I do not own sonic the hedgehog or any of the characters from the games, movies or comics but I do own this story and the other characters, I hope you enjoy it.

Things Only Whispered In The Shadows

Ch23. Fangs

I awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the glare of sunlight through an open window. It had been a while since that had been how the day had greeted me, it was as refreshing as the day I had planned ahead of me.

It had been four days since the incident at the cafe and Amy had acted as if it were more of an inconvenience to me than it had been to her. We had spent most of yesterday making up for lost time as she had put it and I had another new phone identical to the last. Someone had retrieved out shopping bags from the cafe that night and thankfully nothing else had been ruined so I had something to change into other than that pink blazer Amy had let me borrow. I was beginning to wonder what kind of a world this really was and how powerful these people were to just shrug off a kidnapping like that. I knew I had a long way to go and sparing with Shadow today was my answer, if nothing else it would put things into some sort of perspective. I yawned as I rolled out of bed and changed into my new outfit, a dark purple vest over a long sleeve lilac colored shirt and the same black slacks Amy had introduced me to. What could I say, I couldn't help but like the simple design. I stretched out my sore muscles and sighed at the release of tension as my healed injuries answered in kind. I was as close to a hundred percent as I was going to get before we left for my world and there would be no turning back after that.

I had spent my last couple of lazy days pestering tails about what kinds of adventures they had been on while he worked on the tornado and it turned out that they had started out much like we had. A small group of survivors who had taken things into their own hands and slowly they made Mobius the place it was today. I wasn't entirely sure if all of his stories were true even though Amy and sonic both confirmed most of it when I asked them the same thing. Some of the things they had supposedly done were so outlandish that even what I was tying to do now seemed small in comparison. With one final stretch I was on my way toward the kitchen for breakfast.

I had brought my swords and armor like Shadow had suggested and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I would need them. Sure he was strong, but any well timed stroke could do some serious damage. As I approached the meeting place I slowed down and set my things on the ground near a tree overlooking the lake. It was a place we could go all out without causing problems for others if it got out of hand. I liked the view as much as the thrill that raced down my spine as a tingle alerted me to Shadows appearance. I smiled "Nice spot, great view with lots of room." I turned to meet his gaze and the satisfaction of his surprised look no matter how short lived.

"Either you have been saying that every so often waiting for me or you have better hearing than I thought." The idea of doing something like that just to impress him was clever, if not rather insulting. So I settled for option three.

"Neither, I felt it."

"You felt it?"

"It's weird," I pull out my own yellow emerald and focus on the energy dormant inside. The warm tingling in my veins as feint as the day I discovered it, but ever present. "I feel the energy in them, whenever the energy is used I sense it, if it's close. I can't tell them apart or anything and I have trouble sensing the energy otherwise unless I'm holding it. I guess I never really paid much attention to it before."

He looked at me with surprise painted onto his face and shook his head. "If you can't use it yet then don't rely on it. I was worried you were going to say something stupid." His attitude was back and I was determined to change that eventually.

"Well then lets get this party started."

"You're going to want to put your armor on." With all of my experience training with Maxis my stomach dropped. That phrase meant only one thing.

"All out it is then." He was going to kick my ass.

"What would be the point otherwise." He had a point, a very validly infuriating point that I wanted to punch him in the face with. Making sure I had my emerald secure as I slipped into the light plate piece I took my sweet time checking the fit before facing him with my swords left at the base of the tree. "Whenever you want to start." A smile curled at the edge of my lip as his patience wore thin. I dropped into a low stance and charged froward in an arc to gain more ground. I knew I would miss, I knew he would dodge. What I hadn't seen was how. I literally couldn't see him move. One second I was charging at him, the next I was on face down on the ground with his boot on my back.

"Is that it?" I could practically feel the disappointment radiating off of him as my cheeks heated with a blush I was glad was pointed at the ground. I rolled to dislodge him and pivoted to a kneel only to find him in front of me again. Hopping back a step he kept pace at my side with no effort whatsoever. I knew panic was the last thing I needed to do but that didn't stop the feeling from filling my belly anyway. Swallowing hard I pushed the overwhelming dread back down long enough to spin kick to the side a to get some distance and luckily he dodged but just like last time he disappeared and I was left guessing. Rolling forward I felt a breeze behind me followed by the sound of a single step before I was launched forward again. I had just enough forewarning to catch myself so I didn't end up on the ground again. This was not going well.

