Sonic Unbound, chapter 4

“Where’s the girl?” The blue hedgehog demanded glancing around. “If you’ve hurt her…”
“You’re not the one making the threats here.” Shadow snapped, sending another blast forward. This one hit Sonic directly in the chest, throwing him backwards to slam against air vent making a dent in the metal. “You and I have a matter of copyright infringement to deal with.” Before Sonic could even pick himself up, a fist slammed into his face knocking him backwards. Then a leg came around sharply sending him rocketing over the side of the building.

At the last second he lashed out and grabbed the edge, preventing himself from falling and plummeting to his death. It was a good hundred feet from the top of the building to the ground.
“Man those were quick reactions.” He muttered to himself trying to reach for a better hold on the ledge. A moment before he could a foot stamped down on his fingers and his grip on the ledge loosened.
“I’m not merely bragging when I say you’ve seen nothing yet.” Shadow stated, before reaching down and grabbing Sonic’s arm; showing surprising strength by holding him over the edge away from any relative safety. “I could simply let you fall to your death, but since I went through all the trouble of luring you here; I intend to have a little fun before I put you in your grave.”

The black hedgehog tossed the blue one back over his head and into the floor of the roof causing the mortar to crack in the room below. Then still with a tight grip, he threw Sonic across the roof until he slammed into the door leading down into the building.
“Ow….” He muttered picking himself back up and shaking pieces of wood out of his quills. Shadow was standing before him, an unblinking stare fixed directly on the blue hedgehog; his outline silhouetted by the full moon in the sky. “I won’t ask again.” Sonic muttered picking himself up. “Where’s the girl?” A smile spread across Shadow’s face and he stepped aside to reveal the building across the street. A flagpole lanced out from the top and tied to it using the flag as rope was the pink hedgehog he’d saved from the robots yesterday. The flag was wrapped like a rope around her, her arms and legs tied to the pole, suspending her over a hundred feet in the air over the crowds and police squad cars below. She was struggling to free herself and at the same time not to fall to her death. “What did you do to her?!” Sonic demanded and all Shadow did was widen his smile.

“She’s just this trap’s bait as far as I’m concerned.” The black hedgehog replied without looking at her. “Besides, don’t insult me by suggesting I’d compromise myself with a lower creature.” Sonic tried to race past him towards her, but Shadow’s hand lashed out at the last second and grabbed him. “I wish to see how your skills compare to mine, to see if you’re worth the trouble. If you win you can have her back.”
“I’m not playing some game all night!” Sonic snapped and with his own fast reactions brought his fist sharply up around into Shadow’s stomach. The black hedgehog gagged at the blow and sank to his knees. To finish, Sonic cupped his hands and slammed down on his back sending him crashing to the floor.
While he was down, the blue hedgehog took the opportunity and raced towards the edge of the building.

“Fast and strong.” Shadow began as he lay on the floor, slowly picking himself up. A glint in his eyes sparking; the anticipation of a challenge burning within him. Finally, the test of his skill he’d been waiting for. “I’m going to enjoy this.” With a thick grin, he licked the trail of blood away from his lips.
“Hang on! I’ll be right there!” Sonic called out, setting foot on the edge before propelling himself across the gap.

“Hey look!” Someone in the crowd shouted pointing up and the searchlights were instantly shone upwards, revealing the blue hedgehog as he made the jump towards the captive Amy. Grabbing hold of the end of the flag pole, he swung himself around so he had a better grip. Before he could do anything, Shadow came flying in from above with a kick.

The sheer force knocked Sonic off and the two hedgehogs, throwing punches at each other all the while plummeted down towards the street. The two of them crashed into a ledge further down and even kept fighting as they did so, brick dust and fragments flying off to shower the audience below.
A punch connected sharply with Shadows jaw and he flew backwards, over the edge to slam directly into the crowd. They all backed away, forming a thick circle around the black hedgehog as he hoisted himself up.
Without apparently thinking, the police opened fire on him. Shadow simply held his hand up and gestured with a simple flick of his wrist. The squad cars behind them exploded in a thick glow of golden bolts, sending two of them crashing to the floor.

