Eternal Guardian

Rouge was pretty damn pissed, to say the least. She'd flown all the way home, only to discover that her collection of Emeralds had been halved. She didn't have to question it. She knew exactly who the culprit would be. Now, she was back. She'd swooped in silently, and noticing the haze in the evening air, ducked behind some rocks and bushes. From her safe place the bat could tell that all of the robots were downed, but she held back when she heard heavy breathing and moaning.

The noise continued, and she leaned in for a closer look, rustling the leaves a bit more than she intended. She cursed to herself and held perfectly still as the noise stopped. Taking her chances after a beat, she peered over and thought her eyes would pop out of her skull. Grinning mischievously, she crept back into the darkness, intent on flying away to find a camera the second she put enough distance between them.

Sonic didn't have the chance to decide whether or not he was going to have a change of heart of what Shadow was so intent on getting from him. During the time it took him to answer, something caught his attention (as a particular someone returned) just as it did Shadow's, and he looked past him; eyes widening in horror. "R-Rouge?"

Rouge smirked over at the two, one hand on her hip, the other waving a camera cockily.

His face instantly turned more red than you could imagine. Reflexively he hid himself behind Shadow and glared hotly over his shoulder. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Wh-What are you doing here?!" Well, it looked pretty obvious, seeing that camera and all. But he couldn't believe she'd have the nerve. ...And that she saw their interactions together at all. Words couldn't begin to describe the humiliation he felt.

He was in no condition to be seen as well as Shadow considering how each other's fluids had matted against the fur near their tummies and between their legs. Who knows how long she's been there though. Oh, if she thought she was going to get anywhere with that camera, she was SO wrong! He'll spin dash that thing before she gets a second off of the ground with it.

Rouge grinned smartly, daring to take a few steps towards the unlikely couple, swaying her hips in the suggestive manner she'd grown accustomed to. She looked at the review screen, scrutinizing the picture closely. "My, my.. it's a bit too dark out here to see those kinds of details, but it looks like I've gotten quite the prize here, boys." Rouge stole a glance at their horrified expressions.

"And Shadow..." She chuckled cruelly at them. "I might have to blow it up a bit, but... it's totally worth the extra change... Your face in this picture is priceless!"

Shadow swallowed a very large lump that built in his throat. He couldn't even think to move, despite the fact that Sonic was using him as a shield.

"How-e-ver..." There was a malicious sugary note to her voice, which sounded suspiciously like a cash register dinging. "Let's put a price on it, anyway. Any bidders?"

Sonic growled madly, spines sticking up as he bristled in humiliation, and anger. "If you think we're just going to let you get away with that you're wrong!" He was still hesitant to fight in the condition he was in but he'd do anything at this point to get that camera away from her.

"Hand it over." He snapped, hoping she'd just comply. So sure of himself even that his free hand was extended in waiting only to be rejected.

Shadow, who felt like he was in no position to fight with her, and knew she'd probably kick his ass anyway due to the fact that he let her get away with it, sighed miserably. In the little time he'd been with Maria, he had been taught to 'never hit a lady,' and took it to heart ninety nine times out of a hundred even here on the Earth. He spoke calmly, giving in to her game, "What do you want?"

Sonic had insulted her intelligence, but Shadow was talking her language. Rouge smiled and put a finger to her lips, striking a thoughtful pose. "Oh... what DO I want... let me think." There wasn't a question in her mind, but she was going to make them work for it. "This is such a hard decision. Let's put this away for safekeeping while I think it over, hm?" With that, the small camera was wedged between her plump breasts. Her hand fell back to its place on her hip as she studied them amusedly.

Sonic's eyes flattened as he went ignored and delivered an annoyed look at Shadow, feeling it unwise to humor her in this situation. Feeling as hopeless as the other, however, he relented more than he knew he should.

Groaning, he looked the other way, trying to regain his composure and make the redness on his face disappear. "How about a Chaos emerald?" What else would the bat want? Jewels of course and she was probably just upset by the emerald Shadow took from her earlier.

