Two Worlds: a epic of Shadow and Rouge

Chapter 1 (Remake)

Rouge was setting up his nightclub. With only the few bar lights on. She was annoyed as it was already late at night and she had released all of her employees earlier due to the poor activity at the club that night. The bat wanted to close the establishment, but there was still one last customer present there and she couldn't close the club until the customer left.

She watched him from afar, her impatience not showing. The customer was seated at a table. The client was a mobian, but due to the poor lighting in the room and the fact that the client was covered by a long coat, Rouge didn't know what species he was. But watching his hands, she suspected it was a male. His hands weren't gloved, she could tell he had green fur and claws. He was holding a half-full glass. Rouge didn't see him when he arrived, but she guessed he must have been attended to by one of the club's staff. She got even angrier thinking about how they let someone in those robes into her club. She thought it was his fault that he was there, that he had disrupted the day's clientele, scaring them away with his appearance.

Rouge decided to go up to the client, to ask him to leave, as she told herself. She stopped in front of the mystery so that he looked at her. "Sorry colleague, but the club...". Rouge stopped talking when she found out who was in front of her. It was Scourge the Hedgehog. When he looked at Rouge, his face was illuminated by the dim light from the bar.

The bat spread its wings and flapped them away from the green hedgehog. Landing on the ground she assumed a fighting stance. "I hope you at least paid for what you already drank."

Scourge laughed. "If you collaborate with me, I can even pay for the drinks I got." He said in a cynical tone of voice.

"What you want?" Rouge spoke irritated.

"I will be direct. I need new allies. My entire team have become my enemies or has been captured by the Zone Cops. Just looking at how I'm dressing you can see that my situation is not being easy."

The bat then realized that the hedgehog was not wearing his glasses and his jacket. And how the cloak he wore was dirty. "You? Admitting you need help?"

Scourge didn't answer, but Rouge saw in her face that the hedgehog didn't like the question.

"OK. What do you want from me?"

"Shadow. I want him by my side."

"If you want him, why come to ask me instead of asking him directly?"

The green hedgehog smiled. "You're the only person he listens to, I want you to convince him to work with me."

"Half the truth. He's very stubborn."

"He wouldn't let me speak. Before I could finish a sentence, he would attack me. And, as you said yourself, he is stubborn, he would hardly convince you. But I met Eggman before I came here."

"Did you involve the old doctor in this too?"

"I don't know why, but I've never met Shadow's counterpart in my world. It's like he didn't exist. Then I remembered the doctor of your world, being a genius, I suspected he would be able to discover his Shadow's past for me."

"It has logic."

"Arriving here, I started looking for him, using my speed. It wasn't difficult to find his hiding places, his doctor puts his face in front of all the hiding places. I invaded one by one, until I found him."

"Go straight to the point." Rouge put her hands on her hips.

Scourge closed his eyes. "Don't be boring. Let me finish." The hedgehog cleared his throat. "Well...it was pretty easy to convince him to tell his friend's whole story. And to my surprise they're related, who would have guessed that right?"

Rouge gave a light laugh. "Yes, in a way, you're right."

"So, based on that story, I went back to my world, and started to investigate, looking for clues that would help me find the Shadow of my world. Until... I found him. He wasn't what I expected, he was a waste of time and patience for me."

Rouge sighed. The bat was starting to get tired of all that monologue.

"I came back wanting the Shadow of your world. It would be worth it, after all, Shadow is powerful, having someone of his level by my side would be..."

"Yes, yes, it was a good conversation, but wouldn't it be easier for you to just take me hostage? I think you created an unnecessarily complex villain plan."

"No. That would be too cliché." Scourge laughed after answering the bat's question. "Taking her hostage, despite bringing quicker results, in the long run would make Shadow turn against me at some point. I'd just be postponing the inevitable, in other words. I want to keep him permanently as my ally."

"Look, honey, if you think I'm going to surrender my friend to your wishes, you're mistaken."

A wide smile now spread across Scourge's face. "The doctor also told me about you, your story."

"That I love jewelry? This is no secret."

"No, I don't mean jewelry."

At that moment Rouge crossed his arms. "Honey, not even G.U.N. knows my past. Do you really think that idiot could find out?"

Scourge laughed. "He delved deep into his past. Not all, but enough. According to him, for a day when he could take advantage of that information."

The bat still remained in disbelief.

"I believe my offer will interest you...Nails."

Hearing this, Rouge's countenance and posture changed completely. She remained quiet and still for a while, until she finally responded, almost stuttering. "What is your offer?"