I'm ready for today's lesson. I've had my breakfast and I'm waiting for my escort, mulling over how I'm going to go about putting this next plan into action. Using Shadow's crush against him – it's a bold strategy, but he is still a man. Artificial, powerful, and clever, sure… but I believe he's susceptible to desire all the same. I'll have to be more careful than usual, more subtle. If I make it too obvious, he'll know something is up. But I've faked attraction before to get what I want, dozens of times! If I can seduce him, I'll be that much closer to slipping out of this castle right under his nose.

While waiting, I run my fingers through my hair, primping my curls as well as I can with no mirror and no brush. Still suffering this place with a bare face, I don't have the advantage of charming colors complementing my looks. My actions will have to carry this plan, which means I'll need to be a little more physical in my technique; it'll take overwhelming Shadow's primal instincts to make his guard waver. I don't love it… but it's far from the worst thing I could be doing to get out of here. I just need to butter him up a bit, that's all.

The escort bot arrives to take me away, leading me to the study this time. Shadow is there, but he doesn't greet me. Our eye contact is chilling – at least for me – because he doesn't even seem to think about saying something. There's no awkward parting of lips before shutting them again, no hesitant twinkle in his eyes. He's zipped up completely from what I can tell, possibly still sour from yesterday. He can't be too upset, though, 'cause he isn't scowling at me either. He's just… existing. He silently walks me to the table and sits across from me again.

Once we're settled, this time without the tools for note-taking, he asks, "So, what lesson is on the agenda today?"

I've got to ease into my plan, so I start off a bit stilted, not yet covering up the aura that I don't want to be here. "Well, I was thinking it over, and… even though this is something you wouldn't normally need to learn so soon, I think in your case…" I let out a little sigh, like I'm resigning myself to a fact, "... body language is important to cover next."

"Body language," he repeats, demonstrating perfectly why I'm right as he sits stone-still in his seat and stares unblinkingly. "Why is that so pressing right now, more than another verbal lesson?"

I have to bite back the urge to snicker in his face. The lack of self-awareness is astounding! I stuff away the impulse and reply, "You want to connect with Robotnik, right? That's why you're going along with this in the first place? Then, you need to be able to read his gestures and pick up on non-verbal cues. You know he's an expressive man. Surely, there are mannerisms he has that you haven't deciphered yet?"

He crosses his arms, draped in dark red silk, over his chest; then leans forward to rest them on the table. "Hm. Perhaps. Very well… This knowledge may not be so useless after all."

My mouth tugs into a small smirk and I blink to switch my gaze from his arms to his eyes. "First note: I can tell by your body language that you're not just ready to learn – you're eager."

His eyes widen a bit and his frown softens. Got 'im! The Ultimate Lifeform is realizing already that I know what I'm doing, that I'm good at it. He must be surprised at how quickly I clocked his state of mind. And that's all I needed to hook him. Step 1, done!

"Okay, so," I start, shifting my own position, "give me a baseline to work with. Look at how I'm sitting and try to guess what it means. Don't worry about getting it right, just say what comes to mind."

Here's Step 2 – to make him notice me, drawing attention to my alluring features in an innocent way. His attraction to me will be in the back of his mind against his will. I hold a straightened posture with my hands clasped primly over my crossed knee, slightly tilting my chin up. Red eyes obviously drift to my chest first before dragging over the rest of my form, and I again have to hold back expressing the smugness I feel. This technique always works.

His head slowly shakes back and forth, followed by his shoulders shrugging when he makes eye contact. "I don't know. You look… dismissive, I suppose."

I relax my shoulders and even out my eyeline, but hold the rest as it is. "I'm sitting the way a mentor would; someone who's about to teach you new things."

His brows twitch into a brief furrow of confusion and I start to explain, using one hand to point out the details I've set up. "One leg is crossed, for comfort. But my hands are clasped over my lap, showing sophistication and composure. This closes me off a little bit, keeping things professional by putting some distance between myself and the student."

I square my shoulders and lift my chin again. "My back is straight, showing alertness, but my arms are slack so you know I'm not being judgmental. And my face?" I point and flutter my lashes a couple times, letting a cute smile grace my lips. "This expression says I'm a kind and encouraging person in a position of authority. Easy enough to grasp?"

