UlTTrRa SiK pRoDuCtIoNs pReSeNtZ:
LoVe'S bUrN
By: UlTtrrAa 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."
POV: Third
The once, cerulean sky soon became filled with thick, smoky hued clouds. Rain followed minutes later, dripping softly on the smooth sand below. It was hours before a raging storm would begin and all that seemed tranquil, would soon no longer be.
Present in the base was the infamous Doctor Eggman. He sat behind a shiny ebony desk where his reflection mirrored him. Hands folded thoughtfully upon the desk, he seemed to be contemplating.
"So, you've returned," the Doctor said in a delicate tone, almost a purr, "However, your hands do not hold Shadow…" Scythe stepped forward defensively, "Forgive me Doctor I—"
"Silence," Eggman growled.
Ears lowering, Scythe scowled and glared at the floor. It wasn't his words that made the hedgehog feel so indigent but rather his callous tone. Scythe never did fully enjoy when the doctor belittled him in such a manner.
The doctor slowly rose to his full height and signaled Scythe to attend him. He followed without a word, letting his anger slowly subside. An automatic door opened and they walked into a spacious room where a white bat was being contained in an all too familiar cage.
Once they reached the center of the room, Eggman quickly spun around to face the hedgehog with an unruly rage, "Does this look like Shadow to you?" Apprehensively, Scythe took a step away from the doctor, "N-no…"
"Have you even seen him since the destruction of the bridge?" Eggman asked. For the first time in his life, sweat rolled down his face from anxiety, "N-no…"
Eggman scoffed and muttered a few inaudible words under his breath. Scythe knew they were curses. The charcoal and stone-colored experiment barely raised his eyes and noticed the Doctor's peculiar actions.
He began to slowly circle around him, as if emulating a hawk, "For too long I have put up with your incompetence. You can't even find one hedgehog! And then you have the nerve to show up here with bat girl! Why I'm surprised you managed to destroy the Bay Bridge."
In the depths of Scythe's body was a rising anger. He clenched his shaking fists and felt his mouth melt into a snarl. Already he had his teeth gritted together but he knew that alone wasn't enough to impede his speech.
"I…I almost drown that day…" Scythe said in a barely audible growl.
"You truly are a pathetic specimen." Eggman hissed, "…Where in the hell did I go wrong the day I created you."
Suddenly, something snapped inside of Scythe; he looked as if he was missing a few pieces to the whole puzzle. He felt himself ice over in a way that he had never before, however when he spoke, he spat inferno, "YOU KNEW THAT I COULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY! AND YET YOU CONTINUED YOUR STUPID PLAN! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? I ALMOST DROWNED AND YOU WEREN'T THERE! I RECEIVED ALL THESE SCARS AND BRUISES FOR YOU…BUT YOU COULDN'T EVEN COME AND HELP ME OUT! AM I TRULY DISPENSABLE? ANSWER ME YOU FUC-"
(Smack)
Rouge raised her head to the sound and her eyes widened at the sight before her. None of the two villains had moved from their previous spots. Eggman then slowly lowered his hand and Scythe, still with his face looking to his left, spit out a swig of blood.
"How dare you raise your voice at me, you subordinate being," Eggman growled. There was no response from Scythe; he simply kept his eyes upon the ground, looking at the tiny red dab on the floor.
However, the gaze in his eyes was no longer fearful but understanding, as if he had just had an epiphany. "Scythe!" Eggman barked.
"…"
"Scythe!" Eggman barked again.
The hedgehog didn't move an inch.
"ANSWER ME NOW!" Eggman yelled even louder.
Finally, Scythe slowly turned to look up at the Doctor. His sliver eyes shone with an indescribable gleam. Whether his eyes read hate, fury, or possibly disgust, the Doctor was afraid. Scythe followed the side of his face with his index finger and saw that he was bleeding.
"…That," Scythe said still inspecting his finger, "was the last time you shall ever touch me like that again."
He looked up at Eggman with his glinting eyes and then slowly licked his finger. Eggman took a step away from him, fearing his creation, "Y-you're a…you stay away from me you freak!"
Scythe now seemed to have found his hands very interesting as they became the center of his attention. Eggman took three steps away from him and quickly whipped out a pistol as Scythe looked at his hands.