Rouge laughed coldly. Sonic was thinking far too small, but she would take what she could get. "I've actually grown quite fond of my little green one, you see... and isn't it a pity that I don't have one to match? I mean, sure, I do want my pretty blue one back... but..." She shrugged, staring off to the side, and leaving it for the two of them to figure out.

Shadow frowned as he finally turned to face her, arms crossing over his chest. He didn't like the direction this was going at all. "But what?" If Shadow knew anything, she was going to milk the two of them for everything she could get.

He scowled at her and glowered with eyes that expressed a lot of hate and frustration right now. She's done some pretty low things but this was by far the worst! ...or rather, embarrassing.

He held his tongue, not sure what to contribute to their problem; he didn't want to give her anything. But he would give her a Chaos emerald so long as she handed over that camera. They could always get them back from her later. It's not like anyone would believe what she saw tonight verbally anyway.

By this point, Sonic's color had finally started dissolving back into his natural hue. He waited to see what she had to say to Shadow, reluctant as ever to give her anymore leeway than they already have.

Her smirk darkened as she met Shadow's eyes. She leaned in, as if telling an engrossing story that they just had to hear. Her bare shoulders rose slightly as she tensed with poisonous anticipation. "But there ARE bigger fish in the sea. Or sky, if you catch my drift."

His eyes widened. He shot a look at Sonic, as if to beg him for help. He couldn't surrender the Master Emerald, but how low would Rouge really go to get what she had already decided belonged to her? He bared his teeth, actually fearing the annihilation of his tough guy reputation. He didn't know just how much that picture contained, but with at the distance she'd taken it, probably more than he wanted. He clenched his fists, right one squeezing around Sonic's wrist, the Guardian having forgotten that the other's arm was still in his hand. Needless to say, he was hardly aroused after all this.

Well, there was no way either of them could stand for that. Knuckles trusted the Master emerald with Shadow and since he was part at fault over this blackmailing conspiracy, Sonic wasn't going to just help Shadow hand over the emerald.

"You know we can't do that. You can have the Chaos emeralds but Knuckles trusted the Master emerald with Shadow." Did she even think about what she just asked for? Stealing from a friend who was passed away! That was messed up. "I suggest you'd at least have the decency to respect that." Whether or not she did, it wouldn't matter. That was simply out of the question.

"Oh?" She peered over at Sonic, then redirected her attention to Shadow. "Is that how it is? Are you just going to agree with whatever he says since you're all lovey dovey now?"

"No!" Shadow winced at his uncharacteristically defensive tone, suddenly getting very quiet as he panicked silently in his mind, finding the ground much more intriguing than the other two. What they had done had nothing to do with being, 'lovey dovey.' She was simply being absurd. Why would she say something foolish like that?

She grinned, immediately realizing she'd struck a nerve. "Oh, come now. It's just some silly old rock. Isn't it better than the alternative?" She pushed up her chest, illustrating that the proof of their affair was within her clutches.

Or maybe she just wanted to show off her boobs. In any case, Shadow refused to either talk to or look at her.

"If it's such a silly old rock,” Sonic spoke up, “you'll take something with a bit more flare and color..." Growing weary of this conversation, he pulled out his Chaos emerald in hopes of dissuading her form her original goal. The emerald lit up in his palm and he smiled charmingly at her. "Come now...Don't waste our time. Take it."

Shadow watched Sonic out of the corner of his eye, still in his silent trance. His arms were left to hang by his side now, and he looked down at the Emerald in the gloved hand.

Rouge's eyes lit up almost identically with the Emerald's sparkling glow. She rushed over, hand outstretched, mentally preparing to snatch up the treat and head to the Island the second her hand closed around it.

Sonic expected this and quickly closed his fingers around it, shielding her eyes from its dazzling view. He knew better than to just hand it over.

He put his hand behind his back and shook his head wisely at her eagerness; making sure they get what they want out of the deal too. "Give the camera to Shadow and I'll give you the Chaos emerald."