“Hey leave them outta this.” Sonic called down, shaking the brick dust out of his fur and adopting a fighting stance on the ledge about. “You’re fight’s with me remember?” Shadow sneered, before racing forward. The way he moved, Sonic noticed; was very different to his own. While Sonic simply ran, Shadow skated. His leg movements slow and graceful but propelling him to great speeds. Sonics own legs simply became a blur when he moved. “A race then, fine.” He muttered to himself, before about facing and using his speed to stay attached to the wall while he moved up it. Shadow did the same and was quickly catching up.

Shadow had never been more excited. Even during his creation, the field tests the scientists put him through; none of them challenged him more than this fight. Finally he had found an opponent that was pushing him to his limits.
Exactly how he was keeping up with a genetically perfect creature such as himself did not enter into the equation. Shadow was simply having too much fun to care.

Amy had been watching the fighting from high above. These… guys, were something else. Both of them could do things no ordinary person could. Their speed, agility and strength were apparently unmatchable; and now to determine the most superior they had turned on each other.
Either one of them could rip her fragile body apart with ease. She was beyond fear now. Suddenly she felt small, very small.

The two hedgehogs were now right along side each other as they soured up the building, passing by windows and ledges at tremendous speed. As soon as Sonic was in the perfect position, he drew back as used the drag to try and strike Shadow with a kick. Shadow ducked under it and fired another of his golden energy bolts. It missed and exploded a section of the wall. Still they kept going, racing up past Amy up onto the ledge just above her.
There they stopped at exactly the same time; their race a tie.
The two of them stopped there simply staring at each other, fists clenched either side. Amy tried to twist herself around to see what was going on, but in the process undid the flag tied around her. She cried out and dropped a good foot before the flag held her again.
“Impressive speed.” Shadow muttered to himself watching other hedgehog as he looked down towards the girl. “So, let’s see what the limit is.” He gestured down and a bolt of golden energy sparked between his fingers, shooting through the air until it struck the flag pole. The metal ripped in two and the pole, with Amy still attached to it began to fall. She cried out as it plummeted towards the ground.
Without a moments hesitation Sonic leapt after it. Using the momentum, he slid down the pole and as soon as he was in perfect position began spinning, his body arching around into a near perfect ball. His quills now spinning at such intense speeds were like a buzz saw and shooting past the girl, sliced through the flag tied around her wrists and ankles.

As he shot overhead, his movement conflicted with the friction in the air and sent a wave of heat washing over her. A moment later, an arm gently picked her up and she was hurtling up instead of down.

Shadow watched as Sonic using the pole as a spring board to catapult himself back up to another rooftop. He hadn’t actually expected Sonic to do it. That test had simply been to evaluate his agility. This opponent had agility on parallel to his own and knew how to use that speed effectively.

“Hey are you ok?” The blue hedgehog asked setting Amy down.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” She replied still refusing to let go of him. She felt safe near him. Suddenly Shadow kicked her aside, throwing her to the ground and advanced on Sonic with a blur of punches.

Sonic grabbed his opponent’s fists and fought back, trying to overpower the black hedgehog. Amy sat up and watched the two of them try to out do the other in strength. With a sudden surge, Sonic gained ground; pushing Shadow back. The dark hedgehog looked alarmed, even more so when Sonic lashed out with a black with his elbow across Shadow’s face.

Shadow growled and lashed out in retaliation. Sonic tried to spin out of the way, but the black hedgehog’s fingers closed around the fabric of his right sleeve. As Sonic spun away, the shirt tore and part of it came away in Shadow’s hand.
The blue hedgehog slid to a stop a short distance away, descending into a fighting stance almost at once. Shadow cast the torn shirt aside and turned to face his opponent, but froze when he laid eyes on the mark.
“Wha….” He began staring at the revealed birthmark on Sonic’s shoulder. The blue hedgehog noticed this and covered it up with his hand. “How did you get that mark?” Shadow demanded angrily barring his teeth.

“What’s it to you?” Sonic demanded trying to match his demeanour. Shadow was silent for a moment; then he reached over and grabbed the shoulder of his jacket. With a single motion he tore it from around him and cast it aside. Sonic gasped when he saw that in exactly the same position as his own mark was a replica, a complete match line for line.
Seven bright stars with a larger eight in the middle. The only difference was this was etched in white marks rather than black, standing out against the raven fur.

