Hunter's Night
Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic; he and related characters belong to Sega. Predator(s) belongs to their proper owner(s)
Welcome to all, thank you for even reading this far. I hope you are enjoying this as much as I enjoy writing it even though pressure to deliver is insane but life lets me deal with it, because lately life has been good! Except for work…I can't find any!
Ah how good life and patience is,they announced Star Craft 2One of my favorite and only liked computer games of all time is finally being lifted from the video game grave. Do you know how long I've waited for that freaking game, since the Brood War expansion people…yeah since way back then. Finally the Blizzard team got up and did something good for me! I finally get to see how the story turns out and I saw some videos and all I have to say is that I going to buy a new computer just so it runs perfectly, when it comes out of course…and when I have the money, Alienware is expensive equipment man…
Okay we've reached a thicker part of the story, find out for yourself; I'm done till the end. Enjoy my readers, enjoy.
Chapter Seven – The Shadowing Demon Within
Two of a kind collided, superior to the rest, both of them. One, an honored and blood-earned warrior and leader, and the other a final version of an experimented hedgehog that had been cybernetically enhanced and mechanically strengthened into the perfect form of life.
There was a steady beep. It was doubled by a second set following every first beep that entered the sensitive ear. Soon the sound began knocking the consciousness of the mind back into reality. The ear twitched and a couple of voices murmured quietly, then the sounds became a clear, "I think she's awake," With that, slowly eyelids rose and the horizontal view widened. A soft glare from the window made her frown and blink tears; refreshing her dry eyes. There was a dark brown beaver with a few grey fur hairs standing above her with a clip board in his hands. He slowly leaned forward and examined the eyes, he sighed quietly.
"Miss," He had a deep voice, "Can you hear me?"
Rouge's whimper was faint, her whole body hurt like never before. Everything was numb, and she felt cold as her body became aware of its surrounding underneath the crisp and cold hospital sheets. Her hand rose to touch her face but the doctors stopped her from any movements;
He came closer to her face, "Miss," he stopped and examined her face carefully, "Nod if you can hear me,"
"Oh," She moaned, "Knuckles…" She turned her head which led the biggest sore pain she had ever felt in her life. Rouge's painful gaze shifted from the ceiling and looked around, she groaned with a terrible drag. She looked around, her attention focused on the female doctor at the foot of the bed, a human.
"I think she's referring to the echidna," The beaver nodded at the assumption, "But he's still in intensive!" She whispered to the beaver, the doctor's glance saddened as she tried not to look at the bat.
"W-What," Rouge took a deep breath, "Happened to us…why is he in I-CU?" She had a really hard time breathing. Her body felt soothed and very sore at the same time as she forced herself to sit up despite any attempt to keep her down by the two doctors. In her movements she felt the needle in her right arm; it was connected to a bag of clear fluid. She had heavy breathing, "Knuckles…what happened…" Her head drooped from exhaustion; her small shoulder frame gave out and sagged as well. With a low groan she looked up for an answer.
"That's," The beaver gave shrug, "What we were wondering, you don't remember anything?"
"No," She said groggily, "Is he okay?"
"Miss, you need to rest," The human doctor came closer to her and tried to get her to lie down again, "There's no need to worry,"
Rouge growled and found the strength to push the doctor's aiding arm away, "I'm fine!" She groaned, "I want to know if the echidna, my Knuckles, is okay!" She shouted. The doctors stared at one another. Rouge didn't like the tone of the atmosphere, she gasped as her head looked up to both of them, begging for an answer.
The beaver sighed, "He's stable, barely." The doctor paused and frowned slightly, "But he's not responding to anything and at this rate we don't know if he'll make it…"
Rouge's eyes watered, "No," She gasped silently, "Why? What happened?" The bat's eyes began to flow as she demanded an answer loudly from them.
"Miss we don't know!" The beaver kept his voice from going loud, he was used to dealing with emotional outburst in his daily job,, "The only thing we know is that both of you had an unidentified poison in your systems, we were able to flush it out of you but as for him," The beaver paused as he wondered if he should even go on, "It circulated deeply into his system and we can't be sure that even with current procedures that it'll work at all." He regretted seconds later giving details. Rouge had somehow ignored her sore muscles and brought her knees to chest and whimpered. The blanket that covered her body has fallen on certain parts of her body showing heavy bandages on her knees, Rouge didn't care as she dropped her forehead on them; the stinging burn didn't faze her at all.
She cried quietly, the two around her bed not knowing what to say exactly. The bat lifted her head and wiped the tears that had formed, "I want to see him," She mumbled quietly with a serious tone.
"I'm sorry," Rouge's eyes formed an enraged glare, "He's ICU, no visitor's and especially in your condition, you shouldn't even be moving like you are now Miss."
"That's an order," Rouge gritted with a hard tone. The beaver gave her a strange look;
"I'm afraid I don't understand," His brow rose in confusion, he was lost now.
"I'm paying you," She snapped, "My money is paying for this treatment and aid, now with that cleared; I am ordering you to take me to see him!" The beaver formed a stiff muzzle and frown; technically she was right.
The beaver sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to let his head vent, being a doctor was a hard thing. You a physical and mental doctor at the same time, you had to watch out for the mental state of a patient, similar to when doctors lie to a dying patient. It not for fun or the heck of it, it's to keep them from falling apart. He looked at her; she was one of those 'rare' patients. Throughout the time in this hospital he had seen a lot of things; he had learned the true meaning of just about everything; all of the witty and informal sayings that had been past down the ages. 'Sometimes I just hate this job…' He groaned and brought his left paw to his head, rubbing the side of his eyes, one with his thumb the other with the longest finger.
"Uh, sir?" The female doctor tapped his shoulder.
He sighed heavily and opened his eyes, the light brown orbs of his eyes looking to his assistant, "Yes?" He said almost annoyed.
"She left…" The beaver's hand dropped and his head snapped to the bed.
"Didn't you stop her?" He snapped back to his nurse.
The nurse shrugged, "Well technically she is right, and she wasn't that harmed, you know that. Besides, she just went to ICU, its not that far."
