UlTrRa SiK pRoDuCtIoNs pReSeNtZ:
LoVe'S bUrN
By: UlTrAa ShAdDow
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Sega's characters….but I'd be a very happy guy if I did!
"You can close your eyes to things you don't want to see, but you can't close your heart to things you don't want to feel."
Third Person POV:
Shadow turned around to spot the red echidna. Knuckles had been standing behind him in an eerie silence. Although the thick rain-shower muddled his vision, Shadow was still able to detect the echidna's vivid scarlet fur and his familiar features.
Crimson eyes narrowed slightly; thick rain downpours didn't prevent Shadow from sensing something was amiss. However, the dark hedgehog failed to notice Knuckles' left fist, which began to wind tightly into a snug ball.
"Knuckles?" Shadow asked more out of distrust than curiosity.
No words left the echidna's lips; he only stared at the hedgehog with a death glare that almost sent chills down Shadow's spine. Knuckles' face was a palette of dark emotions; his eyes narrowed and his irises were no bigger than a single corn kernel.
Shadow made a move to speak, but before another a word could escape, Knuckles gladly greeted him with a fist across his face. The assaulted hedgehog landed flat on his back, splashing into a decent-sized puddle.
Now, along with the new cold spell, tremors ran through Shadow's body. He gazed skyward to see Knuckles slowly drape towards him, his manner mimicking that of a phantom.
"What the hell was that for?" Shadow asked both startled and angered.
Without an answer, Knuckles continued to approach the fallen hedgehog until he could see that the echidna's face was hidden within an uncanny shadow. An impenetrable blackness swept his face. Knuckles hissed, "Little bitch!"
He drove his foot into Shadow's side without breaking stride. The rain-soaked hedgehog was sent tumbling into another murky puddle. Shadow slowly rose to his knees, grimacing from pain. Unscathed, Knuckles continued on slow trek towards his foe.
"How does it feel when someone stronger than you overpowers you? Huh?" Knuckles growled deadly, approaching Shadow.
Shadow slowly rose to his feet, sight focusing on Knuckles. He didn't know quite what the echidna's problem was, nor did he care, but he certainly wasn't going to wait around and allow the guardian to have a field day on him.
"I don't know what your problem is but if that's the way you feel, then bring it," Shadow said, acquiring his fighting stance, "Perhaps after I hurt you a bit, you shall regain your wit about you."
The echidna stopped walking altogether. Momentarily he stared at Shadow blankly, then a wicked smile blossomed on his face. Slowly he began to chuckle, then his light chortle exploded into a rich, loud laugh. Although Shadow took laughter as an expression of happiness, the echidna's laughter was somehow twisted and sinister.
Once his laughter evaporated, Knuckles took a step forward, "Now, I shall have a chance to show you my new, enhanced power."
Knuckles closed his eyes and clenched his fists into tight balls. Shadow assumed the guardian had begun to focus his energy. The black hedgehog heaved a slight sigh; as if focusing his energies would do him any good…
Soon Knuckles was enveloped in a red, burning aura as he let out a cry of fury. Momentarily, it seemed as if the sky was ignited with his fiery energy, as the entire sky surrounding the perimeter was washed crimson.
And the air became exceptionally hot as steam began to rise from the murky puddles, and the once shivering hedgehog was now sweating.
To finish Knuckles' brilliant aura, a bright flare of light enveloped the bridge. Startled, Shadow shaded his eyes until he saw the bright blaze subside. As the birth of the flamboyant colors was finished, the temperature returned to its status, chilling him yet again.
'Damn, just when I get accustomed to this poor weather, I start to freeze AGAIN! That echidna will get it twice as bad now!'
Removing his hand from his eyes, he gasped at what stood before him. In front of him stood a stranger with a glowing, tomato-colored aura.
He had long quills that reached the tips of his strong ankles and every inch of his body was enclosed with solid muscles. And yet again his eyes were hidden in that dark, abnormal shadow.
"Don't worry, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be just as messed up as Rouge was," Knuckles murmured.
He elevated his gaze to meet the red eyes of his foe. Shadow instantly noticed the echidna's piercing, almost neon red eyes, which had the gleam of a lost warrior. It seemed as if he wasn't the same echidna. Without another word, the echidna released an icy war cry as he plummeted into the stunned hedgehog.
On top of the Bay Bridge…
The wind was picking up slightly, however, even the wind unaffected the lean figure at the pinnacle of the bridge. Looming on top of the bridge, observing all that occurred was the hedgehog Scythe.
Pale, keen eyes glinted in the moonlight as they shifted, taking in every move of the battle below him.