"I wouldn't do that Doctor," Scythe said finally looking up, "That just might make me mad…"
A shot rang out and Rouge ducked with a scream. She pressed her body against the steel cage and defensively wrapped her arms around her head.
The cold touch of the steel didn't even come to mind. She glanced back towards the sound of the shot and looked up, seeing only Eggman who was looking around the room furiously.
"Show yourself coward!" Eggman said, almost spinning circles. Almost like a phantom, Rouge saw Scythe mystically appear behind Eggman, eyes sparkling venomously. As Scythe slowly raised his hands, Rouge turned her head away to avoid the view.
She heard a violent blow being struck, and she turned her head just in time to see Eggman plummet and hit the ground. Then she turned to look at the hedgehog who was breathing heavily. She noticed that his left fist was moderately bloody. Swiftly, he fell to one knee, "Damn…"
"Are you okay?" Rouge asked softly.
"Peachy," he quipped. He turned his gaze over towards Rouge and headed her direction.
At the Bay Bridge 3:30 PM...
Myriads of colorful umbrellas paraded throughout Station Square as the rain soaked the streets. A black hedgehog skated through the streets, gliding gracefully like a figure skater.
He continued his way down the avenues and highways until he reached the bay bridge. Although he didn't like the idea of standing over a raging ocean, he fought against himself internally. Finally, he smoothly slid to a stop and looked around.
'Yep, it's definitely the Bay Bridge,' he thought to himself.
He began to wander around and search for clues until he heard a soft sound, it was someone crying. Not being a fan of misery himself, Shadow sought out the noise. He came across a person on the ground, resting on their knees. Gently, he tapped the figure on its back.
The person spun around to face him and fell over. It was a young, yellow hedgehog girl wearing a purple dress. With such a petite and straight physique, he guessed her to be no more than fifteen. The girl stared at him with large brown eyes.
"Are you all right?" Shadow asked stooping to one knee to have a better look at her.
"SCYTHE!" she lunged and knocked Shadow off his feet. Shadow landed on his back with the girl smothering him, "YOU'RE OKAY!"
Uneasily, Shadow pried the girl off of him, 'She's just as bad as the rose hedgehog,' he thought.
She stared into his eyes and realization hit her and her smile disappeared, "You're not Scythe. HEY! WHO ARE YOU?"
She crawled off of him and rose to her full height, "Well?" Shadow slowly rose to his full height and towered over her; now it was his turn, "I should be asking you that."
Her demeanor took a complete revolution and she suddenly became timid. As well as she tried to use coercion against him, it failed. Little did she know that intimidation was his game.
"Well, you were much less scary-looking down on the floor," she admitted.
"You failed to answer me," Shadow said, arms crossed upon his chest.
"I'm Daisy," she said reluctantly, "Who're you?"
"Shadow," he replied indifferently, "And where are your parents?"
"If you're even thinking of taking me back home, then you can forget it!" she shouted angrily, "I'm not leaving until I find Scythe!"
Finally something snagged Shadow's ear, "Scythe? How do you associate with him?" Daisy fell silent but Shadow had plans on prying, "Well? At the very least you could tell me if he was traveling alone."
She bit her lip and continued to look down, now was this was the moment that Shadow's intimidation techniques came in handy. He took a step towards her, "You have until the count of three…one…"
The girl gasped and backed away from him, looking terrified. She had to protect Scythe and not say a word to this guy. He could very well be an enemy. Daisy hopped away from Shadow, "P-please mister Shadow, don't do anything I-I would help but—"
"Two…."
He took a second step forward.
"…Ummm."
"THREE…"
A dark façade washed over Shadow and his eyes took a rather ominous gleam, he slowly reached one hand out towards her until…
"OKAY! OKAY! I'LL TALK! JUST DON'T HURT ME!" she cried.
Waiting, Shadow listened, hand still out stretched and eyes gleaming. "H-he was with a lady, a white bat, who was very pretty," Daisy said sighing.
"Did you see where he headed to?"
"Yes," Daisy replied.
"And will you show me the way?"
"Yes," she echoed.
"Good," said Shadow with satisfaction.
"…So….you're not going to do whatever you where about to do…Right?" she asked cautiously.