"This night just won't end," He groaned and stepped out of the room. He poked his head out and searched for a limping white furred female bat. Another groan escaped his mouth, not a sign of her. "Well, looks like she knows where she's heading. Nurse?"
"Yes doctor?"
He smirked a little; the situation was a little funny to him, "Would you mind keeping an eye on her and the echidna? Let them be alone but just make—"
"—I understand," She smiled.
The beaver sighed, "I'm getting to old for this," He turned around and looked at his clip board, "I'm getting a coffee and an aspirin…an order…I'm paying…" He shook his and scoffed, "…Yeah right…(Sigh)…what you don't see at this job…"
Sonic let out a deep sigh as he leaned on the doorway's entrance. He was out on the porch, looking out into the darkening sky. A soft drizzle made the streets in front of Tails' home wet and reflective. They managed to clean up the mess outside the house and were planning on dumping most of their furniture, seeing how most of it had green glowing blood and some had Shadow's. Tails was little irritated about the whole thing, he had to rip and replace the carpet in the living room because a lot was colored dark red, almost black in the center. The young fox was sitting on the couch cushions they were using in place of the actual couch since it was heading for the dump within the next few days. Although she had been there to take him home and aid in tending and caring for his wounds, Amy did not stay with them; she had to keep on with her normal activities. She didn't want to but she couldn't ignore her needs no matter what had happened, and so she went to work according to her schedule, calling and visiting everyday to see if Sonic was alright and any word on Rouge or Knuckles who were still gone.
"A huge cliff fall," Sonic scoffed at the excuse his injuries were explained to a professional with, "Making seem like a certified dumass."
"Well it was that or sound like three insane idiots and say we were attacked," Tails paused, "By seven foot monster from space that could turn invisible!" The fox made his tail wrap around to the front, he rubbed the bandaged nick he had received after all of this.
"I wonder what Shadow is doing right now," Sonic shifted the weight on his feet, "You said he wasn't looking too good,"
"Well," Tails' voice was sore from staying out that whole night, it was cold then, "He snapped earlier after one of those things fought him," Tails sighed, "I think it got to him,"
"What'd ya mean?" Sonic turned around and closed the door behind him. The hedgehog locked all the locks now, the knob and the upper bar lock; this recent event had him a little paranoid.
"Well Shadow didn't seem like himself, at all," Tails seemed a little shook up, partly depressed about it as well.
"No one know what he's like, how can you tell if he was like he usually is? We almost never see him!" Sonic walked with a limp; he sucked his teeth with his heavy left leg movements. He groaned and held his right shoulder which was heavily bandaged and wrapped in castings that he received. Doctors had to bandage his midsection to keep wounds closed and helped with his rib injuries. The hospital cleaned him up well and the rest of care was left to painkillers and cleaning and reapplying new bandages to the wounds, including the bandage strap that went around the top of his head slightly diagonally.
Tails leaned back until he was upright to the wall. Suddenly he leaned forward and sighed, "He leveled an entire section of forest using only Chaos Spear," The fox was tired, he yawned and rubbed his eyes, "I check it after, its nothing but smooth and burning dirt, no sign of trees or leaves, and he wiped it clean."
Sonic huffed and rolled his eyes, "Wow," He started sarcastically, "I wouldn't expect anything less from someone of his anger and power, it's Shadow; the so called Ultimate Life Form," The azure hedgehog limped to the steps leading upstairs. "I'ma go to bed, night."
"He yelled at Mina…"
Sonic froze in place. Slowly he turned his head, the hedgehog's body following the movement a little afterwards. "…are you sure?" Sonic's eyes were dim and shocked.
"I was watching most of it," Tails groaned as he stretched his arms and shoulders, "Amy started yelling for me but I know what I saw; he yelled at her, but then I left."
"Hmm…" Sonic hummed, "I know that's not like him, he must be pretty messed up for something like that to happen." He put his hand on the guardrail and took one step up, "When it comes to something like that," Sonic started up the steps, "I'm sorry to say that it is between them…I can't do anything about them or how they're feeling…" With that short and serious tone Sonic left to rest.
Tails sighed and gave up on trying to keep his body up, he let himself relax and droop in stature. 'Well there goes day one…' The fox groaned in frustration, 'I hope Rouge and Knuckles are okay,' Tails had walked to Angel Island and through a big chunk of the city looking for the bat and the echidna.
The fox made a huge hike through the hills and dirt roads that led up to the mountains of the Mystic Valley. He search part of the forest, through the lush and humid jungle and found nothing. There were wild and non-evolved animals that populated the forests, even a few humans and evolved animals hiking. Tails even went up to the shrine of the Master Emerald. Upon the crumbling shrine of stone and rock he found nothing the gigantic jewel without its guardian or the supposedly thieving bat who was always attempting to 'steal' it. From the floating island known as Angel Island he flew down with great pain due to his tail injury but since it was for his friends he forced through it. He doubled back through the valleys and the dirt roads until he reached the meeting areas of the hikers, the one about a half mile away from the only train station that led out here. He heard faint calls, barely able to under stand them; Shadow! They sounded sadden and anxious, the voice was feminine;
"She isn't…" Tails looked around, "It's been a long day…I'm hearing things," Tails couldn't believe that she would still be looking for him after all that's happened. Not to mention that all the way out here, she was way off from the home inside the forest. He couldn't imagine how or why she would still be looking for him; when Shadow leaves in anger, he goes far away…very far. Tails felt that it was stupid idea to go looking for Shadow at all because you could never track him; it was almost impossible to keep up with him. With a sigh he wished mentally for better luck in the city, slowly he walked to the station, his feet ready to give out from exhaustion.
In the concrete jungle of steel and glass he found bats and echidnas of all kinds and colors and more species of animals including hybrids: a mix of two or more different species of Mobians; or evolved animals for those who called them their less proper term. But not the two he was looking for, for the first time in a while he growled and yelled out for them; Knuckles! Rouge! C'mon, where are you guys? There were two sides to how he felt; he was hoping that they were maybe just gone alone and goofing off but then after this why would they never even try to contact without any type of consent or a heads-up.
