Sonic Adventures
SHADOW STORY
Episode One
Chimney Spy
Tail's workshop was dusty, cluttered, and otherwise: a mess. His no-nonsense attitude towards the repair of the Tornado 2 had left his home looking like a dump.
At the moment, he had taken a break from strenuous work to chat with Sonic, Amy, and Cream who had stopped by. Knuckles had left for Angel Island the second the group had landed Eggman's airship.
"Tails you really need a woman around here!" Amy said, picking up random things on the floor, "At least someone would care about how this place looks."
Tails rolled his eyes at her. "Girls are icky," he said in a disgusted voice.
Amy and Cream glared at him with fiery eyes; Cheese hid in Sonic's lap.
"I mean, living with them!" Tails said, scared of the angry girls. "It would be weird."
"As long as you found someone you liked to be around, you'd be fine," Cream added. Cheese let out a cry of agreement.
"Hey you two!" Sonic said, "Leave Tail's alone okay? He's just a kid he doesn't need to have a girl around the house to pick up after him."
"Oh really?" Amy said with a smug look as she opened a closet door. Books, sports equipment, tools, magazines, and a pair of socks toppled on to the floor.
"Look!" Tails said loudly, "I appreciate the concern but I can take care of myself. I've been spending a lot of time on…"
A loud noise on the roof had distracted the others. It sounded again. The again. It seemed to be running along the wall. A puff of smoke flew from the chimney and something big fell into the fireplace.
Rouge the bat was covered in soot, but her wounds were visible. She coughed a few times, but didn't speak.
"It's Rouge!" Amy said, "Did she just fall down your chimney?"
"It would seem," Sonic said wittingly as he stood up from his chair. He knelt down by the fireplace and dusted Rouge's face off. Her once pearly white fur was now an ashy gray.
"Is she alright?" Cream asked, holding Cheese close to her.
"She's real scarred up," Sonic replied, running his hand down Rouge's arm. It was covered in scars left by near-miss bullets. "I think she'll be fine though."
Sonic slid his arms under Rouge and carefully lifted her from the fireplace. He left the room and opened the door the bathroom. Once inside he placed Rouge in the bathtub.
He came back into the room with the others. "She's in the tub," he said, "Amy can you go wash her up? I'm sure she'd appreciate it."
Amy nodded and headed towards the bathroom. A door shut and the group could hear water running through the pipes.
"What could Rouge be doing here?" Tails asked out loud.
"Maybe she was looking for someone," Cream added. Cheese nodded.
"But who?" Sonic pondered.
As if called to answer this question, a cry came from the bathroom: "SONIC!" The group turned to the bathroom as the door flew open. There in the hallway was Rouge, soaking wet and wearing nothing but a towel. She was breathing heavily.
"Sonic!" she said again, this time not as loud, "We need to talk!"
"About what?" Sonic asked.
"Shadow."