“This mark was given to me upon my creation.” Shadow proclaimed. “This is my icon and my birthright. How dare you wear the same imagery!” Sonic’s eyes dared from his own mark to Shadows. There could be no room for doubt. The two birthmarks were identical. “Who gave you that tattoo?”

“It’s not a tattoo.” The blue Hedgehog replied. “This mark had been on my shoulder since I was a child. I was born with it.” Shadow snarled angrily in reply.

“Lair!” He snapped raising a hand. “I am the Iblis Trigger, not you!” Another bolt of golden energy sparked between his fingers before it lanced across the distance between them. Unable to dodge in time all Sonic could do was watch it fly towards him. Acting on instinct, he held up his right hand like some kind of barrier.

With a brilliant display of light, the attack made contact; but instead of reducing the blue hedgehog to a pile of cinders; the golden sparks seemed to flow around an invisible barrier behind him. “What?!” Shadow demanded, watching as his attack followed past Sonic on either side and then dissipate to nothing. “What is this?” The mark on his arm suddenly started glowing, beams of light lancing up from the markings as if just beneath the skin was the sun itself. The same began to happen on Sonic’s own arm.

“What on…argghhh!” Pain sudden lanced through his arm, so unbearable that he collapsed to his knees. Shadow stayed on his feet for long before he descended as well, a hand clutched to his shoulder. Sweat was running down the side of his face and his fangs were barred.

“How are you doing this?” He demanded, holding up his eight on his knees.
“I’m…I’m not doing anything!” Sonic replied, pushing himself back up. The light passing up through the mark was almost blinding and shone like beacons in the night. From the sidelines Amy watched in amazement and shock. The police on the streets below watched the light show and decided it was probably a good idea to call in the military.

Finally the light died down and the pain receded.
“Both of us have genuine marks…” Shadow breathed looking stunned. “But… but Professor what does that mean?” Sonic hoisted himself up and slowly released his hold on his birth mark. “I don’t understand, how can this be?” The black hedgehog continued to demand.

Seizing the opportunity, Sonic went on an offensive. First he struck an upper cut across Shadow’s chin and then swung his leg back around slamming a kick directly into the hedgehog’s stomach. Sent flying backwards Shadow was sent flying into the side of a wall.

Going on, Sonic darted forward and as Shadow stood there stunned; landed a thick succession of punches across the torso. To finish off, the blue hedgehog grabbed his shoulders and tossed him over his shoulder directly into an air vent. It toppled backwards at the impact and Shadow was sent rolling across the ground nearly being trapped underneath the bricks as they came crashing down with the vent. The bricks flew apart and the masonry crumbled, burying Shadow within moments.

“Few…” Sonic remarked, straightening back up and whipping the sweat from his bow. “That was a work out.” He blinked remembering the fight had had an audience and turned to the pink hedgehog. “Hey, are you sure you ok?” Amy just stood there too stunned for words, before she nodded mutely. Sonic walked off and knelt down beside her. “Didn’t hurt ya did he?” She shook her head, unable to meet those eyes. They were simply far too penetrating and she was an emotional wreck as it was.
Gently he lifted her chin with his forefinger and thumb. Suddenly finding her voice, Amy cried out;

“Behind you!” Sonic snapped around in time to see Shadow flying at him from out of the brick dust. The black and red hedgehog crashed into Sonic at full speed. The two of them sped across the ground before Shadow pinned him to the far wall. Sonic tried to struggle free but Shadow slammed his arm across the blue hedgehog’s neck as if he was trying to suffocate him.

Without a word Shadow drew his other arm back and slammed a fist across his Sonic’s face, then drew it back sharply with another strike. This he repeated several times until smashing his knee into Sonic’s stomach.
“Idiot.”  He hissed, before grabbing Sonic around the throat and lifting him into the air. “Never turn your back on an opponent until you’re sure he’s dead.”  The fingers tightened around the throat to the point where the air was being cut off. Sonic gasped put, trying to draw breath but the grip was far too tight. “Why don’t I show you how it’s done?”