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While Tails looked for Knuckles and Rouge, they had been here at the hospital. The young fox had not even come close to checking and searching this area of the city. Where most of the action and battle had been in the more secluded area of the forest and near the old ruins of the temple, they had been left far away, almost close to the center of the city, but the park was a huge place meant for joggers and large festivals including smaller ones such as family parties. Its size was big to accommodate more than a few at once.
Rouge stumbled as she walked down the hall. A few doctors followed her, one even attempting to restrain her just because her movements seemed painful and unhealthy. Within the total of three doctors, not one had the guts to stop her; the one that tried was being cared for in the lower levels. Injured or not, Rouge somehow summoned the strength to kick even with her injuries. She groaned within her mind, she was expecting a lawsuit after that one but this was worth it. She past door way after doorway, glancing inside each, each was single. She knew it was highly unlikely that he would have visitors but after what has happened, there wasn't much that could surprise her. 'I wonder…Tails…Amy, Shadow and Sonic…Mina, are you guys alright?'
She gasped and breathed heavily, her lung taking in and letting out air harshly. Rouge felt her legs give a little and the support lessened and let her fall and lean onto the wall to her left. The injured bat was barely up, her legs seemed like hollow visuals, they didn't look like they were doing much. Rouge began to whimper a little, the few doctors that were following began to aid her but she screamed pushed them all away. "It hurts all over, damn it!" She moaned, some tears continued to flow down her cheeks.
A quick breather she told her self. Rest a few and then keep going, it couldn't be that far could it? With a little pep talk to herself within her mind Rogue managed to crawl up to her legs. With a wobble she walked, only now just noticing that she was still wearing her normal jumpsuit, probably due privacy policies and similar subjects. As close as she could, she remained near the wall, relying on it for support, 'Where are you?' Rouge turned her head to see no body following her but a few nurses keeping their eye on her. As she turned her head, the quick glance caught the sight of red. With tired movements she walked over across the hall and felt for the doorway, grasping it as soon as she touched it.
It was long journey through hell and trauma but there he was. Not the sight she was hoping for. Knuckles was heavily attended to, a plastic oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose. She could hear it from where she was standing, he was breathing heavily. The raspy gasps for air where only confirming what she hear from the doctors before, her ungloved finger came to her mouth, she bit on the tip of them, nail and all. Before her fangs could cut her own skin she began to cry, the sight of his pain was grueling on her mind. Her pain faded as her eyes focused on the steady by parted beeping, it wasn't normal; the beeps were to far apart. He was holding on by thread. Bandaging showed the several and severity of his wounds. There was heavy bandaging around his rib area and some bleed through. Through his left arm a needle was connect to a bag of fluid that was supposed to be flushing his system out but, it was anyone's guess. Again she looked to the monitor; the lines were parted greatly and so unnatural.
"Knuckles…" She walked over, keeping her balance as dizziness had begun to come upon her. Her heels tapped against the ground, echoing in the room into the hallway quietly. Her shoes carefully avoided any loose wiring on the ground, making a mental note to put in a complaint about the protection of monitoring equipment. The wounded bat winced a little as she leaned in, a small spike of pain coming from her left side and lower back.
'Look at you, still a fighter even when unconscious…c'mon Knuckles, pull through…'
She placed her hand gently over his chest and let her head drop softly against his. Her aqua orbs stared at his chest, the breathing was heavy and hard, the lungs taking in air like gasps. Rouge cuddled with him, nothing changed in his status. Slowly she continued to nuzzle her head and his head. He was the one who brought her here, just another life saving memory to add to her heart. It was all thanks to him, she'd be dead were it not for him, she didn't need doctors to tell her what happened, it was in her heart; she just knew it somehow that it was all him. Never could figure a way to thank him, he had meant so much to her and yet she never treated him like it. Before now, it had been a full month since she had seen him. It was mad and terrible month, in her dreams, thoughts and almost anywhere he was there, his memory taunting her, she had to see him; it was her plan to go home and go see him, even if it was in the middle of the night.
Then all of this happened. And through it all he stood by her, evening challenging the thing the touched her with the blood stained blade. She wouldn't even dare stand up to that one, just its look was menacing. But he did it without hesitation, and he said those words, I think I'm in love with you, it was genuine. Never had she felt so blissful from a few words that she had heard before any other guy, her mind and heart knew it; it was truth from the guardian.
A long monotone beep rang. Rouge began to cry, knowing what happened. The arm she had across his chest tightened in hold, he whimper increased her hold on him, pressing her head as much she could. "No," She whimpered with her broken voice, "Knuckles…don't leave me yet!" She said sorrowfully, the long tone rang though, not changing in its single solid stone cold rhythm. "I love you…" Rouge died down, "Don't leave…" She closed her eyes and held him tightly. From the window of the closed door the beaver shook his head, a regretful face on him. Giving her needed time he turned around put his back to the wall. With a shamed sigh he lowered his chin and closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly side to side.
The dead hollow tone rang through his ears, echoed with her crying.
The cold pavement ran underneath his shoes, the metal to asphalt scraped occasionally. Flames kept him above the highway, before him just as they came close the white stripes blurred and sped below and past him. His body leaned in to the right balancing the legs that went far left as he turned, following the interstate. Surroundings were smeared and blurred as his body blazed down the road. Arms kept moving with the rhythm of his running, keeping a balance in his air running; they moved across his chest and more to the left as he made his high speed right turn. His breathing was calm and paced; the high speed was intense if not handled well. Like a lone marksman, he was by alone, nothing but his fur, quills, body and mind; on a hunt to kill.
Man had made the road inclined as it led closer to the city boundaries. A large crane working vehicle was next to a cluster of smaller trucks, at least a quarter of a mile across a couple of barrels and construct equipment clustered next to the bright orange reflectors signaling the construction work. The site was moderately clean of the broken stone and crumbling concrete. An entire section of wall had been cleared, it was like an 'L' shape; the turning wall into the city had been cleared. Shadow ignored the 'Caution', 'Warning employees only' and 'No one allowed after hours' signs and stopped at the yellow tape.
