Many thanks to all the people who've left a review, each one brightens my day. Also many thanks to Skyblaze for taking the time to read and correct my work.
Sorry for the delay folks, life had been getting pretty hectic recently, all for the good I assure you. Keep your browsers peeled for a new story I hope to post soon!
Chapter Three - False Colours
After several trip ups on his way home, all that could be heard from scowling blue hedgehog was the low mumbling of him complaining about 'stupid Sonic' and 'stupid shoes'.
Shadow's house was really just a large bungalow; with white walls, a terracotta tile roof and a seemingly well kept garden, it didn't seem like the sort of place you'd find the ultimate life form living. The only evidence to it belonging to Shadow was a small barbed fence, about waist high acting as a perimeter. A sign attached said 'Trespassers will be shot on sight'. As Shadow approached the front door he avoided going for the spare key, hidden under a nearby plant pot, knowing quite well he may be seen by any passer bys.
He knocked on his own front door in an undecidedly uncomfortable way.
Sonic opened the door, looking sheepish and holding a wet cloth in his free hand.
"Hey, didn't expect to see you back so soon." his eyes were avoiding contact with Shadow's "Thought Amy might have kidnapped you and done chaos knows what to you."
"What have you done?" Shadow had no time for small talk.
He stepped into the house, closing the door behind him and smelt something burnt; something close. He looked down and found jet-shoe shaped burn marks in his carpet.
Sonic tried to force some sort of apologetic smile.
"Eh, heh. Who knew my running would heat your shoes up so much?" Sonic was beginning to trying to make light of a bad situation.
It wasn't working.
"Take them off, now," Shadow pointed to the jet-shoes Sonic was still wearing, "or you'll find out what Fyour shoes taste like when I kick you in the a-."
"Ok, ok! I'll take them off." Sonic slipped them off his feet and passed them over to Shadow, "No need to get violent, dude."
Shadow sighed deeply and walked into his living room found the nearest seat, a faded red sofa, and slumped into it, his jet-shoes dropping to the floor.
"This day just keeps getting better and better." He thought to himself.
Sonic walked in carrying a large flowery pink bag, which he tipped on to the large dinning table in the corner.
"Right, lets choose what we're gonna use and get it over with." Sonic began arranging the items he 'acquired' at Amy's. "We've got a small range of colours; red, blue, green, purple and pink." He picked up the blue box and gave it a small shake.
"Why am I not surprised?" Shadow said, seeing what colour Sonic had chosen. He pulled himself off the worn sofa and walked up to the table, giving each box a quick shake to find which had the most left inside. Luckily he found it was the green one which didn't actually seem to have been used.
"Green it is then," he muttered, "I was hoping for either the red or purple, honestly."
Shadow then noticed something near Sonic's arm, which was resting on the table.
"What's that" he pointed with the box he had picked up.
"Oh that? It's a pair of fur straighteners," Sonic seemed almost embarrassed, "I was gonna straighten the bends out of your quills, they're pretty distinct you know?"
Shadow just stared at Sonic for a moment, realizing the truth the dark hedgehog had just spouted.
"I'd hate to admit it but you're right; fine head to the bathroom and get sorted, I'll be in the one in my room doing the same." He turned and made his way to the bedroom, while Sonic pulled a plastic bottle from under the table he had hidden from Shadow.
Sonic knew the blue dye would hardly show with the dark black fur he currently had, thankfully the bottle of peroxide he got from Amy's would make short work of that problem.
Shadow kicked off Sonic's red and white shoes as he entered his room and took the gloves off, tossing them on his bed. He walked into his en suite and stepped in his shower, soaking his fur. Stepping out, he donned a pair of plastic gloves and started applying the dye. The blue fur absorbed the colour like a sponge turning it to a deep sea green colour; not great but it would have to do. He stood in front of the mirror while his fur dried and made sure all the necessary parts of his fur were covered. He heard a noise coming from the direction of the bathroom Sonic was using.
It sounded like singing.
