Chapter 9

A flash of green light illuminated a grassy area as our heroes appeared in front of a large stone lodge.

"Is this it?" Shadow asked.

"Yes it is" Sonic answered back.

"I'll get the ladies' bags." Shadow said. He went over to Cream and Amy and picked up their six bags like it was nothing. Everyone stared at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing." They all answered.

Everyone made their way inside the 2 story lodge. They entered a large living area upon coming in. Shadow set down the bags in the corner.

"Uh-oh." Sonic said.

"What is it?" Amy asked.

"There are only 3 bedrooms, looks like we have to share."

"I'm staying with Sonic!" Amy yelled.

"I guess." Sonic said. "That means Tails and Cream will stay in the second room and Shadow and Rouge will stay in the third.

Everyone except Shadow nodded who spoke.

"I do not require any hospitality, I will stay outside." He turned around and walked out the door.

"His loss." Sonic said. "That means Rouge will have the whole room to herself."

"I hope he'll be okay out there." She said.

"He'll be fine. If he can survive a fall through the atmosphere he can stay outside."

Rouge nodded and went upstairs to her room. Everyone else grabbed their bags and were about to go upstairs when a white light illuminated the area. After it subsided, a familiar Echidna stood there.

"Knuckles?" They all shouted. Rouge came downstairs running after hearing the Echidna's name.

"Hi guys, I have some bad news."

Several Minutes Later

"So Eclipse has 5 emeralds now huh?" Sonic said.

Knuckles nodded. "Who is this guy anyway?"

"A family member of Shadow's. Some kind of new ultimate" Sonic said. "Do you need a place to stay Red?"

"I guess."

"Great, you can stay with Rouge in her room since Shadow isn't."

"O.K."

"That O.K. Rouge?" Sonic asked turning to the treasure hunter. She nodded and went upstairs. Cream and Tails headed off into their room, Sonic and Amy went into theirs, and Knuckles followed Rouge into their room.

Rouge's Room

Knuckles and Rouge found their room to have 2 beds. They agreed that she would have the one closest to the window and he would have the other. It was getting dark out and Rouge looked out the window with a worried look on her face.

"What is it Rouge?" Knuckles asked from his bed.

"It's Shadow, he's all alone out there."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine."

"I hope so."

Hilltop 50 Yards From Lodge

Shadow stood on the grassy hilltop with his arms folded staring at the half-moon. It was always a reminder to his bad deeds and mistakes.

'I do not need their compassion. They'll only get in the way. Especially that bat. Why did I even promise her that? I do not feel anything for her, do I?'

He unfolded his arms and headed back to the cabin. When he reached it, he jumped on to the roof and looked over the ledge into a room. He saw a white bat in the closest bed and an Echidna in the other.

'What is he doing here?'

Shadow looked back over to Rouge. He opened the window and jumped in the room silently. He walked up to her and put his hand on her head.

"I will keep my promise to you. One way or another, I will always be there." Rouge began to stir and Shadow jumped out of the window and back on the roof.

The beautiful treasure hunter got up and closed the window in a sleepy state before getting back into bed and falling asleep again.