Because You Loved Me--Even If I Didn't Want You To

Chapter Six: The Delicious Yet Devious Plot of the Vixen Named Rouge (Part 2)
(AKA: Enter the Final Pawn: Miles Prowler)

Rouge blinked down at him.

Well, this saved her a little trouble. She stood up straight, striking her infamous pose as she let her right hand rest on her hip.

“Alright Tails, what can I do for you?”

“What...are you doing Rouge.”

Rouge raised her eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Why were you spying on Sonic and Knuckles?” he asked cautiously.

Rouge put her nose in the air and hmphed. “The nerve. I wasn’t spying. I was simply listening in on an interesting conversation that concerned business you have no part of.”

Tails frowned. “I thought you were suppose to be tracking Eggman.”

“I thought you were suppose to be finding the Chaos Emeralds,” she shot back.

“Well,” he rubbed the back of his head. “I was–but then I lost track of Cream. I can’t find her anywhere. So I was looking for her and then I found you–spying.”

“I was not spying,” Rouge sighed. “Well...not exactly. If you want me to be honest–I’m trying to help Sonic.”

Tails didn’t look convinced. “How could you help Sonic by spying on him.”

Rouge put on her concerned face again, then took a seat on a nearby tree trunk. “This may be too complicated for such a young boy.”

“If it concerns helping Sonic, nothing is to complicated,” Tails pushed.

Rouge smirked at him. ‘Good.’

“You...I mean you’ve noticed how he’s been acting around Amy lately?”

Tail’s nodded.

“Well...I’m worried about it. Because Sonic told me he was only doing it to help Amy get Shadow’s attention.”

Tails looked almost disbelieving. “Amy doesn’t like Shadow–”

“You’re right,” she sighed. “ But Sonic doesn’t know that. That’s why I’ve been trying to help her so much. And that’s why she was so upset when she thought Shadow kissed Sonic. She’s been getting me to help her make Sonic jealous but she’s been getting Sonic to help her make Shadow jealous. But now there’s a new problem.”

The small tan fox was silent and Rouge pressed forward. “Shadow is jealous–but not like Amy hoped. Instead of being jealous of Amy liking Sonic–he’s jealous because he thinks Sonic likes Amy.”

“But that would mean...” Tails eyes got as wide as saucers as he clamped his hands over his mouth like he had just said something he shouldn’t have.

“I know. But–”

“Shadow can't like Sonic ” Tails exclaimed. “Amy she–I mean Sonic He likes Amy He would never like Shadow–”

“Says who?” Rouge announced, placing her hands on her hips. “You can’t fight who you fall in love with Tails, it just happens. Are you saying that it’s wrong for Shadow to be in love after everything he’s been through? That it would be wrong if Sonic liked him back?”

“Well–”

“Are you saying it’s wrong to try and help Sonic? After all, he’s not really in love with Amy. Shouldn’t he be with someone that would make him happy? What if that person is Shadow? Don’t you think they both deserve to be happy?”

“I want Sonic to be happy ” Tails exclaimed. “I want everyone to be happy But but–he and Amy have–”

“Been trying to make Shadow jealous,” she lied as she reminded him. “Amy thought Shadow was in love with her so Sonic is helping her make him jealous while all the while, she wants Shadow to make Sonic jealous so he will admit he loves her ”

“Wait–what?”

“Exactly ”

Tails sweat-dropped and Rouge only smiled at him. “Look, as Sonic’s best friend, it is your duty to make sure that the best person ends up with him and makes him happy, despite who they may be or what they are. You would want Sonic to do the same for you right?”

Tails took a long time to think about what Rouge was saying, confusion obvious on his features as he nodded very slowly.

Rouge smiled. “So all you have to do is find Shadow and get him to agree to meet Sonic on the bridge.”

“What bridge?” Tails asked, frowning.

Rouge sighed. “Right in the middle of this jungle is a bridge. I passed by it eariler. It’s made out of vines and surrounded completely by trees and bushes. The ground is covered by really big leaves. Just get Shadow to go to the bridge then when you’re done, just call me on the communicator and I’ll make sure Sonic is there to meet up with him. Then...whatever happens? Happens.”

