And another one get uploaded!
I've got a few twists and turns planned out, just need to write 'em now...
I'll get round to that later, in the mean-time enjoy the latest chapter!
Shadow stood with his arms folded watching his two closest friends talking like they had known each other for years. He opened the folder in his hands and began rereading the notes Cassie had jotted down on Rouge's thoughts of their case.
Assassins.
Shadow had always seen assassins in the same light as mercenaries', guns for hire just a little bit more accurate, and the thought of having to deal with another 'Assassins Dance' turned his stomach. From reading the reports Cassie had brought with her, he had figured that the 'Assassins Dance' was nothing but a glorified gang war, just without the usual civilian collateral damage.
"So how are you Rouge, really?" Cassie asked and Shadow glanced up from the paperwork. Rouge looked down at her bandaged body and the pain and sorrow on her face was clear.
"When I was in that room with him, I though I was going to die." She wiped away a tear and looked back up with a false smile on her lips. "But I didn't did I. Shadow saved me, like he always does."
Shadow looked away, unable to meet their eyes. Cassie frowned at his reaction but let it go as Rouge continued. "My only regret is that I didn't have the chance to kill that bastard myself!"
The venom in her voice surprised even Shadow.
"You don't mean that Rouge." Cassie said quickly.
"I know what I mean!" Rouge snapped. "I wanted him to feel like he was going to die! Like everything he had done in his entire life would be wiped clean, his entire existence meaningless!"
Shadow waved away the concerned looking nurse who had peeked around the door to see what was going on.
"And where was Knuckles! Where is he?" Rouge demanded. "Every second I thought he'd charge in and save me. He was the only reason I kept going, and where is he! Why hasn't he come to see me? Don't I mean something to him?"
Cassie looked to Shadow for some help in answering her questions.
"Knuckles hasn't been informed about the mission or its outcome." He answered clinically.
"He returned to Angel Island to-" Rouge's humourless laughter cut across Cassie's words.
"Of course. He'd always put that stupid glowing rock over anything else." Despair and anguish were clear in her tone.
"It's not like that! I'm sure if he knew he'd drop everything and come to see you."
"Then why haven't you told him then?" Cassie flinched back and Shadow felt a slight surge of anger.
"Rouge, you know better than anyone how difficult it is to get a message to Angel Island!" The ebony hedgehog snapped and both young women looked at him. Cassie snapped her fingers.
"But we won't have to worry about that for much longer. As an Agent he'll be provided with the best in modern communication technology, so we'll be able to get hold of him anytime, anywhere!"
"Knuckles, an Agent?" Rouge stared at Cassie like she had gone mad.
"Cassie's been working backroom to get Knuckles Agent status so he can aid us in an investigation." Shadow explained, answering Rouge's unasked question.
"But, Knuckles an Agent…"
"It'll take some time to get him all the equipment he needs but-"
"I don't care!" Cassie once again was stunned into silence. "It should've been him who saved me!"
Tears began to flow from her turquoise eyes and she pulled her knees tightly to her chest. "I should've gone out with him instead of doing that stupid mission."
Cassie gently laid a comforting hand on the bats shoulder. "I don't think I can do this anymore."
"Do what?" Rouge ignored Shadow's question and wiped her eyes.
"Cassie, in that draw is the few belongings I had when I got admitted." She said pointing at the draw. "I want you to take my badge to the Commander. I'm done."
The two hedgehogs looked at each other neither of them knowing what to say.
"Rouge I-"
"No Shadow. I've made up my mind." Rouge's eyes seemed to glaze over as she refused to make eye contact with either of them. "Thank you for coming to see me."
It was clear from the silence that followed that she wouldn't say anything else and with heavy heart Shadow and Cassie left. Shadow paused at the door and looked back in despair at his closest friend.
"If there was only one thing you taught me, it's that you're never alone. I want you to know that I'll be there for you if you ever need me. That's a promise." He quietly closed the door leaving Rouge to think on his words.
Shadow drove in an uncharacteristically slow and safe manner as they made their way back to headquarters. Neither had said much since they had left Rouge and Cassie kept staring down at Rouge's GUN badge she held in her hand. Shadow glanced at her and frowned, he needed to say something even if it was just to break the silence.
"We'll wait until she's discharged; see if she's changed her mind about…" He trailed off, still not wanting to believe what the white bat had said.
"She sounded so sure about it…" Her voice was quiet and trembled slightly.
"She's a strong-minded woman yes. But for as long as I've known her she's been an Agent, and it's just as likely she'd give up her diamond collection as it is she'd leave GUN." Cassie gnawed worriedly at her lip despite his words. Shadow glanced over at his partner and sighed.
"The way I see it, the only one who can change Rouge's mind is Rouge." Cassie looked over at him as he continued. "We're her friends and we can advise her on certain choices, but ultimately it's her decision. And we must respect that choice."
They spent the rest of the journey in thoughtful silence, the weight of what they had learnt that day still slowly seeping in.