Without thought he ripped it and hopped down the two foot drop onto the lush green grass of the forest. Tree towered and cluttered the area like the city as a concrete jungle, this was a real jungle, no help for miles should anything happen. One step forward, then he took another starting the continuing motion, slowly he was deeper and one glance back he barely see the city lights. His head quills swayed as he constantly moved his head to look around, he was looking for a fight. He was clueless as to what flared up this adrenaline, but it was driving him. Fingers within his white gloves curled, the energy of a fight aching to be released, he wanted to beat it until it couldn't breath.
He passed tree, the scene becoming endless and continuous, out of no where he snarled at the empty surrounding. Shadow picked up some speed and jumped off a rock he was passing. There was small clearing in the forest tree up ahead, he ran for it. When he left the cluster of the forest he found himself in a plain. His fangs gritted as he saw nothing. But then, something reflected off of the grim sky. Through the grey clouds a dim aura shined off of the moon, the electrical pulse hummed as it flowed down horizontally down the body. It was the Blood-Warrior, his white markings and cape gave it away. Slowly it turned to face him, there was no fear or emotion in its movements; as if it didn't care he was here. The elder didn't see him as a threat, and that only enraged Shadow.
The raven hedgehog held up his fist, picking the fight first. The Blood-Warrior was only about fifty feet away, it wasn't blind; it quirked its head quickly cracking a bone within. Too easy of a kill it was, but a Predator never backs down when challenged, no matter what. Shadow did a big hop and closed the gap to ten feet; the thing purred soft threatening clicks and then snarled. Shadow attacked first, the elder caught the left kick with a hand and blocked with its armored gauntlet the right kick that quickly followed. It threw him back about ten feet, Shadow grunted as he recovered; he spun with his legs out ready to twist kick the thing if it tried to get in some cheap blows before he had gotten up. Slowly the elder activated its blades, the sheathing was violently shocking, the arms shook and jerked as a whole and the sound was bone chilling. It took a fighting stance, similar to a boxer; Shadow took his own more relaxed stance and prepared for anything.
When milliseconds passed into seconds which seemed as minutes Shadow growled at the progress that was being made. He made the second move, prompting the thing to growl a little and tightened his own guard. Shadow charged it and jumped high in the air, his foot kicked at the helmet and was caught but his right foot came around and kicked it the back of the head, sending the elder's balance stumbling sideways. The Blood-Warrior snapped his arm up, as a preventative to Shadow's possible continuing attack. The moderate snap up of the arm slashed something; the elder recovered and stared at Shadow. He sucked his teeth and held a wound near his ankle; the hedgehog felt the blood bleed down the side of his shin. The predator shook off a relaxed feel and snorted as his body tensed and readied for a heated battle.
'I gotta play this smart, move second to him,' Shadow exhaled twice before letting go of his wound. The thing walked over with a quick speed, Shadow couldn't help having his legs react when it came too close for comfort. The hedgehog jumped and spun in the air slightly, his left leg struck the armor, the two heard something crack, but it didn't seem good for one of them. Shadow closed his eyes and brought his leg back to its now bent and crippled position, his eyes snapped open ignoring the leg pain and struck a strong blow to the stomach, making it grunt. Shadow backed away slowly, his leg slowing his speed greatly but the Blood-Warrior grabbed him by the neck so fast Shadow could only remember staring one moment then up in the air hanging in the elder's grip being choked of his air.
The blade of the free arm caressed his chest then slowly to his stomach. Shadow wasn't going to let that happen again, he kicked it in the chest and let the flame from the shoe burn something it was a point blank contact with. He knew it did some harm back the elder dropped him and grabbed its chest and roared. Shadow jumped forward, harming his leg more but chose to fight on, he landed right on it, his right hooked and knocked the head back once and his left jab smacked it to the right a little. He landed his two feet on the ground and grabbed the elder arm. All of his internal systems were a full-time work, his muscles tensed as he turned the arm at awkward angle backwards until something cracked loudly. The thing leaned on that arm and growled fiercely, the eyes glowed bright yellow as it yanked the possessed arm back, the elder spun half way and smacked Shadow with its good arm, blade and all. Shadow flew back at least three yards, his blood from the slash spreading on the floor, the elder and him self. His body hit the ground and bounced; spinning once and finally stop as it hit the ground once more.
Shadow groaned as he found no comfort in landing in the grass. He forced his body up, fighting like before, using every ounce of strength within him, he wasn't going to lose this fight. No one was going to prove that they were stronger and better, he was perfect and it put him above the rest, that's the way he wanted it; that's all he had and no one was going to take that from him. The elder jogged up to him and let his armored leg swing upwards, but Shadow caught it and held it down; he pushed it back and made the Blood-Warrior stumble. It fell back about two feet and Shadow didn't let it get a break, he backed up a couple feet and got running start, when he came close enough he kicked the thing in the head with his good leg. The thing growled confirming some pain; it took a blow to the stomach as it rolled over and got to its knees. It sped up the get up rate, quickly jabbing were Shadow was supposed to have been; but the hedgehog disappeared.
The predator looked around; this same situation had been experienced countless times before. No enemy in sight…only a foolish amateur would actually think that, ah how wonderful the gift age and experience gives to one, the elder was grateful for his past experiences. There was little but enough strength in its left arm, the supposedly dislocated one. The rose up to about his waist line, out of habit; he looked around, using the mask's deep technologies to search at a level that was beyond humans and Mobians alike. There were surging white and blue streams of gas like lines that flowed in a circle around him twice and then they lead into the forest. The elder shook his head once, and tried shake off the rattling in his head from the strong kick his head received earlier. It began to predict an attack spot, where would a hedgehog like this one attack? It raised a brow when it heard a snap from his left, soon his vision showed energy flows going to his left and then quickly going to his right again, back into the forest. There was bright light from the forest, it came too quickly for him to respond, the energy spike came and struck his side. It roared loudly as the blood splash was large, landing his own bright green blood all over his arm and splattering his chest armor. It grabbed the large rib wound with the injured arm, the wound sizzled a little. Did the energy spike have heat effect to it? The elder looked up and saw four more, smaller ones, they it hit him, searing the armor on contact, the flesh being spilt as the spikes hit him. It blocked as more came, to protect the valuable blade it withdrew it, and the energy spikes hit him all over his body. It was like gun fire, the cut and burned his skin and melted some of his armor surfaces, one spike even hit one of his chains cutting it off from the rest of the chain, rendering that chain useless.
