Chapter 7

Shadow decided not to follow Amy home. He would get back to Rouge's apartment and hopefully get another cup of coffee.

Shadow spent most of his afternoon napping or snacking a little. He was waiting for Rouge to get back and give her report on the day. Perhaps her's was turning out better. The black hedgehog sat at the kitchen table. There wasn't anything to really think about. He had ruined his day with Amy...well maybe not ruined. He still didn't know how Amy felt about it.

"I shouldn't have suggested that."

It was the best course of action, right? Amy was such a caring and lovely person. She was never too hurt to help somebody else, even as she grieved for Sonic's death.

Shadow wanted to kill the bird, Shadow wanted death, the last thing Amy Rose wanted to consider. He really had blown it.

"Why does it even matter?" Irately the hedgehog spoke. He didn't want to feel this way. He didn't want to like Amy. He wanted to...to...

"I do not love her, I don't know her."

Truth was, he had gotten to know her. He had gotten to know everyone over the course of that year. He was even close to Tails and Cream now. He never did too much with them, but he invested time to fight with them and plan strategies against Eggman. No matter what he said, the fact remained. He had also watched them. He knew the things they liked, the people they loved, and the experiences they had.

Ring

Shadow was jostled from his thoughts by the phone.

Ring

Shadow reached over to pick up the receiver, but thought the better of it.

"It's probably for Rouge."

Or it's Amy.

"She always gets mad when I answer her calls."

She's calling wondering what happened at the park. Why didn't I walk her home.

"I'll leave it."

And so Shadow did, fourteen times. The entire afternoon was filled with the consent ringing of the phone. But Shadow didn't love Amy and wasn't going to answer her calls...which aren't her calls but rather someone trying to get in touch with Rouge, really, really badly. Yeah.

DingDong

By six, Shadow heard a familiar voice calling from the door.

"Shadow! It's me, Amy! Are you here? Rouge, are you home? Shadow!"

The phone he could handle, but it was a bit harder to ignore Amy at the door. He couldn't just leave her out there knocking.

"Yes I can,"

Unfortunately for the hedgehog in denial, he couldn't seem to bring himself to leaving her there. Shadow went to the door and opened it on Amy.

"About time you answered." Amy wasn't mad. "Well, are you going to invite me in or am I going to stand in this hallway forever?" Amy allowed herself in as Shadow stepped back.

She wasn't going to hold his rude comment against him, considering the vets offer of euthanasia was no better. She also still wanted to say good-bye to Shadow properly.

"I tried calling you," Amy sat on the couch. "Why didn't you answer?"

Shadow didn't respond.

"I thought that maybe you got hurt or something and didn't return home. I decided to come over after the sixth time calling."

"You only called six times?"

o

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Do you give up?

Rouge closed her cell phone. She laid out on her back across a cot in a foreign room. Ryuu must have bought her here while she had been passed out. The walls had a slight curve to them; most likely was a one way mirror of some kind. Ryuu could see in, but she couldn't see out.

Rouge made an effort to sit up but the wounds and bruises she received that morning forced her back down. How could she have let Ryuu catch her? Rouge, the world's greatest treasure hunter and spy, caught in one of the most primitive of devices.

The bat's head began to throb. She had a massive headache and was feeling sick.

"Just kill me now." Rouge groaned as again she tried to redial the house. She was hoping that Shadow would have returned to the apartment. Maybe he would be able to save both her and Knuckles, but so far, no such luck, and she didn't have any other capable person to call. Amy couldn't fight Ryuu and neither could Tails.

This would be her ninth time calling. However, before Rouge could press the last number the door into the room opened.

"I surly would have guessed you would have reached someone by now." Ryuu stepped into the fairly empty room. He crossed over to the cot and snatched the phone from Rouge's hand.

"But I can only give you so long to call before I'll have to invite them myself. Have to keep on schedule."

