"Good morning, Shock, my boy," said Eggman as the echidna walked into the lab.
"Hi," replied Shock, unenthusiastically.
"How are you feeling today?"
"Fine..."
"Are you sure? How is that bruise?"
Shock looked down at it. The bruise was beginning to fade and he hadn't noticed it when he had awoken. It hurt a little when touched, but that was all.
"I'll live," replied Shock.
Eggman nodded, "Hungry?"
"Not really," said Shock, looking around the lab, idly, "Listen, I'd like to spend some time alone out in the countryside."
The Doctor was silent for a few moments, then said, "Alright. But not too long. I'll need your assistance with something."
"Thanks," replied the echidna and started walking towards the elevator, "If I see Sonic, I'll try talking to him again."
"It would be safer for everyone if you just eliminated him," said Eggman, walking up behind Shock.
The echidna got in the elevator and turned to the Doctor, starting to get tired of him.
Yeah, whatever...
"I'll see what I can do."
With that, Shock pressed the button for the ground floor.
.
As usual, the sleek robots lined along the entrance corridor kept their barrels trained on the echidna as he walked down the entrance corridor.
Stepping outside into the thick air, Shock covered his nose to alleviate himself from some of the stench of exhaust fumes and other industrial smells.
Like before, a Motobug waited to transport him. He climbed aboard and directed the robot to where he wanted to go.
.
"Stop," said Shock as they approached the edge of a forest.
The beetle-like machine obediently did so and the echidna hopped off. He stared at the Motobug, which sat putting away, exhaust pluming out of its twin exhaust pipes.
"Turn off your engines."
The pipes belched a cloud before becoming quiet.
"Great. Now just... stay here."
Shock closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Peace and quiet, fresh air, birds singing, warm sunshine; he missed this.
The forest on his right, he walked along the edge and lifted his gaze to the blue sky where two birds slowly glided over the treetops, occasionally flapping their wings.
Something red in a tree caught his eye – an apple hanging from a branch. He hadn't eaten anything since he woke up and was starting to feel hungry. Shock approached the thick trunk and skilfully ascended. Hanging from the branch, he went along hand over hand until he neared the apple, then reached out and snagged the red fruit in his right hand. Looking down, the echidna gauged the distance to the ground and dropped, bending his knees to absorb the impact.
In the cool shade of the tree, he leaned against the trunk and was about to take a bite when he sensed something behind him and to his left. Right arm still raised, he peered over his shoulder into the shadows of the forest, but couldn't see anything other than trees and grass.
Frowning, he was about to look to his right when the apple was snatched from his hand. Startled, he turned, arcing electricity in his left hand.
Standing with the apple and a shocked expression was a white female bat. She had green eyes and a good amount of blue eyeshadow applied. Under a pink, heart-shaped breastplate, she wore a matte black suit, and to complete her outfit, she had white gloves and matching boots with pink hearts at the tips.
"Oh, I—I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else!" she stammered.
Shock stopped the flow of energy coursing through him and held out his right hand. The bat gave the apple back with an apologetic smile, "Sorry."
"Yeah," replied Shock, looking away.
The bat gave a small smirk, "You know, you kinda look like a friend of mine."
"That so?"
"Mm-hm. Only he's red. I've never seen a grey echidna, before."
"Well, that's the colour I am," said Shock with a shrug.
"It's different, I'll give you that. Anyway, name's Rouge."
"Nice to meet you," replied the echidna, flatly, taking a bite out his apple.
Rouge stepped into his field of vision, "And yours?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
He chewed for a few more seconds, looking at her, then swallowed.
"Shock."
"Well, that's a pretty fitting name. You sure shocked me."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I've got to go."
The grey echidna pushed away from the tree and walked past the white bat. She kept her eyes on him, smirking, and followed him.
"So, where are you going?"
Shock rolled his eyes, "For a walk."
"Where to?"
"Anywhere."
The two continued walking in silence for a few moments, Rouge looking at him the whole time, before Shock stopped and turned to the bat, "What?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you following me?"
"Maybe I just happen to be walking in the same direction you are...?" she said, teasingly.
The echidna shook his head and continued on, Rouge falling in step beside him.
"Nice bracelet, by the way," she said, "Where'd you get it?"
Shock glanced at her, "From Doctor Eggman."
"Oh, you know Eggman, huh?"
"Yeah..."
"Hmmm. So what's this bracelet thing do?"
Is she ever going to go away? he thought, Rouge making him feel uncomfortable.
"Sometimes, I lose control of my electric ability. This bracelet is supposed to suppress it. I don't know if it works, yet."
"I see. Well, hopefully it does what it's supposed to."
Yeah. Are you done?
"So," she continued, "you say you know Doctor Eggman, huh? What's the story with that?"
Apparently not...
Shock told her how the two met and some of what they had talked about.
"And now I'm looking for Sonic," he finished, the two still walking.
"Why's that?"
"To find out more about him and take him out, if need be."
"Take him out? Why do that?"
"Isn't he responsible for a lot of the problems that have happened? Like freeing a monster that destroyed Station Square or causing the planet to split apart?"
Rouge looked at him quizzically, "Hon... that was Eggman."
Shock stopped in his tracks and turned his gaze to her, "What?"
"Believe me; Sonic would never do those things. Eggman's just using you. I know Sonic and he's not like that. Not one bit," the echidna saw her expression was sincere, "Shocky... he's lied to ya."
No... thought Shock, But then... that would explain why he's so obsessed with trying to get me to take Sonic out...
"So Sonic's...?"
"The exact opposite of what Eggman's been saying."
Shock shook his head in disbelief. Rouge put a hand on his shoulder, "How about I take you to see Sonic himself?"
"...Alright... but we're not exactly on good terms, right now. We had a... an encounter."
She winked and said, "Don't worry, he'll understand."
Shock didn't know what to believe, but he followed Rouge in the hopes he would find out the truth.