Idk if any of the characters are a bit too OOC so please let me know if you think that's the case. Thank you, and don't forget to review!
A Shadicks Story (Part 5)
Later that night
"How is it coming along?" Eggman asked as he and Barker stood in front of the covered train car. A savage snarl followed by the sound of claws scraping against the floor of the cage echoed loudly as Shadow struggled to fight the effects of what was slipped into his drink. The wolf sneered.
"More perfectly than I could ever imagine. Thank you, doctor, for your generosity."
"Of course! I look forward to his performance tonight."
With Sonic and co. that night
"I can't believe we actually got tickets to this," Amy stated, "You would think that stingy old wolf would have some sort of trap set against us."
"Yeah, weird," Sonic half-heartedly agreed. His attention was more focused on the large plate of chilidogs he had ordered, as they took their seats on the bleachers.
Tails rolled his eyes, "Unbelievable. We're trying to do a rescue op, and you're more worried about the food."
"Hey, not every villain serves chilidogs. Give me some credit. Besides, Shadow doesn't need much help in this department. We just have to give him the right moment."
"He's got a point," Knuckles echoed, swiping one of said chilidogs from Sonic's plate.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" Barker's voice echoed across the open field. All eyes turned to the raised stage in the center of the field. Barker appeared in a puff of smoke, already earning the applause of some, as he announced "Tonight, I bring you some of the finest acts in all of Bygone!"
The show began like a normal circus. Trapeze acts. Lion tamers. Fire breathers. Everything anyone could ever hope to see at a circus, and soon Sonic and his friends were drawn into the show, becoming just another part of the audience. They would cheer or marvel at the bizarre acts and laugh whenever the clowns appeared. After two hours of enjoying the extravaganza, Barker returned to the center stage, and this time, everyone was eager to see what he had up his sleeve.
"Ladies and gentlemen, for our final act this evening, I will present to you the most dangerous creature to ever be found on the island," he began dramatically, and gasps filled the area, "But be assured that all protective measures have been taken," he continued, "Tonight, you will see a creature unlike anything ever known. It is fast. It is ruthless. It is deadly. It is the very definition of a living nightmare."
A large portion of the center stage opened up, and a cage covered with a large tarp rose out of the hole. Once it settled, Barker hit the cage with his cane, and a ravenous snarl echoed from within, making the crowd release frightened gasps. The wolf sneered as he grabbed a fistful of the tarp.
"I present to you...the Bygone Terror!" he exclaimed and pulled off the covering.
Sonic choked on his soda in shock. There, pacing and growling the cage, was a form he recognized but not as his rival. Shadow's body had grown to twice his normal height if he stood, but he seemed content on all fours. His black fur was longer and thicker, and his vibrant red stripes appeared more to be streaks of blood. His tail had grown longer and furrier, and his white chest fur ran down his entire underbelly and bottom of his tail. His snout was more wolflike, as well as his ears, and sharp yellow fangs could be seen whenever he opened his mouth in a snarl. Sonic thought all he would have to do was give Shadow an opening to break free, but it was obvious things were a lot more difficult.
Sticks gasped as she stared down at the werehog in total shock and wonder. Little hearts appeared in her eyes, and she released a very uncharacteristic squeal. A half-alien super hedgehog built by the government who could also shapeshift into a legendary werehog was above and beyond anything she dared hope to ever find, let alone be friends with.
"He's wonderful!" she exclaimed and leaped to her feet, determined to get a closer look, unlike everyone else, who were trying to stay as far away as possible.
"Sticks!" Amy shouted, but her cry fell on deaf ears, as the orange badger hopped off the side of the bleachers and ran towards the center stage.
Barker, unaware of the wild child stalking closer to his position, continued, "Yes. This creature was originally a scientific experiment destined for greatness, but it went horribly wrong when its DNA was merged with that of a rare, now extinct, species, causing its body to mutate and enhance the five senses beyond natural capacity. But, its intelligence also increased dramatically, and those part of the project were mercilessly killed."