It panted as it sucked all of this pain. Only loud roars and growls expressed the pain; when the assault stop it was amazed that only this amount of damage was done. There was blood streaming down both his sides, some splashed onto his shoulders from his arm blocking his face. But one had gotten a good spot on his abdomen, it when right through him. It let down its arms to look up and see if there was another attack, there was but not where it was looking. It was too late, Shadow had run up and used his spear attack to uppercut the thing, his hand aimed that face hit it. The glowing spike ran across the mask diagonally and melted a line like a plasma cutter. The force from the uppercut kicked the elder up three to four feet up and sent it flying back about six. Using a Chaos teleport Shadow caught up with the elder's flying body after three feet. The hedgehog's body did a quick front flip; the shoe's metal edge added a crushing effect to the blow that struck the elder's face mask slamming the body head first into the ground. The metal had slid off but still its damage, the speed and impact strength was so strong that the metal contacting made sparks and the shoe blazed another melted scar across the mask from the deep impact start. After the slam the Blood-Warrior's body remained motionless.
Shadow assumed the best for now. That was a strong one, if a blow like that could sent it flying like that, the thing had to have some pretty painful feelings going through it right now. The thing didn't move, Shadow approached it; it might have actually been knocked out, the spiking uppercut had never been used on anyone or anything before, even he didn't know how strong it was. Carefully he walked closer; he could hear the sizzling melt of the armor. He saw steam flowed up from the long diagonal slash he cut across the mask. There was no reaction, Shadow cleared some the clutter of its dreads ran his hand across the mask; nothing happened. He nudged it once then it growl. A sudden sheathing left him motionless, Shadow couldn't breathe normally. He looked down and saw his blood dripping down from his stomach heavily. He flinched as the dual blades twisted slightly from the thing's movements to get up. Shadow only groaned as it picked him up; the blade was on the left arm, so he had done less damage than what he expected. The Blood-Warrior kept Shadow's smaller body below his waist; he raised one foot and kicked forward; forcing him off of the grooved blade, tearing more wounds.
He gasped for air as he landed on his back, he caught a relieving breath but it didn't help much after. The chain and scythe came down hit his leg; it broke right into his bone, splitting into the shin. The blood flowed out from the entrance and the exit wounds, making Shadow scream from the intense pain. The elder chuckled darkly as it pulled back on the chain yanking Shadow into a drag; he pulled on the chain now. Shadow couldn't move, there was too much hurting right now and he could move his leg. The Blood-Warrior picked him up and leveled him eye to eye, Shadow spat in it face, the thing only purred as the blood and saliva mix when down the mask parting into several streams. Snarling once the elder let him go and his eyes flashed that haunting yellow and swung his right arm, the dual blade came out with a quick sheath and slammed Shadow into the ground along with slashing whatever the deadly weapon came in contact with. Shadow got on all fours, there was still some fight in him. He couldn't get up though; there wasn't enough strength to do it!
The elder purred above him, he had no intention of letting him get up. The right leg struck up and hit Shadow in his chest, breaking a bone. The blow was powerful enough to jerk Shadow up in the air for about one foot and spin him onto his back. The elder quickly grabbed him by the chest fur and leveled him up eye to eye again. Shadow's head bobbed up and down, and in any direction as he had almost no knowledge of what was happening right now.
Shadow groaned his chest fur was let go, the elder did a spin and kicked him with the heel of armored leg, breaking else something inside the hedgehog. The raven hedgehog went flying down onto the grass; his body bounced and spun twice his arms rolling awkwardly with him. On impact he heard two cracks and felt his shoulder droop, his body rolled his body bounced the second time, at twenty-five feet his momentum rolled him onto his back. The elder calmly walked over to him, the broken shoulder still limp but seemed normally intact. Shadow turned his head spat the blood in his mouth out to the side. He couldn't move at all, the Blood-Warrior put back its scythe-chain; locking it in its hostler underneath the shoulder and put its heavy foot on Shadows chest. If he could feel it, he would've screamed but there was so much mind numbing pain he couldn't feel anything. The thing purred as it took its foot off. One arm cocked back, and Shadow groaned; there wasn't anything left in him, whatever morale was in him before was kicked out with the last blow…it was time to give up, why fight it anymore? He moaned and let his eyes focus the slightly fuzzy picture, the blades snapped out a little further then it was already, the eyes shined once and glowed brightly one more time and suddenly the armed jabbed forwards; Shadow's vision blacked out.
He gasped as he sat up. The breaths came out in quick spurts; Shadow's sweat came down his forehead. The forest animals echoed as he looked around, a thunderous roar bellowed from the sky. A flash of lightning followed by another thunder wave woke him up more. Shadow ran his fingers through his quills and looked around, he breathing was calming down; his eyes were wide awake and aware. There was a soft flame burning near him, 'I don't remember setting that up…man I must be more fucked up than I realized. First these dreams and this…wait, what the hell?' Shadow glared at something near him. Lately he had been of out it, and he accepted it for now considering what happened lately. He had looked his hands and his body, how long was he unconscious for? Near his left knee there was a blue jewel, the Chaos Emerald entrusted to Mina. Shadow's glare softened as her memory came to thought, he had done a lot of things in his past but this one was his worst. 'Man, feel like my insides have ripped out and shoved back in twice…damn my head feels like it's gonna explode.' Shadow looked at his stomach, the aching pain intensified as he looked at it, 'Oh yeah…' He groaned with a tired sigh, 'They have been ripped out.' Though the wounds he healed considerably, it was very noticeable; his wounds were beyond terrible before, now they qualified as painfully horrible.
