The Dimension Keepers (A Sonic Boom Fanfic)

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Kay whirled around, her eyes scanning the forest for whatever enemy was there waiting for her. Her gaze met that of a black and red hedgehog with crimson eyes that glared at her with malice, and for a moment she couldn't breathe. It took her several more moments to realize that she wasn't just imagining things.

Shadow took a step toward her. Thankfully her body knew how to respond before her mind did, and Kay got to her feet again, bo in hand, though she only barely held it at a ready stance. He took another purposeful step but never said a word. Typical.

Then suddenly he lunged for her. Kay lifted her bo in defense, but of course she had no hope of being fast enough. Shadow grabbed the staff, and she heard him growl before he swung it around in a circle. Kay's feet were lifted off the ground; she yelped as she lost her grip, flew through the air, and landed roughly several feet away. She pushed herself up with a groan just as her weapon landed uselessly at her feet. When she looked up Shadow was giving her a disdainful look. He scoffed and turned his back to her. She was almost certain she knew what he was thinking. Pathetic.

But Kay had once been trained by Shadow the Hedgehog. On Mobius Prime. The starting point for all other versions of the planet and its inhabitants. He'd trained her, and she'd fought him to a standstill before. No way was she giving him the satisfaction of giving up now. Especially not when he was reaching for the prince of the Dragon Kingdom.

With renewed determination, Kay got to her feet and ran at him, abandoning her bo. It was useless to her against an opponent like him, and besides, he'd taught her to fight hand-to-hand – not to hide behind a weapon. Shadow vanished right before her eyes just as she got to where he was, having never turned around to see her coming. Not that he needed to. A moment later he appeared right behind her and swung a punch, but Kay had anticipated him, and she brought up her left arm to block his oncoming right hook, turning back to look at him as she did so.

The smallest flicker of surprise registered in his eyes, though his facial expression never wavered. He did not pause to speak or give her a second glance. He just brought his leg up with the intention to knee her in the stomach, but again Kay reacted quickly and used her opposite leg to meet his halfway. In that awkward position all she could really do was put her free hand to his chest and shove, and that's exactly what she did.

Shadow grabbed her wrist, dropping his leg as he did so to get a better stance, and Kay used the split second she had to lash out with her left leg and roundhouse kick him, sweeping his feet out from under him entirely. Shadow fell to the forest floor. His snarl turned angrier and he vanished again, reappearing behind her just a second later, but Kay had already started turning.

In some ways he was predictable, always planning to attack from behind when he popped back into reality. She used this knowledge to her advantage now as she swept her left arm down to block his oncoming upward kick. He let his foot fall back to the earth, and then he looked at her. Really looked.

Kay tried to read his expression, but he kept it indifferent as his eyes bore into her. There was a tense silence for several long seconds. Then he moved again, getting into a ready stance, fists clenched, arms up. He was staring at her, a new challenge in his eyes. Kay had never been one to get into a ready stance when it came to hand-to-hand combat, so she remained where she was. She frowned at him. What was he doing here, in the Dragon Kingdom? Of all the changes she'd seen thus far, this had to be the strangest one.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

In reply, he lunged at her again.

Kay easily ducked under his swinging fists, springing back up and raising her right arm to deflect his oncoming blow from behind. Then she grabbed his wrist and yanked his arm behind him. He grunted and kicked at her, knocking her away from him. He turned to face her, snarling again, this time igniting his rocket shoes to plow into her faster than she could register him coming. His arms wrapped around her torso and he threw her to the ground. The wind rushed from her lungs, and Kay lay gasping for air.

He regarded her with a slight curl of his lip, as if he were disgusted by her even trying to fight him. Again she could hear him in the back of her mind, what he must be thinking. Pathetic.

Once she could breathe again Kay futilely attempted to push him off of her, but he easily grabbed her wrists in his hands and pinned them to the forest floor, a bored expression on his face. Kay frowned up at him. Why won't he speak? He's not even mocking me.

"What are you doing?" she asked again, not expecting an answer. He gave none. Frustrated and confused, Kay did something she'd never done before – the one thing she could think of to get him off of her. She brought her leg up and drove her knee into his groin.

Shadow yelled and collapsed on top of her; she pushed him off and hurried to her feet before he could reach out for her. Kay looked to where Espio still lay against the trunk of the tree. He hadn't moved, but his eyes were open, watching. He seemed astonished, but she didn't have time to wonder why. She ran to his side, picked up his fallen katana, and sauntered back over to where Shadow lay on the ground, still recovering. By the time he looked up at her again, she was aiming the blade at his chest.

Kay spent a few moments trying to catch her breath, then she tried her question one more time. "Shadow, what are you doing?"

Suddenly the black hedgehog smirked, and once again he vanished. Kay brought the sword up held it before her, ready for whenever he was going to reappear, but he didn't. Not for several seconds – enough time that she began to think he'd left for good.

She should have known better.

With a flash Shadow reappeared right before her, knocking the sword out of the way as if it were a pesky fly. He grabbed her wrist, keeping the weapon pointed at the ground as he stepped in closer and grinned wickedly at her. Kay's heart skipped a beat.

"Until next time," he said.

Then he left her and the prince alone in the forest.