Death and Relationships- Shadow's POV
The day started out fine, as most days tended to do. I pulled himself out of bed, regretting my decision to help G.U.N. with anything. They hadn't let me have time to myself in what seemed like forever. I took a quick shower, ate a fast breakfast, and ran to HQ. There, I'd been called to Commander Tower's office almost immediately. That was where things started getting strange.
"Sonic the Hedgehog has been missing for two days, Agent Shadow," the commander had said. "We've picked you for the task of finding him."
I couldn't believe it. Sonic was always running off doing things. He didn't need me babysitting him. In fact, he didn't need anyone looking for him. Despite my personal feelings on the matter, I had to do it. And as usual, I went off to do as G.U.N. asked of me.
Tails was useless. All he could tell me was that Sonic had ran off two nights ago saying something about getting some fresh air. Knuckles obviously had nothing interesting to add. I thought about asking him to talk to the Master Emerald about it, but he'd probably find the whole idea as ridiculous as I did. Amy was missing as well, most likely wherever Sonic was. The other Mobians about town couldn't be asked, and I highly doubted any of his other friends would know anything more.
So, I went with my instincts.
Sonic as a hedgehog was freedom incarnate. He let the wind lead him, following nothing but his own feelings and sense of adventure. Sometimes I caught myself envying him. To never have to answer to someone for a path you choose, to never have doubts or fears about whether or not you're actually doing the right thing. But that's besides the point. As free as he was, he'd want someplace away from most other Mobians. Someplace he can run around and do his thing.
It took me nearly the entire day to find him. In a way, I got lucky. Nothing but luck could have had me finding the fastest thing alive so quickly. He was standing a few feet ahead of me, scanning the area. As I got closer, I realized something was wrong. Dead animals could be seen lying on the ground around the clearing. Wary of his mental state, I approached him.
"Sonic? Your friends are worried about you," I said. "They thought something had happened to you."
"Something has happened to me, Shadow." The voice that reached my ears was strange; something about it had me fur standing on end. "Something bad... I don't know how to stop..."
Hesitantly, I reached out a hand and let it rest on his back. He simply stood there, shoulders shaking and head bowed down.
"I can get you help, Sonic. Just come with me and-"
"Wanna play a game?" he asked. The question was sudden, out of the blue. "I like playing hide and seek."
Sonic turned then, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Once bright green eyes now resembled those of a demon. Black surrounded glowing red irises, with not a hint of kindness. Blood was dribbling down his cheeks from his eyes. A mouthful of sharp teeth was revealed when he smiled at me.
"Sonic, we need-"
"Come on," he purred. "Play with me."
A clawed hand stroked the side of my face as the purring sent chills down my spine. It sounded unnatural. Perhaps if he were normal, I'd allow that kind of contact. Instead, I moved away from him.
"I have a mission to bring you home. I'm sure someone there can help you. Just come back with me and-"
"Play with me." Shaking his head, he walked past me. "If you still insist, I'll go back with you then."
That unnatural purring was in my ear then he was gone. I had no choice in the matter. Whatever had happened to him, he still insisted others went with his plans. Problem was, I was never good at games. Much less hide-and-seek. In the middle of a forest, no less. Unable to hear him counting, I wandered in search of somewhere to hide. The dead animals were beginning to get to me. Clearly, Sonic had done the damage. But if some kind of demonic being was residing within his body, surely he couldn't be held accountable. The dead animals were everywhere. Every logical spot to hide had a dead animal of some species in it. Before I could find somewhere suitable, Sonic appeared in front of me with a sudden burst of wind.
"Found you," he sang.
The next thing I knew was pain as his clawed hand pierced into my abdomen. Delighted red eyes laughed as I grit my teeth and snarled at him. Should've known there was a catch. Sticky blood slid down my hips and thighs as his claws dug farther into my body. His other hand stroked my face again as I tried pulling back away from those claws. Being the Ultimate Life Form didn't mean I couldn't feel pain and try to get away from it. Blood flowed faster when his hand left my body. A hand automatically moved to cover the wound as I staggered back. My blood covered his entire hand, which he rose to his mouth. Taking advantage of his distraction, I began moving away from the demon. I'd need time to heal before I could do anything against this monster. Eyes locked on me, he chuckled. It was pointless to run from him. It was pointless to run from the blue hedgehog when he wasn't some kind of crazed demon. Activating my skates, I turned and tried anyway.
As I skated, I could feel the flesh beneath my hand rejuvenating itself. The trees behind me started moving sooner than I expected. Sonic got in front of me and I fell back. Humored red eyes traveled down to my healing abdomen. A smile stretched across his face, exposing those sharp teeth.
