The Experiment

Chapter 8

The trio continued following the trail, picking up unknown objects that mingled with Sonic's left over quills. "Whatever took Sonic was huge." Tails remarked. "It had to be at least ten feet in width. I wonder how tall it is." "Well, it could be as short as a stump or as tall as a tree." Rouge commented. They continue walking, the wind brushing their faces... and perhaps stirred another.

Shadow slowly opens his eyes to see the trees instead of the normal gray silver stone of a cave. His eyes widen as he bolts up into a seated position, looking ahead of him. It was a trail of destruction, at least 10 feet in width. It was as tall as the trees. 'Where am I? What is this? What caused this?' He thought. Something pricked him in his hand and he looks down to see a bloody, blue quill. 'Sonic.' Shadow looked behind him to see the trail went on further. 'I must've came from that way.' He looks back in front of him and pushes himself up.

He took a step forward until voices from behind stopped him. He recognized those voices. He looks both ways on the trail and growls as he turns back and runs towards the voices. His feet barely made a sound as he dived into a bush and looked at the trio. 'So they did come looking for me. Why else would they be out here? Well, they could be looking for Sonic and not me. Most likely.'

The group continued walking until Amy collapsed with a sigh. "Can we take a quick break? My ankle hurts and I don't know why. I'm also hungry." Rouge looks over at Tails and nods. "We can take a quick break, but afterwards we're back on the road." Amy nods as she turns around and grabs a snack bar from her backpack. Tails kneeled down to check her ankle for a sprain. "I think you just placed it down wrong. It'll be fine in a few minutes." Amy nods. "Okay." Amy finishes her snack and zips her backpack up. The two stand up and soon jumped and Rouge's outburst. "What the hell? Did you guys see that?"

Amy and Tails looked at her confused. "See what?" Tails asked. "Someone or something just ran right out that bush-" she points at the bush in front of her "-and ran further down the path." Amy's eyes widen in alarm. "That's not good. What happens if that person helped in kidnapping Sonic?" "Then we get our revenge." Rouge growled. She marches off as Amy and Tails scurry to catch up to her. Rouge set a fast pace that Amy had to speed walk and Tails had to jog to stay close. "Rouge, slow down. I can barely keep up." Tails panted. "Well it's not my fault that you're a lazy scientist." Rouge shot back.

Tails stops in his tracks as tears started forming in his eyes. Rouge stops and turns around. Her face went soft at the sight of Tails' tears. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired and frustrated right now. You're not a lazy scientist. You're magnificent." Rouge hugs Tails. "I'm sorry." Tails hugs back. "I understand. I mean like, we are kind of stuck in the woods after all." Rouge chuckles as she pulls away. "Come on. Let's keep moving. And I'll go slower this time." They continued walking, following the path that the mysterious figure ran off on.

Shadow's panting increases as he jumped over a fallen tree and slid under another one. Running at top speed without his shoes. His lungs burned as a clearing came into view. He slows down to a halt and looks around, seeing that the monster trail ended here. 'Where the hell did it go?' He wondered. The sound of leathery wings flapping against the air. A heavy body lands on Shadow before he could react. Dirt goes into his mouth and nose, the stinging sensation traveling to his brain. He turns his head to see a familiar figure, yet he has never seen her before.

A brief flash of her face lit by moonlight passed into Shadow's mind. "I know you." He growled. The creature hissed at him in response, seeming to agree in hatred. A blue figure was mounted on her shoulder, a groan emitting from him. Sonic. His left leg was scratched up badly, bone showing through some marks as blood ran down the creature's body and onto the ground. Shadow could smell the blood and grew furious as another flash came into his mind. It was him protecting Sonic from Amy. Holding him close whenever someone unknown yet he knew, walked up.

The sun shined on the three of them and on the group walking up on the scene. "Ugh, what's that smell?" Amy complained, holding her nose shut. "What's that up there?" Rouge pointed towards the blue figurine. "That must be where the stench is coming from." "Let's see what that thing is." Rouge said. She takes a step forward but was soon cut off by a painful scream.

The creature put more weight on Shadow, planning to crush him and was satisfied to hear his screams. But his scream was for something else. Sonic's blood and his limp body slung over the monster's shoulder angered him and the beast within him. He could hear his bones snapping and popping as he started to grow. The creature caught onto this and pulled away in shock and confusion. Shadow's screams filled the air as his back arched. Claws extended from his feet and hands and his muscles started to bulge. The monster by then dropped Sonic in which he could see the transformation.

He felt pity for his ebony friend going under so much pain. 'But why is he shifting in the middle of the day?' Sonic wondered. He knew it wasn't good. Shadow's tail extended as his muzzle protruded out into a snout. The fur getting longer and his eyes becoming sharp and narrow. His eyes snap open as he lets out not a blood curdling howl, but a thunderous roar as he swerved around to face the creature. Shadow looked bigger then before. He was as tall as the creature now. The creature hisses and tries to perform the same trick before but Shadow learned quick.

He jumped over the tree, at the creature, and grabbed her shoulder with his fangs. She roars in pain and frustration as she tried to rake Shadow off of her shoulder. He doesn't budge as he lets go of her shoulder and moves to her throat. The entire time, his back claws were taking her across the midsection while the claws on his hands continued tearing through the left side of her chest. Blood squirted everywhere as soon as he reached down to the heart. He then let's go of her throats and he lets out a too human roar of triumph as he dug his fangs into her heart and ripping it clean out her chest.

The creature looked on wide eyed before giving off one last shudder and collapsing to the forest floor. Her legs twitch as she started turning grey. The slightest of wind touched her now ash gray skin and she blew off as particles, the wind carrying her ashes to a distant place. Sonic sits up and looks at Shadow, fear glowing in his eyes. Shadow licked the blood of his hands before staring down at Sonic. He dropped onto fours, now instead of four feet tall, he was six feet tall. He knew that his size was scarring the blue hedgie, so he crouched down to the point when his belly fur rubbed across the floor.

His snout touches Sonic hand but a new scent reaches him. He turns towards the trail to see the group that he knew from his mobian friend. He growls as he turns and bolts off into the woods. Tails walks over to Sonic and helps him lean against a tree. "Are you okay?" He asked. Sonic hissed as he tries to bend his knee. The gaps on his legs widen and more blood poured down his leg. "Stay still. Rouge, do you have that first aid kit for serious wounds?" "You mean the GUN kit? Yes, I do." "Can you give it to me?" Rouge nods as she swings the backpack around and unzips it. She pulls out the 'GUN' kit and hands it to Tails.

Tails opens the kit and gets to work while Amy and Rouge talked. "Shadow looked bigger then usual." Amy said. Rouge sighs. "And that's not a good thing. I can feel it creeping in my bones." Amy nods. "What do you think it means?" She asked. Rouge stares off at the broken branches. "I think the beast is taking control. Faster then we thought." Amy tenses and nods. "Will we be in time?" She asked. Rouge shrugs. "I hope so, but what good does hope bring? What we need now is luck."

The icy wind carried from the mountains washed itself across Shadow's face. The taste of snow chilled him to the one but yet, he welcomed it. The chill reminds the beast of solitude and isolation but also a welcoming sensation, almost like he was coming home. And indeed, he was coming home. The mountains, now only to be a footstep away, called Shadow's name. Ever since he set his eyes on the bestial figures, he felt the sense of home. Like how a god would return after reincarnation to finally see his family, smiles on each face, his wife and children coming to greet him.

This was the feeling that swept over Shadow, and only two, gruff words escaped his mouth. "Finally home."