A Hero's Life

Eight years ago, Shadow fought bravely against the Black Arms,and destroyed Black Doom, however, the creatures are still around, blending in with the public. Sonic, Shadow and Tails try to live a normal life, with thier afflictions. Will this interfere?

I think this is coming pretty well... it's kinda... abstract, is the only word that comes to mind. But, yeah. For you readers in the UK, yes, this is sort of a rip off of "Being Human" on BBC Three, but now the series has finished, I don't care. Review!

Chapter One: Black Shadow

"Living". A funny word isn't it? What does it mean? Being alive seems to be the obvoius answer. But is it that? Perhaps living is just, to exist, or even, to make the most of your life? Shadow the hedgehog shook these thoughts from his head, they came and went. Others would refer to them as "emo", particularly Sonic. But he preferred to call it, philosophical thinking, he didn't even see how it was "emotional" but, for that matter, he didn't know why he even lived with him, him and Tails, company, he supposed.

Expelling these thoughts from his head - finally, he returned to his job, watching the many screens in front of him, the cameras around the hospital sent information back to the security room, where Shadow would check for anything suspicious. Pretty boring really. Every now and then you might get someone trying to bring alchohol to a patient. But mostly, it was getting cups of coffee and reading a book. He put his feet up on the desk, and put his arms behind his head.

Something caught his attention, was it his imagination? No, there it is. He put his finger to the screen, keeping his eye on a certain tomcat, he had black, matted fur, with neat, black streaks. He was wearing black. Shadow noticed the guy walk into the intensive care ward. He quickly put his coat on. "You'd better not be doing what I thing your doing." He muttered, locking the door behind him and making his way quickly to intensive care.

After running through the corridor, it took him a minute or two to get there. In the corner of his eye, he caught a black streak in the doorway of a patient's room. Peering through the blinds, he saw the dark figure looming over the patient, a ginger tomcat, who was on a life support machine. Shadow burst in quickly.

"Famine!" He made the black cat leap up, "Come on! The hospital? You're like a bloody vampire for God's sake!"

"It's essentially the same thing." Famine leaned on the wall, putting his foot up against it. "But more blood. Plus it's less cliche." he added as though this was general knowledge.

"Get out."

"Back in the day..." Famine walked to Shadow, standing an inch from him, he looked up to meet his eyes, "You were the most vicous of us all."

"Times change." Shadow responded quickly, his expression didn't change. Famine moved back, and then returned to the patient, looming over him once again. "Just a quick feed... We can share..." He opened his mouth wide, and was then yanked back by a firm hand. Shadow pushed him hard against the wall. "Tell, Black Ruin, that the hospital is out of bounds! If I see you here again, you'll get worse than a hurt back."

Famine glared, and went to the door, "One day. The craving will get the best of you... Black Shadow."

"Don't call me that again." Shadow's voice remained the same, as did his expression. Famine left, Shadow watched him walk out of sight, then sighed. He looked at the dying patient for a few seconds.

No. No, don't.

Shadow sighed once again.

"Doctor Prower? You're needed." Tails looked up from his book and followed the secretary into the operating room. "Thank you, Cream." Tails looked on as the rabbit ignored him and turned away. He sighed. He had no choice but to leave her - his life was too dangerous, if only she understood. He had other problems at hand, however. He walked to the patient; "What do we have here?"

"We were hoping you could tell us, Miles." said the nearest doctor. Tails looked at him as he carried on. "He's been here for a few hours, his condition was stablizing, but, we don't know what happened. He's sustained grave injuries, but they're healing quicker than we've ever seen!" Tails looked to the patient's shoulder, where a recent, hideous scar that looked weeks old was.

"Oh no. No!" Tails ran out of the room. "Shadow! Shadow!" checking his office, he checked the time; five past five, Shadow will have just left, so Tails rushed back to the patient. "Ok, ok. I've seen this before, everyone out. I can handle this." The kitsune lied, no one was any the wiser, however, and obeyed. Tails checked around the room for cameras, and found none. He then looked through the draws, finding a syringe and putting a strange liquid into it. "This'll do." He said to himself, he hesitated, and injected it into the patient. It was for the best, atleast, that's what he tried to tell himself as he watched the heart monitor.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP...BEEP...BEEP

...

Miles Prower had just killed a man. No, it was for the best, when he woke up, he wouldn't be living, he'd be like Shadow. Not living, so to speak. He would tell the other doctors that he had done what he could.

Sonic the hedgehog looked at the clock, it was five, he'd have to go soon. Damn November, the long nights were torturous, but only once a month, at least.

Why had this happened? He had a similar condition about eight years ago, but that was gone! Then again, evidentley not, and now he didn't have good old Chip to keep him good. He sighed, he used to be a hero, but, he needed a normal life, and after giving it up, this happened, and then there was the whole black creature thing. What had his life come to? He couldn't hold down a job, he had only two friends...

"Man, who am I, Shadow?" He muttered to himself. He looked outside, it was getting dark, he could already feel every one of his senses sharpening. Sonic grabbed his rucksack of spare clothes, and made his way to the forest. Bracing himself for the incredible pain that he knew was coming.

"Sonic!? Is that you?" Sonic looked up to see Tails running towards him. "Oh, are you gonna..."

Sonic nodded, so the two said their goodbyes and went their seperate ways. Tails decided not to worry Sonic with the events of the day.

"Shadow!" Tails burst through the door. "We need to talk!" He looked around. How could Shadow not be back yet? ... No, he wouldn't go back to them.

He wouldn't.