"So you can heal." He laughed aloud at this point. "I can have fun with you."
I didn't like the sound of that. When he came closer, I raised a leg and kicked him. Hard. Surprisingly, he staggered back a few steps. I wasn't really expecting him to. I got to my feet and prepared to fight. Those claws would hurt if he got them onto me again. He came at me fast. Luckily, I had experience both fighting and racing Sonic. His clawed hand barely missed as I ducked under his attack. I ran around behind him as I heard a growl start low in his throat. The kick to the back of his head didn't have the effect I was hoping for. Rather than falling forward onto the ground, he turned to glare at me. A clawed fist hit my face hard enough to send me reeling backward. Being who I was, it didn't do too much damage. Instinctively, I threw Chaos Spears in his direction. One of them grazed his arm, slicing open his flesh and causing him to howl in pain. As with wild animals, this only angered him. In the next instant he was on me and it was hard for me to keep both his claws and teeth off of me. Claws sliced through my arm right down to the bone. Pain flared in my system as I kicked him up off me. He landed with a thud, springing up before I had the chance to do anything. More Chaos Spears were flung in his direction as I moved away from him. My right arm hung uselessly at my side as I hurried around a tree. It wouldn't do any good, but if I kept weaving, perhaps he'd have a harder time following me. Calling G.U.N. for reinforcements would be useless. It would only result in more dead bodies. As my arm fixed the last of the torn flesh, I found Amy Rose.
Her body was pined onto a tree, her disfigured face stuck in an expression of pain. Chunks of her legs were missing. The wounds looked as though she'd been bitten. Tears in both her body and clothing could only have been made from claws. There was no question as to what had happened to her. Why he'd been eating her was something I didn't care to find out. A laugh signaled Sonic's approach.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" he asked. "She wasn't much fun in all honesty. Not like you. Oh, she played with me, if you can count swinging a hammer at me playing. She seemed genuinely upset when I told her I didn't like her."
"I don't think I want to hear this," I interrupted him. Stupid, I know.
"I think you do." He gave me that smile again, as if he knew something I didn't. "You never liked her. She was in your way of getting the one thing you've always wanted in this world."
"And what would that be?" I doubted he knew anything. He was just playing another game with me. One I would not lose.
"Love from everyone's hero." He smirked at me. "It's clear as glass when you stop to think about it. No matter how busy you are or how horrible you're feeling, you always have time for him and his silly races. All he has to do is ask."
"You don't know anything about me. I respect him is all. He's a worthy match for the Ultimate Life Form."
I was lying, but surely he couldn't know that. Time spent with Sonic truly meant a lot to me. Be it racing or taunting each other. But he was the hero of Mobius. I didn't stand a chance.
"Riiight. So nothing would happen if I did this then."
Using that speed of his, he ran in front of me and before I could react, his mouth was pressed against mine. My eyes widened in shock as I felt his lips move against mine. Tentatively, I allowed my eyes to close as I gave in to the sensation. It was almost like giving in to him. Admitting he was right. But when you've yearned for something for so long... My hands grabbed his arms and I felt him laugh against my mouth. Humiliation and shame rushed to my face in burning heat. My fist hit his smirking muzzle the next instant. This had to be the worst situation I've been in my entire life. His claws dug into my arms and held me in place. Laughter filled the air between us and I only felt worse about myself. Anger was boiling inside me; anger I wanted to unleash right onto his face.
"How cute. The Ultimate Life Form's blushing." Blood ran down my arms as he spoke. His hands ran down my arms, cutting them open and causing more pain. "If you can blush, you can show pain. Come on. Show me how much this hurts."
Without warning, his foot connected with my chest and I was sent onto my back. Claws tore through my gloves and hands, searing pain shooting through me when the fresh wounds connected with the dirt ground below. Inhibitor rings dropped from his grasp as he laughed at the sight. It was humiliation at it's finest. More Chaos Energy flowed into me with now that two of the rings obstructing it was gone. I felt the wounds healing despite the dirt covering them. Hopefully, none of it would be stuck in my bloodstream. He shoved a clawed hand through my stomach next, twisting his arm in the wound. I must've made a face, because glee overcame his features. Straddling one leg and holding the other with his free hand, he had me effectively pinned. My arms wouldn't do any good. Nevertheless, I tried to pull his arm out of my stomach. It didn't budge. Pain filled my leg as he cut me open again. His gaze was on the thigh he was cutting, intrigue filling his eyes. As soon as he opened the wounds, they began healing. Except the one in my stomach. His arm prevented that.