Shadow raises one hand to graze his chin and studies my figure again. "Hm, it is easier to understand when you explain it like that."

I can sense the gears turning in his head as he soaks up my information, while his eyes steadily travel over my beauty. This strategy is definitely more my style than simply placating him. I get to act a little, perform in a way. And I can show myself off to get what I want in the end – something I'm exceptional at! It's been a while since I could last indulge in a touch of vanity.

"I see it now," he says, his tone subtly lighter. "It isn't dismissiveness. It's wisdom."

I relax again, noticing before I speak how he takes a little too long to look at my face. By this point, I've dropped the air that I'm loathing my time here, opting for a more positive portrayal to hook him further. "Good! That's what I was going for. Now you know how to analyze it; let's work on connecting emotions to gestures."

I brush over the basics to make sure he isn't completely inept at reading expressions, then quickly switch to giving him more complex examples. I want to move this plan along, so I don't spend much time on the details of this part, just letting him assign feelings to gestures and sometimes correcting him when he's wrong. Some inaccuracies I let slide, just to speed up the process; because the next step is getting closer to Shadow, physically. I end the 'emotions' part of the lesson by standing up and moving to the side of the table, where a strip of open space allows me a small walkway next to the wall.

"Now – deciphering someone's demeanor just by their walk," I say, pulling my shoulders back. "You can tell a lot about a person this way."

I start walking forward, making sure to put a little extra sway in my hips and a slightly more prominent bounce in my steps. Shadow watches silently while I gesture elegantly with one hand to accentuate my explanation – and add flair to my posture. "My natural walk, for example, says that I'm a confident woman. I've got places to be and things to get done."

Once I'm in the space next to Shadow's chair, I turn towards him and jut my hips to the side, resting a hand on my waist and essentially posing in front of him. We're not too close to each other, but there isn't much space between him and the wall. It's clearly close enough for scarlet eyes to regard me restlessly. There's a noticeable jitter in his gaze as it seems like he tries not to stare at my body, flicking up to my face but not being able to look me in the eye, either. I'm masking with a nonchalant expression, but inside I'm patting myself on the back. I've managed to put a little bit of fluster into the Ultimate Lifeform!

"Assuredness, determination, a bit of sass…" I continue, turning back around and beginning another sultry walk the other way. "It's all part of my charismatic personality; which contributes to how I carry myself. You could probably guess someone's mood before even speaking to them, if you can recognize their walk."

I pause when Shadow speaks up, "I've never seen someone walk like you. That kind of movement looks like it would take up a lot of energy. Why waste it on that?"

I turn again to meet his eyes, which no longer waver from my stare, and casually approach the head of the table. "When I'm in a good mood, I've got more than enough energy to spare. There is such a thing as being beautiful and efficient!" I lean one hand on top of the table and flick my curls, playing up my indulgent side to make him think I'm letting my guard down. "Maybe you hadn't noticed in our time quarreling, but I'm a lady who likes to look even more glamorous than I feel. So, if I feel good, I want to look great!"

I'm searching for disdain in his eyes after complimenting myself – usually he gets annoyed at my confidence, showcasing his Mr. Serious personage. But I'm not seeing the typical glower, the pinch of his brows, or the stiffening of his posture. The strange softness I'd barely glimpsed during our first dance is back, this time influencing a sense of… curiosity.

"I noticed," he claims. "The way you paint yourself up to go into battle makes your vanity clear enough."

"Hmph," I scoff lightly, pushing my weight off the table and speaking with a teasing lilt. "And you think it's ridiculous, I bet. Of course you insult the frivolous act of a woman making herself prettier because you don't need makeup to look good when you fight – totally ignoring that I love the way it complements my features. I looked flawless every time we crossed paths, until I was captured."

He blows an arrogant chuckle through his nose. I might've gotten a little too spirited with that tiny rant, and now he's amused. Not my intention, but it's technically a step in the right direction. I think his walls just lowered a bit.

With his curious gaze on mine, there's a hint of teasing in his tone too when he replies, "I didn't say it was a bad thing."

