent, since he was no different. When they had grabbed a beer after meeting accidentally at a bar in Mirage Saloon Zone, Sonic had a vague impression that Shadow wouldn't be an occasional hookup for too long. The striped hedgehog had proven what he already knew: he wouldn't be able to contain himself. He would keep coming back for more like an addict.
Sonic focused his gaze on his rival's tail, tilting his head until it slowly touched the tree's trunk. He had daydreamed about Shadow while jacking off in the morning after they had a quickie. The dark hedgehog had never called or given him his number, so it would be impossible to contact him abroad once he and Tails leave for tomorrow's mission. At least he could still hope Shadow showed up at the party in Angel Island. One he still had to be personally invited.
Caressing his own upper arm, Sonic felt grateful to have an interesting friend like Shadow, even if the latter didn't consider him as such. He wouldn't mind getting to know him better, especially after the three discreet encounters they had in the past month. Rouge's last words before escaping made him contemplate his decisions, seeing that he couldn't be truly free unless the world was too.
Still, how he would love to choose pleasure before business one day.
Staring up at the navy-blue sky, the moon's waning gibbous phase reminded Sonic of when the natural satellite had been blown up many years ago. He never understood how the moon managed to fix itself, if it ever did in the first place. In any case, here he was with Shadow once more. Just the three of them like it had always been.
The moon had seen it all. And he knew their secret would be safe with it.
As Sonic checked his rival out in the gloom, he wondered what the other could possibly be brooding about. It would be nice if he were in his distant thoughts too. After all, Shadow hadn't left his own ever since that night out in Casinopolis. He still could feel the warmth when he had woken up in his arms. Unfortunately, Eggman had other plans for him. Fighting on an empty stomach had never done him any good. Even so, Sonic didn't regret in the slightest to leave his own chili dog to Shadow as an apology for his departure.
But he would never let him know that.
"What are you looking at?"
Sonic's thoughts simply vanished as his attention shifted to his rival's husky voice. It seemed like Shadow had been looking over his shoulder for a while now.
"Isn't it obvious? The oasis, duh," the sneaky hedgehog answered, sauntering up to him. He offered Shadow's ass one last glance before continuing. "What can I say? It's beautiful."
"You didn't come here to admire the landscape," Shadow stared him down.
Sonic snorted beside Shadow, watching the blurred moon reflected in the quiet waters. "Okay, you're right," he hummed and started a proper conversation. "Look, Blaze needs the emerald. I promised her we'd get it back. Can you convince Rouge to hand it over to Knuckles already?"
Shadow looked taken aback, but the peculiar reaction only lasted a second or so.
"No," he declined.
The hero made a face and raised his tone in disbelief. "Seriously? Dude, we have no time to lose here! How can you be so–"
Sonic interrupted himself mid-sentence once the stolen Sol Emerald was almost pressed onto his chest.
"Go on, hedgehog… so what?" the agent teased, holding the purple gemstone within reach.
Sonic's brain fried to process it all. Shadow could only smirk at that.
"Wait. How did you–" he blinked a few times and tried again. "I mean, no dirty tricks? Not even a punch in the gut?"
The striped hedgehog breathed deeply. He wanted to throw the emerald at him. "Our main objective was retrieving the evidence. The Sol Emerald was Rouge's priority," he made it as clear as possible.
"Oh… cool," Sonic accepted the gem, securing it into his head quills with a candid expression. "Blaze will be grateful."
That was uncommon. Shadow raised an eye ridge in curiosity, arms hanging down. "You seem disappointed. I could throw you in the water, so we can pretend you fought over it."
"Nah, I'm good," the hero chuckled lowly. Then he turned to Shadow until they stood facing each other. "By the way, we'll be holding a party in Mystic Ruins next week. It would be nice if you stopped by."
"I'm not coming," Shadow stated with a hint of finality in his voice.
"But you want to come, don't you?" Sonic smirked and extended his palm for a handshake.
"We'll see, Sonic," Shadow copied his features and took his hand to shake it firmly.
"Text me, 'kay? I still don't have your number," the blue hedgehog encouraged his rival after he released his hand.
"I plan to keep it that way."
"Thought you'd rather cut the chase," Sonic responded, smoothly. He walked into Shadow's personal space, expecting him to step back.
Instead, Shadow didn't falter. "Does it mean you're going to run after me again?"
"Why? Do you want me on your tail?" Sonic questioned with half-lidded eyes.
Shadow snorted and glanced around them. After deeming the area clear, he abruptly wrapped a hand around Sonic's neck to pull him close, lilac glove touching the golden choker underneath. Sonic gasped in surprise and saw Shadow's lips approach his own. When the hero felt that their lips were about to connect, the other recoiled and hovered his mouth over his, teasingly. Sonic tried to close the distance a few times, but his attempts failed due to Shadow's grip on his neck. His rival would always withdraw whenever he came close enough to kiss him.
