Sonic: Tides of Chaos

The First Night

The boat never slept. Parties went on till morning. But as odd as it sounded Sonic was used to a schedule and Shadow was used to his space. The two hedgehogs met each other in the hallway.

"Oh hey Shadow!" A sleepy Sonic perked up with a wave.
"No way" Shadow grumbled stopping in front of his door, "You're right next to me?"
Sonic smiled, "Don't sound so enthused."
"Don't get any ideas." Shadow folded his arms leaning his shoulder against the door frame.
Green eyes looked the other hedgehog up and down before he set a hand on his hip with a smirk. "Whoa with a stance like that and such a statement I'd say you're the one with ideas."
Shadow rolled his eyes straightening up. "I just know you never shut up once you see me. But if you're going to be that annoying I'll just leave."
This time Sonic scoffed, "I was going to bed anyway." With that he opened the door giving Shadow a wave. "Night Shadow!"

The sounds up top the deck of the cruise was muffled to a distant thunder within the room. The subtle rock of the boat gave Sonic the familiar lull to sleep like rocking himself on a hammock between two palm trees.

Shadow checked over the room. The bed was plush witb thick pillows and thin quilt. A light brown wooden desk in the far right corner of the room and a tv facing the bed. A bathroom with a shower had been the next room. The closet stocked with fluffy white towels. The hum of the electrical system hidden within the walls of the ship hummed to his ears as Shadow finally settled on the bed.

He'd spent many of his days alone in silence just listening to the buildings he'd dwelled in. Memorizing the hum of the electrical, the knock of the hot water pipes, the click and rush of wind when the central ac kicked on. But on the ship it was different. The sound from above deck slowly leaked through the longer he listened. The rhythmic hum of the electrical almost seemed to fall in line with his own heart beat. Suddenly he felt his eyes grow heavy and sleep finally took its hold.

Rouge and Shadow had argued about which of them would stay up all night looking for clues and evidence. Shadow argued that they should both keep an eye out for things. While Rouge had insisted he finally get a proper rest. It came down to a game of darts. Winner had to go to bed. Of course Shadow won. Even though he tried to lose on purpose Rouge was even better at her weaponized incompetence. From pretending she had a little bit too much to drink, to fully missing the target and hitting someone else; she was bound to make him the winner.

Once the game concluded she seemed to sober up instantly patting him a victorious good night on the back and sent him on his way to bed. Now that she was alone the night and the crowd was her forte. Once Shadow left she turned on her charm and wandered deeper within the moving mesh of bodies. It wasn't long before she managed to happen to weave her arms around a self stated sophisticated wealthy gentleman. A older cat who was boasting about dinner with the captain of the ship.

"And tell me," Rouge's voice full of saccharine delight, "what did you talk to the Captain about??"
"Sailing of course! I myself am a seasoned captain of sail boats! I own a ship yard now, these bones are much too old to be manning the sails these days." He replied going off on a ramble of his days at sea. Rouge smiled pretending to be interested taking a glass of sparkling Champaign to sip on while also keeping her glances around the room between false laughter at the many boat puns her company used. That's when she noticed the low rhythmic hum despite the live band that was currently filling the silent sea air.

"Do you hear that?" She asked her large ears tingling to the hum.
"Ah yes! This happens to be one of my favorite songs! I say, young lady would you care for a dance?"
So he hadn't heard what she did. The rhythm hummed on as she forced herself to accept the dance. It was a slow moving dance floor with intoxicated dancers moving very off key to the music but she was more worried about how far her company's hands might wonder. So far the hand the rest at the small of her back stay respectful and hadn't forced her any closer than where she had chosen to be as they gently swayed to the melody of the violin. The hum ever present in the background.

"My goodness, it is late." Rouge mentioned after the dance had concluded. "I should be going to bed now." She gave a friendly wave, "Thank you for the dance and spending time with me."
"Oh no, the honor was all mine. If you shall find yourself in need of company again please seek me out!" He bowed as she left.
Freedom. She quickly made her way below deck where the rooms were. The silence only made the hum louder in her ears. Where was it coming from? Why did it sound like a rhythm of a heart beat? Slow and steady almost lulling. She felt her eyes get heavy as she wondered the halls, the passengers steadily finding their way to their rooms.

"Something is off..." she mentioned to herself looking at some of the room numbers. Which one was hers again? They all became a blur. Surely she hadn't drank that much. Was her drink spiked?
"Shadow—" her call for her partner only came out as a whisper before she fell to the floor.