𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧.

•𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧•

Shadow silently watched as G.U.N. troops appeared from the bushes and surrounded the clearing, some splashing through the shallows of the pond to reach the fallen hero. They took metal bands and bound Sonic's arms to his body to keep him immobile, also binding his two legs together.

A gnarly looking muzzle was slid over his face. They're treating him like an animal. Shadow swallowed thickly when they picked the blue blur up and tossed him into a tight, metal cage — like one you would use for a dog. A gust of wind disturbed Shadow's quills and he turned his gaze to the bat that had just landed next to him.

"Jesus, they're taking this awfully serious," Rouge whispered, her aquamarine eyes worried. Shadow sighed and shook his head. "They believe he's rabid." The female cast a glance towards her partner. "You okay, hun? You seem... Upset..." The ebony shook his head again, "I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Positive. We need to get him back to headquarters," Shadow hurriedly shut Rouge down before she could poke at him any further, his ears flicking as he watched the troops sloppily load the crate into the back of a pickup truck that had rolled in.

"Agent Shadow," the familiar voice of the Commander made Shadow flinch, his muzzle wrinkling in disgust. "You've unsurprisingly done as told. I appreciate your work, I know it can't be easy throwing your friend into the hands of a government agency like this, but trust me, it's for the better. He'll be out of here in no time," the Commander smiled and patted Shadow's shoulder in praise.

"We'll head back to headquarters and get your blue friend settled in."
"Tower," the hedgehog snarled as his boss was about to walk off, a look of visible distaste crossing the elder's face when he was addressed by his name instead of the title he worked hard to achieve, yet he let it slide. "What is it, Project?" he grumbled in return. Shadow's ears pushed themselves back, a low growl quivering in his chest.

"You lay a damn finger on him in any way that means harm, and I'll-"
The Commander cut Shadow off, "Yes, yes, Shadow. I'll see to it that he is properly taken care of. Enjoy the rest of your day off." He then took a moment to pause and look back over his shoulder at Rouge. "Agent Rouge," he called for her. She was immediately alert, both ears standing tall. "Keep an eye on Shadow today. I'll see you both tomorrow."

Rouge set a hand on Shadow's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "There's something on your mind. I know there is." The ebony didn't respond, simply casting his gaze towards the grass beneath his shoes. The white bat rubbed Shadow's shoulder comfortingly. "Let's head to my place. You can talk to me there," she said lowly and began to lead the dark hedgie away from the scene. As he turned to follow Rouge, his scarlet eyes caught sight of Sonic in the back of the truck. His eyes were very heavy, just barely open, but open all the same. They didn't knock him out. They just used a very powerful sedative on him.

He could swear he saw Sonic's brows furrow weakly when his eyes lazily shifted to the project. Shadow looked away guiltily and followed Rouge away from the small clearing.

///

Tails had his goggles pulled over his eyes while he took the glass capsule filled with Dark Gaia energy and placed it into a holder within a yellow machine. There was a second, empty capsule in a holder next to the one Tails has just placed, the both of them being pulled into the device and a glass window sliding over the small niche. The kit removed his goggles and looked inside briefly, watching the Darkness constantly hit the walls of the glass tube it was contained in. Trying to find a way back to its source.

Tails hummed and pressed one of the several buttons on the control panel of the machine, never taking his eyes off the capsules as the machine lowered two pipes into the tubes began to suck the energy from one capsule and use it to fill the other. Except the one with the energy wasn't emptying itself, even if the other was slowly gathering more and more of the Darkness.