Of all the sensations Blaze had ever felt, cold had never been one of them.
Her body felt like a broken marionette, her limbs limp and unresponsive. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, mingling with the faint tang of blood—her blood. The surface beneath her was hard and cold, pressing against her fur in a way that made her feel exposed, vulnerable.
Her fire was still gone.
That was the first thing she noticed. The warmth that had always been a part of her—roaring, alive, and untamed—was absent. She stretched her mind, desperate to find even a flicker of it, but there was nothing. Only emptiness.
And then came the memories.
They didn't rush in all at once, but slowly, like fragments of a shattered mirror piecing themselves together. She remembered the sound of gunfire, the chaos of the ambush, and Shadow standing in front of her, his crimson eyes locked on the attackers. He had taken the bullets meant for her, his body jerking with each hit, and then he had collapsed.
That had been a week ago.
Since then, she had barely left his side. She had tended to his wounds, changed his bandages, and stayed by him even when he told her he didn't need her. She remembered the quiet moments between them: the way he would scowl when she fussed over him, the faint softening of his expression when he thought she wasn't looking. She had seen glimpses of something more in him during those days—a trust, a connection that she thought was beginning to grow.
But then, just yesterday, everything had fallen apart.
"You knew," he had said, his voice cold and cutting.
Blaze had frozen, her hands trembling.
"You knew what your family did, and you didn't tell me," Shadow continued, his crimson eyes burning with anger. "Your ancestors didn't just fund the experiments that created me—they created the entire system that destroyed so many lives. They're responsible for everything."
"I… I didn't know the full extent," Blaze had stammered, her voice trembling. "I didn't want—"
"You didn't want to admit it," Shadow interrupted, his voice rising. "You didn't want to face the truth. And now you expect me to just… trust you?"
His words hit her harder than any bullet ever could.
"I can't trust you, Blaze," he had said, his voice low and final. "Not after this."
The memory was a fresh wound, and the weight of his words pressed down on her even now as she lay in this cold, unfamiliar place.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps—slow, deliberate, and mocking.
"Well, look who's finally awake," came Fiona's voice, sharp and smug.
Blaze turned her head slowly, her body protesting the movement. Fiona the Fox stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip, her emerald eyes gleaming with amusement. She looked relaxed, but there was a dangerous edge to her grin, like a blade waiting to strike.
"You've been out for a while, princess," Fiona continued, sauntering into the room. "I was starting to think you weren't gonna wake up at all. Not that it would've mattered much—you're not exactly in a position to go anywhere."
Blaze tried to push herself up, but her legs refused to respond. Pain flared in her chest and arms, forcing her to collapse back onto the table with a sharp gasp.
"Oh, don't strain yourself," Fiona said, her tone mocking. "You're in bad enough shape as it is. Honestly, it's kind of pathetic. The great Blaze the Cat, reduced to this." She smirked, leaning against the edge of the table. "Guess you're not so tough without your little fire tricks, huh?"
Blaze glared at her, summoning what little strength she had. "What… do you want?"
Fiona raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider the question. "Me? Oh, I'm just here for the entertainment. The real star of the show is waiting outside." She stepped back, gesturing toward the door with a dramatic flourish. "Come on in, babe. She's all yours."
The sound of heavy boots echoed down the hallway, followed by a voice that sent a chill down Blaze's spine.
"Fiona, you didn't start the party without me, did you?"
A hedgehog stepped into the room, his wild green quills gleaming under the harsh lights. His leather jacket hung open, the edges frayed, and his sharp-toothed grin stretched wide across his face. But it wasn't just his appearance that unnerved Blaze—it was the energy radiating off of him, erratic and unhinged, like a bomb waiting to go off.
"There she is," Scourge drawled, his red eyes locking onto Blaze. "The princess herself. Gotta say, you're not lookin' so hot, sweetheart."
