This Child

Chapter 1

  Eggman released a maniacal cackle as he watched the masked jackal carry in the familiar striped hedgehog. He was near the brink of unconsciousness, and his feet and hands were bound, but he continued to struggle weakly against Infinite's shoulder. He groaned and growled, but he couldn't get out of his grip. Infinite threw him onto the ground, where Shadow gasped and hissed at the fresh renewal of pain. His entire body was bruised and one of his eyes was nearly obscured by a swollen purple bruise that was covered in dry blood.

He would've bled to death if it wasn't for Eggman's quick thinking, but now he wished for nothing other than that. Where major wounds were formed were now covered in disinfectant and white bandages that started to stain. Eggman made a small hand gesture and Infinite roughly picked Shadow up onto his knees. His head lolled forward slightly, but he still tried his best to glare at the doctor.

"What do you want?" He spat, though his words slightly slurred. Eggman continued his toothy grin. Shadow's eye narrowed into a slit. "If you want information about the whereabouts of the Resistance, don't think you'll get anything." At this, Eggman uproar with laughter, clasping his hands together.

  "I don't need that information! But, you do have other uses." Shadow quirked an eye at him, his wrists painfully rubbing against the rough rope. "When your blue friend, Sonic-."

  "He's not my friend," Shadow interrupted, baring his bloodied teeth at Eggman. The doctor smiled.

  "Of course he isn't, but that's not the point. You see, Sonic's body is..." Eggman turned his back to them, "incapable to withstand the experiments that I've been wanting to test for so long. But now that you're here..." Eggman whipped back around with a devious smile. Infinite swore that he saw the eyes of Eggman, a sight he's never seen. Black and red eyes. Shadow, on the other hand, didn't care as his eyes widened to an unbelievable degree, his quills spiking up. Infinite felt the hedgehog faintly shudder and he could see a small worm of fear wiggle from one iris to the other.

  Infinite cracked a smirk under his mask, a small upraise of his head. Shadow's fear was gone as soon as it came, being replaced with anger. He didn't say anything; nothing confident or even witty. He knew he couldn't get out of this unless he used his powers, but where would that lead him? Eggman knows everything that has to do with Shadow's abilities and therefore knows how to completely shut it off. No, he needed that for something else, something where he knows that he'll escape. Eggman places his hands behind his back, his smile now just a mild smirk that was slightly hidden by his mustache.

  The silence between the two was only interrupted by the sounds of machines walking and creaking and gunfire muffled by the metallic walls. Shadow rolled his shoulders back and raised his head. "Let's make a deal." Eggman quirked his head curiously as he awaited Shadow's terms. "Let Sonic go and I'll let you experiment on me." Eggman clicked his tongue.

  "You see, I can't do that. Sonic is to remain here, but I'll make an exception. We'll move him to a new cell, won't try any 'harmless' experiments on him, and only psychologically torture him. We won't lay a finger on him. Is that good enough?" Shadow shook his head.

  "Keep the torture mild, then I'll agree." Eggman huffed at this, but Infinite was most displeased by this. The two bargaining, trying to strike a deal. That's not how this works. Infinite roughly pushed Shadow to the ground.

  "Why make a deal with him? This is war; we take whoever we like and release whoever we like. No. Deals." Eggman held up his hand in a way to silence the jackal, but he defiantly took a breath. Eggman cut him off before he could let another word out.

  "You must already know, Infinite, that Shadow and I used to be allies. In some form, I respect him."

  "Not enough to not experiment on me," Shadow mumbled, but Eggman paid no heed.

  "If this was any other individual, I would gladly follow your advice, but Shadow was my grandfather's creation, an attempt at immortality. You see, Infinite, Shadow is one of the greatest scientific discoveries ever created and I plan on finding a limit."

  "To what?" Infinite growled. Eggman gave a wicked smirk.

  "To how much his body can take." He turned towards Shadow, picking him up from the ground. "Do you agree to the terms?" Shadow, with no hesitation, nodded, averting his eyes in slight shame. "Good, good. Infinite, take Shadow to his personalized 'chambers.' I think he'll find it most... comfortable." Eggman released a wild cackle as Infinite grabbed Shadow by his neck and dragged him through the facility. Shadow tried keeping his head up, watching as they passed numerous cells that were either empty or held broken, barely breathing bodies.

  They enter a white room where a single chair sat in the middle. Around it were tables of needles, knives, tubes, the whole deal. Something so familiar. Something that made Shadow squirm in Infinite's grip.

  "No. Don't," Shadow nearly pleaded, kicking his feet against the ground. Infinite picked Shadow up and slammed him into the chair, quickly securing the titanium holds around his wrists, ankles, and throat. Shadow still tried to get out of the bonds, but he couldn't. Infinite smiled maliciously under his mask.

  "Sweet dreams, Shadow." He brings his fist up and pounds it into Shadow's face until everything went black.