"Oh, party pooper." She snapped her fingers, still grinning. "You're just out to ruin my fun, aren't you?" She half-pouted, "No deal. I want the big prize."

Shadow clenched his teeth, still avoiding their gazes. "I can't do that, Rouge. If I do that, I might as well destroy the planet while I'm at it. Only I should handle it at this point. I told you already..." And he didn't understand why she was still trying. She wouldn't take care of it - probably flaunt it like some kind of portable trophy and haul it around wherever she went. He was put off by that, and didn't appreciate her persistence when she knew he held responsibility over it and its power.

He closed his eyes exhaustedly, stomach finally growling angrily at him for skipping meals for the third day in a row. He made to grab for his belly, looking rather embarrassed as he chose at last to risk a glance at the other two.

Rouge blinked, not really sure if he was hungry or about to have explosive stomach issues. "Well, that's real becoming of you, Shadow."

Sonic looked down at Shadow and looked as though he might be offended when his stomach followed suit. He hadn't bothered eating anything today either. Embarrassment made its self known on his cheeks again before he turned the subject back around to the issue at hand. "Alright, come on, Rouge. Take the Chaos emerald already and stop being such a..." Well, he wanted to say bitch, but he didn't need her acting out even more. "Just take it and let us have the camera!"

He didn't have to say it. Rouge could tell exactly what Sonic wanted to say, and smirked knowingly at him. "How about 'no,' hun? But, you know..." She shrugged, stretching her wings and exercising them against the air, and lifting herself a little off the ground. "I don't really mind taping up posters all night. I sort of enjoy staying out late, if you know what I mean." Another one of her easily misinterpreted comments.

Shadow looked mortified. "Wait!" He really had nothing else planned, but if he could hold her back longer, it was better than nothing. He really didn't want to have to reach down in there, and honestly didn't like the idea of Sonic telling her to hand it over to him, either. Breasts kind of weirded the ebony hedgehog out. If he didn't have it, and he was the perfect being, then it must be entirely unnecessary, not to mention odd.

Sonic grit his teeth, stressed and awkward with all sorts of ideas of what would happen running through his head. Could you imagine his public image? What his friends would think? He never knew Rouge to be such a pain.

"How does that benefit you any? If you leave now, you end up with nothing." Again he showed off the Chaos emerald, taking it from behind his back so she could get one more good look at it. "If you agree, you get mine and...and the one Shadow took from you! If you don't, then you're left with nothing." Surely her greed will get to her before they're publicly humiliated.

She paused, actually tempted by the offer. "Mm. I figured that little sneak took it... Ah..! But they don't glow all shiny like they used to. What fun is that?" She rose another few feet into the air.

Shadow grunted, working his brain as fast as he could. "Surely there's something else... It doesn't matter how long you try, I still cannot hand over the Master Emerald." He gestured behind them to the pile of defeated robots. "You see already it's attracted the Doctor's attentions. If you were to take it now, I cannot say what the consequences would be. Do you want them to follow you as well?" He looked back at her, calm and collected, and returned to the Shadow they knew well. "We can come to an agreement if you are so willing."

She dropped to her feet heavily, arms by her side. "That's what I like about you. An alternative thinker." She strolled over to Sonic, trying desperately to ignore the tempting jewel he held. "Perhaps if I just borrow you for a while, we can make a nice compromise." Now she was just instigating, trying to create tension, one of the things she lived for.

Sonic clenched the emerald tighter as if he expected her to try to steal it. He held his ground as she approached him and gave her a funny look. One that resembled a deer in headlights. Sex has just been on his mind way too much lately. Certainly she didn't mean what she was suggesting though.

Clearing his throat, Sonic narrowed his green eyes at her, trying not to let her flirtatious attitude get to him. "Quit fooling around and just tell us what you want."

"Aw, he's shy." She smiled over at Shadow, watching his reaction as he trailed a finger over Sonic's chest. "But you know what I'm talking about, doncha, Shadow?"