"If I can't kill you, what am I to do with you? I could torture you endlessly, but what would be the fun in that?"
I glared as best as I could while in so much pain. If the hard throbbing against my leg was any indication, he was enjoying this far more than I liked. Demonic eyes widened as though he'd just had an epiphany. For all I knew, he probably had.
"We can help each other. Lately, I've found myself becoming quite...  by all the death and pain around me. Amy couldn't help me. She died too quickly. But you, Shadow..." His free hand stroked my face. I could feel the stroking drawing blood. "You can handle it. And you'll enjoy it as well. It's what you've always wanted after all." He laughed and I turned my face from his. One free leg wouldn't do any good. Not in this position.
"Get the hell off me!" I shouted it into his face. "I don't want anything from you!"
He slapped me, leaving long tears across my muzzle.
"Please keep it up. It's much more fun this way."
When he moved, I found my legs spread around him. I had seconds to say something before I felt his hard length forcing it's way into my ass. Naturally, my muscles tightened in an attempt to be rid of the intruder. Having not been prepared for it, I soon felt blood trickling out of my torn hole. Tears came unbidden to my eyes and slid onto my cheeks. The pain was unbearable. He soon set a hard, fast pace and I could feel his arm painfully moving against the inner walls of my torso. Removing his arm, he leaned down over me and once again pressed his mouth against my own. The hole in my torso began rejuvenating as he moved his mouth against mine. I wanted to shove him away, but something in me wouldn't allow it. More tears slid from my eyes as sharp teeth ripped through my cheek. At the sheer amount of pain, I finally couldn't hold it any longer. A loud cry came from my mouth as his erection continued moving in and out of me. Unexpectedly, some of the pain changed as he hit slammed into me and hit something in my depths. Forced pleasure mixed with the pain as he did it again and again. I didn't know what he'd done, but my own erection was making itself known to him. He glanced down and stared. Nervously, I lay my hands on his. Sonic looked back at my face and grinned. He could tell I wanted him to leave it alone, I knew he could. Luckily, he did. Sooner than I was expecting, it was over in a flash of hot white as I coated our stomachs. It would've hurt a lot more if that wound hadn't fully healed yet. His own release filled me and I felt him pull out of me.
As he remained above me, I saw the black and red drain from his eyes. That normal, beautiful green came back with that spark of adventure he always seemed to have. At the realization of what he'd done, tears welled up in those eyes. Raising a shaking hand, I gently pet his cheek. Nothing needed to be said as I lay there with a hand on his cheek.
"Shadow... I'm so... Chaos, what have I done?"
"I think you were possessed." I winced as my body started to heal the damage he had done to my lower half. "Don't worry about it."
"I... I knew what was doing but I-"
"Sonic." I held his face in both my hands and made him look at me. "I don't know what happened. But you're back to normal now. I'm willing to put this behind us and help you if you'll let me."
I couldn't believe what I was saying. Normal people wouldn't offer to help the man who just raped them. Normal people would hold what just happened to me against their attacker for the rest of their lives. Call me abnormal, or desperate. I had my own demons as well, and could easily lose control of myself if under the proper circumstances. I wouldn't hold it against him.
"I've got to make it up to you."
"Give me a chance." The response was out of my mouth before I had time to think it over. "Just, give me one chance."
"Shadow..." I knew what he was going to say. His tone said everything for him. But I didn't let him.
"I know you're the hero of Mobius. But you've saved them so many times, they owe it to you to overlook a few things. If you can't love me, then fine. I won't press the matter. We'll put this whole mess behind us and I won't press the matter."
Such a pathetic person. I could feel the tears wanting to come to my eyes again. Just raped by someone I wanted to receive love from, beaten by that same someone, now about to cry for the second time in a single afternoon... Some Ultimate Life Form I am.
A light kiss planted on my mouth interrupted my thoughts. Sonic pulled away and smiled at me. I understood without him having to say anything. He'd give me a chance.
"Everyone deserves a chance at happiness. Especially someone who's never really had it."
"Not a good way to start a relationship," I whispered. Why my voice came out so low, I don't know.
"It started the moment you came to help us on the Ark."
I'd never felt love from someone before. Not the kind of love Sonic was willing to try giving me. The fact that he'd do that for me said a lot about what I liked so much about him. His kindness and compassion for others, his willingness to go against what others think just to make a friend happy. It's what first attracted me to him, and what would always attract me to him. Even if he had some violent demons inside him.