Sonic the Hedgehog

Home

As soon as Rouge walked through the door leading out of the control room, Shadow was nowhere in sight. It's not surprising that someone of his speed can get around so quickly. It took the Bat about two minutes to finally find where he was on such a massive aircraft. At the very front, just below the control center and a few rooms down from the armory (where spare robots are usually stored).

Shadow stands, arms crossed, in a spare, nearly vacant room that holds a couple of spare parts that all vary in size and design, but all share a veil of mystery as to what they're supposed to go to.

Knowing Eggman, it could be absolutely anything. Rouge passively thinks.

"What do you want, Bat?" Shadow asks, not turning around to face her, but instead, looking out of a large window that shows a gorgeous sunset.

"Again, I have a name, and it's Rouge," the spy says, agitated. "I came to... well... how do I put this?"

Rouge's wings start flapping and she hovers in the air as she puts her brain to work. The reality that she's never had to thank anyone is starting to sink in the more she struggles to put her gratitude into two simple words.

"I appreciate you coming back for me," she finally gets out.

This gets Shadow's attention. He turns around and looks at Rouge, a blank expression on his face.

"I don't leave people behind," he says.

Of all things, Rouge didn't expect that one to come out of the hedgehog's mouth. When she first met him, she knew something was interesting about Shadow right out of the gate. Evidently, her instincts are as accurate as ever.

"Who are you, Shadow?" Rouge asks. "I don't know much about you, but you don't seem like a boot-licker like that Jackal back there. There has to be SOME reason you're here. If it's not for yourself, then what is it?"

Shadow's grip on his arms grows tighter. Something subtle about his demeanor changes. There is a sudden intensity in the room.

"Where were you during the Metal War?" Shadow asks, catching Rouge off guard.

"Me? Well, I was laying low in Starlight for the first four years. When things got REALLY bad, well, I went to the Mystic Jungle and hid there until everything blew over."

"Interesting," Shadow says. "I was in Westopolois."

Rouge's eyes widen. This just keeps getting more interesting.

"You mean that warzone?" Rouge asks to be sure she heard the right name. "That city was where a lot of the fighting took place!"

"Not always," Shadow corrects. "During the first four years, well..."

...

*Nine years earlier*.

"Remarkable work, Shadow!" The Commander praises as the targets in front of him disintegrate one by one, much to his satisfaction.

In the small, rectangular underground room, Shadow and the Commander stand side by side as the former launches chaos spears at the Eggman-shaped plastic targets at the far end of the room. Behind the two, three GUN scientists are busy scribbling down any notable changes in the hedgehog's accuracy and ability. So far, they write down more of what they have already been for the past few months. Nothing but notes of neverending improvement and potential.

The Commander grins as he pictures each of the Eggman cutouts as the actual man they're based on, cowering in fear, before they're each destroyed by a swift and uncontested chaos spear.

At this rate, we will win this war in no time! The Commander thinks with a wide smile. I respect the President, I really do, but thank goodness I was able to steer him away from making the wrong call. That blue hedgehog has abilities, sure, but he's way too irresponsible to be leading a war effort, as well as incapable. Most of those Mobians are. Project Shadow on the other hand has given us our most obedient, loyal, and capable asset yet! He seems to not remember anything from his past life, which means the experiments were a success. He just needs a few more years to harness his full power before we introduce the world to the ultimate lifeform!