With a sore and annoying pain his shoulders drooped as he tried to relax. The forest was at peace and was resting after the hell that had been unleashed on the tranquility of his home world. It was dark, 'Wow, please tell me I've been out for only a day.' In fact he had been out cold for a day, the sight of the dimming fire confirmed that, it was almost all coal. The little grey crumbling wood pile of ashes had a small but very warming flame. The day was not looking good already, it was one of those days were you just want to go back to bed and sleep it off. A Grey cloudy sky, signaling rain that would soak him, a loud roaring thunder echoed through the forest;
'Shit…' He cursed mentally, 'I don't have anywhere to go…I could—no, not after what's happened, you can never look at her, not after like you fucked up. Out of the question,' Shadow frowned as the mental beat down brought up those emotions again. Guilt…why did he have it? Rage was something he understood; that was probably what made him have that dream, or nightmare.
Unfortunately his biggest problems were affection and love. They felt good according to what was told to him but he couldn't express it…it was never in him, or at least he thought. Why is that he was said to be built perfect and yet he had emotions, how much easier would this world be of he didn't have emotions. Unfortunately, perfection was a matter of opinion. Emotions could drive him to find the truth; doing what was right, but it could easily be turned, hurt emotions could drive one to the breaking point, snapping that line of good and evil.
So, what was Shadow the hedgehog doing? Where were the emotions driving him?
Slowly he leaned forward, his back making relieving crack sounds and made his body ache unbelievably. With great stress he bent forward, one knee came forward, the other. He panted from the huge amount energy this took to do, he took a deep breath as he brought his foot flat to the ground. With a undead and zombie like movements he slowly rose, moaning and leaning heavily towards which ever way his body inclined. As his feet extended he could hear and feel the tingle of the bones cracking from every joint and bone, it felt good and sounded bad but it was the much needed stretching he wanted. The battered and aching hedgehog leaned towards a tree for support. He looked at his hands;
'I have had the thirst for blood and revenge…but now I want her affection, but I can't ever be what she needs…this all I know, fighting; shooting and slaughtering. How could I ever be something of emotional or affectionate? Could ever I hold her sensually and lovingly when I've killed with these same hands?' He looked to the ground again, his red blazing orbs aiming at the glowing blue gem, where it came from was a mystery
"Emotion," Shadow mumbled, "Life would a breeze if I was emotionless," Slowly he began to move, holding to the dark bark of the trees. There was tapping above him, it continued softly and then quicker and then harder. Until then it did not reach him due to the leaves, but soon the roaring thunder above released a heavy rain. Soon Shadow was being hit constantly by the heavy rain but he kept walking, his mind warped so deeply in his emotions and thoughts that he was walking by instinct not knowledge. He spoke to himself, "I wonder what my creator thought when he allowed his project to be a living breathing creature, was it all apart of the plans or was it the only way to create me? Inventors currently believe that emotions allow someone to tell the evil and the truth apart; when just simple machine take orders from the commander. Feelings drive one to make their own decisions, allowing no to control it; there by making it a perfect being." Shadow's face was straight and slightly serious, "But that is the biggest flaw…emotions can cloud judgment and can drive one to the edge…so I am not perfect according to this, but what of the other theory?" The body kept walking, ignoring the rain which was now pouring down, drenching him and his shoes, making his gloves saggy and heavy with water. His quills felt the effect too; they drooped heavily behind him, the color darkening the red stripe on each quill cluster that made his unique hair style deepening in shade.
For a few hours Shadow let his feet take him where ever they stepped to. Shadow's muzzle was soaked and he walked with his head dropping and bobbing from his slow and dragging steps.
Of all places to walk to he ended up here. Where it all began, the interest she had in him, it all started here; this is where she followed him.
"Two doves know when they love one another. Two doves know when they are made for one another; they know when they need one another; they know when they want each other. They know when they are soul mates; they stay together forever because it is pure love. They know when one is close by; they know when the other afar; and if one dies, the other is never the same again. Two doves know when they love one another, forever and ever." The voice said softly, her voice was not elevated. It was Shadow; he knew her voice from a mile away.
She sat on top of the rock that a wolf once a long while ago had leapt onto to keep her trapped within the attacking pack. Her brilliant purple hair had lost its shine because of the pouring rain. It was more than likely that she was out here for about the same time he was. Her knees met her chest in her current sitting position; her hair and fur were darkened from the heavy water drenching. A long white tee shirt now stuck to her body, outlining every curve and let the undergarments she wore be seen, it was a light blue bra. Shadow knew it was her usual style to wear shorts so he wasn't really surprise to see her wearing a pair, a really short pair. The strange part was that she didn't care. Normally she wouldn't dare let this happen to her, her shirt was soaking wet and was transparent enough to see her bra and her hair was heavy and stuck to her body and the side of her head. He could see it in her eyes, she didn't care right now; about anything.
He walked towards, almost normally; he had a slight limp in his left leg, "Mina," He looked at her emotionless face, it was worrying him, she had never been like this.
Before he could speak again she cut in, "My mother told me that when I was little," Her voice was low and soft, "I believed it then,"
Shadow's body eased uncomfortably, he assumed this was his fault. The words were spoken in a deep voice within a shamed tone, "And now you don't, right?" He took a step forward, it was his fault she lost faith in love and affection. Presently his body did not hurt; no body ache; no sore healing wounds; not even a slight sting, he wanted to wonder about it but there were more important things right now.
"Of course I do," The response was quick and filled with enthusiasm, "When I met you Shadow," Her sweet voice made him blush, she didn't have a problem expressing her feelings to him but he couldn't, "I knew it was true, my heart…told me with absolute truth," Her hand rose and stopped at her chest, where her heart was.
Shadow continued to ignore the pouring rain as did she, "Do you really believe that I am the other dove? Your dove?" His voice was serious and low toned; he didn't make eye contact or look even at her, the darkening dark ground was much easier to look at. Shadow, a dark raven hawk fighter, was talking of emotions with a beautiful dove, Mina. Never had he felt so confused and embarrassed.