Blaze forced herself to sit up slightly, her arms trembling with the effort. "Who are you!? What do you want?" she asked, her voice hoarse but steady.
"Name's Scourge, babe. The evil twin, the bad boy, the one your mama warned you about," he said with a mock bow. "Though I'm guessin' your mama didn't warn you about much of anything, considering how little you know about your family history."
"What do you want?" Blaze repeated, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.
"What do I want?" Scourge repeated, tilting his head as if confused by the question. Then he laughed—a sharp, manic sound that made Fiona chuckle along with him.
"Oh, princess," Scourge said, stepping closer, "this isn't about what I want. It's about what you owe me."
Blaze frowned, her mind racing. "Owe you?"
"Yeah, that's right," Scourge said, crouching down so they were eye-level. "Your family? They're the reason I'm like this. The experiments, the torture, the whole 'let's see what happens when we break a Mobian in half' thing? Yeah, that was all thanks to them."
He grinned wider, his sharp teeth glinting in the light. "But you know what the funny part is? I survived. They made me faster, stronger, crazier. And now, here I am, ready to return the favor."
Blaze's chest tightened. "If you hate me so much, then why keep me alive?"
Scourge's grin twisted into something darker. He leaned closer, his red eyes burning with a dangerous light.
"Oh, I was gonna kill you," he said, his voice dropping to a low, sinister tone. "That was the plan. But then I saw him."
Blaze's breath caught. "Shadow…"
"Bingo!" Scourge exclaimed, jumping to his feet and throwing his arms wide, spinning with manic energy.
"The ultimate lifeform! Shadow and I were cellmates once, you know. Shared all sorts of stories in that little concrete box they kept us in!" His grin turned savage, pupils constricting to pinpoints. "Nothing bonds two guys like spending a year taking turns keeping watch while the other one sleeps! Man, the conversations we had when the guards thought we were broken..." He giggled, a sound that made Blaze's skin crawl. "And wouldn't you know it, that guy…he threw himself in front of a bullet…for YOU!"
Fiona laughed from the corner. "It was almost sweet. Almost."
"That's when it hit me," Scourge continued, pacing back and forth with barely contained energy, occasionally flexing his fingers. "Killing you would be such a waste. See, in all the time I knew him, Shadow never cared about anyone. Not like this." He stopped pacing, suddenly appearing inches from Blaze's face. "The great Ultimate Lifeform, ready to die for some princess he barely knows? Now THAT'S interesting!"
Blaze shook her head weakly. "You'll never control him. Shadow would never—"
Scourge cut her off with a sharp laugh that echoed through the room. "Wouldn't he? I've seen what happens when Shadow loses someone he cares about. The rage, the power—it's beautiful! Like watching a star explode!" His eyes gleamed with dangerous intensity. "See, if I killed you, he'd just try to destroy me. But if I keep you alive, dangle you like bait... well, he might just do anything to keep you safe. And trust me, princess," he whispered, voice dripping with dark amusement, "I know exactly which buttons to push. I learned all his triggers during our quality time together. Every. Single. One."
Blaze clenched her fists, her body trembling with a mix of fear and determination. She had to find a way to stop this, to warn Shadow—but in her current state, she was powerless.
Scourge straightened, his grin sharp and predatory. "Don't worry, princess. I'll take good care of you. After all, you're not just bait—you're leverage. The thing that'll make Shadow finally remember who he really is: a weapon, just like me!" He exchanged a wicked grin with Fiona. "And trust me, this is gonna be so much FUN!"
Blaze glared at them, her mind racing. She had to survive. For Shadow. For herself.
And somehow, she would find a way to fight back.
—-
Blaze's voice was barely above a whisper, trembling as she forced the words out through the pain. "I... I'm sorry... for what my family did to you."
Scourge went utterly still, his manic energy vanishing in an instant. The sudden shift in his demeanor was more terrifying than his previous frenzy. Slowly, deliberately, he turned to face her, his red eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made her want to look away. But she couldn't.
