Disclaimer: I only own my own creations, thoughts, ideas, etc. Devious genetic-engineered hedgehog humor ahead... It's Valentine's Day!

Author's Note: As promised, it's here! Chapter seven! However, as I have a horrible sense of humor and it is Valentine's day, it only seemed apt that this chapter be posted today. That being said, I'm sure you'll understand why I've been cackling maniacally to myself (and various others) about the chapter once you've read it. Barring college eating my life, I should have the next chapter up relatively soon. Again, bigoted flames (not that I really think I'll get any at this point) shall be laughed at. As ever and always, read, enjoy, and review!

"-His name is Shadow," Manic growled as he paced back and forth in front of the others. So great was his agitation that the only other instance that compared had been when Knuckles had cornered him about his forays into the night months ago- the one right before his attack of empathy. The reminder was enough for the thief-prince to make an effort to calm himself. 'Agitation makes me more vulnerable to it… Crap… Okay, CALM. DOWN.' He'd already long since given up using the fake accent after his run-in with Shadow.

Sonic sat on an arm of the couch, arms crossed and aiming a confused look at his brother. "So what's the big deal? Normally you can handle just about anything that comes your way. You've even said as much."

"You don't get it," the green hedgehog snapped, his tail lashing back-and-forth like a cat's, "He knew I was coming toward him before he even heard me. He's a yipping 'path!"

"A what?" Sonia asked.

Giving an exasperated sigh, Manic elaborated. "A telepath. And he's fast. And he can teleport! And he knows who I am! In short: if it comes down to going toe-to-toe with him, we're screwed! As in royally screwed! As in so royally screwed that it would take an entire millennium to even come close to explaining how completely and utterly screwed we all are if he decides to kill us!"

His mind was so much of a chaotic bundle of conflicting thoughts and anxiety that his empathy was going completely out of whack- alternately broadcasting his mood to the others and going silent by haphazard turns. The only control he seemed to have involved keeping any and all mental images, and anything not related to his fears, to himself. Though he didn't like having anyone else know how unsettled he was, he absolutely refused to let any of them get a glimpse at what else was running through his mind. 'Goddess above… Somebody shoot me already.'

"Manic," Knuckles began in a growl, "Sit down, shut up, and calm down. We'll deal with this. We have to." Manic flopped onto the couch Sonic occupied as ordered, only to bolt back to his feet and anxiously start pacing again after about three minutes.

"I don't like the idea of going up against a dragon," Manic grumbled, ignoring the scowl directed at him by the Guardian. "But I would rather face the biggest dragon in the world than deal with 'Shadow'. At least then there'd be a chance and I wouldn't have to worry about my mind being read and-"

"MANIC," Knuckles barked out, "ENOUGH. Stop panicking."

"What do you have to be panicked about?" Sonic asked Manic dubiously.

A near-hysterical laugh escaped Manic before he could stop himself and he started ticking his reasons off on his fingers, "What do I have to worry about? Really? Hm… Let's think… Lesson One of living on the street, Farrel's rules: never get in over your head. Never get into a situation where you don't stand a chance. Lesson Two: never get into a fight with someone who can read your mind. Or, if you're the one who can read minds, never get into a fight with someone who knows how to block that. He does. He's a telepath, and he can keep me from 'hearing' him at the drop of a hat! The only reason I was able to read him at all is because he let me. Oh yeah, and Lesson Three: never get into a fight with someone faster than you if you can help it. Again, he is. Speed is one thing, but he can teleport. Even at my fastest, I can't keep up with that. You can't keep up with that, Sonic! WE. ARE. SCREWED."

Taking a deep breath to ease his building temper, Knuckles quietly stated, "Manic, enough. We'll deal with him when we deal with him. Right now you're panicking and you're not going to be doing anyone any good that way. Go get some sleep."

"Oh, right. How am I supposed to sleep when-"

"Espio," Knuckles finally snapped, "Make sure he gets some sleep even if you have to knock him out in order to do it." Sonia and Sonic's eyebrows shot up, but clearly they agreed with him to some extent due to their lack of protest.

