Shadow: Awakening II

Shadow: Attack on Prison Island

"Alright, now, let's get down to the nitty gritty," says the Doctor, addressing Rouge and I as we stand in the dense forest outside Prison Island. "I will cause a distraction, allowing you two to infiltrate the compound. Once in, Shadow will head straight for the ammunition room, wreaking havoc with my miniature detonator." Pausing in his scheming, he tosses a mechanical bar at me from under his jacket. I catch it with no problem, and nod my head to show I understand. "While G.U.N. is evacuating, Rouge will slip down to the vault where the Chaos Emeralds are held. We'll all rendezvous in this spot, unless otherwise occupied. If you get stuck, you're on your own."

The leaves of the trees rustle above my head as the Doctor explains his plan, their thin membranes shivering in the cool wind. My ears twitch, and I feel my fur and quills pushed on and through by the breeze. I revel in the feeling, as it's the first time I've really felt wind. Although I am paying attention, his words seem fleeting, and insignificant to the forest around us. Us being me, the Doctor, and Rouge. Couldn't we have gone over this back on the ARK before I teleported us down here with Chaos Control? Wouldn't that have been a better idea? Letting the thoughts stand, I know that the sooner I'm done with this illogical human, the better. Not a bad plan, though. Except for the amount of trust he's putting in the bat woman... She's so obviously a spy, so why can't he see her for what she is? Mentally shrugging off my concerns, I focus again on the words.

"--fifteen minutes should be enough?" The Doctor asks Rouge, and she nods in an exaggerated motion, capturing my attention with her movement.

"Fifteen minutes should be plenty; I won't have a problem with opening the vault in that time. Just make sure you're not late with the detonator, Shadow," Rouge replies, and a chill goes up my spine at the emphasis she puts on my name. Everytime she says 'Shadow,' I'm not sure if she's trying to capture my attention or if she's trying to catch me off guard with the word. Despite Rouge's light tone, I can't help but wonder how much she knows about me. What records does her agency have of me? The way she talks, it's like she doesn't think I'm who I say I am. Completely unaware of the mutual distrust before him, the Doctor nods and exclaims his pleasure with Rouge's answer.

"Great! Okay, let's move out! I'll get the door! Hahaha!" With a crazy cackle, he's off and Rouge flies after him, weaving through the trees with impressive agility. Firing up my shoes, I go as well, matching the grace of Rouge's wings with every swish of my foot.

We come up on the island quickly, and Rouge and myself stop shortly before a flat section of the main facility's metal wall. The Doctor punches buttons on his machine behind us, but right as he's about to destroy it someone runs up from behind and grabs me in a crushing grip.

"Squeee!!! Oh, Sonic, I came all this way to rescue you, but you escaped all by yourself! I thought I might never see you again!" My thoughts are frozen as the scene goes down, and the awkwardness of getting mistaken for Sonic again is not lost on me. Seriously? That blue inferior does not look that much like me! "Um...Sonic?" The one-sided, unwelcome hug lessons as the unidentified girl starts to let go of me nervously, "Hey! You're not Sonic! Who are you?!" She yells, jumping back from me. Trying to recover my brain from the utter shock currently paralyzing my body, I move my eyes to her only to feel one of my hearts skip as I see how...Mobian she is. For the love of--How many of these things are roaming on this planet? And why do all of them wear pink?! Trying to calm my frustration, I am very tempted to throw this pink monstrosity to the other side of the island. Luckily for her, the Doctor distracts me when he addresses the young rose-colored female.

"I'm the one who should be asking that, Amy. You have no business knowing who my affiliates are, much less their backstories," he barks, and waves his giant robot's arms. "Now, shoo! We're trying to get things done!"