Author's Notes

No, I didn't forget about this fic. :P Just got a little sidetracked with school and obsessing over the Sonic next-gen game. ¬.¬; In fact, I wrote a mini-fic based on the new game for Sonic's b-day last month, so please go read it if you haven't already. n.n

This chapter may be a bit shorter than the others. And… um… can't really think of anything else to say. o.O So read!

Chapter 6

Is that really what he thinks of me?

This thought haunts me as I leave the hospital room.

I know I can be cold at times…
…alright, so most of the time.

But do I really come off as that shallow?

We've been rivals ever since we first met, certainly, but it's always been an… amicable rivalry. All the taunts, insults, and boasts we exchanged were just for show.

…Weren't they?

For him to suggest that I'm so selfish as to be happy about all this was insulting, to be sure. But even more than that, I was… hurt.

And with everything I've been through, that's an accomplishment.

As often as we may try to outdo each other, prove who's fastest, I would never, never wish this on him. I may be proud, but I'm not that conceited.

Why would he say that? I wonder as I continue down the hall, barely acknowledging Amy and Tails sitting on a nearby bench. I thought we had a mutual respect for each other… Does he actually resent me for being his equal?

Much as I did when we first met…

I was the Ultimate Life-form, created to be ageless and immortal. The fastest and potentially most powerful creature on or above the planet.

Then along comes that blue hedgehog.

Equal and opposite, he possessed the same abilities, strengths, and weaknesses as me. We were evenly matched in battle, and it infuriated me. I thought I was unique and unbeatable, yet here was this cocky faker who effortlessly shattered that belief.

I eventually came to respect him, especially after we fought side-by-side to save the Earth. I thought he felt the same way, even thought of me as a… friend (not that the feeling is mutual, mind you). He doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge, even after all the things I've done—I doubt he even hates Eggman despite the numerous occasions he's tried to kill us.

Eggman…

This is his fault.

My self-doubt suddenly vanishes, replaced by a surge of anger. I unconsciously pick up speed, racing out of the hospital and down the city streets. Cars, people… none of it matters to me as I plow through and out of the city. One solitary objective drives me forward.

I'll make him pay!

My hover-skates carry me across hills and forests, murderous thoughts springing up in my head.

You've gone too far this time.

Grass changes to dirt, dirt to cold steel. Alarms sound, but I pay no heed. What feeble defenses remain barely slow me down. I know exactly where I'm going now, and nothing is going to stop me.

No more, Doctor.

As I turn a corner, I see my target dash into an elevator at the end of the corridor. Rekindled fury at the sight of him lends me an extra burst of speed, as he hastily jams on a button inside. The door closes just as I reach it, which only infuriates me more. I slam my fist on it, cursing that wretched madman in every way I know how. I look up at the floor indicator, the shifting lights showing me that he's heading to the hangar.

You won't get away that easily.

Racing to the nearest stairwell, I take them down to the lowest level. I burst out into the hangar and immediately spot Eggman running as fast as his scrawny legs can carry him.

It's quite a pathetic sight.

He yelps as he notices me and hastens toward his Egg Mobile. But he's still too slow. Jumping him from behind, I land a swift kick to his back. He tumbles forward and hits the floor just in front of his only pitiful hope for escape.

"Going somewhere, Doctor?" I sneer down at him.

He whirls around onto his back and tries to scoot away from me, but he ends up backing into one of the landing struts of his Egg Mobile. Fear is clearly etched on his face.

And it pleases me.

To have this wretched human who has caused so much suffering cowering at my feet gives me some sense of satisfaction.

"Shadow, please…"

My hand whips down and latches around his throat. "No, Eggman," I snarl at him. "No begging. Sonic didn't beg for mercy when your little pet mutilated him."

"Shadow, listen," he rasps. "This isn't what I wanted--"

"The hell it isn't!" I yell, slamming his head back against the strut. A small stream of blood begins to trickle down the steel. "You've tried to kill us all for years—so don't give me this crap about not wanting Sonic out of the way!"

"There's a difference between killing and torturing, Shadow…" he replies in a quiet voice. "Even I'm not that cruel."

I laugh and feel another twinge of satisfaction when a shudder runs through his body. "So you'd say that trying to convince me that I was a robot created to serve you isn't cruel? You're more twisted than I thought, Eggman."

This time he's the one to laugh, but weakly. "Would you rather I had told you that you were a science experiment that resulted in the deaths of dozens of innocent people? That you tried to destroy the planet Maria wanted you to protect? Which do you suppose would have been crueler?"

His words anger me even more, mostly because I know it's a valid point. My fingers tighten around the ample flesh of his neck. "Quit playing games with me, Eggman!"

His hands scrabble at mine. "You haven't changed at all, have you, Shadow?" he manages to gasp. "Still blindly passing judgment on the innocent in the name of vengeance."

No…

He's wrong…

I'm not…

This is different…

"You're far from innocent, Eggman," I retaliate, yet I can't keep the arm that holds him from shaking. "You created that monster!"

His face takes on a pained expression, and I don't think it's due to his physical condition. "And that's something I will forever regret…"

For once, I'm at a loss. The sadness in his voice… that's something that can't be faked.

Could he really be telling the truth?

I've no chance to contemplate it further, as a cold laughter suddenly echoes throughout the hangar.

"Now really, I'm hurt… Master."

AN

Haha, another cliffie. Don't ya just love 'em? ;) But you can probably guess who I'll be doing for the next chap. But I have no idea when that will be posted. n.n;

Now for some shameless plugging—go read Trigger and visit my new deviantArt page! (link in my profile) I love attention. :3