Manic scowled at them and the smirking chameleon, but stalked off to the room he shared with Sonic all the same. Flopping onto his bed, ears swiveling as he caught the sound of Espio parking a chair outside the door, he gave a sigh. 'Maybe Knux is right… Maybe I'm just panicking too much to think clearly…' A snort of self-derision escaped him. 'No spraint Sherlock! So damned out of it that I'm broadcasting without any control… I haven't been this bad with my control since I was five.' With that degrading thought running through his mind, Manic buried his face in his pillow. Maybe getting some sleep would put things in perspective so he wouldn't be so rattled in the morning…

"So you're the empath."

Manic couldn't help but stare stupidly. His heart was pounding in his ears and his mind didn't want to function. 'And that voice…' The other's voice was just as flawlessly smooth as his mind, despite its faint Japanese accent. '…He knew I was coming.' The breath caught in his throat.

"You're… 'Kleptomaniac' if I'm not mistaken?" he said in an amused drawl that was more statement than question. Manic's wide-eyed shock was confirmation enough. "So you are…" Manic stood frozen as the other hedgehog walked toward him, only coming to a stop when they were a foot apart. "I've heard about you… You intrigue me." Shadow cocked his head to the side quizzically, a detached curiosity rippling through his mind to lap at the borders of Manic's as he reached to gently take hold of the thief's chin with his right hand. "You're unique. Tell me, what is it that makes you so special? What is it that allows you to do what is forbidden to all other empaths?"

"W-why in the hell do you want to know?" he asked weakly, his body trembling from the minor contact.

Red eyes lit up with amusement and a faint hunger. "Call it innocent curiosity," Shadow murmured, dangerously close to the thief-prince.

Manic's breath caught in his throat for a moment, causing him to stammer when he spoke. "I- I don't see why you'd be so interested…"

"Oh no?" Shadow asked, his hunger taking a slightly sharper edge even as his amusement rolled through Manic.

The thief gulped nervously, shaking his head instead of trusting his voice.

"Then allow me to enlighten you," Shadow practically purred, leaning forward to graze his lips over Manic's and lacing his left hand through the quills on the back of his head to-
...

Manic bolted awake so suddenly that he fell off the bed and hit the floor with a resounding THUD. He laid there for a few moments, his heart pounding as he stared wide-eyed at the ceiling without even taking in the dim shine of the ever-present water-ripples. 'Oh no… Oh HELL no… I am NOT crushing on him!' As he sat up, he let his face fall into his hands and muttered aloud, "Why can't I ever fall for somebody in a normal way?" If his sibs ever found out… 'I'll be damned if I let them figure this out! There is NO WAY IN HELL I'm letting either of them know that just dreamed about a guy that could kill us all!' Then again, hadn't that been what he'd said after he initially met Rouge? Resisting the overwhelming urge to start banging his head against a wall, Manic pulled himself up and headed for the door. Anything was preferable to following the train of thought his mind wanted to pursue; so the sooner he found something to occupy himself with, the better.

...

When Manic rejoined the others, he found that the sun was in the process of coming up- and so far there had been no other indication of Shadow or the others that were due to arrive. He couldn't help but feel a spike of irritation at the relief he felt as a result. 'This isn't how things are supposed to go. I'm not supposed to be this damned rattled about ONE damned meeting!' His agitation didn't go as unnoticed as he hoped; Sonic and Sonia frequently checked with him to be certain he was alright, and Charmy kept hovering around with a worried look on his face as if he hoped he could help Manic in some way. Their concern only made it worse. Eventually his inability to sit still caused him to bolt off for a quick patrol of the Island, deliberately ignoring any worry he felt from the others. Far better, in his mind, that he patrolled and put his excess energy to good use instead of sitting in one place fidgeting until something happened.

As he ran, he tried to clear his thoughts. He wanted to be worn out, pushed to his limit, about ready to collapse from exhaustion just so he could stop thinking about his run-in with Shadow and the tangents his mind wanted to run off on; but he knew he didn't dare do anything so reckless. 'Can't fight a dragon if you're so worn out you can't even walk.' Another colorful image sprang to mind and he shivered as he came to a stop. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He knew the answer to that one, much though he didn't want to consider the possibility. Giving himself a vigorous quill-rattling shake, almost as if he'd just stepped out of a shower, Manic bolted off again.