“Stop it!” Amy cried out but Shadow wasn’t paying a blind bit of notice.  “I said stop it!!” Without a second thought she picked up the biggest stone the biggest stone around her and tossed it right at him with as much force as she could. Not expecting it, Shadow staggered forward dropping Sonic; who fell to the floor gasping for breath.
Feeling a red mark on the back of his head, the black and red hedgehog about faced with golden bolts already burning like a lamp between his fingers.

“Now that was incredibly stupid.” Before he could fire it, Sonic brought his leg around sharply and knocked Shadow’s feet out from under him.
“Thanks for the offer earlier, but how about I show you a thing or two instead?” The blue hedgehog asked, before slamming his forehead into Shadow’s face. Staggering back, Shadow felt himself wide open for a blurred offensive. Sonic attacked without sparing a moment for hesitation, striking his opponent across the chest with several punches within the space of a few moments before landed a kick across the shoulder. To finish up, he curved his entire body around before spinning on the spot gathering speed. Once enough momentum had been gathered he rocketed forward. Shadow saw him coming and held out his hands, forming a magnetic shield around himself by controlling the energy flow in his body and expelling it out to form a defensive barrier. The two forces collided and sparks began to fly up high into the air.

The militaries scout choppers, now in the vicinity saw the impressive light show and soured towards it.
Shadow began to slip backwards as the force was becoming more than he could handle, but with anger fuelling him he began to push back. Sonic kept pouring on more of his own strength, pushing harder to try and breakthrough Shadow’s defences. The very ground beneath them seemed to shake in response to the energies being exchanged. Amy watched in awe as the sparks began flying. Something had to give.
Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light and both of them were sent flying backwards, Shadow slamming to the floor and Sonic spinning backwards until he crashed into the side of the ledge.

“A draw?” Shadow demanded of the universe angrily, snarling up at the sky as he heaved himself up. “I can’t accept that!” He thumped a fist down on the ground, snarled angrily with blood running from his lips.

Sonic picked himself back up, now covered in his own cuts and bruises. His quills were jagged and all out of place and a complete mess. He was breathing hard and appeared to be nearing physical exhaustion.
Shadow heaved himself up and prepared himself for another clash.

Suddenly the loud whirring of chopper blades filled the air and several of the militaries attack air craft came hovering up over the edge of the building. Searchlights on the underside scanned the rooftop until they locked onto Sonic, Shadow and Amy respectively. Ropes were flung out either side and instantly men in anti-projectile armour, armed with large automatic rifles and defended with bullet proof shields began to descend one after the other. They all had G.U.N printed on the front of their uniforms.

More of them came bursting out from the doorway leading into the building and within moments their numbers bolstered to over twenty, all of them quickly forming a circle around them.
“All three of you freeze.” A voice through a loud speaker from one of the choppers called out. “Move a muscle and your dead.” Sonic glanced around. There had to be dozens of automatics, already cocked and waiting to fire. Most of them were aimed at either him or Shadow, but a good deal were directed at Amy. “Surrender and you will not be harmed.”

Amy tried to say something and one of the soldiers kicked her own, forcing her away from them.
“We said don’t move you furry freak!” He snarled pointing a gun at her head. The girl was too terrified to move.

“Hang on, we didn’t do anything wrong.” Sonic called up. “You can’t arrest us.”
“They’re not planning on arresting you.” Shadow remarked without giving him a glance. “They’re trying to take you into permanent military custody.  Both you and the girl will be transported to one of their bases and put through torture disguised as interrogation. Given extensive physical tests before you’re locked away inside a glass jar for their scientists to poke and prod you for the rest of your days.”

“How do you know that?” The blue hedgehog demanded. Shadow simply gestured to the arm that had his mark on it. Below that were a series of scars running all the way down to the hand, barely hidden by the fur. All of them looked like someone had taken a butchers knife to him and he’d held up his arm to try and defend himself.

“Because they’ve already done it to me.” He replied and a sudden sadistic smirk started to pass over his face. Bolts of golden energy began to spark between the fingers on both hands. “And dozens more taken from the ARK!” Blood shot eyes, burning with hate, turned to face the choppers. Behind them, Sonic caught a glimpse of something he would rather not have. Pain and anguish unlike anything he’d seen before was boiling to a pitch inside, barely kept inside by a thin skin.

