This is a fanfiction, and as such, most of the characters in the story are not mine. Most characters are © Sega, and are not used with permission.

Chapter 3: The Future of the Floating Island

While Shadow was getting acquainted with the house the echidnas had set aside for him and Rouge, elsewhere, someone was making plans for them all.

"Computer, have you analyzed those energy patterns yet?"

"Affirmative, they are similar to the energy readings taken from 'Knuckles', only they are significantly more powerful. The location of the energy source has been traced to the Dorondagandor mountain range; however, the epicentre seems to originate from a location that does not correspond to any geographically mapped area."

"Is it now? Computer, replay video 'Knuckles 2' on the main view screen."

In front of him the large pane of glass lit up and showed an image of a grassy spot in the forest; in the middle was Knuckles, slowly walking towards the camera. From the speaker came a recording of Robotnik's voice.

"So you are Knuckles, I've heard about you."

Knuckles crossed his arms. "So what of it?"

"I have a little business proposition for you. It seems we have a similar foe, he goes by the name of Shadow."

"Shadow is mine, so stay out of it."

"Fine, fine. He's been a pain to me for the last little while, so I would very much…"

"Shut your pie hole fatso, I already know who you are, and I'm not here to help you."

"Please, there is no need…"

Robotnik's recorded voice was interrupted again as Knuckles ran off camera. In the background, the noises of battle raged on for a few brief seconds. The camera was knocked to the ground, showing a sideways image of the grass and the trees in the distance. Soon, the camera was reclaimed as Knuckles pointed it for a close-up.

"Listen here, I'm not here for your pleasure or to do your bidding, and if you cross me, you'll end up as dead as I have planned for that miserable hedgehog. Which might make my job easier since with you gone, he might go willingly. So I suggest for your sake you simply bug off!"

The image disappeared as Knuckles threw the camera to the ground, smashing it to bits.

"I never tire of seeing that rage, it's so… warming. But no matter, I didn't need you, just a sample of your energy readings."

Robotnik turned to a smaller screen displaying a map of the Dorondagandor mountain range, and a blinking red dot in the middle of them.

"Computer, send a probe to scan the area and see what's there. Also ready a division of robots geared for mountainous combat, and another for aerial combat. And prepare transport."

* * *

Shadow and Rouge were checking out their new prison, being given the full tour by their solemn host, Tikal.

Tikal had taken the pair over the whole town and even the plains around it. Only the center of the island was inhabited, around the town were plains of bright grass and small mountains on one side.

The town was circular in nature with most of the roads being radial or axial. The roads were made of gravel, but were mixed with a cement-like compound to hold them together. Houses were placed on plots on the outer rings; they were roughly square and measured to have a nearly equal area. Each house was a simple one story bungalow with enough occupancy for a family of five, and every house was painted some very light color, usually white or ice blue. Every so often, a plot or two amongst the houses was reserved for a small park or some such recreation area.

At the center of town were all the large buildings, stores, a school, a meeting hall, and the temple at the very center. Most of these buildings were also one story and were painted white, save the temple that rose at least twice the height.

Tikal spent most of her time showing the pair the larger buildings and some nearby places, and to ensure that Shadow and Rouge could find their way back to their house. Considering the symmetrical design of the village and the constant white motif of the area, getting lost would be easy; that is until you learned the ways of the colored signposts at each major intersection.

After a couple hours and lunch, Tikal left Shadow and Rouge at a small park. The two sat on a bench as Tikal prepared to leave.

"Now you two are alright by yourselves?"

Rouge just wanted to check. "Yeah, now our house is, over that way?"

Tikal pointed to the same road that Rouge was pointing to. "Follow that road to the left, your house is on the end, on the left."

"Got it."

"Supper starts at the gallery in about four hours, and they serve it for around three hours. I'll see you there."

Tikal bowed and left.

* * *

Shadow and Rouge spent a good hour on the bench, simply talking.

"I must say, this is the best prison I've ever been in."

Shadow looked over to Rouge with interest. "You've been in prison?"

"Well, not really, but I have been in trouble before. I've been in a holding cell awaiting bail; all minor stuff, ended in a fine or had the charges dropped completely. But this is the first time I've been under 'quaint old world village arrest'."