"...I wouldn't say that…"
He reached out toward the girl who screamed. She felt a slight pinch on her nose and Shadow smirked. She blinked five times then said, "HEY! YOU TRICKED ME! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING EVIL!"
At the Sahara Desert Base 3:30 PM...
Scythe slowly limped over towards her cage and as he was within distance of reaching the bars, Rouge rushed toward the back of the cage. She was more than ready to lash out and deck the black hedgehog if he wished to try anything with her. However, her rigid expression dissolved once she saw that he was trying to open her cage.
"W-what are you doing?" Rouge asked perplexed.
"Setting you free," Scythe said, "No one deserves to be stuck with that bastard."
Rouge now approached the front of the cage slowly where Scythe was working on the lock. He momentarily glanced up at her and then he did a double take and found himself stuck on her, and it wasn't hard to see why.
It was everything about her. Her alluring crystal blue eyes sparkled delicately; her pristine white fur seemed to brighten up the dark lair, and even her walk was impressive. The white bat sauntered over towards him, unintentionally gyrating her hips and walking with a seductive, smooth motion.
"Need help?" she asked trying to be a benefactor.
"No, everything's under control," he responded, hiding his thoughts very well. Rouge sighed, "Maybe…just maybe…you're not so bad…"
Her back slid against the cool bars. Now she wished she had a more suitable top to cover herself up with. The only shield she had from temperature and immodesty was the thin wrappings of tape that covered her voluminous chest.
Then she turned to face him, "Actually, come to think of it, I don't think you're a bad person, just…misguided," Rouge said wrapping her arms around her knees.
Scythe maintained his silence, continuing to work at the lock, then Rouge continued, "So…um…do you still hate—"
"Shadow?" Scythe said completing her sentence, "I don't know…I was just always—"he paused pensively.
"Don't worry, when I tell him about how you helped me, he'll like you," Rouge said with a smile. For once, Scythe returned her smile, "That does not…sound too bad…"
Rouge smiled at him then took her eyes off of him and almost choked at what she saw. It was almost as if the scene before her had been reverted to slow-motion...
She gasped as she fumbled with the words in her mouth. The black hedgehog arched an inquisitive eyebrow in her direction. However, he did not see the sight behind his back.
Eggman was on his feet, breathing shaky, quivering breaths. He looked both furious and resolved. He slowly rose his hand and held a glittering, metal object. Rouge's eyes widened in fear, now giving her his full attention, Scythe turned to look at her, curiously.
He smiled slightly, "Quit worrying, you'll be outta this cage in a sec..."
"SCYTHE! LOOK OUT!" Rouge screamed.
He blinked at Rouge and before he could turn around, a shot was fired and he gasped. He touched the area of his stomach where his ribcage rested. His fingers were covered in blood.
"No!" Rouge whined, her eyes becoming glassy.
Amazingly, Scythe found the strength in his body to turn around, and with a smile, flip him off. The smile was triumphant in its own sense; that infuriated the doctor.
Eggman frowned and squeezed out two more shots. Now the dark hedgehog was brought to his knees, grimacing and Rouge dropped beside him, her eyes becoming watery.
She held him, feeling him tremble. She was more than sure that his fuel would burn out soon. She could even see it in his silver eyes that were becoming opaque and distant.
"Ugh…heh... so I'm...finished," he said with a small smile, " This whole dying thing isn't...so bad..."
"Please hang in there," Rouge cooed softly, "You can beat this! This is nothing..."
He smiled dryly, "…Nothing my ass...Just...I don't know, take care of yourself or something..."
"I will," she said softly, stroking his quills.
As the dark spots grew in his vision, he grimaced; that big, long eternal nap was just around the corner, "Damn...I guess I won't see that...yellow hedgehog anymore...The only person that didn't hate me..."
Slowly, he closed his eyes, preparing to take the long journey into the other world. Rouge shook him as if to wake the black hedgehog from a snooze. Once she saw that it wasn't working, her face began to contort, trying to hold back the tears but they came out, spilling.
"Good bye, Scythe," she replied, aqua puddles dripping from her eyes, "I…I don't hate you..."
She wrapped the hedgehog in a hug, sobbing softly.
-To be continued!
Chapter Seventeen Theme, "In the End,"-Linkin Park- (Scythe's Theme!)