Chapter 20: Desperate Times, Desperate Measures, Scourge Takes Charge.

Metropolis Hospital…

Shadow woke up 5 and a half hours after his scuffle with Valkyr. He managed to knock her out and prevent the city from being demolished, but he quickly realized the cost of that as he looked at the stump of what used to be his left arm. He grunts as he sat up, but didn't notice that a now calm Valkyr was staying by his bedside until after he sat up. Valkyr snapped awake and she backs off, worried Shadow might be mad at her…

Valkyr: I… I'm so sorry I… I lost control…

Shadow: Relax. I'm not upset at what happened. And I'm not mad at the loss of my arm.

Valkyr: But–!

Shadow: I said it's fine. And I'll show you why.

Shadow would grunt in pain and then yell as he forcibly regenerated his missing arm, showcasing how integral his Black Arms DNA was, as well as how it allowed him to survive most things that would outright kill a person.

In fact, before he blacked out, his body went into a pseudo stasis to prevent the blood loss from killing him. The only issue he had? Regenerating, especially forcibly regenerating, HURT LIKE HELL.

Valkyr: … How did you do that?

Shadow: Black Arms DNA, remember?

Valkyr shook her head and smacked herself for forgetting that.

Valkyr: Right… Even still, I'm sorry I lost control. I… should have known better than to go on a operation like that.

Shadow: It's fine, Valkyr. Just try your best not to let it happen again, okay?

Valkyr: Again?

Shadow: I'm not taking you off the missions.

Valkyr was a bit surprised at this and stood in silence as she processed this information. Then, before Shadow could utter a word, Valkyr had pulled him into a big hug! She went from being down in the dumps to happy in a split second, but that wasn't the weirdest part.

Valkyr was half Dragon, but Shadow quickly realized she behaved more like a damn cat due to how she was letting out a low, pleasant rumble from her body, as if she was PURRING!

Shadow: … Um…

Valkyr: Just a bit longer, please? I like hugs and cuddles…

Shadow ceased all objections, and decided to reciprocate, hugging the giant redhead back gently. This made her purr even louder, and even wrap her tail around him.

Normally, Shadow wasn't one for prolonged physical contact outside sex, but this? This was nice. It probably helps that, in spite of Valkyr's immense stature, she was adorable as all hell when she wasn't angry.

Eventually she lets go of Shadow and set him back on the hospital bed gently, blushing a bit.

Valkyr: Sorry.

Shadow: Don't be. It was… Rather nice, having prolonged contact outside of sex for once.

Valkyr tilts her head, curious.

Valkyr: You have sex? I thought Black Arms didn't reproduce normally.

Shadow: Well, truth be told, I'm a hybrid of a Mobian Hedgehog and a Black Arms. Specifically, my Black Arms DNA comes directly from their now former leader, Black Doom.

Valkyr: Oh! Wait, was the Black Arms DNA meant to be a stabilizing agent to prevent your body from breaking down due to you being… a test tube baby?

Shadow was stunned at how Valkyr guessed that. He was even more stunned at the fact she was 100% correct!

Shadow: Yes, actually. How…?

Valkyr: I may not be good with technology but I read a lot about genetics, and… Well. In spite of my goofy nature, I can use my brain.

Shadow: … You're autistic, aren't you?

Valkyr nods, looking ashamed now.

Shadow: Hey, there's no need to be ashamed. That just adds to your cuteness.

Valkyr blushes, her face becoming more red than her hair, which was impressive.

Valkyr: Y-you think I'm cute?

Shadow: Yes, but… Well. Not in THAT context. I can tell you have zero interest in finding someone for romance.

Valkyr: Oh, good… If I did, my wife would be mad if someone tried it.

Shadow: Wife? You're married?

Valkyr: Mhm! To a Voldarian named Solda.

Shadow: Voldarian? What's the difference between a Haldarian and a Voldarian?

Valkyr: Haldarian when translated in Common means "Dragon Warrior". Voldarian means "Dark Dragon Warrior". Solda is a tank born Voldarian, and she's a Titan, like me. She was born for war, but after she and I became friends, we fought by each other's side for so long, we… Well. She wanted to know more about things besides combat and violence. Eventually we got married. Her and I have never had sex, and it's probably because neither of us have a actual sex drive.

Shadow: Huh. She sounds like a wonderful lady.

Valkyr: She is, but she's hostile to strangers. It takes a while for her to warm up, pardon the pun.

Shadow: What pun?

Valkyr: Right. Sorry. Um… It's best if you meet her and see for yourself.

Shadow: Fair enough.

Shadow got up from the hospital bed, putting on his missing inhibitor ring around his brand new wrist. He decided to leave the glove off, at least for now. After that, he turns to Valkyr.

Shadow: I'll call you when our mutual friend finds another cache of stolen equipment.

Valkyr: Okie dokie. Oh, and um… You didn't hear this from me but miss Nightshade, the doctor who brought you in? She was worried sick about you. Maybe she can give you a relationship?

Shadow: Hm… I'll give it some thought.

The Bar With No Name, Metropolis Slums 7:45 pm.

Surge sat at the bar, having gotten her hand fixed after her scuffle with Valkyr. Doctor Starline wasn't as useful for anything else but being a medic, and Surge had shown him that his hypnosis bullshit wouldn't work on her anymore, and she even pummeled him.

