The hospital room was a wreck. Monitors dangled off their stands, wires lay tangled like discarded spiderwebs, and the faint, acrid odor of burnt circuitry lingered in the air. The scorched marks on the floor told the rest of the story—Shadow the Hedgehog had made his exit, and he hadn't exactly done it quietly.
Sonic the Hedgehog leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, surveying the chaos with a mix of awe and exasperation. He let out a low whistle, shaking his head.
"Even half-dead, he still finds a way to blow the place up," Sonic muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Guy's got a real knack for dramatics."
He stepped into the room, boots crunching softly against shards of broken glass from a shattered monitor. The thought of Shadow yanking himself free from the machines—against doctor's orders, no less—was almost amusing. Almost. Sonic could picture the alarms blaring, the staff losing their minds, and Shadow storming out like nothing could touch him. Classic Shadow.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall, pulling Sonic from his thoughts. He turned just as Blaze the Cat burst into the room.
"Where is he?" she demanded, her voice sharp and breathless. Her usually sleek fur was disheveled, her golden eyes blazing with a fury that could rival the flames she commanded.
"Good to see you too, Blaze," Sonic said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Take a breath, will ya? You look like you just ran a marathon."
"I don't have time for jokes!" Blaze snapped, her tail lashing behind her like a whip. "Where is Shadow? How could GUN let this happen?" She gestured at the ruined room, her claws flexing in frustration. "He's hurt, Sonic! He's—he's—"
"Gone?" Sonic finished, shrugging. "Yeah, that's kinda his thing. You know how he is—doesn't like being stuck in one place, especially not a hospital bed."
Blaze's fists clenched, her claws digging into her palms. "This isn't funny," she hissed. "He could barely stand when I last saw him. He shouldn't even be walking, let alone—"
"Blowing a hole in the wall and making his grand escape?" Sonic interrupted, his tone light but his expression serious. "Look, I get it. You're worried. But Shadow's not exactly the type to sit around and wait for someone else to patch him up. He's Shadow. He'll survive."
"That's not the point!" Blaze's voice rose, the heat of her frustration palpable. "He's out there, bleeding, vulnerable, and alone. And it's my fault."
Sonic frowned, his easygoing demeanor faltering.
Blaze turned away, her shoulders tense. "He took those bullets for me, Sonic. He shouldn't have—he didn't have to. But he did. And now…" Her voice cracked, but she quickly swallowed the emotion, her gaze hardening. "Now he's out there, and I don't even know if he's—"
"Hey." Sonic's voice was uncharacteristically soft as he stepped closer. "You know Shadow. He's not gonna kick the bucket that easily. He's too stubborn for that."
Blaze didn't respond, her eyes fixed on the scorched marks on the floor. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken guilt.
Sonic rubbed the back of his neck, glancing around the room as he thought. "Alright, let's think. If you were a grumpy, Chaos-powered hedgehog with a death wish, where would you go?"
Blaze shot him a withering glare. "This isn't a joke, Sonic."
"I'm not joking," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm serious. Shadow's not the type to just wander off and sit in a park somewhere. He's got places. People he trusts."
Blaze's ears twitched, but she said nothing.
"And if I had to guess…" Sonic continued, a sly grin spreading across his face. "...he's probably at Rouge's place."
Blaze's head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowing. "Rouge?"
"Yeah. Makes sense, doesn't it? She's one of the few people he actually likes, and her place is basically a fortress. If I were Shadow, that's where I'd go to lay low."
Blaze didn't respond immediately, but the tension in her posture told him he'd hit the mark. Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed toward the door.
"Whoa, hey, hold up!" Sonic called, jogging after her. "You're just gonna charge over there? Don't you think you should, I don't know, come up with a plan first?"
"There's no time for that," Blaze said curtly, her pace quick and determined. "If Shadow's there, I need to see him. And if he's not… then I'll figure it out."
Sonic stopped in his tracks, watching as she disappeared down the hall. He scratched the back of his head, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Man, you guys really know how to make things complicated," he muttered.
Still, he couldn't help but admire her determination. Blaze wasn't the kind to sit back and wait for things to happen—she made them happen. And if Shadow was at Rouge's, Sonic had no doubt that Blaze was about to turn that penthouse upside down.
"Guess I'll hang back and wait for the fireworks," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets as he strolled toward the exit.
Whatever was about to go down, one thing was certain: it wasn't going to be boring.
—-
Rouge finished preening her fur in the mirror and gave her makeup one last approving glance. Showtime. She turned to grab her communication headset off the nightstand when the doorbell rang, its shrill tone piercing the silence.
On the security monitor screen, Rouge saw Princess Blaze standing at her doorstep, tail lashing anxiously. The bat frowned - this was unexpected. She glanced over at Shadow, who was trying his best to appear relaxed on the couch despite his injuries.
At the sight of Blaze on the video feed, Shadow's eyes narrowed. "Don't let her know I'm here," he growled in a low tone.
Rouge rolled her eyes. "Don't get your quills in a twist, Shadow. I've got this under control."
Moving to block the view into her apartment, Rouge opened the door a crack, putting on her most disarming smile. "Why, Princess! What an unexpected surprise."
Blaze looked agitated, her amber eyes blazing. "Cut the games, Rouge. I'm here about Shadow."
"Shadow?" Rouge blinked innocently. "What about him, honey?"
The cat's tail lashed again. "Don't play dumb! I know he checked himself out of the hospital. The doctors told me his recovery will be impeded without proper care."
Rouge chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "You're worrying too much, doll. Shadow's the ultimate tough guy, remember? A few little bullets aren't gonna keep him down."
"Why does no one take this seriously!" Blaze's hands clenched into fists, a flicker of flame briefly dancing along her ponytail. "Those gunmen were specifically targeting me. If it wasn't for Shadow's intervention, I could have been..."
She trailed off, jaw tight. Rouge's grin faded slightly at the anguish in the princess's eyes. Of course - Blaze felt responsible for Shadow's condition.
"Listen, sugah," Rouge said in a gentler tone. "Shadow's gonna be just fine, you'll see. A little R is all he needs to get back on his feet. No need for you to worry that pretty little head of yours."
Blaze shook her head adamantly. "You don't understand. I need to know he's alright. I need to see him."
She took a step forward, but Rouge blocked her path, the humorous glint returning to her eye.
"Ah ah ah, not so fast, princess. Shadow's my guest, and I'm under strict orders not to let just anyone pay him a visit." She winked conspiratorially. "You know how that grumpy hedgehog gets about his privacy."
"Rouge, I'm not asking," Blaze said in a low, dangerous voice. The temperature around them started to rise. "I'm telling you to let me see him. Now."
The bat pursed her lips, raising an eyebrow at the flames now flickering along Blaze's clenched fists. As fun as getting scorched sounded, maybe it was time to change tactics.
"Alright, alright, no need to get all fired up," Rouge relented, raising her hands placatingly. "But I'm warning you, he's pretty out of it from his... dance with death. Just don't be too offended if he's not his usual sunny self, 'kay?"
Blaze looked at her stonily for a moment before nodding once in agreement. Rouge stepped aside, opening the door wider to admit the princess. As Blaze swept past her into the apartment, Rouge shot a glance at Shadow, who was glaring daggers at her from the couch.
This wasn't going to be pretty. But hey, at least her place was getting a little more lively. Rouge loved a bit of drama now and then - even if it DID involve molten tempers and near-death experiences.
Just another day in the life, really.