My eyebrows pull down unevenly to give him a quizzical look. Was that playful banter from Shadow the Hedgehog? Damn, I'm good! This is working even better than I expected.

With a hum and a smirk, I chime, "Then you're not as blind as I thought." While I talk, I slowly round the corner of the table to his side. "I'm glad you at least recognize how impressive I am, even though you think I'm inferior to you."

"Think?" he repeats, his voice gaining some husk as his volume lowers. I know that tone – he's about to stroke his ego. "Need I remind you who holds the title of Ultimate Lifeform?"

"You needn't," I say smoothly, holding up a hand. Then I reach behind my back to start lifting myself onto the table, intending to sit atop it. "Trust me, you brag about your status enough." He doesn't stop me from settling on the wooden surface, where my legs take up the space beside him. There's only about a foot of distance between us now.

When I gauge his demeanor again, he seems even more receptive to the back-and-forth we've established, holding an amenable expression. The lesson has been thoroughly forgotten. So, I cross one leg over the other and finish, "Not that I wouldn't do the same; being definitively perfect does sound lovely. But you have to admit, you make damn sure your title is no secret."

The corner of his mouth tugs to mimic a shrug, and one hand starts to idly fidget on the table. "I disagree that I brag about it. I state it when it's clear you've forgotten just how powerful I am."

He's trying to downplay his arrogance, as if I'm somebody who can be convinced that it doesn't drip over every one of his words when we're locked in battle! A quick rush of combativeness makes my heart rate pick up. Then it's replaced with smugness, my voice coming out thick and sweet as I flick my gaze up and down his form. "Oh, honey, I never forget. Who could? I just think very highly of myself, as well. You aren't the only one who believes they deserve the world."

"You have hardly any knowledge of my beliefs," he counters, now tapping his fingers rhythmically on the wood. His glove muffles the sound, but the movement is distracting. "Differing stances and misunderstandings litter our conversation at every turn. We don't really know each other at all, do we?"

I force my attention away from his hand and let out a chuckle. "Sorry to disagree again, but I wouldn't say that. The finer details might still elude us, but I think we both know what we're all about. And, hey, if we truly don't, then… at least we know ourselves."

I'm keeping calm on the surface, but I'm unnerved at how quickly my heart is beating – the way it speeds up more when I run my gaze across his. Normally, I feel nothing when I use flattery for my own gain. It's usually so easy to just wrap someone around my finger without letting anything other than cunning charisma dictate my state of mind. Right now, though, there's a weird flutter in my stomach when I think about getting closer to him… a strange tingle across my back every time I compliment him. The words are fake, for the most part… And some of the compliments are just true as a statement. They're not necessarily my opinions.

Shadow is perfect – duh, he was made to be!

No one could ever forget the Ultimate Lifeform's powerful presence – well, of course! He's ensured the world knows of him through his and the Doctor's evil plans.

Rationalizing this in my mind is easy, because how else am I supposed to chip away at his defenses? Faking attraction makes perfect sense, I've done it so many times before!

And yet… my body is just responding in ways I can't control. It's unsettling, too new, and damningly, it's likely to fuck up my plan if I let it get the best of me! I have to push through this uneasy feeling, ignore it as much as possible, and get the hell on with this crazy strategy of sweet-talking my enemy. Now that I'm this far in, I can't back out, or else my progress is lost. Shadow's neglecting to speak; and when I realize he hasn't got anything else to say, I have to stifle the brief thought that this was a bad idea.

I can't let the silence linger too long, so I soften my tone and lean towards him. "It is a bit sad, though… If we knew each other under better circumstances…" I slide my hand across the table towards him, "... then, maybe those finer details wouldn't be a mystery."

Time to dissolve his boundaries.

Gingerly, I raise my hand to let it float his way, and cautiously rest my fingers against his cheek. Though I'm staring into his eyes, I'm pretty sure I catch the sight of his black fur bristling around his face. "We could've gotten to know one another in a more… peaceful way."

