Jayde the Hedgehog • Rising Adversity [2]

25: Liar✔️

Music: My Story (Official ESL Theme) - Leet Mob

"Shadow." Jayde spoke, standing tall and strong in front of him. She needed to find a way to get through to him, without taking or gaining a hit. The Protector knew it wasn't going to be easy, but it was her job to protect those around her – especially Shadow. He always said that he'd protect her, save her, catch her – and he'd proven that. But it was her turn to return the favour and catch him from his downfall. He never let her stay trapped in her Negative form, and she couldn't let him stay trapped on the side of evil, being controlled by the enemy.

"How do you know my name?" he asked, "You've been persistently talking to me, telling me to stop – I don't even know how you are."

"You do, Shades." Jayde clenched her fists, watching as his orbs twitched at the nickname, "We met at an Eggman battle and you saved me from falling. We worked together to defeat the Interficio Quattuor and stop Eggman's plans! We turned into the Riots form and shared our powers!"

The ebony male was stepping closer to her every second she talked, looking at her like she was spitting a story. His face showed anger – how dare she make up some lie to try and get me on her team!

"Shadow, you have to remember! You saved me from myself before - you saved me from Raven. You brought me back from my negative form."

"Liar!" he shouted, firing a chaos spear towards her, Jayde quickly jumping out the way.

"You've got to believe me!" Jayde pleaded.

"This is going very well." Adversity smirked, watching the two hedgehogs before turning to Eclipse, "We'll let Shadow end that Protector's life before moving on to the rest – they'll be easy to defeat after her death." Eclipse nodded in agreement, grinning evilly.

"My sister told me that you mortals used me to go against the Black Arms, my clan. You submerged my memories with petty friendships, when I should've been working with Black Doom to destroy this world." Shadow hissed, stalking closer.

"What she tells you are lies!" Jayde dodged another attack, "You chose to destroy the Black Arms because they were destroying the world you swore to protect. You chose their fate, and you chose to be good."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying! You told me yourself!" Jayde cried, losing all her hope as she was struck back by an attack. But the only difference was that this attack was aimed at the floor below her. Her back crashed against a tree, a whimper leaving her.

Shadow heard this and smirked, "See, why would I associate myself with you? You are weak and pathetic – I am superior to you!" A bright ball formed in his palms, chaos energy building up. Jayde's orbs widened, and she quickly got up and ran. But she didn't get far as Eggman robots surrounded her.

She scoffed slightly, of course he was going to betray them in the end, it's how the doctor works.

"Jayde! Get out of there now!" Amy yelled. Each Mobian and Moebian watched as enemies surrounded them, especially the grey hedgehog as she tried one final time to connect with the Ultimate Lifeform. Dr Eggman's robots were circling, ready to attack, the doctor no longer on any sort of side. Adversity hovered above it all, Shadow and Eclipse stood either side on the ground below. Her smug eyes watched as the hapless hedgehog tried reasoning with her biological brother.

"Shadow, please! You've got to snap out of it!" Jayde yelled, dodging a few bullets from the surrounding Badniks. She didn't care whether she got hurt, or even killed, as long as the dark male returned. Jayde clicked on her wrist watch once again, slamming a foot against another approaching tin can.

The Ultimate Lifeform stalked closer, ready to make the final blow on her, much to the appreciation of Adversity. He wasn't taking in a word of what the hedgehog in front was saying. It was time for him to end her once and for all – just as the Black Arms would have done. Jayde glanced to the side, watching her hover board slowly make its way to her without being detected, "What about Maria?" the blue striped female bravely stated, clenching her fists. She didn't know what else she could say apart from what she knew, "She wouldn't want you to be taken over by the enemy! She helped you escape from GUN to protect the planet - to protect those who need it. You promised her!"

"Maria is gone!" He shouted back. Jayde's orbs widened and swiftly dodged an incoming attack, the chaos blast hitting Badniks behind her. It was if his memories of Maria and everyone else was gone, and now his mind was full of hate and anger, ready to fulfil the Black Arms mission. Adversity and Eclipse watched with great pleasure as their 'brother' was preparing to make the final hit. Eclipse had waited for this day for a long time. He'd tried in the past multiple times, but he was always in vain. And now, with this his new 'sister' beside him, he actually believed that they could finally complete the Black Arms true mission – nothing could possibly stop them.

Jayde shook her head, not giving in to defeat yet, "She is here; Maria is always here! She's inside you and she wouldn't want you to do this. Show her who you truly are! Keep your promise!" Shadow's eyes widened a minuscule amount, hope rising in Jayde's dark orbs.

But Adversity noticed Shadow's hesitance and glared – she would not be defeated by a simple Mobian. "Enough of this!" She growled, "Shadow – attack!" Her voice was full of venom and hate. Jayde's orbs widened, and she leapt on her hover board, rising higher into the sky as everything began to fire again.

The Badniks fired at her, Jayde barely able to manoeuvre her way through. A rough bump hit the underside of her board, making her wobble. Tails looked up from below, gasping, "Jayde, your right booster is gone!" he called through the communicator.

"Don't need it!" Jayde gave a nervous grin, looking at the danger below her. Her board lifted high above the trees, trying to avoid Eggman's flying robots incoming attack. Everyone watched from below as Jayde tried to fight through. Even her Moebian counterpart watched with great anticipation. Jaylee finally understood her lookalike – Jayde would not give up on anyone. The evil-twin wanted to help her, but she and everyone else was frozen. There would be no way out.

Another hit made Jayde's board drop, "Left booster!" Tails cried, watching her quickly descend towards the Badniks.

"Could live without it!" Jayde strained, begging her board to stay up long enough for her to get past. A menacing grin plastered itself across Adversity's muzzle as she aimed, firing the final shot.

"JAYDE, WATCH OUT!" Tails yelled, everyone shouting up to her, just as the blast struck the levitation plate on the underside of her board.

"Oh, no." Jayde swallowed. The Ultimate Lifeform watched as the board dropped below her and the shout that left her lips caused his mind to be submerged with memories of the first time he caught her from Eggman. He could see everything. The young fox readied his tails as everyone gasped, about to fly through the bullets to save her, but a black blur shot past them, straight towards the grey hedgehog.

"Shadow, no!" the Sonic team shouted, believing that he was going to finish her off for good.

Jayde yelled out as she twirled before her body abruptly stopped and was caught in black arms. She could smell that familiar scent, and the chest fur that was pressed against her muzzle. She opened a dark orb as she felt her saviour place their feet on the ground, looking up to see the red striped male staring down at her. His eyes had returned to normal and emotion sprung back into his face, "Shadow!" Jayde cried in happiness, wrapping her arms around him. The Ultimate Lifeform tensed but quickly returned the hug, hiding his smiling face in her quills.

"Thank you." He whispered.