Shadow tore his gaze away, eyes wide in panic. It took him a moment to recover from the raging anger that rushed over him, and he frowned over at the glistening ocean. What did he care? Sonic had the right to do whatever he chose. And if Sonic did what she asked, then Shadow was off the hook. Definitely a good deal.

Sonic got one of those uneasy looks when Amy was getting too lovey dovey on him. But he couldn't help but think this was scarier. This was Rouge. Who knows what she's capable of and if she's even being serious right now. He couldn't tell and could only hope she was just messing with them.

...Curiously, he looked over to see what Shadow thought about the matter. He couldn't see his facial expression though, the black hedgehog looked away.

"You're not serious." Sonic grunted, looking at Rouge again, skeptically. Nervously.

"What's the matter?" She leaned in far too close for comfort, moistening her lips with her pink tongue. "Rather have your face plastered all over town, and wherever else I can cover tonight, with you and Shadow being awfully intimate? I can arrange that, you know..." She led her finger up to his chin, inching even closer. "Or you can be a man and spare yourself the embarrassment. Or-- ...maybe you'd rather be the bitch?" Her lips twitched, threatening an even bigger grin. "Is that how you fellas play?"

Shadow sneaked a peek at the scene unfolding and ripped his eyes away again, a red tint sneaking onto his face. Sonic was just as comically red. He couldn't possibly glow anymore than he was now. He was stuttering like crazy and trying to figure out what to say in the process, not to mention humiliatingly offended by the bitch comment. Couldn't Shadow be a LITTLE more helpful here? Certainly he didn't expect him to go along with this!

The baffled hero stumbled back, unable to stand that perverted closeness she pushed in on him, inevitably drawing naughty thoughts from the back of his mind. He couldn't believe she was trying to blackmail him into this.

"N-No! I...Damn it, Rouge." This was making his head hurt.

"C'mon. I've given you guys all the options I can stand to give. You're killing me." She looked at the dark hedgehog, closing the distance between her and Sonic again. Her eyes sparkled deviously as she leaned in and sneakily stole a kiss, sliding her tongue along the underside of Sonic's top lip with exact precision, finding the ticklish area easily. That was sure to get a reaction out of the blue boy.

Sonic inhaled sharply, eyes shaped like dinner plates. His body was frozen, not allowing him to use his feet to run away as he so often did in the face of danger, or unwanted love. His mind was a jumbled mess of nothingness that produced an odd, sort of stifled yip from him.

Before she knew what hit her, Rouge was on the ground, seeing red. Her face stung horribly, and she felt a little disoriented as she opened her eyes to see her assailant.

Shadow growled angrily, placing himself between the two, eyes wild with raging fury. His red orbs flared like an angry fire, and he trembled madly. His fist was still clenched, as if he might strike again. His breathing was harsh and uneven, and he was seriously having a problem keeping himself from beating her to a pile of organs.

Unable to control himself, he reached back, muscles tensing, planning to crush her into oblivion.

It took Sonic a moment to recover and figure out what was going on. He wasn't sure when the last time was that Shadow looked so pissed and it was quite obvious as to why -- the reason laying on the ground, about to take further punishment for her ways. Needless to say he was flattered but being the hero he is he couldn't let Shadow's jealousy kill Rouge. To think the black hedgehog even cared that much was...

He put it out of his mind for now. He honestly wasn't sure how Shadow felt before but this gave him a rather large hint.

"Shadow!" He intervened, grabbing his arm. "Stop! It's okay!" Yes, she probably deserved something for her actions, but death wasn't it.

The dark hedgehog whirled about, not registering what was happening, but ready to take on and eliminate whatever was holding him back. He burned his eyes into Sonic's before he grew a look of shock and froze.

He dropped his ears against his head and pulled away, glaring thoughtfully at the bay.

Rouge stumbled to her feet, shooting an angry, yet confused look at Shadow. She was honestly surprised that she had been able to push him so far. She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at him before taking a deep breath and smirking. She reached into her cleavage and produced the camera. She offered it to Sonic, one hand on her hip. "Mou... you guys are such party poopers. I can't go out looking like this!" She tsked, rolling her eyes. "Here. Delete the picture. I didn't really care about it anyway."