The wolf relished in the terrified gasps echoing all around him as he told his tale, "Hunted by all, this monster developed the ability to disguise itself, blending in perfectly by morphing into a mobian form...one all of us are very much acquainted with," he sneered and pressed a button on his wrist controller.
The werehog howled painfully as an unnatural purple light engulfed it, blinding the spectators and pausing Sticks in her trek towards the stage. When the light faded, Shadow the Hedgehog laid sprawled out in the beast's place. He groaned and pushed himself up, wincing slightly as his body ached.
"What just happened?" he mumbled, holding his head with one hand. Crimson eyes widened as he found himself still in his cage, but this time on full display in front of virtually the entire village. They stared at him with wide disbelieving eyes, which greatly confused him. Why were they gawking at him like some being from another world?
He stood up, taking a moment to regain his balance before his eyes landed on Barker. Shadow snarled and attempted to charge at the cage when he felt heavy restraints around his wrists, ankles, and neck. He had been chained, and he finally registered the pain in his joints as the manacles biting into his skin from being put on too tight. He released a growl at the wolf, fighting against the chains, but another searing shock in the neck reminded him why he wasn't able to escape the first time.
"Behold! Shadow the Hedgehog!" Barker declared, hand waving in a sweeping gesture.
"Shadow!" Sonic yelled, standing to his feet in shock. He couldn't believe what was happening. Had Shadow always been able to do that, or did Barker do something to him? Several eyes turned to look at the blue hedgehog, who was glaring at the ringmaster.
"What did you do to him?!" he demanded.
Shadow's ear twitched in confusion, trying to understand what they were talking about. He looked and felt the same, as far as he could tell. So what was really going on here?
His attention was diverted from the crowd by the subtle sound of someone whispering his name. Ruby eyes lowered slightly to see the badger girl waving at him.
"Don't worry. I'll getcha outta here," she promised. Shadow rolled his eyes, but was inwardly surprised that she had come to help him. He watched with mild curiosity as Sticks pulled a pair of pliers from some unknown location and proceeded to snip off the padlock to his prison.
"Nice work," he chuckled as she entered the cage and began to work on cutting the chains. She didn't have the key or the right kind of tool to take off his manacles, but as long as could move, he told her that issue could be solved later.
During this time, the rest of the Sonic team had ordered the crowd to go home, and they were stubbornly ignored. The townsfolk were just too interested in what was going on to just leave, so the band of heroes forced their way to the front. Barker grinned devilishly at them and pressed another button on his controller. His two bear lackeys charged out from behind the stage, and a battle began. However, the wolf knew it wouldn't last long in his favor and pressed another button, summoning a swarm of robots built by his temporary business partner.
"How did I know this was gonna happen eventually?" Sonic mumbled to himself.
"Attempting to free him is pointless, you know!" Barker told them over the chaos, trying to salvage his show, "He is an unstable monster that must be confined!"
"He's only unstable, because you made him that way!" Amy retorted, slamming her hammer down on a crab bot.
Shadow furrowed his eyebrows at that, "Sticks, what are they talking about?"
The badger looked up at him in surprise, "You don't remember?"
"My memory is not always trustworthy," he replied sharply, as she pried off the last chain on his ankle. With his restraints gone, he was able to move freely, and he dragged Sticks out of the cage. Unfortunately, Barker saw them and secretly pushed the largest button on his controller.
Shadow and Sticks were almost off the stage, when the black hedgehog paused midstep. Sticks turned around, not understanding why he wasn't moving.
"Shadow! Come on! We have to go!"
A groan met her in reply as he slumped to his hands and knees. Without warning, he began to shake uncontrollably, he clawed at the stage. Sticks ran to his side, but he pushed her away. His crimson gaze took an a deadly sheen as it met her brown eyes.
"Run," he growled before the transformation took full effect, his body growing and morphing into that of the werehog. Sticks could only stand there as he released a deep howl that made her heart skip a few beats. Shadow stared down at her, even on all fours, he towered over the badger. She gaped up at him in awe, but her ears fell back when he snarled at her, bending himself lower to the ground. She knew that pose anywhere, and she backed up, this time in fear. Before she had a chance to escape, he leaped and tackled her clean off the stage, knocking the wind out of her once they landed on the ground a few feet below. Seeing this, the crowd of onlookers fled in a panic, leaving only Barker, his machines, and Sonic's team behind.