Without a single moments hesitation, Shadow drew his arm sharply across and as he did so, golden bolts sparked through the air and slammed into the choppers one by one causing them to explode. Fire arching across the sky as their flaming wrecks began to fall towards the ground. The soldiers turned to look and Shadow used the distraction to charge into them; bodies of men going flying as he did.

The bullets started flying and acting on instinct alone, Sonic dived through the streams of projectiles; scooped the girl up in his arms and made a bid to escape.
Feeling those arms around her Amy felt all the fear melt away and the wind whipping through her quills seemed to blow away any of the threats the night held. Unwilling to ever let go, she clung to him with renewed strength.

Shadow sent men flying with single punches and kicks, rejoicing in tearing apart anyone stupid enough to wear the G.U.N icon on their clothes. “You can disguise your actions behind the guise of protection if you want!” He snarled at them, not slackening his onslaught for a moment. “But I can see all you are interested in is control!” He grabbed one of them by the throat and lifted him close. “Tell your leaders; I will come for them. I will come for them through blood and death, an avenging angel in the night and my visit will not be kind!” He tossed him aside and caught a glimpse of a blue object darting over the rooftops away, being chased by several more choppers. While he was not happy to let such a brilliant opponent slip away, the events that had just transpired had soured his mood for a challenge. There wasn’t any point in pursuing him tonight. “And don’t you think this is over either.” He snarled, before skating off himself.

On a far rooftop, observing the sudden chaos through a camera lens were two reptilians. One was a Crocodile and the other was a Chameleon. The crocodile had leaf green scales and an almost golden underside. His eyes were mostly complete black but had a thin orange outline. A thick golden chain hung around his neck with personal engraved words on each link. A pair of walkman headphones sat clamped to the fat neck, barely hidden by a large trench coat.
The chameleon was the same one who had been observing Sonic before.  The two of them had been watching the entire fight.

The crocodile finally gave out the impressed whistle he had been holding in.
“Man, that was a once in a life time fight. I’m glad I got front row seats.” He remarked folding his arms. “Tell me you got all that?” The chameleon standing behind him was just there, completely comatose. He was standing very still with his mouth hung open and the digital camera on one shoulder. “Hey, ground control to Espio!” The crocodile clicked his fingers several times in front of the other reptilian. He blinked to recover his composure.

“What.. .er right, I got it.” He stammered, flipping open the viewer and playing back the footage. The entire fight had been recorded and they had even managed to get some good angles. As the two hedgehogs on the playback exchanged blows in the slowed down version, the entire image shook.

“This is gold Espio. Digital gold.” The crocodile muttered; a greed glint in his eye. Rubbing his hands together with relish. “Come on; let’s get this to our client. I smell a big fat pay check coming out way.” The chameleon nodded.
---
“I’m sorry.” The blue hedgehog whispered to the girl as her arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him close to her as he ran; darting across the huge expanses between the buildings with ease. The military choppers were close behind, the search lights beaming out after them. “It was me he was after, it’s my fault he went for you.” Without a word she hugged him closer.

“I don’t care.” Amy whispered into his ear. Sonic blushed, slowing down for a moment before regaining speed. “I’m Amy.” She pulled back so he could see her face. The blue hedgehog paused, before a smile spread over his lips.
“I’m Sonic.” He replied, winking at her. “Sonic the Hedgehog.”
-

His name was Ivo Robotnik.
His parents had been part of the Federation’s space colonisation program aboard the legendary colony ARK. He had been born on the orbiting station and being a protégé to the intellectually gifted Robotnik family he was expected to carry on their great tradition and be a great scientist.
His grandfather had had great hopes for him.
Then the ‘incident’ happened aboard the colony and Ivo was only one of the Robotnik’s to escape and return to the planet’s surface.
It was on that day, taking the technology his family had worked their entire lives on, that he carved his empire out of the heart of this corrupt and tyrannical Federation.
He became the renowned figure; Doctor Robotnik.

Ragnarok had slowed his progress down but ultimately it had proven his policy correct. The Federation was a corrupt government more interested in self preservation than the needs and lives of its citizenry.
They held their population captive with tyranny disguised as security and would blow up half the world rather than upset that status quo.