"This is not how I saw this going at all."

"Because you're gauging this fight on the last one we had. You had the advantage of surprise then and now you don't. Surprise will only get you so far when fighting a superior opponent." I was beginning to wish I had teleported first, as it was I was hard pressed to find an opening to do so now. Not that it would have made much of a difference at this rate. I skidded to a halt a hairs breadth from the water before getting launched into the middle of the lake and with no footholds I fell. Plunging under the water I smiled, He didn't follow. I had my advantage. I pulled the emerald from my quills and teleported as far up as I dared. Gasping in the cold air nearly a mile above the lake my breath was taken away by the view. The fields and hills were green and colorful as far as they eye could see and the blue of the lake was as crystal clear as the sky. Right in the middle of it a small black figure floated over the lake as I plummeted straight as an arrow.

"Silver sleeve." I would not be underestimated because of one fight. Instant boom and I was hurtling toward Shadow faster that I had ever gone, even though the noise had given my position away he had been distracted enough to hesitate. I plowed right into him with enough force to plunge us both to the bottom of the lake and send a good amount of water fountaining into the air. I was the first one out and onto the shore followed closely behind by a sputtering Shadow. "Surprise."

I held my emerald at the ready when I felt the twinge of power from his. I staggered back as he appeared inches in front of me, I knew he had amazing control but holy shit. "Don't think that you can rely on just tricks to win. You haven't even scratched the surface of what I can do. If you don't improve your skill and power then you won't survive the fight ahead."

I had missed this feeling. So many years of nothing but surviving and training almost forgotten because of a couple of easy ones. I grinned and let out a laugh of exhilaration as the adrenalin began to course through my veins again. I had missed being so woefully outmatched. "God did I miss this." Shadow looked as confused at the outburst as I was excited. "Sorry , I've been fighting a loosing battle for so long that I can't remember the last time I had a good training session where no one was going to die if I lost."

He looked at me with something akin to understanding before settling back into a fighting stance. "Well then, let's see what you remember."

He charged me and I didn't bother trying to watch him, I was already moving toward the tree at full speed. Dipping into a slide Shadow sailed over where I had just been and rebounded off of the tree landing a couple of paces away as I spun and drew my swords from where I had left them leaning at the base. "Never use your weapon in a fight in which you don't intend to kill your opponent."

A smile creeps across his face. "Unless your opponent is out of your league."

I smile knowingly back. "Exactly." I charge at him again, this time twirling my blades with the ease of long practiced hours. I arc toward him knowing that he can't just pound me into the ground without thinking anymore. I have fangs and I will use them when I need to. I'm not strong enough to be picky and I'm not fast enough to be choosy. But I am clever and armed. A single spin keeps him from retaliating at the missed hit and another jarring impact from the side is lessened by the give of my block. Another blow from behind as I recover from the first and before I know it he is raining hits down on me like lightning only to be buffeted back by a well timed swing of my fang. I can't dodge but I can strike back if he gets to reckless. The rest of the day we spend testing my limits and pointing out my fighting styles weaknesses all the while pulling out a surprise of two on Shadow to prove that I can keep pace even when I'm loosing.

As the sun begins to set we find ourselves sitting beneath the tree and munching on a picnic that Amy insisted I bring with me. "This place really is beautiful." I watched the water on the peaceful lake reflect the reds and gold of the sunset with the last of a berry parfait precariously perched on the end of my spoon.

"It is, I come here to think." I hazarded a glance at him, he was not the kind to share anything lightly. He looked over the waters just as lost in thought as I had been a moment ago.

"Thank you Shadow." I cought the hint of a smile playing on his lips at the words and if not for the light I would have sworn he had a hint more red on him than normal. We sat in relative silence for a while, just watching the sun set as the golds faded to red and then a deep purple before the stars began peaking out from behind the deeper blue of night.

"You should head back before Amy thinks you got kidnapped instead." I throw my spoon at him as I turn a shade of red myself and check to see if I remembered to bring my phone. The spoon misses and he smiles wholeheartedly. "Same time tomorrow." Another flash and he's gone again. Retrieving the spoon I pull up Amy on my contacts and send her a quick message saying I'll be back in a few smiling to myself.