IMPENDING DOOM

17

✥
SEVENTEEN
Wish
____________

៚ ROUGE HEARD HIS VOICE; it frightened her. His voice shook and was strained. He was nowhere to be found, but she heard Shadow as if he were beside her.

Gather all the Emeralds. Sonic will need them.

She knew what he meant, knew what had to be done. She didn't question, just obeyed. Rouge slung the bag over her shoulder, picturing Agent Stone's apartment before tossing a ring. Neither he nor the Doctor were around, so she robbed them of the Master and Chaos Emeralds quickly, then tossed another ring, this time picturing the blue hedgehog. Crossing over, she was met with San Francisco in eerie silence, the primary colors staring up at the sky.

It was when she called for Shadow that she noticed his presence was gone. It worried her greatly. Where was he? How was he? Her stomach twisted, but she did as he asked: deliver the Emeralds to Sonic.

"Boys," she called. She then laughed at how high they all jumped, spooked.

"Hey, beautiful," said Sonic. He tried to brush off how badly she had frightened him, sneaking up behind him like that, with a proudly puffed chest. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"Sonic, it is rude to assume," scolded Knuckles. He was ignored. "And, miss, if you would be so kind to return to us our Emeralds?"

Rouge's blue eyes went to the looming comet, black as death, leaking evil. She didn't know where Shadow was; it made her anxious.

. . . But then suddenly she did know.

"He's in trouble." It came out a gasp. She forced herself to look away from the impending doom, furiously blinking back the tears threatening to escape. Quickly she shoved the Master Emerald in the echidna's hands and gave the bag to Sonic. She focused on their glitter and glamour to level her breathing, to steady her heart, but the beautiful jewels couldn't ease her—not when it was a matter of life and death.

"Thank you," said Knuckles earnestly. "But something plagues you. What is it?"

Before she got in another word, black creatures fell from the sky like rain.

San Francisco became a bloodbath in a matter of seconds.

⋆ ═══ ★ ═══ ⋆

The akuma looked down upon the Earth with a villainous smirk that could not be seen but certainly felt. He watched as his children tore humans limb from limb and feasted on their flesh. Their screams were songs. The gunfire was an orchestra. He sighed with content.

"Usually I am a beast of my word," he said, not taking his eyes off the scene, "but this is long overdue. However, I will keep you to your end of the barter, my dark prince."

Shadow squeezed Maria tighter, still curled up like a baby in her arms. They both knew what was coming next.

"In exchange for you, the girl will go free. She will not be touched in any shape or form, and you will remain mine until you age and die."

"No," Maria denied. "You are not taking him from me a second time."

He chuckled low. "My dear, the first time was not my fault."

"But I know you set it up. I'm not stupid."

"You aren't," he agreed. "You have an overwhelming amount of intelligence, so unlike the rest of the humans your age—and even ones older. I never took you for a fool, Maria, and I never will."