Sonic Adventures

SHADOW STORY

Episode Three

The Search For Answers

"Are you alright Mr. President?" Agent Kent asked as he helped the shocked President up. The other three agents were cleaning up glass and papers scattered the quarrel.

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied, standing, "Did you catch Agent Rouge?" The men looked blank.

"No sir," Kent spoke up, "But that clone wounded her, she won't be going far. Besides, whom could she go to?"

"Good point," the President said. He began to walk towards his desk but he stumbled over the clone's lifeless body. "Will somebody get this damn clone out of here?" he shouted. Two men rushed the body out of the room while the other cleaned up the silvery ooze that it had left behind. The President reclined in his chair.

"It's starting Gerald, now we'll see what your little creations can really do."

Rouge awoke late; her age felt fine until she tried to move it. She glanced towards the door. It was closed. Some clothing lay by the bed, obviously left for her.

Rouge leaned over the edge of the bed and grabbed the clothes. She managed to put on the new clothes without getting out of bed. They were snug, definitely not meant for her figure. They must have been Tails's. She didn't mind. Her old suit had been dirtied and bloodied during the scuffle with the clone Shadow.

She opened the door and slowly walked into the bright house. Her leg would swell with pain if she left it touch something, so she tried to hop in one foot to the kitchen.

Tails's workshop was still dirty, but it glistened with morning sunlight. The sweet smell of pancakes drenched in syrup reached her nose, and Rouge couldn't help herself.

Amy and Sonic were chatting at the table, Tails was looking at what seemed to be blueprints of a plane, and Cream and Cheese were eating. A plate of pancakes had been left untouched especially for Rouge. She sat and at them.

Rouge smiled as the last syrupy morsel slid down her throat. "Those were delicious Amy!" she said.

"I didn't make them," Amy said, "Tails did."

Tails beamed at them then went back to his blueprints.

"So how did you sleep?" Cream asked Rouge, spooning Cheese a piece of pancake.

Rouge tried to remember exactly how she had slept, but couldn't, so she simply said, "Fine."

"Good," Cream replied.

"So what did you guys have planned for today?" Rouge asked,

"Well," Sonic said, "I don't know whether we should go looking for Shadow ourselves, or just lay low till Eggman shows up."

"But we can't forget that while we're 'laying low', Eggman could be building something stronger and more powerful." Amy added.

"I'm sure with a few leads we ought to be able to track Eggman down," Rouge said.

"But where to start?" Amy wondered. The group was silent until Amy spoke up again. "Tails! Fire up the Tornado! We're heading to the forest. I have an idea!"