The Albion Prophecy (A Sonic Fanfic)

Chapter Twelve

“You’re giving up, aren’t you?” Shadow asked gruffly, almost making it sound like a statement. Kay felt a flash of anger and frowned at him.

“I most certainly am not,” she replied firmly. He crossed his arms and watched her, waiting expectantly for her to continue. She decided to just relay what Athair had told her to her trainers and hope for the best. “Hand-to-hand combat skills are useless against the enemy I will face. I realize now that what I really need is someone to teach me to control Chaos.”

Shadow’s eyebrows shot up, surprising Kay more than she had apparently surprised him. The dark hedgehog exchanged glances with Rouge before settling back into his standard scowl and turning a cold gaze on his student. “You’re kidding, right?”

Kay looked him in the eye and answered, “No, I’m not.”

Shadow frowned and walked forward to stand beside his partner. “Who do you think you are?” He demanded. “You can’t expect me to fall for that. Chaos Control isn’t something people can just learn. It’s something that has to be given.” To Rouge he said, “Could you imagine if all Mobians could tap into the Chaos Force?” He shifted his glare back to Kay. “The entire world would be a battlefield!”

Kay was confused. “It’s given?”

“Of course it is.”

She remembered her conversation with Athair. Why hadn’t he told her about this? “Then...that means I already have it...?”

Shadow crossed his arms again. “Maybe.”

“But...I don’t know how to use it.”

“Which is why you need a teacher.”

Kay looked at him. “Which is why I’m coming to you.”

Shadow scoffed, smirking a little. “Don’t bet on it.” Then he turned his back to her.

“Shadow.” Rouge finally spoke up after having observed the scene in silent contemplation. She titled her head to look into her partner’s eyes as she spoke. He inclined his own to show that he was listening as she said, “If she really is the Emerald’s Chosen, then based off  of what you’ve told me she’s going to need help to do her job.”

Now Kay was really confused. “You’ve heard of the Albion prophecy?”

Shadow held Rouge’s gaze for a few moments longer before rotating himself around to look back at her once again. “Yes,” he replied curtly, “but I don’t believe that you are the Emerald’s Chosen. Why would the Master Emerald choose someone who has never set foot on a battlefield?”

“Well, obviously she’s learning,” Rouge offered in Kay’s defense, “and it seems she already has the power she needs. She just requires some assistance in knowing how to use it.”

Shadow regarded Kay quietly, his eyes betraying nothing. A long stretch of silence passed over the trio. Finally, Kay sighed and averted her eyes as she spoke again. “I know you think I’m not worth your time, but this is Mobius we’re talking about. It’s not just a city or even a few people. It’s the entire world.”

The black hedgehog said nothing, continuing to observe her in stony silence. After another period of tense waiting, he gave his reply when he scoffed and turned his back to her a second time.

What do I do? Kay wondered, her heart going crazy. I need his help. He’s the ultimate life-form – the best candidate for the job – and he’s the only Chaos controller within a hundred miles right now. She bit her lip and said quietly, “Please, Shadow. I need your help. Everyone’s fate could depend on you.”

Shadow the Hedgehog whirled around so fast and with such intensity that both Kay and Rouge took a startled step back. He stared at her with wide – almost fearful – eyes, which worried Kay to the point where she was certain her heart would pound its way out of her chest.

“What?” she asked nervously. Shadow tore his gaze from her, his eyes darting all over the room in an almost panicked manner. Now Kay was scared. “What?!”

At long last he seemed to calm down, and his frightened expression was quickly erased as if it had never been. What replaced it this time was pure, red-hot anger. He jerked his head back towards her, glaring daggers, and strode in her direction with such speed that Kay didn’t have time to think. Within moments she had backed into something hard, truly terrified of the black hedgehog for the first time. He stopped right in front of her, pinning her against the wall, and bared his teeth in an furious snarl.

“I refuse,” he growled. Then suddenly he was gone, a blast of wind following in his wake.

Kay was so scared she was actually trembling. Her knees felt as though they would give out at any moment. She glanced at Rouge, who stood paralyzed, her eyes wide in both fear and confusion. Kay could barely find the voice to ask, “What did I say?”

Rouge shook her head in response, just as perplexed as her student.

Kay frowned and glanced out into the hallway, confusion overruling her fright. What did I say?

~~

*Author’s Note* So...what’s up with Shadow? Did anyone catch it? Let me know if you did! And as always, thanks for reading! :D