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! Don't do it!" Rouge cried, "Back out of his stupid little deal now!"
As she reached her hand out to grab one of Shadow's hands, it quickly returned to her mouth as she fell into a violent fit of coughs.
Shadow, Scythe, and Doctor Eggman all turned to look at her and Shadow's eyes widened once he saw a single tear of blood roll down Rouge's lips. Soft blue eyes returned his red-eyed gaze.
"So, then, her illness has already begun," Scythe said with a devious smile. Eggman turned to look at Shadow; the hedgehog was now officially putty in his hands, "Shall we continue, Shadow?"
Shadow gazed over at Rouge, who was still coughing violently, then at Scythe, and finally back at Eggman. "Yes." His eyes were hidden within shadows.
The red echidna's gloved hand raised a silver-framed picture to his stern face. It was an antique photograph of Dr. Gerald Robotnik, Maria, and Shadow posing together in front of the ARK.
"Damn, how old is that hedgehog?" Knuckles asked himself.
"Well, whatever his beauty secret is, I gotta know it."
A slight scuffle from across the room was detected and in the blink of an eye, Knuckles spun around and chucked the picture at the silent assassin behind him. But just as quick as Knuckles had thrown the picture, Metal Sonic avoided his attack.
"Is that how you really feel about the Robotnik family?"
"If the photo had Eggman in it, it would have been a smash-hit with you," Knuckles replied.
Knuckles started to head towards the exit, but Metal Sonic slid in front of him. And just as the guardian tried to maneuver around the android, Metal Sonic blocked his movements.
Slightly irritated, Knuckles glared at the robot, " Move outta the way!"
"Primary objective, keep the echidna subject in the medical room perimeters and exert force if necessary," Metal Sonic bleeped.
Knuckles frowned then slowly made his way back to the plush bed. He flopped himself upon the bed and rested with his hands behind his head, "Well, someone hasn't been oiled in while."
If possible, Metal Sonic would have narrowed his eyes at the crimson warrior. And if the android knew the signal, he probably would have flipped the guardian off as well.
Eggman giddily smiled as he watched Shadow being shoved into a machine that looked like a glass capsule with wires attached to its skull. As Eggman danced around the machine, Scythe watched with great disgust, ' Is this the same malicious dictator I serve!?'
"Ah finally, phase one of my Earth domination plan commences! Shadow, aren't you excited to play a role in the awakening of a great new world domination?" Eggman asked.
"…Actually no, not really," Shadow remarked blandly.
"Well, like it or not, Shadow, I will turn you into a great assassin! And as of now, I reveal to you my latest and greatest invention yet! I call it the Phantasm!" Eggman exclaimed.
Finally Scythe sparked to life as he walked beside his creator, admiring Eggman's handiwork. He appeared before the machine gazing at lost in awe.
"Doctor, I'm dying to know what it can do to that punk hedgehog," Scythe said, walking beside Eggman.
Scythe reflected thoughtfully, "So what does it do exactly?"
"Ah yes, this great wonder, the Phantasm, explains what happened to our little echidna friend," Eggman said smiling.
Both Shadow and Scythe's eyes widened as they sharply turned their heads to gaze upon a smirking Eggman. "You mean Knuckles' super strength?" Shadow asked.
"Exactly. With this creation of mine, it takes sheer fury and enhances the strength, skill, and speed of the user. And with your abilities, you'll have at least quadruple your current strength and speed! And you shall become my notorious terminator!" Eggman roared, "Scythe, start the procedures! All this talk is getting me worked up!"
"No!" Rouge wailed, trembling hands cupping her face, "Don't do it! Please stop!"
"Right," the silver-eyed hedgehog ignored the sharp wail as he nodded his head and pressed a few buttons, and gazed at the Phantasm as the process begun.
Shadow's POV:
I saw that damn hedgehog press a couple of buttons and I heard Eggman's new invention, the Phantasm, begin to emit a low murmur. I knew it was the beginning of the end for me.
But, before I could exchange strong words with Eggman, a sharp, high-pitched sound was emitted from the machine. I covered my ears and closed my eyes but no matter what I did, the screeching didn't get any better.