Shadow couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched the rapid-fire actions of the thief. He knew he'd gotten to Kleptomaniac; there was no question as to that, but this… 'I think I've spent a little too much time around Rouge. My sense of humor is getting to be far too much like hers.' The darker hedgehog was trailing after the rattled empath at a leisurely pace, deliberately keeping his thoughts under lock-and-key so as to not be read. And really, the sporadic mess of Kleptomaniac's thoughts that were wildly broadcast with almost no control was highly amusing. Certainly, the empath didn't seem to feel that he needed to guard his thoughts so much when he was out here alone… And with his own telepathy flickering on and off, there were some moments where Shadow was picking up far more than just randomly broadcast images and emotions.

'Ah, Rouge… You're going to be even more livid when you realize how much difficulty your ex is having where I'm concerned…' Shadow's curiosity was piqued, but now entertainment at the other hedgehog's (rather frazzled) expense seemed a far more worthwhile pursuit than mere scientific interest. Still, there was some scientific curiosity… That Shadow's telepathy was being far more active than was typical was an interesting twist; one that he had a sneaking suspicion had to do with the close proximity of the all of his studies he had never considered the possibility that psycheo-pathic abilities could be encouraged by association with others. 'Perhaps like a group of people having gone mute for lack of conversation being more inclined to speak if they meet a person that knows the same language?' It was an interesting theory, one he would have pursued in a different life, but there wasn't much point. The world as it was had no need for him to further his old research, not when there were far more important things to tend to. 'Such as unwanted missions…'

Shadow couldn't repress his amusement as the frazzled thief bolted again, though he managed to stay silent. No need to let the thief know that he was being followed by letting out a laugh. '…Forget the mission given by 'the Disgrace'; rattling Kleptomaniac's cage is far more entertaining.'

No doubt Rouge would be less than pleased if she found out what he'd been up to. His telepathy suddenly kicked on again and he felt just the faintest distant brush of her mind. 'Ah, so she's almost here. Hn. I suppose that ends my fun for the time being.' With another amused glance at the agitated hedgehog, he smirked before darting off to improve upon his mental map of the Island. 'Don't get into too much trouble Kleptomaniac. I'm looking forward to frustrating you to no end… And you need to stay alive for that.'

Rouge had a hard time sitting still as the Island came into view, her irritation at Shadow's departure giving her the urge to hunt him down and vent. 'He teleported. He knows I hate it when he teleports. He just disappears without leaving a single clue as to where the hell he's gone, no explanation, and no damn apologies for how damned rude it is!' She tried to ignore her frustration by busying herself with helping Marietta get detangled from Liidara's mane when she woke, but that was only a temporary distraction. Even detangling the dragon's mane proved to do very little in the way of taking her mind from her anger toward her friend. 'So damned similar to Manic that it makes me want to punch him outright…'

It was that temper that led her to stand as soon as she felt the first tug of the Floating Island's slipstream on her wings. Stretching them out, she tried to gauge whether the slipstream was strong enough for her to be able to fly out in front of Liidara.

Marietta arched an eyebrow and asked dubiously, "Thinking of going after your boícha?"

"Shadow is not my boyfriend," Rouge snapped defensively.

Marietta gave a derisive snort and went back to checking her weapons. "Then why be so offended when he takes off?"

"Because teleporting off like that is damned rude!"

"He could have done so in order to get an idea of the lay of the land."

"I doubt that," Rouge growled. In the meeting they'd had with Robotnik, Marietta had made it clear that she wouldn't go after the royal triplets even remotely; but she had no qualms about hunting Kleptomaniac. It was for this reason that Rouge, Shadow, and Liidara hadn't brought up mention of the empath around her. Things were already tense with everything involved; they didn't need the added tension of having her realize that she traveled with two individuals that wouldn't let her kill him. 'And judging by her attraction to Lord Condammer, she's not going to let anybody go after the royals… Robotnik really has no idea how screwed up everything is…'

"Really?" Marietta scoffed, bringing Rouge out of her reverie. "And why might that be?"

