Duel of Speed and Power

Shadow leaped over Rage, aiming a kick at the bull's smug face. But Rage was faster than he looked. He caught Shadow's leg mid-strike and hurled him through a building wall like a ragdoll. Before Shadow could recover, Rage burst through the debris and seized him again, dragging him across the floor. The impact carved a trench in the concrete before Rage launched Shadow through a window.

Shadow rolled to his feet as Rage bounded over him, bringing down a devastating stomp. The hedgehog warped away just in time, reappearing to land a solid kick to Rage's chest. The bull didn't even flinch.

"Of course he's durable too," Shadow muttered, ducking another wild swing. He slid between the red ox's legs, but Rage's iron grip caught his head. The world spun as Rage slammed him repeatedly into the ground. Just before the next impact, Shadow vanished, reappearing a safe distance away. Rage just rolled his shoulders as if this were nothing more than a warm-up.

Shadow ground his teeth. How was he struggling this much against this muscle-bound idiot? He warped away from another haymaker, appearing behind Rage to deliver a sharp kick that finally knocked the brute back. Rage spat blood and fixed Shadow with a murderous glare.

"You're a dead man, Shadow the Hedgehog!"

Rage ripped up a chunk of road and hurled it. Shadow curled into a ball, using the thrown asphalt as a ramp to launch himself at his opponent. But Rage was ready. He caught Shadow's spinning form and flung him into a street lamp, bending the metal pole in half.

Shadow warped clear of Rage's next strike, leaving the ox to punch nothing but pavement. Frustration rolled off Rage in waves as he snarled, "I didn't steal 150 million in experimental tech, take over my boss's operation, and capture that bat slut"—Shadow's eyes flashed with fury at the slur—"just to lose it all to some ancient relic!"

A white boot interrupted his rant, connecting with enough **** to send Rage crashing through a pile of rubble. Shadow spotted a familiar gloved hand reaching down to help him up. He took it with a smirk, a single word crossing his mind: Ally.

Rouge stood before him, fully dressed now and stretching her legs like she was preparing for a dance rather than a fight. "Thanks for the save, handsome."

Shadow responded with his typical "Hmph."

Rouge rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll take that as a 'thank you for coming back.'"

Their reunion was cut short as Rage erupted from the debris, his eyes burning with hatred. "So the whore got in a lucky shot." Shadow's eyes flickered dangerously, but Rouge looked more annoyed than offended. "Big deal! I'll kill you both where you stand!"

The ox stomped the ground, sending tremors through the street. Shadow and Rouge held their ground, ready for round two. This time, they'd face him together.