Shadow left Rouge's apartment in the early hours of the morning for a walk. The hedgehog desperately wanted to clear his head. The thoughts of Maria and the possession were too much for him to take in one day. There was one question that Shadow asked himself which made it impossible for the hedgehog to shake the subjects from his mind.

"Just what did Mephiles want to do with my body?" Shadow asked himself quietly enough for no one to hear; he didn't want to draw attention to himself, as there were a few humans walking on the other side of the street. "Use it to get me into trouble? To use my powers to destroy everything?"

Whatever Mephiles's plans were, Shadow felt relieved that the demon didn't get anywhere with them, however, Shadow was still aware that Mephiles was going to return at some point when he least expected it.

"Hmph, when I least expect. I'd better keep my guard up… I don't want to go through yet another ordeal with him." The hedgehog slowly walked through the dimly lit street, passing underneath the orange tinted street lights. "When I least expect… how does he even know when I expect him to show up? He could turn up now… but that would be expected because I expect his arrival." Shadow put his hands on his head a rubbed his temples, he was starting to feel stress and paranoia fill him. Shadow heard the everyday sounds of the city, cars engines running in the distance, chatter outside of closing night clubs, quiet footsteps. The stress in his mind and paranoia made these sounds irritating to him; car engines and chattering humans was not what Shadow wanted to listen out for… it was Mephiles. A ringing plagued his ears until all he could hear was his own footsteps.

Tap tap, tap tap, tap tap…

Why am I letting this get to me so easily? Shadow thought to himself. I hardly broke a sweat when Mephiles battled me. He's not even here and I'm stressing out.

Suddenly, Shadow got a sharp pain that started in the sides of his head and travelled to the back within a second. The hedgehog pushed his palms against his head and collapsed to his knees. Grunting and growling in agony and unable to move, the ultimate life form remained on the concrete floor to suffer on his own. No one came to his rescue, although Shadow didn't want to be disturbed so he viewed that as a good thing. I wouldn't have hurt for one of the humans to show some concern, but it didn't surprise him that no one cared. He didn't even attempt to get up since he knew it was no use as the pain in his cranium crippled his body. The hedgehog trembled as though he was trying to hold back tears; he closed his eyes tightly and clenched his teeth to get through the pain without losing his dignity.

What's happening to me? Does Mephiles have something to do with this? Shadow wondered. He certainly wasn't expecting this, so perhaps this was Mephiles' revenge. If this was, then the deity counterpart had done a good job, because Shadow could hardly bare it. Then images flashed through Shadow's mind, like fragments of a flash back. He saw Maria, then he saw her running beside him. GUN soldiers, dead bodies… Shadow felt slightly panicked at the thought of this excruciating headache was just a fragmented flash back. But there had to be a reason behind it. Then he saw something he hadn't noticed before. Another image flashed through his mind. At the end of the long hallway of the ARK by the door to the escape room, was Mephiles. It came and went so quickly Shadow wasn't sure if he'd seen it correctly. Then he saw again, only Shadow was closer to the door and Mephiles. Another image, Shadow must have looked behind him as the GUN soldiers with a purple sphere like attack that went over Maria and Shadow's head.

Ah! Mephiles, what are you doing in my memories. You're not supposed to be there! Shadow cried out in his mind. What has he done?

More images flashed through his pained mind, a sequence which involved looking at Mephiles as though he was talking, and Shadow was listening to him, shaking the demon's hand then being left in peace.

What did I do? Why did I shake his hand, did he help me out of the kindness of his heart or did I agree to something? Oh Chaos, what has he done to me!?

Shadow screamed at the top of his voice as one last sharp burst pain rattled his brain and left him for dead. The hedgehog choked out in pain and fell flat on his face. A couple of humans ran over to the hedgehog looking worried.

"Are you okay there, can we help you?" one of them blurted out all of a sudden.

"Get away from me! I don't need your help!" Shadow snapped viciously as he looked up at them in hatred. The both left looking intimidated.

"So, hedgehog… how about you fulfil that promise you made to me."

Shadow stood on his feet and turned around to see Mephiles.

"What promise?" Shadow breathed.

"The promise to punish humanity. I gave you and Maria an eternity together… and in return you promised to help me to punish humanity for what they have done to us," Mephiles explained. "Don't you remember? Well, it has been over fifty years, and you've probably done many things with Maria while I was gone."

"Maria? What? Where is she?" Shadow asked in a panic.

"Most likely waiting for you on the ARK. I asked you to meet me here at this exact time, and here you are. You obviously haven't a problem with the deed," Mephiles said sinisterly. Shadow gulped and began to tremble.

"I didn't promise to anything, Maria's dead… I-" Shadow began. The hedgehog's eyes widened even more when he realised what those images meant. They really were his memories changing. No images filled his mind this time, only voices.

"I helped you too two escape. Shadow, all you have to do is cure Maria. The both of you must stay together. In fifty years' time, Shadow will return the favour… Maria, dear, may Shadow and I discuss this in private?"

His voice was so polite and reassuring, like he meant no harm. But it was all a front, and Shadow fell for it.

"In fifty year, you must help me to punish humanity for what they tried to do to you. Then, you and Maria may live on Earth together forever," Mephiles enticed. "A few moments of pain, then an eternity of happiness… or you can lose your beloved Maria to her illness."

"Deal."

Shadow couldn't believe what had happened, he found it hard to breathe as he was filled with shock.

I've made a deal with the devil.

Lucy Labrador