A growl rumbled in his throat, hot breath blowing into her face, their noses only inches away from each other. Sticks closed her eyes, preparing for the worst, but it never came. She hesitantly peeked one eye open, followed closely by the other. Shadow took in a deep breath of her scent and lowered his long muzzle down to her face. Sticks could only laugh in overwhelming relief that she wasn't going to be eaten alive, and that laughter grew as he began to lick her cheek.
"Sh-Shadow stop! Tha-That tickles!" she ordered lightly and attempted to push his muzzle out of her face. He eventually complied, and climbed off of her, but it was obvious he was happy to see her. Dogs were a lot more expressive than half-alien hedgehogs. Sticks grinned and hugged Shadow, almost disappearing underneath his shaggy black and white fur.
"You're so fluffy!" she squealed, but her good mood deflated when Shadow gave a small whine.
"Huh? What's the matter, my sweet, fluffy cinnamon roll?"
Her brown eyes traveled down to his feet, where the manacles tightly bit into his skin. They hadn't changed with him and were now causing more pain than before. She rubbed a hand along his neck and gasped when she found the collar was still there as well, practically choking him.
"Don't worry! I'll get them off!" she declared and grabbed the collar in an attempt to find an off switch. She was completely unprepared for the sudden shock that met her and blew her off the werehog. Shadow ran to her, checking for any injuries and whined slightly when he couldn't find what was wrong, other than the fact her hair stood on end. Sticks sat up slowly but was pushed back down by Shadow, who covered her completely as he stood in a protective pose. A buzz bomber was charged in their direction but was bitten in half by the werehog.
"Shadow! Let me up! I can fight!" Sticks's muffled order reached his ears. He reluctantly obeyed and bit the back of her shirt gently, hoisting her to her feet. The orange and brown mobian grinned and rubbed the fur between his ears.
"Good boy," she cheered, earning an enthusiastic tail wag that made her giggle, "I'll be right back."
Shadow watched as she charged into the fray with a fierce battle cry, planning to follow her when a particular wolf caught his attention. Barker was trying to leave the battle, and there was nothing like chasing prey on the run. The ringmaster glanced in his direction and bolted to the other side of stage. Shadow barked and gave chase, reaching his quarry in three massive bounds. Barker yelped as he was tackled to the ground, coming face to face with a very angry werehog.
"Now, now, Shadow, let's not overreact here," chuckled nervously, only to be met with a growl.
Barker gulped as his gaze was held by the beast, freezing him in place, but an idea sparked just in time. He pressed another button on his controller, and Shadow backed off as his collar zapped him at its maximum capacity. But it didn't hold him back as long as he hoped, for Shadow snarled, ignoring the pain, and prepared to strike. Barker yelled and held up his hands to shield himself. Shadow bit the controller off his wrist, thankfully not taking the limb with him. The werehog growled and shook the contraption back and forth until it was reduced to scrap.
It was that time that Sonic and his team finished off the last of the robot army, and they immediately ran to scene of Shadow gnawing on the controller and found Barker passed out a few feet away.
"Uh oh," Sonic said. Tails caught on instantly.
"With the controller gone, how are we supposed to get Shadow back to normal?"
At the sound of his name, Shadow looked up and growled at the newcomers. Sticks stepped forward, drawing the werehog's attention, and the growling stopped. Shadow abandoned his new toy and jumped on to the girl, licking her cheerfully.
"Easy! Easy! I'm okay!" she laughed. The boys snickered, and Amy smirked knowingly.
"I am so blackmailing Shadow when he gets back to normal," Sonic stated, trying to hold in his laughter.
Shadow eventually released Sticks and sat on all fours, glaring warily at the rest of the team, when a suppressed whine escaped his throat. Sticks looked up at him sadly and turned attention to Tails, wordlessly pointing to the binds around his arms, legs, and neck.
"Oh!" he exclaimed and nodded, taking tentative steps towards the werehog, "Okay, I've got just the thing. I just need you to be really still, okay, Shadow?"
