(Onto the next chapter… I don't own Sonic. I just own the Nega-5, and Ambient.)

CHAPTER 5

Knuckles sat in the waiting room of Station Square Hospital, waiting for the doctor to show. "It's been 10 minutes now…" He grumbled.

"Hello Knuckles." Dr. Quack arrived at last.

Knuckles jumped up. "Dr. Quack! How's Rouge today?"

"Well, I have good news. She's almost completely healed. She's well enough to go home now."

Knuckles smiled. "That's great. I think you know that I volunteered to take her home?"

"Of course, go right ahead."

"Thank you." Knuckles said, beginning to walk towards the direction of the desired room. Knuckles walked right into Rouge's room. When he gazed at the bed, it appeared that the bat-girl was still fast asleep, looking like sleeping beauty. "She looks so beautiful when she's asleep…" Knuckles said with a smile as he walked over. "Wonder why she always hides behind her cocky, sophisticated, 'I'm hotter than you attitude…' Oh well… That's what makes her who she is, and I love her for it, even when she tries to go after the Master Emerald." He said the last part with a laugh. He wandered over to the side of Rouge's bed. "Well, time to awaken the princess…"

Unbeknownst to him, Rouge was only pretending to be asleep, and overheard EVERY word. She fought back the blush coming to her face but was smiling internally. 'He feels the same way… We'll I'll be…' Then she got a devilish thought. 'Pulling the sleeping beauty kiss on me, hmm? Boy will he be in for a surprise…"

Knuckles leaned over to Rouge's side, and began to near her lips with his own…

"Don't hog all the fun, sugar..."

Suddenly, two arms wrapped around him and pulled him down onto the sleeping girl, and Knuckles was met with a full lip lock from Rouge. His eyes widened in shock at first, but he relaxed into Rouge's embrace and kissed her right back.

Meanwhile…

Sonic, Tails, and Ambient had stopped off in Central City, and they were visiting the Museum on the tour. Ambient was interested in a lot of the rare jewels that were on display as he peered at them through the glass case.

"Wow… Look at them all…"

"Now don't go getting any funny ideas." Sonic laughed.

Ambient raised a hand. "I'm no jewel thief. I just have an eye for magnificent things." He said with a smile.

"Well that's good, because we already have a jewel thief around here." Sonic said.

"Rouge the Bat, am I right? I've heard of the thieving vixen. She's crafty as she is beautiful."

Tails shook his head. "Sorry, but she's way out of your league, buddy."

Ambient sighed. "Oh well, can't blame an echidna for trying…"

Sonic and Tails continued to show Ambient around town, when they were just about to leave Central City…

"Sonic!"

Sonic froze. 'Uh oh… I know that voice…' Sonic turned around slowly, and sure enough, there was Amy Rose, once again in that sexy ensemble. To Sonic, it suddenly got hotter outside than it really was. But he tried to keep his cool this time. "H-Hey Amy! Looking pretty as usual." 'Gah! Did I say that out loud!'

Amy blushed. "Thanks for the compliment. What brings you out here?"

Sonic regained his composure. "Tails and I, we were just giving out a tour of the town to our new friend, Ambient." He motioned over to the orange echidna.

Ambient walked forward to the pink hedgehog, and gave a slight bow. "Please to meet you, Miss Amy." He kissed her hand, causing her to blush and giggle.

Sonic suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy inside of him as he saw Ambient kiss Amy's hand as if she were a princess. He felt like he wanted to be in Ambient's place, and be the one kissing Amy Rose's hand. 'Ugh… What's happening to me?'

Tails spoke up. "Hey Amy? Isn't Cream usually with you?"

Amy looked around. "She was with me just a second ago… I don't know where…"

"Hi guys!" The said, rabbit came into view, carrying a triple-decker chocolate ice cream with her. "I noticed an ice cream stand nearby, and I thought I'd just nip over and get myself a cone."

Tails laughed. "It figures, you're always a sucker for ice cream."

Cream flushed. "That's not true! I…" She trailed off.

"I'm just playing around with you Cream, no need to get upset." Tails hesitated for a moment, but then went on. "Besides, you're cute when you're flustered."

Cream blushed all over timidly at being called 'cute.' "Tails… Um…"

"Yeah, Cream?"

"Do you wanna have some ice cream with me?" Cream said quickly then turned away to hide her blush.

Tails' eyes widened. 'Is Cream asking me out? She's blushing… Does this mean she likes me?' "S-sure, I'd love to!"

Cream, suddenly got a big smile on her face, and grabbed Tails by the hand. "Yay! Thank you!" She ran off in the direction of the ice cream stand, with an equally happy Tails behind her.

Sonic couldn't help but laugh. "It looks like little Cream has a BIG crush on my two-tailed buddy."

"How cute." Ambient added. Then he noticed the looks Sonic was casting at Amy, and vice versa. He smiled to himself, and thought. 'Another shy couple…' "Well, thanks for the tour Sonic, I think I know my way around town now. I have to get back home and…uh…finish unpacking." He started to walk out of the museum.