For a moment, the air is quiet and still. I hold a soft stare to his curious one, trying to make it seem like I'm disappointed that we couldn't have had a better relationship. I tenderly brush my thumb across his cheek, then have to take a deeper breath than normal; my chest is burning with an emotion I'm sternly ignoring. Like they were chiseled from rubies, the bright red color of his eyes grows prettier the longer I fixate. I wish it wasn't true, but they really are perfect.

Then, I watch Shadow's expression change – and it's not good.

His eyebrows pull down into a glare and his mouth sinks into a deep frown. His hand lifts from the table and grabs my wrist, pulling my palm away from his face, and it startles me. Ignoring my feelings isn't possible now, because the fear that creeps in when he straightens his back can't be quieted. Shit, I messed up!

He parts his lips, scowling and staring daggers at me. "Trickery. You're deceiving me! Treacherous spy…"

"I- I…" My mouth stalls to form words, searching for the right ones. "No, I'm- I'm serious-"

He suddenly stands so we're face-to-face, gripping my wrist tighter. I lean back on instinct, nearly stumbling from the edge of the table trying to repel myself from him; but I can't get away when his grip is binding me. He leans toward me to fill the distance I gained, staring angrily and letting his fangs show between lips that're parted in contempt. My breaths are quick and uneven, the pounding of my heart so violent I nearly feel like shaking, but I bite it back as best I can. I knew I was wading in dangerous waters, but I thought I could avoid the shark's teeth if I approached it the right way. This is my reminder… You can't pet a shark without risking an attack.

"Were my previous threats not enough?" he hisses gravely. I catch the golden flicker of Chaos energy crossing his irises, and fear the jolt he might send through my arm. "You don't control this place. So don't try to control me." His eyes drag down and back up in a scanning motion filled with disgust. "Using your tricks and charms to catch me off guard – I should've known you would try something!"

"Shadow, please, I wasn't trying anything!" I beg innocently, feeling the dreadful possibility that he could kill me now. His intense glare intimidates me into lowering my gaze, and I notice his chest is rising and falling rapidly; his breaths are concerningly heavy. "I swear, I was just… talking. Nothing more."

"Hmph," he scoffs in a low rumble, clearly not believing me. When I glance at his face again, he tugs my wrist and leans a little bit closer. "A touch is not talking, is it?"

I swallow the fear building in my throat, unable to avoid his prying stare when he's mere inches in front of me. Vampiric gem-like eyes subtly move back and forth, incapable of staying completely still. His body is hovering slightly over mine as I'm trapped sitting on the table, leaning back but held in place by his rigid grasp. Both of our breaths are deep, though mine are scared and his are angry. I know if I can't deescalate his hatred for me, I'm completely screwed, so I steady my voice enough to say, "That was a mistake. I was being sincere about… how things could've been. I thought you might feel the same. I was wrong…"

Shadow holds his position, his gaze still grilling mine, probably looking for an indicator that I'm lying. He won't see one, though. Even backed into a corner, I'm incredible at telling a fib to someone's face and making it look authentic. What's more, he still isn't the best at reading people. After a few beats – where our audible breaths are the only thing breaking up the suffocating tension – he states in a dark tone, "You're on thin ice."

He finally backs away, and his grip on my wrist slackens. His glare sticks while he calls a minion to the room with a pinch of his sleeve. I slide my form off the table, watching him warily as well, and return to my seat on the other side. It's damning that he realized something was off. If he was more gullible, dumber, or just less paranoid, I might've gotten away with it. Now I don't know what to do. If not even seduction will work, then how the hell am I ever going to carve out a sliver of opportunity for myself?

The robot arrives and Shadow sends me away, closing the door on my attempt to exploit his feelings. Does he even really have feelings for me? I thought it was a sure thing, after all the little hints… Did I misread things somehow? Because obviously his romantic side isn't one that can be unlocked with some sweet talk – if he even has such a side. It's demotivating, and wildly disappointing; and I was even having some fun playing with his perception! Unfortunately, he's not so inexperienced that he can be manipulated just like that.

I may have to resign myself to behaving like a good little prisoner for a while. Maybe then I can try again, when his suspicions have died down. He did let me touch him… that's something. I just hate the idea of getting into a routine here, because I don't want to play the long game. I want to burn this castle to the ground.