The bat's lips thinned to a grim line before she stated, "There might be an empath on the Island. Shadow's got a damned oddity-fetish that he won't leave alone. So, knowing him, he probably went off ahead just to satisfy his damned curiosity and screw off the mission. That's why." Deciding that she'd explained enough, Rouge leapt into the air and darted ahead of the dragon.

Giving a snort at the bat's retreating outline, Marietta stated, "This is why I'm only attracted to normal people."

Liidara gave a chuckle as she replied, "Would that we were all as fortunate as you, Rose." However, internally she couldn't help the worried thoughts rippling through her mind. 'Manyi, I pray you realize what triangle you've stumbled into before it's too late. Else-wise it seems Raati may more clearly become your enemy.' She put a bit more power into pumping her wings after that.

As soon as Espio spotted the dragon flying toward the Island, he bolted for the Hidden Palace at top-speed. They needed to regroup, collect at the Palace, and be prepared to fight for their lives. He knew this. He knew that patrolling the Island wasn't going to do them any good as soon as the dragon arrived. He also knew that all of their efforts to locate this 'Shadow' Manic had run into were, thus far, useless. 'Not a single trace except footprints… Damned useless… Useless to hunt for, and just as capable as Manic said…' He hated having to admit that the thief-prince was right. He hated that his home was threatened even more. 'I lost my home five years ago- I'll be damned if I let it happen again!'

The first of the others he came across was Mighty, and despite his usual friendly frustration with the armadillo he found himself relieved. "Mighty! Dragon spotted; the Palace. NOW."

Mighty, long since familiar with Espio's clipped sentences when it came to preparing for a fight, nodded. "You tracking down the others, or do you want someone faster to do it?"

Espio tried not to scowl at the implication, but time was of the essence and this was no situation in which pride could be allowed to take part. "Not Knux. Emeralds need guarding. The triplets?"

"Sonia doesn't have the running-speed of the other two. Knux has her close by." Espio gave a noncommittal grunt at that. "Hey, I can't help if our demsön is feeling protective of her, even if he doesn't have to," the armadillo protested, "As for Manic- he's still out. Sonic might be our best bet."

"Fine. Go. I'll find Charmy."

"You're sure about that? Sonic might be faster…"

Espio scowled. "He's a bee. Makes noise. He'll be easy to find."

"Espio…," Mighty grumbled, "Don't push your luck. Sonic is faster. You said it yourself; we need to get back to the Hidden Palace…" At the chameleon's tight-lipped glare, he sighed. "Don't make me have to carry you back. Please." Espio's eyes remained a bright fiery-golden glare for a moment or two longer before they finally bled to a slivery-blue and he caved.

"Fine. I don't like it, but fine." Without one word more, Espio continued straight for the Palace.

Mighty gave a relieved sigh as he followed at a slower pace. Espio was always difficult to handle when he was upset; even more so when his pride was wounded. Anything, absolutely any little thing that reminded the anti-social chameleon of the three years of hell he'd endured in Mercia was enough to set him off. 'If I'd had to carry him, he wouldn't have forgiven me for a month…As it is he barely forgives me for being Mercian…' Ignoring the long-familiar feeling of resignation that washed over him, Mighty ran to catch up with his temperamental friend.

"It was rude," Rouge snapped.

Shadow shrugged indifferently even as he said, "You're going to fault me for running ahead so that I know the terrain?" The bat had had a hell of a time tracking him down, largely due to his evasion of the Island's inhabitants, but she'd eventually found him taking a leisurely stroll around the edge of the Floating Island's main lake and immediately started venting. That had been at four in the morning. It was ten now.

"Oh bull. You want to tell me that you came here for that? After the conversation you left on? I don't buy it."

Giving a snort, Shadow retorted, "Does it matter?"

"Yes, it matters."

"Why?" he finally snapped, "Because I ran off, possibly to satisfy whatever curiosity I might have?"

Rouge glared for a moment before turning her back to him. "You're just… reminding me of him right now."

