Chapter 1
Broken rings

Air. She needed air. Her lungs were burning from extersion. She was running, she`s been running since those damned creature spotted her. Of course a couple hours ago they weren't in the small town of Apotos. But as soon as the moon rose up to the sky and night fell, the streets were littered with them.

Shadow huffed in anger, normally she`d be able to fight and fend off anything that, dared to attack the ebony hybrid…But strange things happened last night…

Like losing almost all of her chaos energy. It was forcefully and painfully sucked out of her body. It hurt. A lot. She blacked out from the pain and only woke up the next morning. She was alright except for the fact that she couldn't stop shaking, and her golden rings were covered in red cracks. What little chaos energy left seeping through the cracks.

Shadow let out a yelp as she tripped and fell on the ground. She quickly lifted up her small body and scambled around the nearest corner and hid behind it.

She gripped her chest as she struggled to control her breathing. She heard a growl as the glowing creature passed by her corner, not having heard the small hedgehog. Letting out a relieved sigh Shadow relaxed and slumped back against the wall.

At nightfall she had changed form…Her body seemed to haved regressed, to that of a small five year old child. Shadow remembered being this small before fifty years ago, a couple a days after her creation. She had quickly aged into a teenage body a month later. Mari had seemed crestfallen that she aged so quickly.

Shadow shook her head laughed a bit at the memory. Her usual shoes had vanished when she when the moon had appeared, as did her clothes. Instead she wore a white knee length dress. She had no shoes or gloves, only her rings were on her wrists and ankles.

``I need to get out of this town…And find Sonic. I`m pretty sure all this is somehow her fault.`` With that thought in mind Shadow got up and started running. She nearing the town exit, earlier today she had questioned some villagers, they said they had seen Sonic pass by. According to them she was heading to the town outskirts, when they saw her.

``Atchoo!``Sonic sneezed out rubbing her nose.

Tails blinked looking up at her big sis. ``Looks like someone is talking about you.``

``Really!?`` Chip asked flying up to Tail`s shoulder.
Tails nodded, Sonic huffed shaking her head navy blue white tipped quills following the movement.

Tails had to admit that when she first caught sight of the transformed hedgehog, she was surprised and a little scared. But she was still her older sister, though she was a bit more buff and furrier she was still Sonic. Nothing would change that. But she was still worried, Egglady…What could the obese mad doctor be planning. What could she possibly gain from this? This certainly was different from her other plans. Though she couldn`t help but be remind of her two other schemes. When Egglady had released Chaos and Shadow, it somehow felt similar.

``Yo Tails! Tails!`` Sonic called. She was standing in front of the twin tailed fox, one clawed hand on her hip the other waving in Tail`s face.

They had stopped walking. When did that happen?

She hadn`t even realised. Tails shook her head. Blue eyes stared up into worried emerald ones.

``Sorry Sonic. I wa-`` The kitsune`s sentence was cut short by a deafening roar.

Sonic and Tails tensed up they glanced out to where the sound came from none of the creatures that attacked Tails were there. It sounded like it wasn`t too far from where they were.

``That sound…It came from where the windmill is…`` Sonic absently muttered.

``Whatever it was it doesn`t sound too friendly.`` Chip weakly said a bit scared hiding behind Sonic`s quills.

Nodding to each other Sonic dropped down on all fours and raced towards, where the roar came from Tails flying closely behind her.

Shadow coughed when the fist made contact with her small body . She was sent sailing through the air, forcing her body to twist she landed on her feet albeit shakily. How such a large monster caught her by surprise she`ll probably never figure out. It was like it came out of nowhere, she noticed it standing behind it when it roared but it was already too late, she didn`t have time to dodge the fist.

``Damnit. `` Shadow wheezed out wiping the blood of her lips.

Crack! Red eyes widened in pain as her body tensed up, her already cracked golden rings glowing red. Green liquid chaos energy seeped through sizzling like lava, the second the chaos energy left her rings, pain seized her body. She fell to the ground has it spread over to her limbs, burning and electrocuting a gurgled cry escaping her lips. Her body spasmed limbs flailing as she clawed at the ground. The pain was unbearable. She screamed as it intensified, more chaos energy escaping out. Burning crippling unbearable, and then numb. She felt completely numb.

That screaming shrill voice. Was it hers? That couldn`t be her throat was to dry and hoarse. Why was her body jerking violently like that? Her vision was blurring, everything was fuzzy… She was so tired…

The monster looked curiously at the small screeching hedgehog. His prey was acting weirdly. Giving out a growl it raised its fist intent on smashing the flaying body.

Shadow coughed her body had finally stopped moving on its own. But the numbness was gone. And she instantly missed it. Her body felt like it was burning and freezing, she felt so heavy, her insides felt flipped upside down and twisted. Her nerves were frayed. Feeling the bile rise up in her throat she violently hacked blood, spilling into the grass around her. Everything seemed way too clear she was cold, her body shaking. She felt completely drained, she won`t be able to dodge it`s fist.