The Automatons dropped the prisoner at his feet, the heavy shackles around her arms and legs pinning her to the floor. Her white fur was dirty and her uniform had been removed for study. She had been given the simple clothes Robotnik gave to any who broke the law in his territory. Simple grey pants and shirt with a serial number printed on the side.
“I wanted to congratulate you personally.” He started, folding his arms behind his back and pacing up and down. The prisoner simply folded his leathery wings around her arms in a protective way, keeping her head down with the two robots standing either side. “You are the first spy the Federation has sent into my lands that got anywhere close to the data they were sent to retrieve. Most others were shot to pieces miles from their objectives.”
The Doctor managed a very grim smile.
“You must be highly skilled.”
There was a loud clunking sound from beneath the floor and a small round trapdoor opened. A metallic pedestal rose up out of it directly before Robotnik, upon the top of which was a rectangular iron container. “The current penalty for espionage in the Empire is death by firing squad.” He carried on, lifting the box up and dismissing the pedestal.
With good reason the prisoner looked nervous.
“However, I am a reasonable man and I do not wish to do away with such obvious talent when it can be put to good use. Perhaps we can make a deal of some kind.” He walked over and then knelt down. She looked straight up at him, her green eyes filled with fear but more than a hint of anger. “I am in need of a skilled agent, one to help me infiltrate the Federation’s infrastructure and bring them down from the inside.”
“Why don’t you get your hedgehog laky to do it?” She asked abruptly. Robotnik pulled an exaggerated face.
“Alas, Shadow barely grasps the concept of subtly. It’s more his style to go straight for an enemies throat. He’s the hedgehog I send in when raw power is called for.” He presented and the box to her and placed his hand on the lid. “No, what I need from you is stealth, the ability to merge with the shadows and strike without being seen.” As he spoke, he pulled the lid open and let her gaze upon the contents.
The box was filled to the brim with shiny gemstones, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds; stones of rare and exquisite quality in abundance.
Robotnik smiled, seeing the spark of greed already growing in the prisoner’s eyes. “And of course, I’d not dream of using your services without ‘suitable compensation’. Say… a box of these a week?” The spark was fanned into a raging inferno. “So…what you do say?”
Before the prisoner could answer, a holographic message was incoming. A point of light sparked in the air for a brief moment before a holo-screen appeared; Shadow’s face staring down at the Doctor with his dark red eyes.
“This is Shadow calling Robotnik." He started.
“Ah, how did the hunt go dear boy?” Robotnik asked. “Shall I have a plague prepared for that head you promised to bring back? Is that blue hedgehog G.U.N personnel?”

“Not a chance.” Shadow replied. “More likely a freelancer.” He paused for a moment. “He had the mark.”

“The mark?” Robotnik repeated raising an eyebrow. A puzzled expression passed over his face. “Are you certain?” Shadow just nodded once. The doctor looked thoughtful for a brief moment. “Well, that certainly makes for a more interesting game. If you both have the mark…I might need to consult the Necronomicon.”
“Another thing.” Shadow began. “I could sense it all over him during the fight. Chaos Energy.” The Doctor suddenly looked very interested. “He had been in contact with a Chaos Emerald and recently.”

“Oh how the plot thickens.” The sneer on Robotnik’s face was unmistakable. “Are you’re sure you can’t follow him tonight? He may lead us to it.” Shadow shook his head.
“Too many military units in the area. The trails will have gone cold by now besides. I’m returning to imperial territory.” The Doctor managed a deep frown.
“Negative. Remain where you are. Finding this hedgehog again is a top priority. I’m assigning a partner to help you.”
“Partner?” Shadow repeated in disgust. “I already told you don’t need not stinking robot to do my dirty work.”
“Just as well I’m not sending a robot then. I’m deploying my newest agent, skilled and dependable.” The Doctor looked back over his shoulder. “That is if you want the job?”
“Want it?” The prisoner asked with a widening sadistic smile. “For this many jewels I’d sign the dotted line with my own mothers blood. I’m yours!”
The look of intense satisfaction on the Doctor’s face was absolute.
“Very well then. Shadow, you and my new agent Rouge are to find this hedgehog at once.
Track him down, learn what you can. Find his emerald and if he becomes an inconvenience, you have authorization to terminate him.”