With that soft voice he treasured the words echoed to his mind, "That's not the question. The true question is do you believe me to be the other dove? Do you love me as I do you? Am I your dove? Do you see me as lover or a mongoose that is lovesick?" They rang down to his heart. Without a doubt he knew she loved him, everyone knew it. She spoke the truth, the real question was, what did he see her as?
His mental body tossed the question around, knowing the true answer but extremely confused about it. Shadow continued to stare at the ground, his fist balling up from slight frustration. The hedgehog grunted quietly when something embraced him tightly; it was her. While out of focus, she noticed his deep thought, there was serious frustration in his look. Mina hugged tightly as she let her head rest on his chest, his warmth comforting any pain or stress she had, no matter what situation she felt safe with him. "Follow your heart," She paid no attention to the hair strands slipping out of place and falling in front her eyes, "I love you,"
Shadow let his mental contradictions fall and embraced her as well. He let his head rest on the top of hers, the rain kept pouring as the two stood out in the open by a slippery wet rock that was the only witness to the whole thing. Mina lifted her head and let the movement make their eyes connect. The two creatures stared at each other, completely entranced.
"I love you Shadow," She was lost in his fiery orbs.
Slowly both came closer, both flushing from the movements. They both titled their heads and let their lips connect; they locked and let it all out, well not everything. Mina felt her inners melt as they kissed; he could hear her soft moans as they let their tongues tangle and explore the other's mouth. Shadow's arms hugged her sides tightly but lowered, falling below her hips. They gripped the sides of her butt and he lifted her, her legs flowing with his movements, the knees bending and let the legs loosely hang as she kept a tight hold of support on his hips with her lovely thighs. Shadow helped her suspending by holding on where he lifted her from but he felt his arms move up and move around her shirt, thirsty for her bra. She didn't fight it, her breaths in-between lip-locking breaks were enough to speak and she didn't have much to say. The mongoose closed her eyes and kissed back harder, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, lessening the weight her thighs were holding by themselves. Shadow felt his own control fading, it was her position and the deep pleasure they both were overflowing with.
His breathing doubled as his eyes closed, she could hear a moan from him; he was enjoying it just as much as her. They continued to kiss, exchanging lustful moans and pants. Both kept cheating the breathing factor by taking quick breaths when there was an opening when lip locking switched positions or tilted a little. She could feel his hands caress her back, not straying far from her bra strap; the movement was making her shudder with temptation. She pressed closer to him, tightening her hold. Shadow could feel the warmth of her curves through her wet shirt; he flushed a little as he felt her breasts press against him more.
'It's just like before at Tails' house, I'm moving without thinking…' Shadow's hands pulled on the strap of her bra, 'I love her but I've got to stop before I drag her to the floor and let it all loose!' He didn't want to end up doing something that he would regret, he has had too many of those decisions in the past. On pulse reactions after, Shadow purred a little as his hand pulled her shirt away from her body and wrapped around her inside the piece of clothing.
Soon after that move his reasoning and contradicting mind gained some ground. His head pulled away, panting heavily from the low air he had been going on. Shadow's look compared to Mina was different. They stood in the same position in the rain, only their lips and head did not connect. Mina flushed heavily and looked up a little to him, now that her mind was starting to get self-conscious as to where Shadow's hands were. But in a way she didn't mind, she actually liked it; but still it was a little embarrassing to let herself go like she did.
Shadow's panting slowed into normal breathing. Mina took it upon herself to get off of him; he removed his arms and hands from under her shirt. Never had he seen her blush so deeply from anything; but then again it wasn't him being felt up his shirt like her. With the rain still pouring she tried to fix her shirt, out of embarrassment trying to avoid fixing her bra in front of him.
"Sorry," She began, "That was my fault, I pushed it on you…"
"Not really," Shadow responded quietly, looking her directly in the eyes, "In the end, I probably would've ended up kissing you anyway…my body isn't really listening to my rational thoughts…if you know what I mean,"
Mina had been there a lot lately, she nodded with a smirk, "Yep, I know exactly what you mean," Shadow tuned his head slightly but kept eye contact, "What now Shadow, I want to know what you're thinking,"
Shadow blinked and thought deeply before opening his mouth, "Right now; I know two things and I am thinking another thing," He noticed how close they still were. She took his hand as he spoke again. It was easier to look her in the eye directly right now; something about her hand grip was relaxing. "I know that I love you…" Her grip tightened, "And I know that I want to be closer than before," The blush that had died down returned slightly, "But…I don't know if I'll be able to be anything to you."
Her mouth formed a sadden frown, "I don't understand. Shadow, tell me so I can help however I can. I want this to work; I want us to work,"
"I don't think it ever can," Shadow let go of her hand. He turned his back and looked to the dark and almost black sky, his fist clenched from an anger rising. Mina placed a hand on his should but he would move, "I've begun to realize that I can't control myself. Right now I can, but like during the fight I lost control. The worst part is I don't know what triggered it. It could've been anything; worst part was what I did to you before I left…" Shadow's head dropped a little and he turned it to the right more, letting his eyes get a better side point of view. "That snap was an uncontrolled result, as was my Chaos spear assault; I knew what I was doing but I couldn't gain control."
"But that doesn't mean we can't be together!" Mina quickly moved in front of him, "This doesn't have to control you! We can find a way; together, just don't shut me out Shadow…please!" Her voice entered a pleading tone.
"Even if we tried," Shadow's eyes closed half way, "There's no telling what might set it or me off, knowing with what has happened." He paused and looked away shamefully, "I'm expecting more of this. And when it happens I don't want to you to be anywhere near me, I don't want you caught in the mix…"
Mina shouted at him, "Shadow why do you insist on doing everything alone?"
"It's been like that before and I think it should be," He mumbled.
