[Luminescent Chaos ]

Disclaimer/Author's note: I don't own any characters, except the ones I make up...Certain story elements were pulled straight from my imagination to create a Hybrid of a cool story. Trust me, you'll like it. -Koshii

(Preface)

Knuckles

The surreal light of the moon beamed down to the dreamy, dew-covered ground. Knuckles knew he was in for a rough night as he stood on the watchtower. He thought silently to himself about how he met Sonic and Miles(Tails, as he preferred to be called). Denouncing the fact that they were enemies at the time, he was still astounded and dazzled by Sonic's inner persona. He almost envied Sonic for his power he had acquired... And yet in a way, he wanted to befriend him.

"Who the heck are you?!" Sonic exclaimed, rather than questioned.

"........"Knuckles ignored him.

"Com'on tell me!" Sonic forced.

"I am Knuckles." he barely said.

"Ahhh...Then Knuckles, can you help me out?" Sonic asked invitingly. He had a quality of calmness in his eyes, Knuckles never saw anyone like that before.

Knuckles returned from his flashback and looked back out to the dark sea. He wondered how the others were doing now at HeadQuarters. Was Sonic obsessing over his spikes as usual? Or was he asleep? Knuckles tried to stop thinking about his now most trusted friends, he had a job to do.

Continuing his patrol, he went to and from along the small railing of the watchtower. Little did he see the blur of darkness zoom into the gateway and on to the HeadQuarters...

(Chapter 1)

Shadow

Shadow sped undetected to the side of HQ. He breathed momentarily and began scaling the wall. The cold touch of the metal didn't seem to effect him as he hastily made his way to the nearest window. To his luck, it was the window of none other then the hedgehog himself. Shadow moved in and hid behind the blue curtain.

Of course, as he expected, the room was empty, minus the mess of clothes and useless stuff piled all over the floor. Shadow sped to the treasure he was looking for, the Chaos Emeralds. They were on Sonic's dresser, undefended. Shadow took all seven and pocketed them. They already filled him with energy. Thinking fast, Shadow jumped out the window and landed without a sound on the damp grass. He smirked as he passed the in-thought Knuckles.

Sonic quickly entered the threshold of his room. He noted the significant change in the way his room was a mess. Then he say the broken cases that once held the infamous Chaos Emeralds, they were mysteriously gone.

"……..What the-" he started.

The repetitive noise of an alarm startled him. It's loud piercing sound rang throughout his ears. Thinking quickly, he jumped out the closed window.

Glass shattered as Sonic boomed to the ground. He landed and began to run.

Something was drawing him…Something sinister…

Knuckles

Knuckles watched as Sonic sped into a bluish blur.

"Where are you going??" he yelled.

"…To find Robotnik!!" Sonic called back in a faint voice.

Knuckles wanted to go with him, but decided to stay back.

Remorse and guilt fled into his veins. He couldn't believe he let this happen…His friends were counting on him, and he let them down…

"Try again, Knuckles, try again…" A strange voice called from behind him in the shadows…

Tails

Tails flew above Sonic quietly. So far, he wasn't tired, which was overall good. If he paused to rest, Sonic would be easily lost. Sonic maintained speed and zoomed toward the North, Tails followed as quick as he could. He didn't want Sonic to know he was tagging along.

Shadow

Shadow entered the still broke down Death Egg. He needed to see Dr.Robotnik before he transformed…

The short metal pipe-aligned passageway was dull and gray. His shoes clanked slightly on the metallic steel. Finally, he made it to the Generator Room. Dr.Robotnik was sitting silently in the chair which was conveniently located in the center of the circular room. Green lights and crystals covered the walls, giving Shadow's red eyes a weird, eerie effect.

"I have come." Shadow said bluntly.

"And so you have, do you possess my Chaos Emeralds? Or do you have the Master Emerald itself?" Dr.Robotnik said in a hap-hazard manner.

"The latter." Shadow replied shortly, he was one of few words.