Tails nodded again though he still looked quite dazed by the intake of information–and more than a little confused. Giving her once last look as his tails began to move behind him like a propeller, Tails lifted into the air and went after his target, disappearing behind the tops of the trees.

Rouge watched him then took to the air herself. Now it was time to find Amy...

~~~~~~~~

A round figure sat at his control panel as we watched the small creatures on each separate screens. He had been doing so for the past half and hour or so, since he had been alerted to the fact that Sonic and his little friends had been wondering around the jungle.

Clasping his hands together and rubbing them slightly, Eggman turned in his chair, a wide grin spreading on his face as his eyes zeroed in the tiled floor below him, or more so, to the Eggman Empire insignia.

Getting up, he made his way over and lightly tapped the insignia’s mustache with is foot, pressing the secret switch into the floor before the door of the panel slid out of place. A a small pedestal rose from the ground and he studied it’s contents. On a small purple cushion laid a single golden ring–one like the many he had seen Sonic use many times before.

Around said ring, were three of the chaos emerald he had been able to collect thus far. He picked the object up, examining it closely.

His plan had been a simple one. Once he realized his first fake emerald had worked, he’d planted another in the jungle that surrounded the abandoned base–abandoned in the since that no one or robot was there for many years. And even he wouldn’t be there much longer now that his guest had arrived.

The emerald was his bait to get the constant thorn in his side to come to him. Then he would simply give the azure hedgehog what he came for.


Eggman lowered the ring from his face and looked back at his control panel, studying the screens.

Cream, who had gone in a circle three times before Amy Rose had found her, whom he assumed was searching for Sonic at the time by her annoyed expression, had just been found by that traitorous Rouge the bat. He watched the trio for a moment before Cream handed Rouge and object and the she and Amy walked off, seeming to search for something. Rouge was looking at the item in her hand before she began playing with it a bit.

Eggman then turned his attention to another screen, this one containing the knuckle-headed buffoon. Knuckles was currently burrowing his way to the earth’s surface. He saw the echidna sigh has he pulled himself out of the dirt, then whip his brow in what looked to be exhaustion. Then he watched as he looked up at a tree that contained some sort of exotic fruit before licking his lips a bit, he began to climb it, sitting on a large branch and leaning his back against the tree trunk. He reached up and plucked a single fruit before taking a large bite of it and relaxing against the tree.

He then turned his attention to the third screen. This one contained the ebony hedgehog of his father’s creation. The hedgehog in question looked just as irritable as ever as he paused to take in the scenery around him. Then he notice Shadow look up and that annoying little fox that was usually with Sonic landed right beside him, panting slightly as he began to catch his breath. Shadow watched him closely, annoyed, but his lips didn’t move.

Then finally, he let his eyes fall onto the fifth screen, in which his favorite azure nemesis was running at the speed of sound as usual as he zigzagged around trees and things in his path, a thoughtful expression on his face. The camera zoomed in and Eggman smirked as the light of the room gave a slight gleam from the corner of his glasses.

“Headed straight for my base I see. Aw Sonic, it never fails. Just as I imagined, the moth is coming to the flame, taking my bait.”

He looked down at the ring he held in his hand just as the three emeralds logged within it began to glow dimly. Eggman’s smirk widened if possible as he placed the ring around his index finger and began to rotate it slowly.

He watched as Sonic skidded to a halt, and brought a small device similar to the one Rouge had been caring close to his face, staring at it quizzically.

With that, Eggman walked out of his control room and made his way down the long hallway, smirking as the light reflected this time from his bald head. He strolled his way to his Egg Carrier, anxious to finally get his new greatest master plan underway...and introduce the little ingrates to his newest robotic creation.

~~~~~~~

“We’re not getting anything done,” Sonic replied into the small device.

“Tell me about it,” he heard Rouge voice on the other end. “Where are you?”

“Still in jungle,” he admitted. “I think I’m close to the base though.”

“Hey, do you remember passing by a large patch of mushrooms?”

“No why?”

“Cream thought this is were she may find a Chaos Emerald. She and Cheese are looking for it right now, as we speak.”

“Great,” he announced. “And you’re with her?”

