Deepest Desire

Chapter 4

"He'll turn us into toasters," Cubot argued as he watched his now-joyful creator spin around in circles in some kind of victory dance, a glass of champagne in his right hand, the rotund scientist prematurely celebrating his assumed triumph of finally bringing Sonic to his demise.

"He'll do it wherever we tell him or not," Orbot responded as he slowly made his way over to Dr. Eggman, making a robotic version of clearing his throat to get the scientist's attention. "I am sorry to interrupt your celebration, sir, but there appears to be a problem with the Cell 22..."

Frowning, Dr. Eggman stopped his dancing as he recalled this exact cell was the one that the annoying rodent and the ebony agent were supposed to be inhabiting. "And what exactly is this problem, Orbot?"

The spherical robot resisted the urge to flinch under the intense gaze of his creator, for once glad that he was a robot and thus couldn't sweat. "It appears that the prisoners have escaped, sir."

"Prisoners have escaped?" Dr. Eggman asked, his voice dropping dangerously low. "What do you mean by that prisoners have escaped? There is no way both of them could have escaped from that cell alive," he said, his tone alone saying that Orbot better correct himself — that only Shadow had escaped as in his opinion there was no way the drugged hedgehog would have let Sonic stay alive before making his escape from the cell.

Orbot cowered under the scorching glare of the megalomaniac, wondering if he even still had the chance to be turned into a toaster or if his fate was to be completely dismantled. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, sir. But that is exactly what has happened. As it seems your hypothesis about Shadow's desire was wrong - He doesn't wish to kill Sonic."

"Nonsense!" Dr. Eggman roared, flailing his arms wildly and thus accidentally spilling his champagne all over the floor. However, it didn't seem he had noticed it. "Shadow despises Sonic! What else could he desire than finally get rid of that bothersome hedgehog?!"

Cubot and Orbot exchanged a glance, both wondering if telling their boss what they had seen on the cameras was a good idea. But then Cubot shrugged his shoulders, wordlessly saying he's leaving the decision to his metallic companion. Orbot then turned back to his creator, clearing his non-existent throat again.

"Sonic himself, sir."

~O~

"Um, it was a Rouge's idea?" Sonic tried, instinctively leaning over the workbench behind him, not sure what to expect of Shadow that was now towering over him menacingly. The ebony agent might had more of 'I am mad at you' look on his face rather than 'I am going to murder you' look but because these looked sometimes very similar Sonic was still keeping a watchful eye on his rival.

And from the corner of his eye, Sonic could see that Tails was doing the same, thought apart from him the young inventor had the taser right next to his hand, prepared to give aid in case Shadow decided to attack.

But then the second door of the workshop burst open and the attention of all three males was immediately drawn elsewhere.

"Sonikku! Here you are!" the person standing in the doorway announced, this short statement and one glimpse at the hammer-wielding female being enough for all to identify the newcomer.

As the hammer disappeared into the thin air, Amy smiled and skipped over to her beloved hero — who wasn't leaning over the workbench anymore as thanks to her rather loud entrance Shadow had made a step backwards in alarm and thus left him with enough space to stand upright again.

"I missed you!" the pink heroine exclaimed as she flung herself at Sonic to hug him, her hands immediately intertwining behind his neck. "Do you know how long I've been looking for you? I couldn't find you anywhere! But when I came here I heard you talking so I tried to open the door - but it was locked! So I had to let myself in!"