Mina arms and hands grabbed his shoulders, "No it doesn't!" She began to shout, her voice cracking on the verge of tears, "You can't come into my life and decide to leave like you never had an impact." She shook him twice, "You've made feel like no other person or dream can make me feel. You make me whole, everybody can call me selfish for saying but you can't do this to me, I need you!"
"You know I love you," He lifted a finger to wipe some of her tears, "And that I'd do anything to make you stop crying so you'll be happy—"
"—then stay and let us work together on this!" She cut in hoping he'd change his mind.
"I can't," Shadow sniffled twice, "I don't want hurt you, so it is for the best; for the both of us." They stared at on another, neither backing down from where they stood in the argument. She wanted him to stay and work it out with her, while he wanted to it on his own, safely. He didn't like arguing with her, it made him sick to his stomach. And she hated yelling at him, it made her feel terrible about it; he was under a lot of stress.
Mina wiped her eyes, sniffling, "Fine," Shadow looked at her strangely, the sudden change of heart was weird, "But tell me this, what brought you here?"
Shadow sighed, "I'm guessing the same thing that brought you…heart, the heart of two doves, huh?"
A smile formed on her face. She sniffled and regained her composure, "A dove knows her dove,"
Shadow flushed and couldn't help his smirk, "The dove knows when the other is close by…"
"Or afar," Mina wrapped her arms around him. "Despite what you think, I'll always be there for you, when need you help, I'm here." She leaned in for one last kiss. Shadow granted it, savoring her taste, controlling his drive this time though. He knew what this feeling was, he knew what he felt for her; there wasn't a doubt in his mind.
Although neither wanted to part, Shadow forced himself to part from her, it was best. Now it was early morning. Around two, it was still dark; at most a few hours since his confrontation with her. The warp spark flashed on the tip of the Mystic Mountain, the enormous drop did not bother him, he looked down and clenched his fist, glare for a split second before a quickly being engulfed in several oval shaped bright lines wrapping around him and his body. Suddenly an electrical crackle flashed as the light disappeared and reappeared again on a lower elevation, with another hard stare he lowered down the tall mountain far quicker than any normal Mobian or person could. He stopped his quick teleporting at around ninety-feet above ground.
He was going to master this. One way or another, he way going to control his rage; no matter how long it will take, he was going to find out what set it off.
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It was day three. Trees swayed gently as a cool and soft breeze swept the jungle. Wild animals were alive and active in the day, their calls and barks filled the forest with echoes. Streams and rivers that followed were as always, roaring with the water splashing everywhere.
But there was a hollow and empty slit of the forest that no animal dare go near. It was the third day after the second night, rumor of this behavior had spread through all of the animals. The character was well known, but his behavior was what changed the forest's life in the past few days. Mother who normally took their young to drink at cleanest river in the forest had to settle for less now. It was too dangerous, mothers would not danger their young just for the cleaner water.
On the side of the mountain, the stone crumbled from a deep impact. The section was concaved; cracks and large stone fragments and rock were missing or fell to the ground. Across the mountain's large impact there was a long and deep seared scar. It was not big, but not small either; it could've been a slice mark of a shoe if it were not for the thick round shape of the line's thickness. There was small section of clearing, just before the trees of the forest cluttered up the area, on this small plain there were two dead carcasses, the bodies put aside properly. Bones of the animals were broken and even shattered in some places, blood had dried and the teeth of one had faded to pink-red from the blood it spilled from the one it had tried to attack.
With an echoing rattle the mountain side, near the first impact crater closest to the ground, another blow struck. The glove tore on the knuckles a little and the rest of the black arm drove into the mountain until the red stripe of fur on the arm was in completely. Anyone who knew his signature look, black fur and quills with the short red stripe mark on the outer side of both his legs and arms, and the unique look created by the stripes and his hairstyle made by the quills of his head, it was differed now. His entire body had a glowing shade of red, were it came from he hadn't the slightest clue; but it was linked to his flaw, for better or for worse, he didn't know either. Although his eyes were red, now they were a glowing blaze, another nightmare had triggered it this time. It was the one were he had fought the creature but it involved Mina, it was the nightmare where he couldn't save her, or himself. With terrible yell he awoke last night, his fur and quills swaying upwards from the heat of his own body. This aura was giving off heat, Shadow felt a blazing rush through him, similar to when he channeled the power of a Chaos Emerald, but he wasn't using one.
A burn-out, that is was he was working at. He was trying exhaust himself because after he awoke he stared into the forest and lanced out spike of energy. In seconds something screeched and howled in pain. When something came to attack in defense, he spiked a bolt at it as well. Before he was gone mentally, his mind broke through; breaking the illusion of his nightmare and reality, gaining some control. But it wasn't enough to stop his raging energy surge, for more than six hours…he had been trying to deplete his energy, the mountain was battered all over from his attempt.
Pulling his arm out of the deep hole he made, he hunched forward and let his arms hang. He panted heavily, his breaths deep with exhaustion, 'It kicked in during the nightmare…like a self-defense mechanism…' He growled as he felt the surging energy flow through him continuously. Shadow gritted his teeth, his fangs flashing in the open as the pressure his mouth clamped down harshly. The hedgehog's breathing was almost life and death, as if fatal wound was fading him between that thin line of death and life. No, it wasn't going to win; he closed his eyes and fought it, the burning energy kept flowing, never easing or lessening. The gloves and fingers balled tightly into fist as second nature to anyone under stress or pain.
He screamed finally, his mind on the verge of a breakdown. The once tightly shut eyes snapped open, he continued to scream. His hands opened and came to his face, the left gripped to the side of his head while the other more in the front, the pinky and ring finger placed around the eye. With a yell again, he fell to his knees, screaming in agony. His mind and body were in hell; the endless energy was tiring him and at the same time giving way to his rage and fears, leaving the energy for their use.
The surging power continued to flow. Shadow huddled forward more, arching towards his knees; screaming in frustration. He couldn't master it…
End chapter seven. Sorry guys; you'll have to wait. I know, please be patient, I've been writing alot more. Hopefully I'll be update quicker. But feel free to let me know how you feel; what you think so far.
Well till chapter eight, I'm out, good day/night, n' peace!