Ryuu held the phone up and read the name. "Home," A smirk. "I didn't know you had friends living with you." Ryuu tossed the phone onto the cot next to Rouge. "Keep calling, perhaps you will reach your family." Ryuu stood a moment longer. With her stare alone Rouge lashed out at the hedgehog before her.

Ryuu headed toward an opening in the wall. Stepping through, the wall materialized behind him closing off the room.

The hedgehog stood outside the room for a moment. No emotion played out on his face, but his mind wheedled around millions of questions and probabilities.

Using manipulation alone, Ryuu had succeeded in fooling Eggman into basically handing over his fleets of robots and scientific studies to him. He had established his central headquarters in a place Sonic and his friends were unable to locate; G.U.N. also unaware of its existence. Everything he was planning was coming to fruition. There were no bumps in the road or enemies he could not handle. As of where he stood, he had won.

Ryuu gazed around him. His base was a large open circular lobby with several wall doors like the one leading to Rouge. He had main computers and surveillance stationed in the center of the base. He nearly had everything, but the world.

A wave of frustration came over Ryuu. This wasn't what he wanted!

"I Want..gah!" Ryuu sent electrical pulses, much like chaos spear, flying across the substructure.

He didn't know what he wanted, but he was sure it wasn't this.

Ryuu breathed heavily. He was a miserable being. His existence seemed so meaningless at this point.

I can't be thinking like this or I'll lose it all.

The depraved hedgie straightened out his coat and took a cleansing breath. He would get what he wanted, he had to keep focused til then, or he would lose all he's worked for.

Ryuu shook the thoughts out of his mind and summoned robots to clean the electrical mess he had caused. He then made his way to the cell containing Knuckles. Placing a hand on a pad near the wall door, Ryuu opened the wall to speak with Knuckles.

The holding cell for Knuckles was different than Rouge's. The entire room was encased with Diamond Glass; a substance combining pure carbon into the melting process of glass.

Hearing Ryuu enter the cell Knuckles looked up from his cot.

"How dare you come in here!" The echidna quickly got to his feet and attempted to rush at the offending hedgehog. Before he could do so, however, Ryuu slipped his hand into his pocket and administered another shock of pain through Knuckles' side.

"Calm down guardian," Ryuu preceded to the fallen echidna. "We need to talk about our future."

"I've already told you, I'm not helping you destroy Mobius."

"You are."

"I've given you the Emerald, let us go."

"So you can come back later and fight me for it," Ryuu lowered himself to the floor to sit next to Knuckles. "As much as I love beating you echidna, I haven't the time to play such painful games anymore." Knuckles snorted at Ryuu. He was too hurt to do anything else.

"Tell me Knuckles, how does it feel to know that you surrendered the Master Emerald over to me to save someone who isn't even part of your tribe."

Knuckles closed his eyes in shame. Ryuu gave a small laugh. "You will harness its power for me or I will kill her."

At this Knuckles felt his strength return. The echidna punched up for the hedgehog and knocked him to the ground. Knuckles climbed on top of Ryuu and took a firm grip around his neck.

"Hurt one hair on her head, and not only will I harness power, but I will use it and all the power within me to ripe your head off!"

Knuckles had a fire in him that Ryuu never counted on. Knuckles' endurance, devotion, and sheer will was more than the hedgehog wanted to deal with. Still, this was the guardian; the only one who could control the Master Emerald.

The door to the room opened again as a small team of robots filled the room. Each took hold of Knuckles and pried him away from Ryuu. The robots detained Knuckles for the remainder of the conversation.

"I am expecting Shadow's company early tomorrow,"

"Leave him alone."

"He has three chaos emeralds and I have the other four."

Knuckles made another attempt to attack Ryuu, but was beaten and pained by his side.

"Listen to me echidna because I'm running out of patience. Tomorrow Shadow will come. I need you to pull all the energy from the chaos emeralds into the Master. Can you do that?"

No answer.

