Sonic and Shadow vs. Scourge

Once alone in the same throne room chamber Eggman once sat in before, Sonic, Shadow, and Scourge began their conversation with Scourge chuckling a bit while taking his Nemes off.

"Alright, Norman. I know you. What's this really about?" Norman looked at his staff, then at the monuments where the Hebrew slaves were working restlessly. He said to Adrian as he showed him, "Adrian, look. What do you see?"

Scourge came over and watched the slaves work. He replied with a grin as they look at Egypt, which was far different than when Norman left many years ago and beside the statue of Eggman was a statue of Scourge himself, "A greater Egypt than that of my father."

"That is not what Shadow and I see," Sonic said to him. Scourge placed his crown on the arm of the throne as he sat down and chuckled, "Sonic, I cannot change what you see. I have to maintain the ancient traditions. I bear the weight of my father's crown." Sonic and Shadow couldn't believe Sonic's adoptive brother and Shadow's real brother was acting that way and Sonic said to him in disbelief, "Do you still not understand what Eggman was?"

Scourge sat up straight and replied, "He was a great leader." "His hands bore the blood of thousands of children!" Sonic said to him. Scourge shrugged, "Hmph, slaves."

"My people!" Sonic shot at him. "And I can no longer hide in the desert while they suffer!" He finished with a sigh, "At your hands." Scourge slowly realized Sonic didn't come back with Shadow to be with him as brothers again, but to free the Mobian Hebrews. He said in shock and disbelief, "So, you have returned... only to free them."

Sonic nodded sadly and looked at the ring Scourge gave him at the banquet years ago before he ran away from Egypt. He took it off his finger and sighed as he placed it on the arm of Scourge's throne, "I'm sorry."

Scourge then eyed Shadow, who is looking calmly sad as well and asked "Do you, Shadow...? Support him?"

A short pause and then Shadow calmly replied "Yes. I came to an understanding with this hedgehog I once called my brother.... That *his* people are suffering. Because of you and *our* people."

Scourge slowly took the ring and said in betrayal and heartbreak as he held it in his hand, "Yes, I had hoped... that..." Then after a few seconds, his look turned to anger and he got up from his throne as he puts his Nemes back on, and said to Sonic and Shadow as he came over to him, "I do not know this 'God'. Neither will I let your people go, Sonic. And I am especially disappointed in you, Shadow, for giving up the throne for them."

He roughly went past Sonic and Shadow and they tried to assure the hedgehog Pharaoh, "Scourge, please!" "You must listen-" Scourge cut him off and yelled as he pointed at him with a glare, "I will not be the weak link!" Sonic and Shadow watched as Scourge stormed back to the hall. He called to Sonic and Shadow as he opened the doors to the hall where the dancers were entertaining the guests again, "Now tell your people as of today, their workload has been doubled, thanks to your 'God'."

Sonic and Shadow gasped at how cold and heartless Scourge had just become. "Or is it thanks to you?" Scourge glared as he shut the doors.