Once I opened my eyes, a purple-hued smoke began filling the capsule and I began to choke. Damn! This is not looking too good...
A chilly, icy sensation traveled across my spine. I was starting to feel extremely cold, as if I had been submerged in a snow storm.
Whatever this thing is, its slowly spreading through my body as if it was infecting, corrupting...
I banged on the fiberglass capsule, but nothing seemed to work and I felt myself beginning to black out; new violent, terrible images began to appear before me and even as I closed my eyes, the visions were still there.
No...I am slowly losing myself...these images...
Fire, blood, corpses...
Now, these images seem to be coming to life as I now hear a deep, rich insane laughter, and standing before the carnage is an unclear figure.
...No I'm...losing...control, I need to escape...machine...too strong..
In my final effort of escape, I smashed my fist into the glass.
A crack rippled through the glass but it still stood and I felt myself slipping into the dark, circling purple clouds. My last gaze was upon the bat who released a silent scream.
The icy sensation was beginning to attack my mind, and slowly, the image of the laughing figure was becoming clearer...
He was me...
Wisely enough, Scythe jumped away from the glass container as Shadow sent a flying fist across the visual window. A large spider-web crack rippled the viewing screen, but alas, the screen held its place.
"Whew, shit!" Scythe backed away, smiling nervously, "For a second I thought he was going to break through!"
As the encapsulated hedgehog collapsed, Eggman stepped forward, admiring the unconscious form. "He's even stronger than I dreamed," Eggman whispered.
Scythe glared at the tall human beside him; if he didn't know any better, he'd think his creator was falling for his slumbering foe. Both Eggman and Scythe's thoughts were broken with the shriek of a high-pitched wail.
Eggman and Scythe both turned to the sound of Rouge's furious cry. Her soft aqua eyes were filled with tears as she pounded her fist again the floor once more, "You bastards! What the hell are you doing to Shadow! Release him! Release him now, or I swear I'll kill you!"
Rouge smashed both of her fists into the floor and this time she coughed up blood. Scythe smirked and walked over to the caged bat. Light danced within his silver eyes.
"Don't cry, little white bat, all will soon pass."
He reached his hand in the cage to touch Rouge, but luckily enough, she smacked his hands away knowing that his intentions were impure.
"Keep your hands away from me!" She hissed.
"Scythe! Quit fooling around with batgirl and get over here and shut off my machine!" Eggman ordered.
Scythe muttered a few swears under his breath but attended to Eggman's request. Just as soon as Scythe was about to pull a lever to shut down the machine, a violent boom from within the Phantasm and sent Eggman's creation on his rear.
"What the hell was that?" Scythe screamed furious, " Why I--"
"Silence!" Eggman insisted harshly, "Look!"
Eggman, Scythe, and Rouge turned their gaze at the window of the Phantasm. Thick, violet clouds were rolling away from a dark figure. In the midst of the purple clouds was a levitating figure. It was shrouded in a deep red aura, which almost matched the red streaks in its fur.
Its eyes were closed and both of its palms were raised to the sky. Surges of orange light sparked around the hovering being.
"Look at him!" Eggman cried in great awe, " He's so powerful that energy surges around him! Do you see the energy spikes Scythe? See! Look! Another orange spark!"
Normally Scythe would have been disgusted with the doctor's passion but currently, he was too stunned to say a word. What in the world had they done to Shadow?
"Sh-Shadow..." Rouge whispered, backing away slightly. Scythe turned to look at Eggman, " Why is he waiting?"
"Fool? Why do you think? He is waiting to be summoned!" Eggman hissed.
The professor turned to look at the levitating hedgehog, " Shadow?"
There was no response.
"Shadow, awaken!"
The dark hedgehog continued his meditative state; rubbing his chin in thought, Eggman decided to try another approach.
"Ah, forgive me," Eggman said, " Shadow, arise, as your true self, for you have been resurrected."
"...Yes...I have..."
Its blood red eyes opened and his line of vision fell upon the two faces of Dr. Eggman and Scythe. Slowly, the levitating hedgehog pointed towards his audience and the fiberglass shattered, exploding. Eggman and Scythe ducked and took cover.