"That will do, give them to me!" Dr.Robotnik's greed surfaced. He stood up and walked to Shadow.

Shadow held out his hand, but then he hesitated.

Something wasn't right, Dr.Robotnik wasn't the same as he was before.

"Come on! You stupid fool!!" Dr.Robotnik grabbed after the Emeralds.

Shadow countered and with ease, pushed him down to the ground.

Dr.Robotnik slid a few feet, by the amazing force that Shadow had effortlessly inflicted upon him.

"W-What are you doing?!" Dr.Robotnik was drenched in anxiety.

"I have no use for you, doctor…" Shadow said boldly.

He held up the Chaos Emeralds.

"Chaos Emerald Activate!!" he yelled, he threw the Emeralds into the air.

They stopped in midair, forming an octagonal fashion. They began twirling around slowly and enveloped Shadow completely, spinning faster and faster.

Black smoke swirled magically around Shadow and the Emeralds, creating a sphere of darkness.

Shadow was twitching with energy, electricity surged about his body. He rose up and exited the sphere, only he was now different.

His eyes, not flamboyant and fiery like the sun, but bright yellow like a fore-feather on a Phoenix's wing. He sparkled like he was made of fairy dust, his fists clenched in uncontrollable anger. His fur, otherwise black was now yellow, and his red stripes were black.

And his enigmatic quills were now forced upward, jagging into the sky like an unfathomable mountain range visible in the sunset.

The Chaos Emeralds were now a part of him, for a limited amount of time, however.

"Now, I will dispose of you..." Chaotic Shadow boomed.

He had no control over his body. He ran after Dr.Robotnik, who was slowly backing off,.

"W-Wait!" Dr.Robotnik yelled as he was rammed against the metal pipelines.

The impact shattered the wall and left Dr.Robotnik unconscious and badly hurt.

"...Hmm..." Chaotic Shadow said as he turned to the chair in the middle of the room.

Sonic

Sonic made it to the Death Egg in due time. He sped into the Generator Room to see Eggman (Dr.Robotnik) on the floor. Some other hedgehog was sitting in the chair.

"W-What the heck are you?!" Sonic yelled, startled. He stepped back in amazement. "You stole the Chaos Emeralds!!"

"How can you steal something that was predestinedly yours??" the hedgehog boomed.

Sonic thought he was in for it, big time...

"I suppose you think I want to kill you?" the glowing hedgehog asked.

"No, give me back the Emeralds!" Sonic demanded.

"That's alright, I have something else I have to attend to..." Shadow sat down. "For your information, I am Shadow. Right now I am Chaotic Shadow, thanks to the Chaos Emeralds...And I am far more superior to you!!"

"Then you realize I am Sonic, right?" Sonic pointed out the obvious.

"Yes, we are so much alike..." Shadow looked up, "And yet so different."

"Riighhtt... How so?"

"I am a piece of you." Chaotic Shadow revealed.

"And how is that possible?!" Sonic asked intently.

"You'll find out soon enough..." Chaotic Shadow replied.

"Why are you here?" Sonic asked.

"You'll find out soon enough..." Chaotic Shadow repeated.

"You just said that..."

"What?"

"Ughhh! Arghhhh!" Sonic was fed up with it, he charged after Chaotic Shadow and attempted to ram him.

Chaotic Shadow pushed him away.

"This is boring." Chaotic Shadow said, mildly amused. He stood up and began glowing bright.

"Chaos Emeralds, revive this ship!!" he commanded, he lost his power and returned to regular Shadow. The Chaos Emeralds inputted themselves into the chair. It lit up and the now visible Generator started up.

Sonic looked up at the Generator. It was a mechanism of glass gears that began rotating. The Death Egg replenished with a flash of energy.

Sonic crouched down and grabbed Shadow to protect him from the explosion.

In a moment, it was over. Sonic held Shadow who was barely conscious. The Chaos Emeralds were floating in the air. The Death Egg was slowly rising, as was Miles...