While Shadow had never sung in his life, he found his voice was actually pleasant to hear; his only objection was Sonic's choice in songs. Unsurprisingly they were all about himself; all 'Sonic this' and 'Super Sonic that', Shadow was astonished his ego didn't slow him down.
"Hey, Karaoke King, you finished in there yet?" Shadow knocked on the door a few times.
"Just drying myself off, Shads." Sonic had left Shadows gloves and rings outside, the now green hedgehog picked them up and put them on. He had almost forgotten the feeling of his own gloves, the golden cuffs slowly draining his power. He felt strange wearing his cuffs as Sonic's body didn't depend solely on Chaos energy, Shadow realised Sonic would need these to hold back the power he could now wield.
Sonic opened the door and stepped out, his fur was a dark midnight blue colour; he still had Shadow's red stripes running through his fur, but the bends at the end had been straightened making him look similar to Sonic but with a sterner look about him.
"I'm impressed," Shadow said, "didn't think the blue would show through the black."
"Yeah, surprised me too," he didn't want Shadow to crucify him for bleaching his fur; yet. "So now we've got this part done what's next?" Sonic began checking himself out in the hallway mirror.
"Now," Shadow started, wandering back to his bedroom, "we get some clothes on."
"Huh?" Sonic looked baffled, "We dye our fur and you want us to dress up too; are we gonna go join a circus or something?"
The navy hedgehog stood in the doorway of Shadow's room, admiring the décor; three of the walls were a pale lavender while the remaining wall was a pure white. Looking down he saw his sneakers lying on the soft grey carpet.
"Hey Shadow, can I take my shoes back?"
"Go ahead," Shadow's voice emerged from wardrobe in the corner, "I was going to take mine back; once I've cleaned the burnt carpet off them"
"Yeah, sorry about that man" Sonic slipped his shoes back on, feeling slightly tighter due to different foot structure, but still every bit as comfortable. "I'll pay for a new carpet once this is over."
"Good to hear," Shadow emerged carrying a coat in each arm, "Saves me having to skin you alive and have your pelt cover the marks." A grin made itself quite apparent across Shadow's face. "Here try this on." He threw a red suede jacket to Sonic.
"I never knew you to be the dress-up sort" Commented Sonic as he gave the coat a quick look over, on the back was a golden ring with wings.
"I'm not; but while I was staying at Rouge's, before I got a place of my own," Shadow slid his own jacket on; black leather with flames on the upper part of the sleeves, "She delighted in dragging me round the town carrying her shopping. She bought me a few things as a way of saying thanks."
"Well that was nice of her" Sonic pulled a pose, "What do you think?"
"You look great, Zephyr." Shadow tossed Sonic his gloves.
"Say what, now?" He raised an eyebrow.
"You can't go changing you appearance and still call yourself Sonic," Shadow walked past Sonic and back into the living room to collect his jet shoes.
"Oh, that makes sense. Zephyr the Hedgehog." Sonic was beginning to get a taste for that name. "So what's your name going to be; Mr. Pointy?" He asked as he popped his own gloves back on.
"Scourge." Shadow gave his shoes a quick check to see what damage had been caused.
"Scourge? What kind of a name is Scourge?" Sonic asked.
"Well seeing as you are the Scourge of my existence and I'm in your body, it seemed apt." Seeing nothing wrong, he put his shoes on.
"Nice to know we have such a great relationship going." Sonic joked.
Shadow just glared at him. He then took the golden bands from around his wrists and clamped them back on Sonic's
"Hey, I like you and all Shads, but I don't play that way." Sonic blushed as he looked at Shadow's hands, firmly gripping his wrists.
Shadow rolled his eyes, "These are for your own protection. You have no control over the power my body commands and you're a danger to yourself as well as everyone around you."
"Oh, right." Sonic began feeling a bit foolish, "I knew that."
"Whatever," Shadow stood back, crossing his arms, "so now we just need to know where to go to find out who did this and have them change us back."
"Oh, I think I've an idea where we can go" Sonic smirked.