Shadow gave a sigh. 'Best not to tell her of my little run-in.' "Rouge… You are my only friend. I am largely anti-social by nature, and I know you know it. I know that I'm reminding you of him, and I don't intend to, but I can't help if there are some vague similarities. I will not change myself just to suit your preferences."

Rouge took a breath and let it out before glancing at him over her shoulder. "I'm going to meet up with the Rose and Liidara. Keep yourself out of trouble, you old bastard."

Shadow gave a slight smirk in response, "Oh believe me I've long since learned my lesson about staying out of sight."

"You'd better have." Shaking her head, she muttered to herself, "Why do I put up with you?"

"I'm better than the alternative." Before she could even say anything, he was gone. 'She may not like my disappearing, but she'll have to get used to it. I am not about to be tied down by her past history with Kleptomaniac.' An amused smile tugged at his lips. 'He's still out running around… Why not play with his mind a little?'
...

It didn't take long for him to pick up the thief's trail again. Darting out ahead of him and putting himself directly in the thief's path was just as easy. It was an old and worn trail in an area where the trees thinned near the cliffs, the occasional boulder of white stone dotted here or there due to old rock-slides. 'Now to wait…' Sure enough, Manic showed- jerking to a stop so sudden that he almost gave himself a case of whiplash. Amusement lit up Shadow's eyes and rolled off of him in waves; becoming more pronounced as the thief bristled and a faint blush showed beneath his fur. "Good morning," Shadow grinned.

"You," Manic growled, fighting desperately to regain his composure.

Taking a seat on a convenient boulder, Shadow arched an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"You- you just… What the hell do you want?" That the thief was already sputtering almost tempted Shadow into laughter.

Propping up his chin in one hand, he stated in affected boredom, "Want? I'm just the fore-runner, the scout as it were. I don't really want much of anything." At Manic's scoff of disbelief, he continued. "Of course, I might just be seeking amusement. Had that thought occurred to you?"

Manic gave a low rumbling growl. "'Amusement'?"

'Testy… If I'm not careful I might actually have a fight on my hands.' "It's simple really," Shadow taunted, "I find you intriguing. Originally for the fact that you're an empath that can stand to kill- that's fascinating in and of itself really- but now there's more to it."

"Such as?" the thief warily asked; clearly about ready to either attack or bolt.

Shadow smirked deviously as his telepathy kicked back into life, and he silently answered, "You know, you've come up with some interesting ideas while you've been debating over whether to fall for me or consider me an enemy… And how flustered you are as a result is just damned hilarious." A few images thrown in as a reminder strengthened the darker hedgehog's point.

Manic's eyes widened farther than Shadow had thus far seen and he bolted as if the very hounds of Chaos were nipping at his heels; the main thought in his mind being escape, though there were plenty of others hovering at the edges.

Shadow broke up into a fit of laughter. True, he had to meet up with the others again soon, but this was just too damned amusing. The temptation to taunt the thief was too much, so he couldn't help the parting shot before his telepathy blipped out again, "You know; your scent gave away sooo much during our last encounter. Maybe next time you'll be a bit less confused, hm?"

Even though the response was via empathy only, and as such didn't contain any words, Manic's meaning was clear. 'I'm not coming anywhere near you with a ten foot pole, so just stay the hell away from me and stop trying to mess with my mind!'

Shadow chuckled again as he got to his feet. "But it's so much fun…" He decided he would definitely have to keep Kleptomaniac alive, if for no other reason than that.

Marietta was annoyed. Neither Shadow nor Rouge had returned as she and Liidara landed, despite that it was about noon, and that more than anything tugged at her frayed nerves. 'This mission is falling apart before it even gets started.' Letting her eyes skim over the quiet landscape, she gave an indignant huff. She'd come only to have it out with Kleptomaniac, and she had more than ample reason to believe he was somewhere on the Island. The last thing Marietta wanted to deal with was beating around the bush- the sooner she could square off with the monstrosity and leave, the better. Since she had no means of calling back the other two, there seemed only one solution. Turning to Liidara, she said, "How about we call back the others and draw out our prey?"

"What do you have in mind?" Liidara asked.

"Let's light a few torches."

Well folks, there you have it: chapter seven. -evil grin- By all means let me know what you think.