As it stood, Starline needed more medical help than anyone in the bar, as after Valkyr's escape, Surge had decided to show him what it meant to suffer from failure. Something the doctor didn't take kindly to, but had no choice but abide with as he had no means of exerting control over anyone in Surge's crime ring.

Surge: Turns out the tall bitch was a lot tougher than we thought.

Starline: How so?

Surge: She had some kind of transformation, she got armored up in scales and grew 4 feet bigger, as well as got horns.

Starline: And you say she went into that state after you engaged?

Surge: Yeah. We may need to forgo trying to capture her. If she's that strong, she's not worth the effort.

Starline was disappointed that Surge would give up such a fascinating subject like Valkyr so easily, but he would find a way. When he did, he would crack Valkyr open and learn all her secrets. Maybe even find other Haldarians and use them to conquer Mobius.

His train of thought was cut short by a god awful smell. Surge smelt it too, and the owner of said smell came into the bar.

Scourge walked in, sat down and didn't say a word as he got a drink. Straight up reached behind the bar, grabbed the nearest bottle, and started downing it right there.

Scourge: Ahhh… Much better.

Starline: Do you bathe at all?

Scourge: Not anymore. Kinda just decided it wasn't worth it.

Surge: When DID you last clean yourself up?

Scourge: 25 ish years ago, first day I went to prison. Probably the cleanest I felt before being shoved into a shitty cell.

Starline: … Surge, may I excuse myself?

Surge: Go ahead. Me and Green Sonic here need to have a chat.

Starline doesn't even question Surge as he simply walked out of the bar. Scourge and Surge just glare at each other.

Scourge: Been thinking a bit lately. You tussled with Sonic, right?

Surge: Mhm.

Scourge: Okay, but do you know him? Like REALLY know him?

Surge: Don't care to know em.

Scourge: See, there's a problem. If you wanna beat him, ya gotta know how he thinks, how he acts, and exploit it. Since I'm just him, but evil, I KNOW him. I know what makes him tick. Although, admittedly, it's starting to seem like that isn't the case much anymore since he surprised me a while ago by putting me into a chokehold.

Surge: Wait, he put you into a chokehold?

Scourge: Cuz I made fun of his literally dead beat uncle.

Surge: … Wow. You are an ass.

Scourge: You are what ya eat, sweetcheeks.

Surge quickly zips into the bathroom and audibly vomits. Scourge just smirks as this happens as he finally made her so disgusted, it made her stomach do jumping jacks.

When she finally came back out, she looked worse than before.

Surge: You are… Your messed up in the head.

Scourge: Never said I wasn't.

Surge: Why are you even here?!

Scourge: Easy. I need some stuff from you.

Surge: Like what?

Scourge: Storage facilities. Lots of em.

Surge: For what?

Scourge pulls out an Anarchy Beryl from his pocket. The gem hummed with a evil energy that made Surge back off.

Surge: What the…?

Scourge: I need to stockpile these as an insurance policy.

Surge: And if I refuse?

Scourge just downs another bottle.

Scourge: Then I'll just take everything you have as mine.

Surge sat in silence before she burst into laughter.

Surge: Your funny. Get out and never come back.

Scourge sighs, chuckles and then pops his neck, standing up.

Scourge: Honestly, I was hoping you would say THAT!!

Before Surge could react, Scourge had kicked her in the face and sent her out the same window from the night they first met, and she, once again, crashed into the dumpster outside. This time, however, Scourge was offering no mercy, and no breathing room.

Surge was already being beaten senseless, already still injured from her fight from Valkyr, so she could barely put up a fight. Scourge capitalized on this, beating her senseless, then he grabs her by her head and slammed her face first into the dirt. Then he stomps on her repeatedly, nearly knocking her out! Then he lifts her up, some of her teeth falling out, her nose bleeding and one of her eyes bruised. (Thought you can't really tell due to most of her face having a black spot.)

Scourge: We can do this the easy way, or the hard way, bitch. The easy way is to let me take charge of your operation. The hard way is I kill you. And not the quick and painless kind, either.

Surge didn't have much strength to fight back. She REALLY wanted to, but her new injuries combined with the damage Valkyr did made it VERY clear she was in no position to do so.

She wasn't keen on dying either, not before she took Sonic and Eggman out of the picture and made a better Mobius…

Surge: F-fine… Your the boss…

Scourge lets her go, grinning widely.

Scourge: Smart move, honey. Now, first order of business, I need as many storage facilities as you can for the Anarchy Beryl.

Surge: Done…

Surge was on her hands and knees.

Scourge: Second order of business? Where's the nearest whorehouse?

Surge: They won't let you in unless your clean…!

Scourge: Then I guess I better find a bathhouse, cuz I'm looking to get some pussy. And your too battered to fuck anyways.

Surge: Bastard…!

Surge spat out blood as Scourge walked away, having found the nearest bathhouse… The screaming that came from inside 20 minutes later didn't bode well. What confirmed Surge's worst fears was Scourge walking out, eating a LEG RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER. IT WAS A MOBIAN LEG!

Surge was horrified, and Scourge knew it, he did that on purpose.

Surge wasn't just angry now. For the first time in a long time, she was genuinely, utterly fearing for her life.

And it was all thanks to the green monster hedgehog that had been lucky enough to not stay dead.