Slowly, stone-colored eyes turned to his palms. In his dark, gloved hands was a cell phone. Everything was going according to plan. He punched a few buttons and held it to his ears.
"Hello?" a voice answered. The night-hued hedgehog smirked; fool, the Doctor knew exactly who was calling him. "Doctor, he's done it," Scythe replied.
"So he has? Perfect, everything's going according to plan, Scythe," Eggman answered.
"Doc, how'd that echidna do that? I've never felt or seen such power like his," Scythe said, mildly curious.
"That, is from the doing of my latest invention! And with Shadow under our control, and with a little assistance from my invention, just think of how great his power shall be!" Eggman roared.
Scythe frowned; 'And what about that idiot?' "So, now what?"
"Scythe, Knuckles has no control over his emotions at this state, so be sure to retrieve Shadow before he beats the life out of him!" Eggman cried, " Remember, I want my boy still breathing."
"Scythe out," he said ending the conversation.
He closed up the cell phone and took a knee to get a closer look at the action below. For a moment the silver-eyed hedgehog frowned in thought with the doctor's words still fresh in his head.
Then another even more solid, sweeter thought replaced his previous; Shadow getting the daylight kicked out off him. The dark hedgehog couldn't help but grin manically, "Shadow getting his ass kicked, that I wouldn't miss for the world."
The Bay Bridge
Although the speed of Knuckles' first attack had taken him off guard, Shadow had managed to recover and fight blow to blow with the new revved up monster.
But before Shadow wanted to completely annihilate this guy, he had something he wanted to find out; firstly, why had he mentioned Rouge's fair name?
"Rouge?" Shadow asked, inhaling a mouthful of rainwater, "Wait, what do you--?"
Before Shadow could finish, the new revved up red warrior made a line towards him. Knuckles threw multiple marked punches at Shadow, who was quick enough to avoid them.
Shadow executed a couple of back flips to buy himself some space from the echidna who was now even more furious than before. The guardian narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth at the black hedgehog.
"Knuckles, what were you saying about Rouge?" Shadow yelled, hoping to have his voice reach the echidna over the rain.
However, Knuckles chose to simply ignore him, "Come and fight, bastard! You'll pay for what you did to her!"
Seeing that his words were as useful as a broken umbrella in a rainstorm, Shadow charged at Knuckles, who swung hungrily at him and missed.
If the echidna had managed to connect his blow with his intended target, Shadow didn't doubt for a second that he'd have been put to sleep for at least another good fifty years.
Shadow flipped gracefully into the air and managed to position himself behind Knuckles to put the raging echidna in an arm lock.
"Knuckles, listen to me! I'm not responsible for what happened to Rouge," Shadow yelled.
"Liar!" Knuckles hissed, struggling furiously in his grip.
Using his newfound super strength, Knuckles freed himself from Shadow's restraint and threw him over his shoulder. Shadow hit the ground with so much force that he cracked the concrete and spat up blood. That's never a good thing.
The enhanced Knuckles lifted Shadow up by his neck and raised a curled fist, ready to strike him. The guardian grinned wickedly; he could smell defeat in the cool, crisp air.
Shadow grimaced; this echidna was a beast! Just as Shadow suspected, Knuckles' new powers made him monstrously strong; all it took was one blow to render the ultimate life form helpless. Any lesser of a person would have been enjoying their afterlife by now.
"This is for you…Rouge..." Knuckles said an octave above a whisper.
Shadow grimaced, determination and pain welling up inside of him; it was time to say something now, or forever hold his peace.
"Kn-nuckles, I'm sorry for what happened to Rouge, but I'm not responsible for what happened to her. You have the wrong culprit! I know how much you love her, I can see it in your eyes, but finishing me off won't bring her back… But if you truly cared for her, you'd put your personal shit aside and help me find her," Shadow said through clenched, bloody teeth.
Knuckles blinked, startled as he stared at the bruised and bloody hedgehog before him. Images of the very same hedgehog before him flashed in front of his eyes. Images of the same hedgehog bound in his grip kissing the white bat, enjoying the white bat.
Knuckles grimaced, tightening his grip upon the hedgehog's neck as these images became more vivid and graphic. He saw how they both passionately pined for each other and enjoyed the feel of each other.
Then…he also saw the look the white bat had given the hedgehog within his grip, it was the very same look she had given him once upon a time; the warm, true gaze of love.