"I'll assume you can. If not, it will cost Rouge her life. After that, expect Dr. Robotnik to take over, you will be sent back here til I need you. Understood?" Knuckles watched as Ryuu left.

Again Knuckles had let everyone down. Because of him Sonic was probably hanging somewhere as a dead trophy and now Shadow would be joining him. Ryuu had the power of the Master Emerald and would be able to control all chaos energy with it. The energy in its purest form would surely be strong enough to kill Shadow. Worst of all, Knuckles was helping him do it. And for what?

Back at Rouge's apartment Shadow and Amy waited for the phone to ring again; Shadow had explained to Amy in the meantime.

"Do you think the calls all came from the same person?" Amy asked as she dragged a kitchen chair up to the phone.

"I have a good feeling it was." Shadow stood patiently by Amy who shot a curious glance at the black hedgehog. He never usually gave longer than one word answers at times like these. The suspense normally made Shadow more quiet. He looked very deep in though. His eyes were closed and he was standing as usual with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you think it might be Rouge?"

"That seems logical considering she was suppose to be back by now."

Amy smiled. It was good to know that Shadow had befriended Rouge as well as her. He almost acted like a brother would if his sister stayed out late. It was the tender side of Shadow that not too many get to see very often. It was kind of cute.

"You're such a... a boogle." Amy laughed out loud when she said the word. Shadow raised an eyebrow as he looked upon the giggling girl.

"A what?!"

"A boogle!"

"Do I want to know what that is?"

More laughter erupted from the pink hedgehog. Between giggles and gasps for air she answered.

"It's when someone is as cute as you Shadow."

Shadow became somewhat offended; he wasn't cute. His stun look reflected his thoughts. Amy's laughing subsided a bit. "It's because your lovable and sweet, even though you try to hide it, and that you show your affections in subtle ways." He still didn't understand. Amy went on.

"When I was little, a group of kids and I made up the word. We would always use it affectionately and then cat each other. We'd usually say it to Larry because he acted so silly." The memory made Amy lighthearted. She loved thinking back to when things were simple; times before Sonic's death. Her happy moment soon passed as she thought about the blue hedgehog.

Shadow noticed the change in her character. She was thinking about him again.

"Could you show me?"

Amy was jerked from her thoughts at Shadow's voice.

"Could I, what?"

"Could you show me how you... cat people?" Shadow knew it was a sad attempt to keep her mind off Sonic, but he didn't want her to feel that way. He like it when she smiled.

Before Shadow could even register what Amy was about to do, he found himself falling to the floor. Amy was tickling the hedgehog's sides and was rendering him helpless.

Amy laughed as she attacked the hedgehog. She wasn't catting him in the playful fashion of a kitten, but she was having just as much fun. Plus seeing the rear smile on Shadow's face was well worth the effort. Amy then began to wonder if she had ever seen Shadow laugh before. He looked so odd with a smile; almost friendlier and more approachable. His deep voice also took on a cheerier tone; raised just a bit in pitch. In all aspects Shadow seemed child like.

Amy finally stopped her assault at Shadow's command. Breathing heavy the male hedgehog began to speak.

"I haven't laughed like that since Maria and I use to play."

Both hedgehogs were taken back by this statement. Had Shadow just talked about Maria with another person? And with mirth?

Amy knew Shadow would never have done that with anyone else. It was because it was her he was talking to. He felt more open with her. They had only gotten to really know each other over the past few days, and already he felt close enough to her to share that about Maria. Perhaps she could do the same.

" I use to do stuff like that with Sonic,"

Amy rose and went to the couch. "Just recently have we gotten closer together."

Shadow watched the tears form in Amy's eyes. Her pain was so fresh and real; Sonic had only been dead for a month. Maria has been gone for years. "We would race, play games, fight Eggman. We did lots of things together."

Amy tried to fight back the tears. She closed her eyes, but she knew they would still seep through. Either way, she felt it was time to express how she felt.