-0-
Julie-Su led the Chaotix deeper into the jungle. They had already passed through the borderline which separated the clan territories, the skeletal remains of Nocturne warriors set up as warnings to hostiles caused Charmy to degrade into a gibbering wreck of nerves until they had left the macabre displays far behind.
As the echidna led them onward, Espio couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, but despite his keen eyes and hearing he couldn't detect anyone. His unease was shared by the rest of the group as they trudged closer towards the gigantic stone pyramid.
"What do you know about this Brotherhood of Guardians?" Mighty asked the echidna in a hushed voice, he thought he'd seen some movement in the undergrowth and was scanning the darkening thicket.
"The Nocturne hasn't kept and official contact with the Brotherhood for many years, but every so often a family from Nocturnus would run away from the fortress and seek sanctuary with the Brotherhood."
"If life is really that bad, how come you Nocturne are the stronger clan on this island?" Vector scoffed. Julie-Su stopped, her hand resting on a tree trunk and she looked back at the crocodile.
"You'd be amazed how powerful fear can be." She turned away from the disgruntled reptile and continued onwards. Vector received disapproving glares from Espio and Mighty and even Charmy frowned down at him.
"What?" His companions wordlessly shook their and followed their echidna guide leaving Vector to bring up the rear muttering about them trusting a stranger more than him. None of them noticed the blacked cloaked figure that practically melted from the shadows to follow them in silence.
-0-
Sakura looked at herself in the mirror and ran a sturdy brush through the thick, unruly fur of her tail muttering curses whenever she came across a bunch of knots. Twice she had thrown the hairbrush down in frustration. She had just finished a particularly gruelling job repairing one of the heavy lifters the engineers were using to clear the rubble from the castle grounds and she was glad that was over.
Once she had finished she went to her set of draws' and pulled out a white vest and her least grease-stained pair of combat trousers. They were urban-coloured camo design, standard issue for the Engineers of the Acorn Kingdom. Grabbing her jacket she walked out of her Spartan decorated billet and into the street.
She waved at some of the workers and fellow soldiers as she passed, joking with some and laughing with others. She was heading to the temporary housing which Tails had been given during his stay.
"Hey, Sakura!" She turned her head and saw a husky jogging towards her.
"Pulo, what's up?" The husky was wearing the camo uniform of a Royal Engineer and was one of her closest friends in the forces.
"Not much." He admitted as he matched her pace. "All the repairs are flying by, that Tails is a genius!"
Sakura laughed. "Don't let him hear you say that."
"Ah who cares? What I wanted to talk about is how you're a hero!" Grinning, Sakura glanced sidelong at here friend.
"Me, a hero?"
"Yeah, shocked me too." Pulo chuckled when she punched his arm in reply. "Whole regiments talkin' about how you an' Tails rescued Rotor."
"I didn't do much, just showed Fuzzy around that's all." She said with a shrug.
"That's bull and you know it."
"Maybe. But anyway, you didn't run over here just to try an' make me gush, what's going on?" Pulo looked at his feet and watched the small clouds of dust and dirt that billowed out from under each step.
"You know we were waiting to ship out to Mercia before this Robotnik business?" Sakura gave him a look and he hurriedly continued. "Now that most of the works been cleared the crown is happy to let the local builders finish up. We're shipping out in two days."
"Two days!"
"What, did I stutter?" Pulo cringed when he earned another punch to the arm.
"Two days…" Sakura grumbled. "And things were just starting to get good."
"Aww, Sakura gonna miss her little boyfriend?" Pulo chuckled.
"Do you want me to hit you again? 'Cause I will." The husky grinned but still moved away a few paces just in case. "But seriously, Tails is a good guy. Smart, brave, quick thinking, kinda cute..."
"And he's got those two tails."
"Yeah, twice the fluff." They stopped outside Tails' temporary accommodation.
"Well I just wanted to let ya know about, you know."
"Yeah, thanks Pulo." She gave the husky a hug.
"Have fun Nutcase, and I'll see you later." Sakura grinned as they parted.
"Don't get into trouble Dogbreath!" She called as he walked away.
"Sure thing Mother!" He called back, sarcasm dripping from his words.
"I mean it! I wanna be there to point and laugh!"
"He seems nice." Sakura yelped as she jumped, looking behind her she saw Tails closing his door.
"Bloody hell, don't do that!" Tails grinned apologetically.
"Sorry, but when I heard you I thought, why wait for you to knock on the door?" Sakura rested her hands on her hips.
"Usually out of politeness." The two-tailed fox shuffled his feet sheepishly. "So where're we going?"
"Well I've got an old friend who owns a place to eat; I thought we'd go there."
"Cool." She replied simply, looping her arm in his. "Lead the way then Fuzzy."
Blarg... This took longer than it should've to write.
But hey it's done.
The next few updates might be a bit sporadic, real life an' all that.
(Should really set up a buffer zone of updates...)
Anyway, catch you lot later.
-Corrupt TE-