Knuckles eyes widened in realization when something inside of him snapped as Shadow's words echoed through his mind:
'Kn-nuckles, I'm sorry for what happened to Rouge, but I'm not responsible for what happened to her. You have the wrong culprit! I know how much you love her, I can see it in your eyes, but finishing me off won't bring her back… But if you truly cared for her, you'd put your personal shit aside and help me find her.'
Knuckles slowly lowered his curled fist and released Shadow. If Rouge had gazed upon Shadow with those loving eyes, then…
Shadow looked into his eyes and saw that his cold, sharp, red soulless eyes returned to their normal warm, amethyst state.
Then…
"You didn't do it...I..I'm sorry," Knuckles said slowly.
…He must have loved her as well…
And just as fast his superior form had come, it went, leaving him drained and weak. Crimson lights shattered around the echidna as he collapsed to his knees then hit the floor unconscious.
Seeing that the battle was over, Shadow fell on his back, joining Knuckles on the concrete, panting. The ebony and claret hedgehog closed his eyes, taking in oxygen as a dehydrated man took in water. It was all over, finally.
Or was it?
The lurking hedgehog on top of the Bay Bridge gracefully dropped down and landed behind Shadow. Hearing Scythe's descent from the top of the Bay Bridge, ears rising, Shadow turned his head to the origin of the sound.
Towering over him was a tall hedgehog, black hedgehog with alien, pale silver eyes. An unfriendly smirk played upon the hedgehog's face; although Shadow had only seen this stranger for a second, he already knew that he wouldn't like him: the thin, cat-like pupils failed to help as well.
"So, this is the 'ultimate life form' I've heard about? Pretty pathetic…." Scythe said with an unflattering edge to his voice, "Well, you're very fortunate that the doctor asked me to bring you back breathing or I'd certainly kill you now. Not that your life made much of a difference anyways."
Scythe looked down at his jet-black Jordans to see that they were being lapped with water. Frowning slightly, he glared at the ground; he despised water, much less being wet.
He glanced around to find the source of the water and realized that the bridge was flooding. He looked at the edge of the bridge, back at Shadow and smiled.
As an idea popped into the hedgehog's head, he couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of a light bulb appearing over his cranium. Smiling deviously, he turned to look at Shadow.
"My, you look so flushed, maybe some refreshing water will do you good," Scythe said.
He dragged an unwilling Shadow to the edge of the bridge…the black and red hedgehog received plenty of rug-burn from being dragged across the concrete like a rag doll. Shadow grimaced, swallowing all cries of pain.
"Swirly!" The black hedgehog laughed, and with that he submerged Shadow's head into water.
Shadow fought to get free but he was so exhausted from his previous engagement with Knuckles that he was too tired to release himself from Scythe's grip.
After being underwater for a few minutes Shadow's vision became hazy and the last thing he remembered seeing was the dark hedgehog looming over him with a devious, twisted smile.
"Is he awake yet?"
"I'm not sure, Doctor, but it looks like he's slowly becoming conscious."
Bleary eyes slowly opened, and a moan escaped the unconscious figure; Knuckles opened his eyes to see two figures standing over him with smiles. The first face was recognizably enough, the infamous Doctor Eggman.
The second head was an unfamiliar face, which belonged to a black male hedgehog, appearing in his later adolescent years. The first thing Knuckles noticed about this character was his eerie, gray eyes which stood out quite plainly on his dark face.
"Are you okay Knuckles?" Eggman asked.
"W-where am I?" Knuckles said, rubbing his head, too disoriented to care even if he was in Eggman's care.
"And who is that guy?" Eggman chuckled.
"You're back at the Sahara base, and this is my creation Scythe. He found you washed up on the Bay Bridge."
Scythe closed his eyes, "You had me worried…at first sight I thought you for dead."
"W-what was I doing at Bay Bridge? I don't remember a thing," Knuckles said griping his forehead tenderly.
"You were fighting that creep, Shadow and when I found both of you guys, you were both unconscious. You two must have given each other a really good ass kickin'!" Scythe said smiling.
"Well, you stay here and rest, Knuckles, and if you need anything, my robots will attend to you," Eggman said.
Knuckles watched Eggman and Scythe vanish out of the medical room. Vertigo made his vision dance and spin; Knuckles held his head staring off into space. Just what would he and Shadow be fighting about anyway?
Slowly crimson eyes opened. Shadow moaned; to say that he was feeling terrible would be an understatement. His head was pounding; vision was unfocused and blurry, stomach tied, and throat dry and sore.
Reluctantly, Shadow studied his surroundings and much to his dismay, found himself tied up to a steel chair. He struggled to get free but the rope bonds were too strong and they were also cutting off his circulation. He looked up when he heard a door open and he saw both Eggman and Scythe enter.