"I loved Sonic. He was always there for me, and even though he never admitted it, I knew he liked me too. I don't want him to be dead, I want him here, now! I loved him, please, I loved him."

Amy began to weep into her hands as she sensed Shadow join her on the couch. Suddenly Amy felt herself being pulled into a hug. Forcing her eyes open, Shadow was holding her...He was...

One tears fell from the black hedgehog's eye. He didn't want Maria to be dead. He had loved her like a mother, and she didn't deserve to die.

Shadow was warm, and somehow safe. Amy was safe. She rested her head against his chest and let herself cry. Shadow didn't mind; he wanted this no other way. No more Maria complex; he had Amy. He wanted to fall in love again; he wanted to fall in love with her. He would wait as long as it took. He loved her.

As Amy stopped sobbing, she allowed Shadow to stroke her quills. She listened to his heartbeat and enjoyed the rise and fall of his breathing. It felt so good to be there, and for Shadow it felt so good to be touched affectionately.

Shadow laid back against the arm of the sofa and lowered Amy onto his chest. She was so warm. Shadow took in her sweet smell and closed his eyes. Softly, the black hedgehog planted a tender kiss on the girl's forehead.

Amy's eyes sprang open. Had Shadow just kissed her?!

Ring

Both hedgehog's jumped at the sound of the phone. Amy wasted no time climbing off of Shadow and rushing to the phone.

Ring

Amy answered winded with shock.

"Hello"

"Shadow?" It was Rouge's voice. She was in pain and sounded panicked. "Shadow is it you?" Amy handed the phone over to Shadow.

"Hello."

"Shadow Ryuu has me."

"What!"

Amy watched as Shadow went from worried to angered. He slammed down the phone and without a second thought, dashed out the door.Amy stood with her mouth slightly ajar and just as confused as she could be. What just happened here?

From the call, Shadow knew right where he needed to go. He recognized the place Rouge vaguely described as one of Eggman's older bases.

As Shadow headed for the base, Ryuu raced to set everything up for the next morning. Everything had to go as planned. When messing with the ultimate life form a minor error might lead to complete destruction.

Ryuu had the computer at the center of the base removed and the wall doors sealed and locked. Knuckles' room was the only exception. Ryuu then began to practice several attack moves he would use on Shadow. He had perfected Chaos Control and even Chaos Spear, but Shadow still could Chaos Blast and ruin everything.

"Not everything," Ryuu waved over three robots whom all began to mop and clean up the room. "The Master Emerald should prove rather useful now."

Exiting the building, Ryuu took a back way up to a second story of his base. This room was also open and unlocked by Ryuu's touch. Inside would be the Master Emerald and a computer screen displaying the events of the main base. Upon entering, Ryuu addressed a figure hunched in the shadows of the room.

"I'll have Knuckles brought to you around four. Explain to him when I want him to draw the power from the emeralds. If he refuses, press that button on the far wall."

Stepping out into the center of the room, Eggman faced the traitor that took his dream of world conquest.

"Why?" Hatred dripped off Eggman's words like venom.

"You don't need to know the purpose of that button."

"I don't care about that button. Give me one good reason why I should listen to you? I've already lost everything."

"Because I'll take your life with it."

Eggman stepped closer to the hedgehog.

"You already have."

Ryuu smiled and, try as he might to hold back, let out a laugh.

"I know you better than that Robotnik. You haven't the guts to risk your life like that."

As much as it pained his ego, Eggman knew Ryuu was right; he didn't want to lose his life. But he didn't want to lose his dream either.

Eggman went and sat back down, Ryuu left, and just as promised, Knuckles was escorted in at four in the morning.

The echidna was in bad shape. He hadn't been feed or given water and he couldn't bring himself to sleep that night. Knuckles didn't even care to give Eggman the usual glare the doctor had become accustomed to.

"So tell me Eggman, what are you getting out of this?" Knuckles' question was genuine. Eggman ignored it.