Not quite satisfied with the damage she'd done, Rouge added, "Try not to stare too long at the other ones. I can't have you learning all my special se-crets can I?" Her perverse tone was enough to reveal the nature of the camera's contents. As expected, Shadow bristled, but kept staring away from them.

Sonic looked at the camera and took it from her quickly as though he was afraid she'd change her mind. He hesitated doing anything with it at her last remark, eyes flashing over to Shadow to make sure he wasn't going to lose it again.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he turned the camera on, his finger hovering over the review button. He was almost afraid of what picture might show up when he did. What if it wasn't the picture of him and Shadow? What if it was some crazy bondage picture of Rouge as a dominatrix? Who knows? She planted all sorts of ideas in his head and it was so frustrating. She was so frustrating!

"Gah!" In his own moment of emotional explosion, Sonic crashed the camera into the ground, busting it to pieces. A proud smile formed on his face, looking triumphant and proud. "There."

Her smile faded.

"God, do you take EVERYTHING seriously?! I just bought that less than an hour ago! You OWE me, MISTER." She prodded his chest violently with every stressed word, then shoved him roughly, whipping her wings out quickly and causing a strong wind between them as she backed into the air. Rouge stole one last look at Shadow and harrumphed, getting the hell away from those two uptight morons.

Shadow's attention had been captured by the shattering sound, and he watched Rouge leave, calm but slightly annoyed expression back on his face. He couldn't explain anything that was going on, let alone his extreme anger, but he really didn't think he should have to. If the bat had any sense, she'd keep her mouth shut, and he wouldn't consider it anything of importance to Sonic. Why would he care if Shadow had anger issues?

Sonic watched the pissy bat fly away. Apparently she did all of that for nothing or just to see a reaction from them. Then again Shadow was getting awfully scary. It was most wise Rouge backed off now while she had her wings still in tact.

Turning his attention back to his unlikely...dare he say...lover, Sonic wondered what to say. Tension stirred in the air but he refused to let it settle.

"Heh, well...that was interesting."

"Hmph." Shadow pretended to feel otherwise.

The black hedgehog's arms crossed and he assumed the cold shoulder position he held against Sonic earlier. His stomach was really aching, now, but to be honest, he didn't know what to do about it. With Rouge on his bad side, Shadow didn't expect anymore surprise meals to pop up in his fridge, and he certainly didn't know what she bought to make them. He knew where a grocery store was, and he'd been forced to eat at a restaurant a number of times (usually ordering whatever tasteless things Rouge or Topaz directed him to), but the idea of finding his own meals seemed too overwhelming. He couldn't recall ever having to go at it alone, as someone usually took care of it for him (Professor Gerald or Maria, Eggman, Rouge, or random coworkers at a banquet), or he went without.

He seriously was regretting his temper tantrum, but allowed his hunger to go neglected, not desiring to ask for help or bring any more attention to himself. He really just hoped Sonic would leave just as quickly as Rouge had, to avoid further displaying weakness.

Sonic tensed as fate made his stomach play a familiar noise on cue, giving him an idea as he casually ignored Shadow's quietness, brushing it off his shoulder like nothing. He saw what he needed to and this tough man routine didn't fool him a second.

"How about we grab something to eat? It's been a while since I've ate." Seemed like a good way to forget this whole fiasco and grow a bit more easy with each other. He had a feeling Shadow was hungry as well considering his stomach played the same music as his.

Shadow's first impression was that he would turn and look at Sonic, eyes watering with gratitude that the little bastard could read his mind. He managed to control himself, however, and simply shrugged his shoulders lightly, as if he could care less, still facing the other way. "If you say so." He finally turned away from his ocean view and walked past the other, gruff expression never wavering as he looked ahead.

Sonic couldn't help but grin, pleased that Shadow would join him without a complaint. That was a first.

He walked alongside of him, gloved hands clasping together behind his back. "So what are you hungry for? Besides me." He smirked.