"Doctor Eggman?" Shadow asked groggily.
"Duh-Doctor?" Scythe mocked, highlighting Shadow's muzzy voice.
Shadow managed to glare at him as both the doctor and Scythe laughed merrily. Just who did this punk think he was? He was going to pay for that one through pain.
"Yes, it is I and welcome to the Sahara Desert base, we hope you'll enjoy your stay here," Eggman replied motioning to the area before them.
Shadow's eyes drifted away from Eggman's and met Scythe's; the black hedgehog wasn't feeling well; he'd just finished fighting a steroid-enhanced echidna, almost drowned, and now this vagabond hedgehog thought he could stare him down.
Shadow wasn't in one of his most congenial moods and he certainly wasn't going to let this jerk treat him like this.
"Shadow," Scythe said with an air of reluctant acknowledgement.
"Bastard," Shadow replied, managing to smile as if he breathed hellfire.
The two dark hedgehogs stared each other down until Eggman interrupted them, "Anyway, I think we should get down to business, Shadow, I arranged to have you brought here because I want to offer you a partnership, one that can make you an omnipotent being."
Wryly, Shadow smiled; now who in the world gives out free immortality? "So, what's the catch to me being omnipotent?" Shadow asked.
"Nothing," Eggman said, smiling. "Absolutely nothing…So what do you say to my offer, Shadow?"
Shadow smiled, "How about I give you the finger and you give me my freedom?"
Smiling in his friendliest manner, the black hedgehog proceeded to flipped them both off which, surprisingly brought laughter from the Doctor. His ebony cohort, however, failed to find the humor.
"Shadow, Shadow, Shadow, why must you be so difficult? Well, I knew you'd be like this, so I have my ways to persuade you. Scythe, bring in our trump card," Eggman said. Smiling wickedly, Scythe exited the room and returned moments later returned with a struggling figure.
"Let go of me!" the figure cried.
"Granted," Scythe pushed the figure before him. Clearly, from the tone of voice, Shadow guessed the hostage to be female. From the impact of Scythe's shove, she fell forward, landing on her hands and knees. Slowly she looked up at Shadow with familiar clear blue eyes.
"Rouge?" Shadow said, his eyes widening.
She gasped, recognizing the worn-away figure strapped to the chair. He looked beyond exhausted. He also looked battered; had they been beating him?
"SHADOW!" Rouge exclaimed her cry in a mixture of shock and anxiety.
She made a dash towards Shadow but was halted mid-step as Scythe restrained her with an iron vice grip. Eggman smiled seeing their reactions; this only meant that his plan would undoubtedly succeed. He turned to gaze at Shadow whose once arrogant, bold demeanor changed to that of a meek lamb.
"Now, I wonder why she's here….oh yes…if you refuse my proposal a second time, something awful will befall her," Eggman said with a smile.
"Leave her out of this," Shadow growled defensively, "Your battle's with me."
"Oh? Well either way it's too late," Scythe said with an iniquity smile, "You see, Rouge has already been injected with the Hydra virus. And it will take toll on the victim within twelve hours of receiving the plague, and the victim will be dead within forty eight hours…Oh, and if I've counted correctly she's had the virus for…well, look at that, just about twelve hours now."
A look of horror washed over Shadow's features, he gazed at the white bat who he noticed was subconsciously wheezing. Scythe smirked, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the hedgehog snapped and bent into their will.
"Now, reconsider my offer thinking about this…but the worst is yet to come….Shall I list off the symptoms of the Hydra virus? Well, like the mythical beast it's named after I can more than assure you that the virus, too, is fierce."
Eggman paused, allowing the thoughts to brew in the crimson-quilled hedgehog's mind, "Within this hour Rouge will be induced into a pulmonary edema, where she will slowly drown in her own life fluid, blood. But of course if you accept my offer, I will give her the cure."
Eggman slowly elevated a translucent needle that was no bigger than his thumb. Smiling, he watched Shadow mentally chew the situation over in his head. The exhausted black hedgehog looked into Rouge's deep sapphire eyes, she returned his gaze with a look into her soul.
He saw the fear in her eyes although she tried to keep her composure and look strong. That thought gave Shadow's heart a lift; Rouge being brave in the face of danger. That was the fiery woman he had fallen for.
He would do his best to protect that fire, that flame he loved, even if it meant the extinguishment of his own. Eyes closed, Shadow bowed his head and whispered, "Fine, I accept your offer."
Rouge gasped and Eggman and Scythe smiled. "Done!"
To be continued!
Chapter Nine Theme: 'Stay With you'-John Legend