"Shadow is expected to arrive in about two hours."

"I don't care about that, Eggman. I want you to help me escape."

"He and Ryuu will battle for approximately twenty minuets before Shadow will try to use Chaos Blast."

Eggman pointed to the monitor to explain the battle scene. Knuckles, trying to hold back his temper, asked again.

"Eggman I know you could get us out of here. Why don't you help me?"

The doctor rubbed his temples and looked at Knuckles.

"Like a fool I handed my bases and weapons to Ryuu in hopes that he would help me take over. Then I was planning to double-cross him, taking his half as well as mine. He beat me to it. Ryuu has everything I once possessed, I have nothing to fight back with. And don't think I haven't tried to get out of here, same as you I suppose. It seems he has you in the same boat, too, Knuckles."

The echidna looked at the Master Emerald, the computer screen, his options.

"What does Ryuu need the Master Emerald for?" Knuckles went to the doctor.

"He wants you to drain the power of the chaos emeralds as Shadow prepares to cause chaos blast."

"Why?"

"Aren't we full of questions."

"Just Answer!"

"Fine. The effects of pulling the power from Shadow as he is trying to use them will temporarily shock his system. Being I, with the help of my ingenious inventions, can use the power from both the chaos and master emeralds, I can turn the blast back on Shadow."

Knuckles thought about the situation for a moment. Why would Ryuu need the Master Emerald to hurt Shadow if he could do it himself? Odds are that Ryuu couldn't stop Shadow without chaos energy. If Knuckles never pulls the power, Ryuu might lose the fight.

"Then I'm not doin' as he says."

"He did instruct me to take action if you refuse."

Knuckles brought his focus to Eggman. "What?"

Eggman signaled to the button on the far wall. "What does it do?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. All I know is that I'll have to pay whatever penalty you will receive if I don't press it."

It was to hurt Rouge. Some how Knuckles just knew it was.

"Do you think chaos blast would be enough to kill Ryuu?" The echidna was hopeful.

"No." It was the shortest answer Dr. Eggman had probably ever given.

"How could he be strong enough to handle that?!" Knuckles punched the wall in frustration. Why was this turning out to be so hard. Ryuu was just one hedgehog, how could he alone take down Sonic and everyone else? Even with hundreds of robots and machine, Eggman was unable to harm the group as much as Ryuu had. There was no way Ryuu could be this powerful. "Shadow can take him out, I know it."

"Don't be too sure about your friend, Knuckles. Ryuu's no fool." Eggman's tone was serious. " He has a back up plan incase you don't drain the power." Silence. Ryuu really had beaten them.

"Can Shadow live through it?"

That morning, a thin fog surrounded the base Shadow had finally arrived at. Ryuu was expecting him, he knew this. But nothing was going to stop him from getting rid of Ryuu.

The entrance to the base lead partly underground to the substructure. The doors were open and a welcome mat laid out. The building itself was only two stories high and windowless.

The front entryway was obviously leading to a trap, but most like was any entrance to the base.

"Then I'll just make my own."

Using chaos spear, Shadow blew a hole through the wall a few yards from the main doors. He stood on the thresh hold of the lobby. Shadow gave the room a once over. No one was there; it was just an empty room.

The black hedgehog slowly stepped through his made room access; the wall materialized behind him. Shadow glared over his shoulder there upon he felt the presence of someone behind him.

Shadow wheeled around expecting to block a blow from Ryuu, but receiving instead something being forced into his mouth.

Without hesitation Shadow spat the object out at the feet of Ryuu; standing emotionless. Shadow was just about to grab the hedgehog before him, when the taste of the object sank in. Chocolate... Maria's chocolate...?

o

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(A/N) YAY! I think I only need one more chapter to sum up this story. Thank you all for reading. If you are confused about anything, I suggest going back and reviewing. I know I had to. Good days, and for those who celebrate, I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.