Crimson and Ebony
Summary: Shadow is dead. Everyone knows that fact well, but that doesn't mean they like it. However, it seems that the darkness has its own ideas to everyone's tragic wish for life. Sonic Adventure 2 spoilers. First of Dark Souls Trilogy.
Disclaimer: I don't anything except the plot for this as well as the plots for my other fics. Oh! And Hatred. He's mine as well.
Warnings: Violence, cursing and character death. The events of Sonic Heroes are ignored for this fic: in other words Shadow is DEAD, not missing.
Author's Notes: Yup! Another chapter! I hope you like this so far, because this is where it all really kicks off. Thanks for all the reviews and support! This chapter will also feature the story's theme song. All right, he's the chapter!
Theme Song: Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
Normal Text
"Thoughts" or emphasised text or lyrics
Chaos Powers
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Chapter 3 – Witness
One day later....
Hatred watched the humans from upon the skyscraper, silently wondering what was going on in their pitiful minds. They believed that numbers would save them: humans were poorly mistaken. Humankind's worst enemy was itself, for they created their own problems and horrors. He himself was an example of that. When he had lived, he had been an experiment to help the useless humans, but their ungratefulness and fear cost him everything. But when he had awake again in his life, he had wreaked havoc, but was forced into sacrificing his life to save the planet. It made him feel sick. As far as he was concerned, he was created to destroy the humans. It was all that he had ever known, even in life.
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Hatred wasn't sure if he was ever going to be able to fully exterminate the race that had destroyed all, but he was going to give it his best damn shot. The others were helping him, as they too shared his hatred. They were his kin: his family. Humans had ruined his life and theirs'. Wasn't it only fair to return the favour? He believed so, and the humans weren't getting a choice in the matter. But for now, he had work to do. He could plan his revenge later. Until then, it was time to make his payment to the one who had released him: the Gate.
Don't know where it goes
But its home to me and I walk alone
Hatred barely noticed when Envy plopped down beside him, watching the humans with a mixture of disgust and hatred. Soon enough though, he turned to the crimson and ebony hedgehog, a sinister smirk plastered upon his face.
"Well Hatred, who do you like the looks of? Which human strikes your fancy? Not that any of them are actually worth anything of course." He sneered. Hatred knew that the sneer wasn't aimed at him, so responded as such.
"None seem to stand out. All seem just as pathetic as each other. Though," he added as an afterthought, "attacking a woman may make things more interesting. Their screams seem to add more excitement." Envy's smirk grew in approval. The humans had destroyed their dreams, broken them into uncountable pieces. It was about time they returned the favour.
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
The sun slunk back into the shadows as the moon rose to take its place within the night sky. Humans were scarce now, but that just made the hunt all the more interesting. They were the only ones within this block now, as all else disappeared within to escape the darkness. The hunt was about to begin.
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
I walk alone. I walk alone. I walk alone. I walk alone.
They moved as swiftly as the wind, vanishing before mortals could gaze upon them. Hatred felt his shoes activate as he glided across the rooftops, not a sound echoing into the ears of others. Envy ran beside him, both on the lookout for prey.
Homunculi were his only allies now. There was no time for humans. Hatred didn't even understand why his heart still beat, forcing the black blood through his veins. He could easily survive without it. After all, immortality was his once again. He had no need of any more mortal parts: they were useless and unworthy. But he didn't mind spilling their blood. That was what he was about to do. They had spotted a young blond woman, twenty at most, and alone. She would do nicely for the sacrifice.
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Within seconds, they had caught up to her, quickly eliminating her escape routes: she was trapped. Envy stepped back and allowed Hatred forward.
"Your sacrifice: you get the first hit." He explained mildly, an excited smirk forming on his pale face. Hatred's own malicious smirk formed in return. He took no time in leaping down, landing in the shadows, out of the mortal's view. Both of them hoped that they would get caught. That would make things very interesting indeed. But for now, they would contend with her. Hatred's fist suddenly lashed out, sending the blond flying back into a wall, blood pouring from her head. She looked up in shock and pain.
"W-Who's there?" Her voice quivered in fear.
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone.
Hatred felt his mind wander as more and more of her blood fell onto his hands, staining them forever as he and Envy killed her in cold blood, for selfish purposes. He vaguely wondered if his old self would approve. Not that it mattered or anything, instead out of pure curiosity. They were two very similar creatures, so possibly he would have done the same. All of his memories showed him this, so why shouldn't he believe them? He never could tell anyone else about this however. That much was forbidden. Homunculi were never to talk about their past lives. Hatred was soon broken out of his thoughts by a terror-filled scream, evidently emanating from their sacrifice. He felt a smirk grow on his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Envy do the same. Now it was party time.
I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the borderline of the edge
And where I walk alone
Yells began to ripple through the air. The rescue party would soon be here. Not that they would actually find anything worth rescuing. They weren't finished yet, after all. With one final well placed punch, which tore through the now dead mortal's chest, her heartbeat ended. She was dead. Just as her soul left, another presence filled the air, its deep voice lingering behind long after it spoke.
"Four remaining." With that, the alley became empty once again, save for the two sins now covered in blood. They faded into the shadows as the search party finally arrived at the scene, watching as they cried and retched in disgust at what had become of the poor woman. Envy couldn't contain his laughter, sending shivers down the mortals' spines as they spun around to face them. Hatred soon joined in. A bold red echidna stepped forward, anger and uneasiness written clearly on his face.
"Whoever the hell you are, get your asses out here!" Knuckles roared. The two sins smirked in identical sinister pleasure.
"Very well." Hatred answered in a murmur, though they all heard him. Behind the echidna, a blue hedgehog and two-tailed fox froze in recognition. Hatred paid them no heed as he and Envy stepped out into the pale light, smirks widening as gasps broke the air. But the blue hedgehog's voice soon stopped him in his tracks.
"Shadow? Is that you?"
Read between the lines of what's
Fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
Hatred soon recovered from the shock, his smirk easily coming back to him despite his now flowing panic. Had this hedgehog known him?
"I was once called that, yes." He answered smoothly. But soon his fangs gleamed. "But not anymore. Not since I was allowed to once again walk on this earth. Now I have a different name: Hatred." Hatred and Envy watched in sick satisfaction as they recoiled in shock. Sonic, Tails and Knuckles seemed especially shocked at this.
"Y-You were brought back from the dead? But that's impossible!" Tails whimpered. Sonic rested a hand on the fox's shoulder as he looked up to better hear the answer. The being once known as Shadow the Hedgehog smirked once again.
And I walk alone
I walk alone. I walk alone. I walk alone. I walk alone
"True enough, for I am not the same as I once was. I lack a soul, I lack my emotions and I lack compassion. In short: I am not a true hedgehog anymore. I am a homunculus: a shell of your dear friend."
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
Everyone recoiled even further back. They were clearly not expecting that, not that they cared. Envy nudged Hatred.
"We should go: we're running a little late." Hatred nodded in return. Without any further words, both sins disappeared into the darkness, not to be seen until the next night of the hunt. Sonic felt himself collapse onto his knees as he saw them disappear. Crystalline tears rolled down his cheeks, watery emeralds fixed on the place the immortals stood moments ago.
"Shadow... What has happened to you?"
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there would come and find me
'Til then I walk alone
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I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It was really angsty, as you could easily see. The next one will probably be a bit different but I can't guarantee this will be the last song chapter. Hope you enjoyed your first glimpse of Hatred. Until next time, REVIEW!!!