Slowly, the black and red hedgehog descended to the ground. Almost blankly, he looked beyond his jaw-dropped nemeses. Before them stood the ultimate life form. His arms, legs, and chest were stacked with muscle, and his once-golden bracelets were updated to platinum.
"Welcome...Shadow," Eggman said, testing his perimeters.
"...Salutations," Shadow replied with an almost robotic. Scythe's eyes enviously scrolled over Shadow as he crossed his arms over his chest, 'Just who does he think he is?'
"...The cure," Shadow more so demanded than asked; he turned his eerie, blank gaze upon the two figures before him. Eggman jumped from being startled, " SCYTHE!"
Scythe glared at the doctor, how dare he speak to him as if he was one of his lackeys, "Yes?"
"A deal's a deal, give the lady the cure," Eggman said still looking at Shadow. Scowling, Scythe took the antidote from Eggman and stormed over to Rouge. He glanced up at the white bat who was at the rear of the cage.
"Aw hell, are you going to make this difficult...again?"
"What have you done to him?" Rouge said softly. "I can feel that he's not the same Shadow."
Scythe smirked; ah females...they never really saw the larger picture of things.
"Of course not but now look at him, he's like a perfect machine. He is the perfect terminator," Scythe said.
"He's not my Shadow," Rouge said more so to herself. Scythe looked up at Rouge and smirked, "Life's a bitch, isn't it?"
In the blink of an eye he was behind the heartbroken bat. He twisted her around in a complete circle and painfully stabbed Rouge with the cure to make her grimace.
Sniffling, Rouge rubbed her arm and placed her aqua eyes upon Shadow. She felt a little frightened when she noticed he was returning her stare with a blank, intense gaze. In reflex, Rouge took a couple of steps backwards,
"Scythe! Get over here!" Eggman barked. Apathetically, Scythe appeared next to Eggman. "What, Doctor?"
"Just look at him, he's so powerful! Don't you just feel his power radiating off of him?" Eggman said.
"Yeah, of course…you might as well ask him to bend over, so you can kiss his ass some more," Scythe muttered.
"So, are you ready to become a legend, my assassin?" Eggman asked.
"...Yes," Shadow replied.
Scythe frowned, gazing at the dark hedgehog with the red aura, ' Has he even blinked yet?' Instantly Shadow turned his cool, unemotional gaze towards Scythe, " Yes I have..."
Scythe stumbled away from Shadow as Eggman stared at his creation, "H-how?"
"...I can use telepathy on very surface or obvious thoughts," Shadow replied, finally with a slight smirk.
"You have extrasensory perception?" Eggman said with a mixture of disbelief and awe, " Good Chaos...oh how I can't wait to see how you fair in your first mission! Your first mission is to destroy the Station Square's Bay Bridge and also any and everyone on that bridge."
"..." was Shadow's response.
Shadow looked away from the doctor and turned to walk out of the lair, however, before he did, he looked at Rouge one last time, long enough for the doctor to pick up an idea of what was going through his mind.
Thus, before he could leave, Eggman's voice stopped him. "Umm Shadow, what's catching your eye back there?"
Shadow stopped in the middle of his stride, "...What are you interrupting me for?" His red aura burst into a jet-black hue.
Mentally Eggman sweat-dropped. It appears that he had irritated the hedgehog...perhaps it'd be best for him to speak to Shadow in a much more polite tone.
Eggman scratched the back of his neck, "I have a question to ask of you and it's just a knack I've been wondering? Do you, by chance still have feelings for Rouge?"
"...No," Shadow replied.
"Really? Are you--"
"NO!" the black aura surged yet again. At the sound of these words, Rouge winced and silently tears rolled down her face. Once Scythe saw her reaction, he couldn't help but smile, 'Sucks to be you...'
"Shadow, before you destroy the Station Square Bay Bridge, I want you to assassinate our cute lil' batgirl and bring me proof that you killed her, by doing this task, you'll show your true colors," Eggman said softly.
Shadow paused, then turned to face her with icy eyes. Rouge, who was tear-ridden, looked as if she were in a daze.
"Chaos Spear!" Shadow hissed.
