Shadow, Don't Make Me Upset (Shadow Saga Series #2)

Are You Scared of Something?

It's time for a return to the ARK.
Sonic belongs to SEGA, enjoy!

Space Colony ARK, cannon control room

Shadow wouldn't call himself easily bored, but even he had his limits.

How long does it take for him to get up here? he thought as he tapped his foot impatiently and waited for Eggman to show up. You'd think he'd be faster with that machine of his... but I guess not. And if he shows up without any Chaos Emeralds, I'll smash him into next week. Not that he's getting a "next week" anyway. Shadow took a breath in through his teeth, then sharply exhaled and attempted to shift his thoughts. Calm down... just think of your ultimate goal. If things go downhill from here, you're perfectly capable of handling this yourself.

Finally, Eggman arrived through the door, and Shadow put on his act of servitude as he showed him around. "I've been waiting for you, Doctor," he said, masking his irritation under his stoic demeanor. "Let's take a look at the legacy of your grandfather, Professor Gerald, who was considered one of the greatest minds in the history of science."

Shadow turned to face the magnificent creation before him and tried to contain his anticipation for his master plan. "The ARK was the first space colony created by mankind," he explained. "Not many people know that the ARK contained a top secret research facility where weapons of mass destruction were being created." He looked up at the massive weapon and couldn't help but smile at the genius of his creator, the brilliance of all this. "And this is one of them. A weapon that pierces the stars, codenamed... the Eclipse Cannon."

Eggman seemed in awe of the power they held in their hands. "Piercing the stars..." he mumbled, staring at the weapon with a slack-jawed expression. "Was this my grandfather's legacy?"

Shadow brandished the green Chaos Emerald. "However, it's been deactivated for some time now." He then proceeded to toss the emerald into a slot on the cannon's core, where it fit perfectly. Six other slots were there as well, waiting for the other emeralds to be placed inside. "To reactivate it, large amounts of energy are necessary."

Eggman snapped his fingers in realization. "I see! So that's where the other Chaos Emeralds come in!" he said.

Shadow nodded like Eggman was a mere child trying to speak for the first time. "Exactly! To reactivate the machine, we need the seven Chaos Emeralds. Once you have them, then you have the ultimate power of destruction to use as you please. And then..."

The hedgehog smirked wickedly, but the intent behind that smirk was hidden even to Eggman. "The world... could be yours..."

With those carefully chosen words, Eggman was officially hooked. The madman let out a maniacal laugh, as thoughts of only world domination were running through his mind. "Sounds like a plan! I like the way you think, Shadow!" he cackled, his eyes twinkling with glee. "I will get the Chaos Emeralds, use the machine to dominate the world, and build a legacy of my own!"

"Do you really think it'll be that easy?" a new voice cut in to the conversation.

Both Shadow and Eggman glanced up at the ceiling to find a white bat, looking upon them while hanging upside down. Her large black wings flapped to keep her in midair, and she righted herself before landing with grace, heels lifted as a metallic clink could be heard when her boots touched the floor. She was rather voluptuous in figure, her curvy hips swaying sensually as she took a few steps closer, her teal green eyes looking at them both with a flirtatious glimmer about them.

"I've got a great idea," she said, fluttering her long eyelashes at the pair. "How about making a deal?"

Eggman blinked and raised an eyebrow. "A deal, you say?" he asked.

"When you grabbed that huge emerald, you said something about a reaction it could have with the Chaos Emeralds." The bat girl pointed to the small device Eggman had been holding from the moment Shadow had met him. "Now, if you could just let me borrow that radar, I might be able to help you. What do you think?"

Eggman crossed his arms, thinking it over. "If I do... what's in it for me?"

The bat merely smiled at them. "I happen to know where the other Chaos Emeralds are. I may not look like it, but I am a treasure hunter that specializes in all kinds of jewels." She reached into her pocket and brandished the blue Chaos Emerald, which glistened in the light and seemed to surprise Eggman.

Shadow, on the other hand, was not buying any of this.

Firstly, how did she get up here all by herself? Secondly, how long had she been following them? Thirdly, where the heck in the history of EVER did she get that Chaos Emerald?! She was already raising so many questions in Shadow's head, but clearly Eggman didn't catch on to all the red flags.

What a buffoon, the hedgehog thought, quickly returning his face to the stoic expression he'd been using when Eggman turned to him for confirmation. Shadow merely nodded, feigning agreement to the terms, and the doctor fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Exactly like before when he'd first awakened.

"Very well," Eggman answered the bat, handing her the emerald radar and receiving the blue gemstone in exchange.

"Then it's a deal!" The bat pocketed the radar and extended her hand to shake Eggman's. "I don't think we've been introduced. My name is Rouge the Bat, but you can call me Rouge."

She walked over to Shadow and extended her hand to him as well. "And what do they call you, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?" she asked, blinking her large green eyes alluringly.

Shadow merely glanced at her hand before pushing it away from him slowly. "It's Shadow," he said stiffly, making it clear that he was not in the mood for pleasantries. "Shadow the Hedgehog."

Rouge seemed to be mildly surprised at his answer. Just barely audible, she mumbled under her breath, which Shadow could hear somewhat clearly if he focused. "Really... Shadow, huh...?" She quickly backed off and returned to her flirtatious composure. "Right, right. Personal space, I got it." She then turned back to Eggman. "There are three Chaos Emeralds back on Earth that I know of. You boys have two thanks to me—you're welcome—but the other two are currently unknown to me."

"Make that three. We have three Chaos Emeralds," Eggman corrected her, brandishing the white one. "I used this to find you, Shadow, so that makes three of them to put in the cannon."

Shadow nodded in response. "And the three this bat girl knows of will make six out of seven," he said, suppressing the urge to chuckle at how easy this was turning out to be. These two are handing over the power of Chaos on a silver platter, he thought. I might get our revenge sooner than I imagined... how lucky for us, Maria. "So where are these three Chaos Emeralds?"

Rouge smiled a little too casually. "They're inside a vault on a GUN military base," she replied, her green eyes falling on Shadow's crimson ones for the briefest of moments. "On Prison Island."

Rouge is here and ready for some treasure hunting. Next stop, back on Prison Island for one of the most famous scenes in Sonic history. Depending on how long the chapter ends up, anyway.
Peace out!