How did I fail this badly?
I'm waltzing with my enemy.
His hand is on my waist.
His intense vampiric gaze is unmoving from my eyes.
Trapped in his grasp, I'm afraid he's put me under a spell...
... because why else would I be unable to look away?
"Are you alright, Rouge?" the 'Ultimate Lifeform' asks deviously. His dark eyelids lower and his sharp smirk grows.
He's toying with me, knowing I can't act out in this setting, and it makes me nauseous. My posture is more rigid than before, my steps hesitant and forced to be led by his hand as I can't find the strength to challenge him. He loves cornering me. It's always been a twisted game to him. Although... looking into his crimson eyes, there's a flash of something else beyond the devilish pride; something less wicked. It's barely visible, but I recognize a certain softness buried deep behind the surly visage. I've never been close enough to see it before.
'He's working with Eggman...' I remind myself, fighting to avoid falling under his trance. I harden my expression to try and give off the impression that he hasn't shaken me, then open my mouth to speak confidently. "I'm perfectly fine – more than capable of playing your master's little games."
He snickers. Of course he snickers... I'm sick of that smug half-laugh of his, done to death after a year of chasing this hedgehog for the sake of G.U.N's doomed-to-fail initiative. Capturing a living super weapon... how did they think it would be possible? Even worse, how did they pretend it would be easy? They must've known this artificial beast doesn't play by our rules. Or maybe they just put too much faith in my talents, assuming I'd be strong and cunning enough to pin him down. I hate that they were wrong...
Pettiness – my strongest motivator these days – pushes me to grip his hand tighter and I take more control of my steps under the soft piano of classical music. The monster of a man doesn't seem fazed, adjusting to the change, well-aware that I would seize some level of autonomy after enough of his condescension. He's good... and it's dangerous. Besides being infinitely strong, this conduit of destruction wields Chaos power, his arsenal of abilities surely larger than we know of. He seems to have no emotions besides arrogance, pride, and anger.
Though, even his anger is stunted, dripping with a layer of self-imposed superiority so thick it drives a prickle of fury down my back when he speaks to me in his signature 'You are worthless' tone. He's also smarter than he looks. At first glance, you might think him a mute fool as he scowls from behind his boss' tall legs, crossing his arms and staring daggers while he prepares to skewer you the second Robotnik snaps his fingers. It hurts my pride to know he's outsmarted me a few times. And all I've done in the end is get myself captured. Disgraceful.
While we silently battle through our dance, the Experiment looks up towards something and stares for a moment, his face unchanging. I don't turn to see what he's so fixated on, instead looking off to the side and forcibly subduing my expression into one of boredom. But as we naturally shift and I end up where he was standing, I can't help but flick my eyes to where he'd been looking; and I should have known, he was checking in with the round old man himself, sitting up on the balcony and staring sinisterly down at all the dancers.
This ballroom is a prison, filled with captives and unfortunate heroes who failed their missions... a group I suppose I belong to now. I can hardly look at anyone else, because if I do, my expression will inevitably soften with sympathy, and I refuse to hear the remark that would follow from the enemy's lips. But I can guess what they must be feeling. Any friendly face that would exist in this room is surely downcast, broken, all of them having lost any hope of taking down the Doctor. But I haven't lost my fire. I'll keep fighting until they kill me.
After being torturously guided for a while around the marble-polished room for the human's entertainment, the music finally slows to a stop and the lights dim. Once we halt our steps, the only sound left is the buzz of Robotnik's drones floating near the high ceiling, pointing their blasters at us to keep us in line. My eyes haven't fully adjusted to the darkness yet, but I know they haven't stopped aiming; they won't until we're back in cuffs. I try to pull away from my captor, but his grip is concerningly firm, pressing all his fingers against the back of my hand and the small of my back.
Then comes a series of claps, slightly muffled by thin gloves, and the lights return. Eggman is standing at the balcony's railing, slapping his red-colored palms together and appearing insanely gaudy in his dark regal attire. Whatever drug got this madman thinking he looked good in gothic Victorian garb must've been strong. A gleam passes over his purple-tinted glasses when he looks down at me and my assigned dance partner. I hate his wide, maniacal grin as much as I hate Shadow's snicker.
"Excellent performance, my subjects!" he exclaims, clasping his hands once he's done applauding. "And a dance particularly well-spun by the VIP of the night: Shadow!"
A hand extends down toward us from one gangly arm, and the other prisoners are forced to clap for him. I can't, as tightly as he's holding me, but at least I don't have to applaud; meanwhile, the lifeform is looking up at the Doctor, smiling like an idiot who's grateful to hear praise from his master. Shadow is the only one of any of us matching Robotnik with his outfit, dressed in similarly styled garments of red and white. He doesn't deserve to wear clothes so fancy while the rest of us are stuck in whatever we had on when we got caught.