After summoning those words, Rouge's metal cage shattered into pieces and she soon found herself being carrying off in Shadow's strong arms. She made no resistance and stared blankly into space. Emotionless. In a matter of seconds, they were both gone.
"Are you sure he'll finish her off?" Scythe asked.
"Most definitely, his heart is stoned of all loving emotions; thus, he absolutely feels nothing for her," Eggman said.
Scythe frowned, looking to where the couple had been before; something about the new hedgehog had left an awful taste in his mouth.
"Scythe, get in here now! I need someone to play against in chess!" Scythe glared but obeyed, cursing the entire way.
Shadow glided through dark city ruins, where his sights where set upon an island in front of him. It was a desolate little island the moonlight had a magical effect over. It made the lakes glow and its bright aura spilled over the green, healthy trees and lit the entire island.
Being careful not to awake the slumbering prisoner in his hands, Shadow quietly whispered, "Chaos Control."
He quietly landed on the plant-fertile island and tenderly placed Rouge into a bush filled with beautiful laurels. The wind rippled through the white bat's fur, and she was gently awakened.
She looked over her new environment and gasped when she spotted Shadow looming over her. Shadow's narrow eyes strolled her over as she stared back at him, wide-eyed with fear. Finally making up his mind, Shadow grabbed her slender right arm and tore her sleeve off. He inspected her velvet sleeve and started to leave.
" Shadow, I thought you were going to--"
"Assassinate you? No," he said, finishing her sentence for her. Rouge's eyes widened; he had used his telepathy? She shook her head and dislodged the thought, asking what was truly on her mind, "Shadow, do you still love me?"
The black and red hedgehog remained silent. Rouge took this time to make her move. She slowly rose to her feet and gazed up at his taller form. Although he was inches away from her, Shadow's apathetic demeanor seemed to drive them even further apart.
She gathered her courage and stepped forward, "Does being around me still make your heart pound? Do you get butterflies from gazing upon me?"
She began approaching him slowly, ignoring that he took a couple of steps away from her. Rouge continued each stride undeterred. The huntress smiled slightly, "Do you believe a kiss will speed up your heart--"
"Do not ask too many questions, for you may not like their answers."
Rouge fell silent, believing whatever heart he had, it was crushed. Fighting back tears, she placed a hand over her heart, then she looked up at him with teary blue eyes, wondering...
"Then, why'd you bring me here? And not to Station Square?"
"You'll be safe here," he replied hastily. Rouge sighed softly, so maybe there still was hope.
"Safe from what?"
Shadow stopped in his tracks, "...I'm going to eventually destroy Station Square, and everyone who lives there…"
Rouge gasped, disbelieving every word she had heard, "Don't do it! You aren't like this! It's that machine of Eggman's you're listening to!"
"At this moment your words are as useful as a blunt blade. I will not be deterred in my choice of action. Stay here and live."
Shadow turned his back to her and began to leave. Determination flooded the batgirl and she stepped toward him as her eyes narrowed, "No! I won't loose you again!"
Rouge made a mad trek after the hedgehog but just as it seemed that she was in reach of him, a translucent red aura sparked and she fell backwards, landing in a heap of bushes. Shadow turned to look over his shoulder at her, "...Useless...except your position..."
He continued to trek his way through the garden, as tears poured down her face. Rouge was torn between anger, frustration, and sadness," I can't stop you! You've made that clear already! But before you leave me, answer one last question of mine….Are you going to kill Sonic, Tails, Amy, Cream, and Knuckles?"
"...If they are residing in Station Square then yes, they shall be terminated," Shadow answered.
"You can't! They're your friends!" Rouge exclaimed.
"They are no more!" Shadow hissed.
They stared at each other momentarily; a hot passionate anger from Rouge combated a cool, apathetic fury from Shadow. The black hedgehog found no more use for himself on the island and turned, starting on his way again.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment at Station Square to attend to, farewell."
He smirked at Rouge and shouted, "Chaos Control!" And in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
Rouge uncovered her eyes from the bright blare of the Chaos Control. Sadly, she gazed at the place he had once been.
"Oh, Shadow, what have they done to you," Rouge sighed.
-To be continued!
Chapter Ten Theme: "Tangled"- Maroon Five