“For now anyway. Oh by the way, Amy told me to give you a message..”

“Amy? Why, what’s wrong?”

“Oh nothings wrong really. She would like to have a personal conversation with you is all. She’s worried you won’t want to talk to her after she ran off with Shadow but I convinced her you would meet her. She’s going to wait for you here.”

“Rouge I don’t have time for that now. We really need to find Eggman before he catches up to you guys? Or to the Chaos Emerald if it’s not in the–”

“Oh don’t worry about that. Shadow’s got him covered.”

“Shadow?”

“Yeah, I ran into him on my way here and he spotted the doctor and went to hold him off.”

“Then he could use my help.”

“Already covered. I just wanted to make sure Cream would be alright before I went off to go help him. Don’t worry Sonic, we can handle him until you to are done. Just have your little conversation then you both can join us. I’m sure you can spare Amy at least five minutes of your time.”

There was a pause before she heard. “Alright, I’ll be there in a minute,” he announced and signed off.

Rouge smirked just as Amy and Cream came up to her, both looking quizzical. “Rouge, what was that?”

“Oh, that was just Sonic with a little message for you Amy,” she replied, rounding on them. She had learned after she arrived that Amy had been looking for Sonic when she ran into Cream. Cream, who had been looking for the emerald, had gotten lost just as Tails said and decided to take a rest in the mushroom patch before she had gotten there. She had gotten Cream to give her the communicator before she and Amy went off to get Cheese a drink of water by the small stream close by. It was just the break she needed to make sure Sonic wouldn’t get in the way of her latest move in her game.

“He wants to have a private conversation with you,” she smiled at Amy, who instantly perked up.

“Really?”

Rouge nodded and winked. “He wouldn’t tell me about what exactly but he wants you to meet him on a bridge so you guys can be alone–where it’s quite.”

Amy’s emerald eyes burned with a new fiery passion as she leapt to her tip toes and began to look in all directions. “What bridge? Which way?”

“It should be right in the middle of this jungle that way,” Rouge announced pointing. “ When you get to a wall of trees, you know you’re there, can’t miss it. The bridge itself is made completely of vines and the ground is nothing but leaves. Be careful: if you fall through the leaves, the ground is pretty steep under–”

Both she and Cream sweat dropped as Amy took off as fast as she could in the direction Rouge was pointing in, calling out to Sonic as she went, though what she was saying, neither was exactly sure.

Cream blinked then smiled. “I’m so happy for Amy and Sonic.” she announced and Cheese squeaked to agree.