The ancient overlander then dramatically hovers his hand in front of his mouth and exaggerates a yawn. "Ohhhh, well, this has been a night to remember – but now the fun is over." He claps his hands twice, which prompts the drones to fly down to our level, and commands, "Back to your cells!"
The brainless bots encircle everyone in the ballroom, urging them towards the exit under the threat of being shot. But, as I expected, Shadow doesn't move right away. I've only just been captured, so I suspect the old human will want to interrogate me before showing me to a prison cell. And of course he would have his family Experiment escort me, who's smirking yet again and adjusting his grip to turn me around before grabbing my arm. His other hand seems glued to my back, a sensation I want to run away from.
I look back up at the balcony, and Eggman is gone; probably retreated into whatever private lair he has in this castle. He's truly despicable, making us dance around for his enjoyment, fueling his ego with the sight of downtrodden would-be saviors having no other choice than to obey him. It infuriates and humbles me at the same time. I'm led out into the hallway following the others, but before I can get a good look at the layout around me, a strip of red fabric is pulled over my eyes, and I'm pretty sure it's Shadow blindfolding me.
"Ugh, is this really necessary?" I huff, feeling him grab my arm again.
"Doctor's orders," his deep voice hisses, smugness draping his tone like a layer of grime.
I shake my head a bit and mock softly, "'Doctor's orders.' Can't you think for yourself?"
"I think it's time for you to hush up. And I wouldn't be opposed to doing it myself if you won't cooperate."
"Hmph." I'm glad my indignation is getting to him, even if it's smarter to stay quiet. Like I said, I can play their games.
I hear the footsteps of the other prisoners fade away as the hedgehog takes me farther down what I assume is the same hallway – though I have no way of knowing if we're passing through different rooms until he makes me turn left. There, he stops me, and I hear... nothing. Nothing for a few seconds. What is he doing? Standing behind me silently... could I catch him off guard? Just as I think of making a break for it, I feel the push of something against my wrists, solid ring shapes instantly clicking around them. Handcuffs...
How did he cuff me when his hands never left their places? Is there someone in front of me that I can't see or hear? How can I not hear them? My ears are sensitive enough that I've always been able to catch at least a hint of what's to come. It's too bizarre for me to comprehend! I turn my head instinctively, hoping to catch a sound of something. But there's truly nothing to hear until my captor's hand leaves my arm, a moment before he utters his signature phrase.
"Chaos Control!"
I've never experienced Chaos Control directly before. Seeing him teleport by himself, I would've never guessed it felt like this. Surreal; eerie; a strange sense of being yanked through time while standing still – at least those are the things I feel immediately after he speaks his favorite line. I don't know how or why, but I can tell the air is different, understand I'm in a different place. And what startles me after appearing in this new spot is the sudden sound of knocking in front of me. So, Shadow's alerting Robotnik of our presence outside his HQ, I assume.
The evil man's muffled voice confirms my thought when he hollers through the door, "Come in, Shadow! You'd better have my newest visitor properly restrained!"
The door opens and I'm ushered forward. The artificial being next to me says, "Of course, Doctor. I would not be so careless."
"Ha! This is why I like you, Shadow."
Stopped again, this time supposedly across from Robotnik himself. A chair squeaks as he probably shifts his fat form in his seat.
"Rouge the Bat..." he utters, drawing out the syllables of my name as if I'm the most interesting person who's ever entered this room. It's the only thing he'd be correct about, of course; I've been hunting his pet long enough to deserve such an impression. "At last, I've got the overconfident spy in cuffs at my feet."
He snaps his fingers and the blindfold gets taken off. I almost cringe when I see that the red cotton was the ascot Shadow had been wearing. In front of me is Eggman, as expected, sitting in a plush swivel chair with one leg thrown over the other. His lair is dark, barely lit, and furnished with desks that match the castle aesthetic and hi-tech computers that clash with it.
I respond to his triumph, "It only took you an entire year, old man."
"Ha! That hardly matters now, does it? I knew you could never beat Shadow. His skillset is infinitely superior to yours! And with brains like mine behind that kind of power..." He touches one temple with a gloved finger. "Your capture was only a matter of time."
"So, what now?" I ask. "You lock me up with the rest of the misfits? Or are you gonna try to get info out of me first? Because good luck with that."
He steeples his hands together, bumping the index fingers and seeming to think a little, then answers, "I suppose you can have a room now, if you're so eager for one. I'll assess you eventually and we'll have a conversation then... but it's good to see where your resolve lies at the moment."
He stands up, creaking the chair again, and clasps both hands behind his back. The shine in his glasses glides as he looks down at me. "Enjoy how you feel right now, Rouge. You may be surprised to find out how quickly such an attitude fades here." Then, he speaks to his minion, "Shadow, take her to the Blue cell. I think it'll be a fitting place for her."
His smile widens to show his teeth, clearly proud of whatever he's got in store for me. I give him a determined glare before my arm is gripped once again, then the room is highlighted by the green sparkle of a Chaos Emerald pulled from Shadow's coat.
"Chaos Control!"