Shadow smirked. "I'm sure you'll fit in very well around here."

"Oh you stop that."

"You're going to have to tell me about those run-ins with the law someday."

Rouge noticed that something was weighing heavy on Shadow's mind. "So what are you thinking about? I somehow doubt plots of escape are what holds your attention."

"The atmosphere here. It reminds me of home."

"You haven't told me about your family."

"I guess I haven't. It was a full enough house, mother and father, and a sister: Patty, Clive and Maria."

"Nice names, and they called you 'Shadow'?"

He smiled. "No, but I'm not telling what my real name is."

"I love a challenge."

"My mom was loving and caring, a great lady. My dad was what you'd expect of him, hard working, always there for me; he showed me how to fish, there was this pond, Malteon I think it's called, had huge bass in it, but I was a kid then, to me a guppy looked huge. Then there's Maria, she was a major pain in the butt I'm telling you. Playing with her dolls, she'd whine for seemingly no reason, usually she'd blame it on me. At first, I couldn't stand her, but one day, I yelled at her, because… I forgot why, I think she wanted some of my chocolate bar. Anyway, she was crying, and I looked at her, and I felt sorry for her; so I gave her some. She took it, and she gave me the biggest smile. I'll never forget that."

"Sounds like you had it good."

"It was pretty good, mind you, I turned out a bit of a punk, so it got on my nerves a bit. But I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Sometimes, I wonder about having a family of my own. This would be a great place to raise a family, wouldn't it?"

"Hold it! If you keep going in this direction you'll be proposing to me."

"'Propose', as in marriage? I don't think so. You haven't heard? They don't have marriages up here."

"Then what do they do?"

"Apparently, they live as one big family. There are no distinct pairs, they don't believe in monogamy, you can go with pretty much anybody."

"No wonder you like it up here."

"Heh heh. They're a little tame for my taste, basically anything that you'd find in the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' is out."

Rouge smirked. "And you were getting my hopes up."

"Still, this would be a nice place to settle down though."

"O.K. I've had enough, I want the Shadow that I remember, not this Mr. Nice Guy." Rouge waited a second for Shadow to change his persona back. "Now, what are you thinking?"

Shadow's attitude changed from the pleasant peaceful sort to his usually crude self. "I'm thinking about taking you and a few of these echidna babes back to Knothole, killing all the men, and making all the women my sex slaves. Naturally, you'd be the queen of the harem."

"That's more like it. And Sally?"

"Slave."

"Bunnie?"

"Nah, she's a bit young, I'll give her a year before breaking her in."

"Amy?"

"If I don't kill her, she's first."

Rouge giggled. "Come on, we've got a lot of planning to do."

"For what?"

"Going back to Knothole, of course."

Shadow grimaced evilly. "My dream will come true yet."

"Oh shut up."

* * *

As Shadow and Rouge left the bench, they did not realize that they were being intently watched, even though they knew they were prisoners.

Knuckles had been following them. "One mistake, one step out of place, and you are one dead hedgehog; and your bitchy bat will join you in your grave."

* * *

From high in the sky, another was watching.

"Shadow and Rouge are on the island?!"

Robotnik sat back in his chair, stroking his chin. "This could be a problem. Then again, it's probably the echidnas that I'd have to worry about more."

"Computer, have you located the power source?"

"Affirmative, the energy pattern indicates the source is a large stone buried inside the island; its coordinates are being shown on the main display."

Robotnik looked at the display screen, showing the floating island sandwiched between the mountains. At the centre, a red dot was lit up.

"You say that the energy source is a stone. Can you explain?"

"Extrapolating from the energy signature, the shape of the energy source appears to be a large gem more than a meter in diameter and almost a meter in height."

"A gem? Computer, show me the pictures from the first appearance of Shadow."

A number of pictures appeared on the large display screen. Robotnik looked at them and noticed the necklace that Shadow was wearing at the time. Pressing a few buttons, he focused on the stone set in the gold piece.

"A gemstone. If that little one is what gives Shadow his power, then a stone that large would give incredible power."

"Computer, cancel the mountaineering division, put those resources into preparing air transport vehicle #4 and the grounder."

To be continued