Rouge barely paid her any attention as she tucked the communicator away. Now all she needed was the confirmation from Tails...and she could finally put the last part of plan in motion.

~~~~~~~~~

Shadow continued to frown down at the little fox boy that was panting at his side, trying desperately to catch his breath. Giving up on finding anyone competent, Shadow had taken it upon himself to find Eggman’s base and stall the doctor while obtaining the chaos emeralds he had gathered thus far.

Needless to say, he hadn’t gotten to the base yet–nor gotten anything accomplished, something which completely irritated him to no end. And now this.

“Aren’t you suppose to be looking for the Chaos Emeralds?” he snapped.

“Well–yeah,” Tails admitted slowly, looking down at his feet as he rubbed the back of his head.

Shadow’s eyes narrowed. “Then why aren’t you?”

“Well...” Tails took a deep breath. He would rather be anywhere but here right now. And he just couldn’t understand why Rouge couldn’t ask Shadow instead of himself. But if this was going to help Sonic then he was willing to do it.

“Shadow–do you like Sonic?”

Shadow blinked at him, his annoyance becoming far too apparent as he stared at Tails as if he were a bug. “Why...are you bothering me with such idiotic questions.”

“No no, I mean...do you like Sonic,” Tails insisted, still refusing to look at him. “He’s my best friend. Soul mates even.” Shadow replied sarcastically with a sneer.

Tails sighed deeply then taking a deep breath, he blurted out quickly “DoyoulikeSoniclikeAmylikesSonicnotlikehowIlikeSonic!”

Shadow’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Tails bored. “What..was that.”

“Um,” Tails began sheepishly before taking another breath, he tired again, this time slower. “Do you like Sonic. . .the way Amy likes Sonic. . .not like me. . .like a friend?”

There was a friction as they remained silent, Shadow simply blinked down at Tails while the small fox had the courage to look up at him now.

Tails wasn’t sure how Shadow would respond but he could tell from the look in his eyes it wasn’t going to be anywhere near pleasant.

Tails waited a moment longer, until Shadow’s face changed into that of anger so quickly that it made him shrink back slightly. Right as the ebony hedgehog began to bellow something more than likely insulting, Tails quickly rambled:

“I’m sorry but I just had to ask because you kissed him and it wasn’t fake like you said and I was just worried because I didn’t want you to get your feelings hurt if you did so I wanted to ask before I tried to help you ”

Shadow’s face softened slightly at Tails last words and he shut his mouth. He studied the small fox a moment longer before making a disgruntled grunting sound and turning away from him, intent on staring at the bark of a large tree.

Damn everyone to hell for involving themselves in his love–what love life? He didn’t have a love life. Yet. First Rouge. Then Amy with her silly apologies–though he had to admit, it was a nice to see her face drop so suddenly after his insult. Though he hadn’t actually meant it at the time–maybe. And now the stupid fox boy was getting into the act. And he supposed he would try to say something wise now, like “you should tell Sonic your feelings”.

“If you like Sonic–I think you should tell him..”

Shadow rolled his eyes slowly. Like a book, he could read these people. “And what makes you think there is anything to tell.”

Tails winced at the tone, it was rather harsh, but he pressed forward.

“Because if there wasn’t, I don’t think we would have gotten this far into this type of an um–conversion.”

Again Shadow rolled his eyes. Children.

“You won’t get anywhere by keeping them to yourself,” Tails continued, sounding a little braver now that he realized Shadow wouldn’t smack him. “Sonic would want you tell him–”

“Would he?” Shadow snapped, cutting Tails a sharp look. Tails tried his best to ignore it.

“I know him better than anyone,” Tails confirmed, as if it weren’t know by anyone who knew the pair. Again, children. “Sonic would want you to tell him something this important because that way, he’d know it’s okay.”

Shadow glared at him. “That what’s okay?”

Tails blinked for a moment, then looked down at his feet to hid his blushing. “You know...that it’s okay to um...like...you?”

Shadow watched Tails dig the toe of his shoe into the ground as he looked uncomfortable before he turned his attention to the sky.

“You should do...whatever would make you happy. Both of you,” Tails finished finally, saying what Rouge had expressed to him only moments before.

Shadow cut him another side glance and Tails added “Sonic...you’re suppose to meet him on the bridge now,” Tails announced. “In the middle of the jungle. You get to a wall of trees? The bridge is made of vines. He’s waiting for you there.”

At this, Shadow’s face seemed to softened and he uncrossed his arms, turning to meet the fox. Sonic? Wanted to meet him on the bridge alone?

He couldn’t help but rolls his eyes a bit. “That faker certainly knows the appropriate time to arrange such a meeting. When we’re suppose to be fulfilling something of importance.”

“Isn’t this important?” Tails challenged. Shadow ignored him, his face falling back into its emotionless state. But his crimson eyes burned with curiosity...and something he just didn’t want to acknowledge right then.

“Then I suppose I shouldn’t keep the faker waiting.”

Tails gave him a soft smile, almost relieved, then nodded. Shadow nodded his own head to say his thanks before he sped off in the direction of the meeting place, letting his mind focus on it’s new target–and what exactly he was planning to do once he got there.

Tails let out another sigh as he watched Shadow disappear. Now all he had to do was find Rouge and let her know that Shadow would be waiting on the bridge so she could tell Sonic to meet him there. But before he could move, he heard Rouge’s voice over his communicator.

“Tails?”

“Rouge?” he asked, bringing it up to his mouth slightly surprised. “ How did you get a communicator?”

“I found Cream. She let me borrow it while she and Cheese searched for the Chaos Emerald in this mushroom patch but didn’t find it. So she and Cheese went to continue the search. And since you took too long I decided to call you. Now what’s the verdict?”

“He’s going to the bridge to meet Sonic now ”