"Sorry?" The word fell from his lips like ice. His usual grin was gone, replaced by something raw and dangerous. "After all these years, that's what daddy's little success story has to say?"
Blaze fought to keep her voice steady. "I never wanted my family to hurt anyone. To experiment on innocent people—"
"Innocent?" Scourge was suddenly in front of her, moving so fast she hadn't even seen him cross the room. He crouched down, his face inches from hers, close enough that she could see the scars hidden beneath his fur. "Let me tell you something about your dear old dad, princess. He wasn't always the polished king he is now. I remember him in his lab coat, fresh out of university, so desperate to crack the code of power inheritance." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you know how many of us he burned through, trying to perfect his little formula? All so his future heir would be born with the gift of fire."
Fiona shifted uncomfortably in the corner, the usual amusement gone from her face.
"But hey, it worked, didn't it?" Scourge continued, his trademark grin slowly returning, but there was something broken behind it now. "Look at you—daddy's perfect little experiment. The first success after countless failures. The princess who can summon flames at will." He laughed, sharp and humorless. "I was test subject number 126. Wonder how many came after me before he finally got you?"
Blaze swallowed hard, meeting his gaze despite the terror clawing at her chest. Her voice was quiet but firm when she spoke. "I didn't say it for forgiveness. I said it because it needed to be said."
Something flickered in Scourge's eyes then—surprise, maybe, or recognition. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by his usual manic gleam. He straightened up, adjusting his leather jacket with an exaggerated flourish.
"Your apology means nothing to me, princess," he sneered. "You want to know the real irony here? Your precious Shadow—he's just another victim of your family's legacy. All that funding for Project Shadow, all those 'joint research ventures' with G.U.N... The royal family wasn't just experimenting on their own subjects. They were bankrolling other people's pet projects too." His grin widened impossibly. "The Ultimate Lifeform himself, created with Sol Kingdom gold. And now here you are, the perfect bait to reel him in."
Blaze's chest tightened, but she refused to look away. "You can do whatever you want to me. Just... leave Shadow out of this."
The words hung in the air for a moment. Then Scourge's expression shifted, a look of pure delight spreading across his features as if she'd just handed him the most precious gift.
"Oh," he breathed, absolutely still except for the widening of his grin. "Oh, that's interesting." He tilted his head, studying her with predatory focus. "Say that again, princess. And this time, really mean it."
Blaze lifted her chin despite her trembling. "I said, leave Shadow out of this!"
Scourge exploded into movement, whirling to face Fiona with theatrical flair. "Are you hearing this? Little miss royal perfection, offering herself up like a sacrificial lamb!" He spun back to Blaze, his voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "All to protect the very weapon her family helped create. Now isn't that just... poetic?"
Fiona's boots clicked against the floor as she approached, her smile sharp. "History does have a way of repeating itself. Another Sol royal, trying to control what happens to Shadow?"
"No!" Blaze's voice cracked with emotion. "That's not what this is. I'm trying to protect him!"
"Protect him?" Scourge's laughter held a razor's edge. He crouched down, bringing himself to her eye level. "Kitty cat, you're the reason he needs protecting. Your family funded his creation, and now you've given him something to lose." His voice softened to something almost gentle, which somehow made it worse. "You're not his shield, princess. You're his weakness. And you just confirmed exactly how much of one you are."
Blaze's heart hammered against her ribs as the truth of his words sank in. She'd meant to help, to offer herself in Shadow's place, but she'd just given Scourge exactly what he wanted – proof of how much Shadow would risk to save her.
Scourge straightened, adjusting his jacket with casual menace. "So noble, so self-sacrificing," he mocked. "But tell me something, princess..." He leaned down one final time, his voice barely a whisper. "When Shadow comes charging in here to save you – and we both know he will – who's really going to be responsible for whatever happens next?"
The question hit her like a physical blow, and for the first time since her capture, Blaze looked away.