"Hmph. I didn't think you would be so desperate for a cock," Shadow grinned and tilted Sonic's head, nuzzling its side until his mouth reached his ear. "Go find another," he whispered into the soft appendage and bit its outline gently, very close to his golden earring. That gesture teared a low moan from the blue hedgehog's mouth.
"Mhm. Guess I will," Sonic agreed with his eyes closed as Shadow stopped nibbling his ear to release him. "Your loss, man. I had a lot of things to send you."
"Like what?" Shadow inquired, narrowing his eyes.
"It doesn't matter. I will send them to someone else," Sonic shrugged, making the other scowl at him. "Unless you text me first."
Shadow didn't have time to react, because Sonic pulled him into a harsh kiss, holding the side of his head roughly. His crimson eyes remained open until his rival pushed him back, laughing menacingly when he almost tripped on the moist greenery. Growling, Shadow was about to punch the blue nuisance, but decided against it after he winked and waved a hand to bid him adieu. Sonic had disappeared faster than he could blink, proving he lived up to his name.
The striped hero cursed the other under his breath and started to pull apart some of the vegetation to reach the pathway, heading to the manor's entrance where lit torches guided him. The resentment for the situation made his blood boil during the quick walk back to the restricted area. Ears standing up in alertness, Shadow kicked a small rock after he thought about his rival's swift retreat.
Sonic didn't even let him reciprocate the kiss.
Now a little far from the pellucid oasis, Shadow didn't expect to be greeted by a turquoise laser scanning his body, from head to toe, as he neared the mansion. A wave of anger started bubbling inside the grumpy hedgehog, making him grit his teeth and curl his hands into fists. Shadow had to make sure Omega registered how violated he felt, after the robot scanned him without even asking for his consent.
"What?!"
Omega ignored Shadow's pitiful attempt to intimidate him. "Inquiry: why did you give Sonic the emerald?"
Shadow blinked and his mouth slightly parted. He swallowed and composed himself to speak in the most relaxed tone he could manage, but not before checking his surroundings: Omega was too far from the other soldiers, who were gathering some broken metal limbs for inspection. The considerable distance could only mean one thing, according to Shadow's accurate perception.
Omega had been eavesdropping.
"I have my reasons," the black and red hedgehog moved past his colleague, noticing how the other had discarded his battered uniform while he was gone. "Don't tell Rouge," he added, not waiting for a rebuttal.
Concluding Shadow was out of earshot, Omega waited until the last piece of information had been internally processed. His ally hadn't lied when he said he had further reasons to hand the Sol Emerald over to the blue hedgehog. The scanner's results showed no sign of the interdimensional stone in Shadow's custody.
"Data analysis complete. There is no reason to doubt Shadow."
However, Omega wasn't done. He accessed his recent audio recordings and searched for an outcome to Sonic and Shadow's private conversation. The robot stilled, considering his status confirmed that one word managed to go unnoticed in his disclosure of all subjects addressed.
"New word acquisition: cock," the robot announced to no one in specific. "Noun: a male bird," he paused and raised a claw to scratch his head piece in doubt. "Further investigation is required. Perhaps I should update my definition protocols…" after a moment of reconfiguration, he introduced another definition to said word. "Noun, vulgar slang: a penis."
Omega didn't move at first. Then, he turned his visual plate to detect Shadow, who had been changing his disguise to his standard outfit, quickly recovered from Team Dark's assigned vehicle.
Don't tell Rouge.
"Penis?"
Author's Note 3: Honestly? We all have been in Omega's mechanical shoes at some point. What could Shadow possibly mean with that word? Anyway, I finally delivered the story I've been dying to share with you for a while. Does it feel like you've finished watching an action movie? If so, that was my intention. Before I forget, Tails showing up at the last minute to recollect Sonic's lost ring brings back good memories, huh?
The noble leader's song of choice for Sonia and Sunshine's performance is called Messenger Walks Among Us by Cliff Martinez. While writing Knuckles and Rouge's rival battle and Sonic and Shadow's action sequence, I was listening to the instrumental of Deeper …for Death Chamber and Collision Chaos "Bad Future" by SEGA, from the Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic CD official soundtrack, respectively. The final battle's theme song is named 0415 by Yerin Baek, specifically its remix by Kirara. I recommend taking a listen to Summer Love by Carly Rae Jepsen to get in the mood of the ending scene.
So, do you think Shadow will text Sonic in the end? He seemed kind of interested to know what his rival had to send him. I'm excited to read your thoughts on this act in particular! The next story to this universe will be this work's sequel. Also, we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming if you know what I mean. Are you curious to see what happens at Team Sonic's special party in Mystic Ruins? Me too. Next stop, Angel Island!
You can message me on Tumblr (self-titled blog) or on Twitter (ask for my user privately!) if you want to know more about my thoughts on these characters or just talk to me in private. I love when you leave favorites, alerts and reviews in my stories. Until next time! XOXO, galsgeneration.