Ultimate Darkness Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Apocalypse’s Timetable

* Two Days later *

Shadow was still in bed, but was now feeling much better, and his voice had gained some strength. The doctors had put his shoulder blade back where it should’ve been, and the broken bones were healing fast.
The doctors had performed some very urgent surgery though, and although Shadow was going to fully heal, they couldn’t be sure how long it’d be before Shadow could resume active duty again.
It was about 3:00 pm when Rouge came back in to check on him.
Shadow was reading the paper; the headline about the attack Mephiles had ensued.
Shadow growled, and threw the paper down.
“I should’ve been able to stop them...” he muttered, and readjusted himself, suddenly inhaling sharply when Shadow strained his broken ribs.
Rouge went over to him. “Shad, don’t try to move too quickly!” she advised.
Shadow snarled. “I don’t need your sympathy!” he snapped, surprising Rouge. “What I need is someone to berate me! I messed up; sympathy is what I need the least right now!”
“You wanna be berated?” Rouge asked sternly. “Fine, here goes; you were a damned fool to try and defeat them all yourself and pushing yourself when you should’ve let US handle it!
Your mistake? You didn’t swallow that damn pride of yours!”
Shadow took in a deep breath. “I-I suppose you’re right, Rouge” he admitted, making Rouge calm down a bit. “But that echidna... his powers were equal to my own... it’s like HE was another Ultimate Life Form! I... I’ve never been more defeated in my whole life...”
Rouge sat by Shadow and ruffled his ears. “Don’t feel bad, Shadow” she said. “None of us defeated him. You nearly defeated Red Pine on your own, and hundreds (if not thousands) of Mephiles’ troops were destroyed by you. You did better than any of us could’ve...”
Shadow only ‘hmphed’ in response. “But I’m supposed to be the Ultimate Life Form, Rouge” he argued. “If I can’t stop Mephiles, who can?”
Rouge wasn’t sure what to say...
But, after a moment of thinking, she smiled.
“Together, we can” Rouge said. “You, me, Omega... Team Dark.”
Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the mention of their old team name.
It brought back memories...
“Shadow?” Rouge asked.
Shadow came out of his daydream. “Yeah?”
Rouge was silent, then said; “Just take care of yourself, okay? Heal soon.”
Shadow nodded. “I always do” he replied.
Rouge raised an eyebrow at that remark.
Shadow sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll take care of myself FROM NOW ON. Better?”
Rouge smirked. “Yeah... I’ll see you around, alright Shad?”
Shadow nodded. “Alright. See you.”
Before leaving, Rouge went over to Shadow, and leaned toward his face.
Shadow frowned slightly. “Rouge, what are you-?” he started, but was then licked cheek to nose by Rouge’s tongue.
Rouge smirked at Shadow, and started to leave.
“There’s more where that came from the second you heal” she whispered, winked at Shadow, and left.
Shadow’s face was burning red now, and it wasn’t a fever...
Shadow then tried to rest, now much more eager to heal.

*One Week Later*

Shadow was finally out of bed by now, his bones more quickly healed by his genetic structure as the Ultimate Life Form.
When Shadow left his room, it was unbelievable; like Shadow had never been injured.
Unless, of course, someone was to look under the fur and find the scars Shade had left.
Shadow walked into a lounging room in the G.U.N. base where several agents and soldiers were relaxing.
They greeted him kindly, some congratulating him on making such a quick comeback. Shadow ignored them all and went to a dark corner of the room and brooded.
But then, Rouge entered the room, and ran over to him.
“Glad to see you back on your feet” she said with a smile.
Shadow smiled back.
Rouge got closer to Shadow, and, when no one else was looking, gently kissed Shadow on the cheek.
Shadow’s face went a little red. “Rouge, try and do that only in private” he said.
Rouge giggled a little. “Aw, come on, Shad!” she teased. “You gotta chill a little.”
Shadow sighed, but Rouge went right back up to his intimate space.
“Hey, c’mon” Rouge said, smiling deviously. “I got a little surprise for you...”
Shadow smirked as well. “Alright...” he said, and followed Rouge out.
Rouge led him to the room she’d been staying in since G.U.N. had rescued them.
Rouge let Shadow in, and closed and locked the door behind them.
“Why don’t you just... wait on the bed? I’ll be out with the surprise in a second” Rouge told Shadow.
Shadow nodded, and Rouge went into the bathroom.
Shadow turned on the TV, trying to imagine what Rouge was planning...
He didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes...
Rouge came out of the bathroom, wearing only a semi-transparent short-skirt.
Shadow’s mouth hung open.
Rouge strutted over to the bed and sat next to him.
She giggled when she saw Shadow’s expression. “You like it?” Rouge asked, putting a hand on Shadow’s shoulder.
Shadow’s smirk returned and he snickered deviously.
“I LOVE it!” he whispered, and then Shadow tackled her down.
Rouge giggled. “Come here, Shad” she whispered in a naughty voice, and they immediately locked lips in a passionate kiss.

Sonic and the others were hanging around in the control room, being quite nuisance to the G.U.N. staff there (the G.U.N. High Commander had warned them three times now that Sonic and the others could be kicked out if they caused too much disturbance).
Only Tails behaved 100% well.
He was on a very powerful G.U.N. computer, one that rivaled Eggman’s mainframe.
Tails was busy trying to find how Eggman had been able to shut down the G.U.N. perimeter sensors and blind the defenses there until AFTER Mephiles had struck.
Tails found the virus, and compared it to some others...
The closest match was when the Black Arms had sent Shadow into G.U.N.’s mainframe, only the source of THIS one was weaker, and seemed metallic...
Tails concluded it was either Red Pine, or a Shadow Android that had disabled the security. Probably Red Pine, though, for he was the only metallic individual who could’ve gotten in.
Tails then had an idea...
If he could just trace this recovered virus file to the source...
Yes!
“Sir!” Tails shouted. “I found out where Mephiles is hiding!”
The G.U.N. commander looked at what Tails had found, then nodded.
“Well done, Miles” the commanded said. “Now, we can plan our next step...”
Sonic rushed up to Tails. “Awesome!” Sonic exclaimed. “Now we can go flush those goons out!”
Knuckles too seemed enthusiastic. “Hah! Finally, payback!” he yelled enthusiastically.
“Hold on there” the commander said. “According to Tails, the security here was worked on by all three factions... it’ll be almost impossible to enter, unless...”
They all looked at each other.
“...Unless we use Chaos Control!” Sonic finished.
“Yes! That’s an excellent way in!” Tails said.
“But you don’t have a Chaos Emerald” Amy said. “The only one who can use even a short-range Chaos Control warp is Shadow, isn’t it?”
Sonic sighed. “Yeah, it would appear so.”
“Well, why don’t we just take Shadow’s Emerald?” Knuckles suggested.
“NO” the commander said firmly. “I won’t let you just take someone else’s possessions... although there IS another solution...”
“Aw!” Amy moaned. “Does he HAVE to come with us? He’ll bring Rouge, and she’ll just be mean and devious through the whole thing!”
“Still, you’ll need both of them to stand much of a chance” the commander said. “That place houses more troops than what attacked you all at Central City about ten days ago.”
Tails went through some more recovered files, and suddenly his eyes widened.
“Guys, whatever we’re going to do, we need to do it quick!” he said.
“What, what’s wrong?” Sonic asked. They all looked at the screen.
“I hacked into one of Eggman’s logging-files...” Tails said quietly. “And if this is true... Mephiles plans to reunite with the Flames of Disaster.”
They all looked at each other with fear...
“By dawn of tomorrow...” Tails concluded. “They have all seven Emeralds and the Master Emerald.”