Shadow glared firmly at the fox before turning his gaze towards the badger rubbing his chest. He huffed and looked away as if he were completely disinterested, giving his permission for the two-tailed kit to do what he had to. Tails rummaged through his belt pockets, aka portable tool kit, and found the device he was looking for. Very carefully, he brushed away the fur around the manacles on his arms and turned the gadget on. A small drill extended out of it, and seconds later, the chain fell off. Shadow let out a low warning growl, but he dialed down as Sticks tried to hold his attention. This process continued for several excruciatingly long minutes until only the collar was left.
"Careful, that thing bites," Sticks warned. Tails sweat-dropped and nodded. To everyone's relief, the collar's shocking ability had been disabled when Shadow destroyed the main controller, and Tails was able to make quick work of it.
As soon as he was free, Shadow yipped and head-butted Tails as a thank you, unintentionally toppling the fox over. A flash of momentary concern flickered in Sonic's eyes before it vanished, seeing that his little brother was okay.
"Ha, no problem, Shadow!" Tails replied, but was ignored by the werehog, who was too busy nuzzling his favorite badger to really care.
Being several times smaller than him, it wasn't long before Sticks was once again on the ground being licked and nuzzled for death by the large werehog.
"Hey! Cut that out already!" Sticks giggled.
Shadow didn't make any move to listen to her, but he did pause his "attack." His tail curled inward slightly, and his ears folded. Something was very wrong.
"What's wrong, big guy? Talk to me!"
Shadow howled as a purple fog surrounded him, blinding the team. Seconds later, it dissipated, leaving a very stunned Shadow the Hedgehog leaning over Sticks. His eyes met hers, noticing the position they were in, and he fell off of her. It was hard to tell because of the dark, but his muzzle had become a deeper shade of red than his stripes.
"What's going on?"
"Dude, you don't remember?" Sonic snickered. Shadow glared.
"Don't you start," he warned, and the blue hedgehog backed off. He knew better than to pick on Shadow for memory issues.
"Well, the rundown is Barker did something to you that made you turn into a werehog whenever he pushed a certain button on his wrist thingy. But you tore it to shreds, Tails broke your collar, and you're back to normal!"
Shadow crossed his arms, clearly not impressed, "The real story, idiot."
"He's telling the truth," Sticks affirmed, and she sighed dreamily in his direction, "You were absolutely amazing."
Shadow glanced at her weirdly, not sure how to take her reaction to him being a monstrous beast he couldn't remember. However, the sound of a certain ringmaster waking up from his fainting spell reminded him of a particular matter he needed to take care of.
Barker didn't get a chance to stand up, as he felt his jacket collar being grabbed, hoisting him up to come nose to nose with Shadow.
"Release me," the hybrid growled darkly, "Or I will tear you apart and take over everything myself."
"Yes! Yes, of course!" Barker stammered, "You are free from the contract."
A faint crimson sheen flickered over Shadow's eyes, but he wasn't quite done, "My gloves and skates. Where are they?"
"I-In my tent, on the table."
Shadow hmphed and dropped his prey, disappearing in a golden flash and reappearing milliseconds later, this time fully dressed. He stood a good head over the wolf, who was cowering slightly. Shadow smirked, bending down to his ear and whispered a single word.
"Run."
Barker took off like his life depended on it, while Sonic and his team laughed. Shadow only watched until the wolf was out of sight, wondering why he had the urge to chase after him. His thoughts were interrupted however, as he felt a short, orange and brown body glomp him in a tight hug.
"What are you doing?"
"Hugging you," Sticks replied simply as she nuzzled his chest fur.
"Why?"
"Cause you're my sweet, fluffy, cinnamon roll!" she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Shadow rolled his eyes, yet he allowed the gesture. She had come to his aid when he needed her, not that he would ever admit it, and it felt good to looked up to by someone.
No, he realized. It felt good to be loved by someone...
A/N: And that's it for this part! Thank you so much for reading. I know the characters probably weren't in character as much as I wanted them to be, but I was having fun with them. Please tell me what you think!!! I need reviews!!!!!!