"A-Ambient?" Sonic called after him.

"Well Sonic, it's just you and me now…" Amy said, inching closer to Sonic, and gently holding his hand.

Sonic forced a goofy, yet nervous smile. "Yeah, heh heh, imagine that…" 'Oh man… Tails, I need your help right now…' He thought with panic, but also felt some content at how Amy was touching him.

Elsewhere…

Shadow was running through the mountains, near Holy Summit. He had a lot on his mind. "I'm sick of it… Just sick… It's like every megalomaniac wants to use me for purposes I don't even know about. Gerald, Eggman, GUN… ARGH!" He stopped dead. "Being an "Ultimate Life Form" is nothing but pain and sorrow! I might as well just be a rock!" He fired a chaos blast at a boulder, shattering it into pebbles.

"Throwing a little tantrum are we?"

Shadow whirled around, and came face to face with red haired, white furred Mongoose girl, in another uniform. "Oh great… End."

"So you remember me. You're a hard hedgehog to find and deal with, Shadow. That goes for your friends too. If you didn't know, Sorrow had some problems dealing with your friend Sonic. Apparently he's even stronger and faster in person, and really can use Chaos Control…"

Shadow stomped the ground. "You leave him alone! He doesn't need to get involved with creeps like you! It's me you want!"

End shook her head. "Oh no, not just you… The girls and I have decided we'll need Sonic the Hedgehog too, seeing as how he's able to match you in some ways. That kitsune partner of his may be useful too, and that echidna who guards that Floating Island."

Shadow shook with rage. "Damn you… If you lay one hand on them, I'll…!"

End narrowed her eyes and frowned. "You'll what?"

"I'll bloody well rip your eyes out and shove them down your skirt, so you can watch me kick your ass!"

End's eyes flashed. "You dare threaten me? A weakling like you doesn't have what it takes to beat me!"

Shaodw darted forward. "I'll show you who's a weakling!" He threw chaos ball at the mongoose.

End jumped into the air, avoiding it, and swooped down, in a swan dive, a shield of chaos energy in front of her. "Die!"

Shadow used Chaos Control and vanished from the target point, choosing to appear right behind End, as she landed, and snapped his fingers, performing his "chaos nightmare" attack.

End was hit from behind with a small chaos explosion and was sent plowing through the earth. "Blargh!" She spat out a mouth full of dirt and grass. "You've improved…"

"I never repeat my mistakes." Shadow told her.

"Well neither do I." End stated, disappearing.

Shadow looked all around, knowing she used chaos control. "Damn it, where is SHOOOOP!" He suddenly felt a small wall of energy hit him right in the back knocking him straight into the ground. "Ugh… That hurt more than I expected it too." He suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground. "WOAH! What's going ooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnn!" Shadow was lifted straight into the sky, and then slammed down into the earth in a flash. He could taste the dirt and grass in his mouth and he didn't like it. He felt himself being raised up again, but he wouldn't be treated in the same manner as before. He snapped his fingers again, and…

FWOOSH!

A small energy flare went up around End, causing her to lose her hold on Shadow.

Shadow disappeared from the air, as End went flying backwards. He reappeared in her line of flight and gave one swing, creating an energy curtain in front of him that End ricocheted off of.

End landed on her feet, looking banged up, but still standing. "Ok… No more fooling around… It's time for you to witness my ultimate technique…"

Shadow just crossed his arms. "And what would that be?"

End just turned around, to glare at Shadow. Suddenly her eyes widen and flashed an eerie dark purple. "I was only playing around with you that time… But now play time's OVER!"

Suddenly a huge column of purple energy erupted from underneath Shadow, and engulfed him completely. "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUH!" The pain was tremendous, as all of his nerve cells felt like they were erupting. His brain couldn't even concentrate on anything but the horrible pain he was experiencing.

End smirked evilly. "Our ultimate technique, 'Chaos Agony,' causes the target to be enveloped in a column of purple energy that makes them experience nothing but the worst pain imaginable…" She began to walk towards the agonizing Shadow, slowly, so that he would experience as much pain as possible. "Stupid Shadow… Face the facts; you're no longer the Ultimate Life Form… You never were the Ultimate Life Form in the first place…" She stepped right in front of shadow, and dresses back a glowing hand, and released such a forceful slap that Shadow was shot off like a bullet. She teleported in his line of flight and snagged him straight out of the air, by the throat.

Shadow looked worse for wear as his fur was all smoky and singed; his frame was battered, bruised and bloodied; and his body was twitching.

End's eyes showed no remorse. "Idiot… Trying to be some sort of hero… I hate heroes." She straightened out her free hand and drew it back, aiming right for Shadow's rib cage, where his heart would lie. "Die, worthless filth!" She thrust her hand forward.

TO BE CONTINUED

(Cliffhanger time! How in the hell will Shadow get out of this? CAN he get out? Find out next chapter…)