Sonic the hedgehog couldn't believe it. Here he was in the deepest section of the worlds Military HQ and was getting paid for it! He couldn't wait to tell Tails, he'd be almost as excited as him. It's not everyday the Guardian Unit of Nations asks you to guard their innermost secrets.
A few Hours ago, the Commander of G.U.N. contacted our Blue hero and asked him to safeguard a weapon known as the U.L.F., whatever that was. They knew Eggman had knowledge on the weapon and reasoned Eggman would come for it considering his plan using Chaos failed horribly.
Since G.U.N. had been horrible at attempting stop the doctor before, they decided to play it safe and use the worlds most earnest, trustworthy hero, even if it meant risking letting him near the U.L.F., it was better then letting the doctor obtain the weapon.
Sonic accepted the job under three rules. One, he would get free Chili dogs while on the job. Two, they would help Tails with supplies he needed to build a better Tornado. And finally, they would hand over the Chaos emeralds they were holding at they're Atlantic base. G.U.N. reluctantly agreed, leaving our hero to where he is now.
Being a hedgehog of his word, Sonic didn't dare look around, choosing to sit and munch on his Chili Dogs. He had been in the room for hours, staring at the capsule containing the U.L.F. He wanted so badly to look at it, but he didn't, knowing he'd be betraying G.U.N. and himself.
"Be chill Sonic, Egghead will come any minute, and when he does, I can go. Then I don't have to think about this weapon anyway." Sonic told himself. But he couldn't keep his eyes from wondering over to the capsule. Soon, Control gave in to curiosity, and the cobalt speedster found himself walking towards the capsule.
"I'll Just one peak." Sonic told himself. He wiped the dust of the capsule, and almost yelped at what he saw. A black hedgehog with red striped was in suspended animation. Sonic stared at the hedgehog, becoming angrier every second. "Why would they do this…?" he asked himself.
Sonic jumped back, and balled into a compact spinning ball, smashing the machine and catching the hedgehog's unconscious body. "Don't worry buddy," Sonic spoke to the unconscious hedgehog, "I'll get to the bottom of this."
Sonic heard a dull thumping but paid no attention, laying the mysterious hedgehog on the ground. Suddenly, the blast door behind the blue hedgehog exploded, sending large pieces of shrapnel towards the speed demon. Sonic's first instinct was to dodge, but he couldn't leave that hedgehog to get hit, so he dove in front of the back hedgehog, saving him from the shrapnel, while taking damage as well, shards of metal sliding into his back.
"Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho!" The familiar voice of Dr. Eggman laughed, realizing he had just got a surprise hit on his rival. "Sonic, what a surprise!" Eggman, in his walker, made his way over to Sonic, who had crawled to halfway to the other room to take Eggman's attention off of the ebony hedgehog, and placed his the foot of his walker onto the back, crushing the blue hedgehog and making him yell out in pain. "I've finally got my rival where I want him! Fortunately for you I won't kill you. Once I obtain my grandfathers weapon, He'll destroy you!"
"Fat chance Eggman, G.U.N. moved the U.L.F.!" Sonic lied, hoping it he would take the bait. Needless to say, he did.
"N-no!" Eggman growled. "This was going to be…gah!" Eggman retreated, hearing multiple G.U.N. Soldiers coming his way. He activated the walker's jets, blasting through the roof.
"Man, am I going to be in trouble." Sonic coughed. The pain in his back was nearly unbearable. He suddenly felt a gloved hand being placed on his shoulder.
"Chaos Control." Sonic looked up just in time to see the ebony and crimson hedgehog whisper those words before being engulfed in a bright light.
When Sonic came too he was on a familiar beach, one not too far from Tails house. "That was…new." Sonic sat up slowly, and turned to find himself staring into the crimson eyes of his new ally. Sonic jerked back quickly.
"What is your name…? I am Shadow." Shadow greeted.
"I'm Sonic…Sonic the hedgehog." Sonic returned, smiling. "Thanks for saving me back there."
"It was nothing….tell me where we can get you healed effectively." He demanded.
"Tails place, almost thirty miles away from here." Sonic said, raising an eyebrow.
Shadow touched the blue hedgehogs arm and uttered the words, "Chaos Control." And again they were blinded in a white light, but it faded much more quickly this time. Sonic noticed immediately they were in Tail's house.
"You've got to teach me that some time!" Sonic exclaimed.
"Humph." Shadow uttered in a grunt. "Think of it as my way of thanking you."
"Sonic!" Amy and Tail's screamed running into the kitchen. Amy went straight for Shadow, seeing him holding Sonic's arm while he was in an injured state.
"You monster!" She took out her hammer and slammed it against the ebonies head, making him hit his head on the granite table and fall unconscious.
"No Amy, wait! He saved me!" Sonic yelped.
"Oh…." Amy looked at her feet embarrassed.
"Hm...Who is he anyway?" Tails asked curiously, holding his chin in thought. 'Looks very identical to Sonic….'
"Well, I had better explain it all." Sonic sighed. "First help me with these cuts!"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Amy and Tails said quickly and ran about, gathering bandages, tweezers and the like.
After the metal had been removed and the cuts bandaged, Sonic told them his story of how he met this hedgehog. Amy was just happy her Sonic was safe but Tails, deep in thought, retreated to his lab to do some research, leaving just Amy and Sonic in the living room.
"So Sonic…when your all better, do you want too hang out...like on a date?" Amy asked shyly. Sonic just groaned and rolled over, feigning sleep. "Be that way then!" Amy pouted. She then heard Shadow stir and sit up, rubbing his head.
"Ouch…it hurts…"Shadow groaned, looking at his surroundings. He jumped back in alarm after seeing Amy staring at him. "Who are you? Where am I?"
"Calm down! I'm one of Sonic's friends. Sorry for hitting you earlier." Amy apologized and stood up, holding out her hand. Shadow stared at it, causing Amy to drop her hand.
"So you are…that hurt a lot you know." Shadow growled. Amy stepped back in fright while Sonic chuckled quietly, still "asleep".
"I said I was sorry!" Amy half yelled. "I thought you hurt my love. I couldn't let you get away with that if you did. I'm Amy Rose by the way."
Shadow shrugged and walked over to the window, looking at the sun. It was then Amy noticed his Hover skates, the sun reflecting off the surface. "Nice shoes…"
"These allow me to propel myself at high speeds without hurting my feet." Shadow explained. Sonic's ears perked up at this.
"I see…so why are you called the U.L.F.?" Amy questioned, staring at the rings on his ankles and wrists.
Shadow chuckled. "It's short for Ultimate Life Form." He crossed his arms and turned around. "And I am called that because I am."
"Well, looks like someone has an ego. I don't see what's so "ultimate" about you." Amy commented. "Why don't you prove it?"
Shadow began laughing. "Of course I'll prove it in a race. Get up Sonic, you and me."
Sonic sat up slowly. 'How did he know I was awake?' "But I'm in bandages…however, Tails has a machine that's recorded my time trials, ask him."
"Alright then. If you would escort me to this "Tails" then, Ms. Rose."
Eggman couldn't believe it! His plan was ruined so easily, and he was almost caught. He should have crushed that insufferable blue pest while he had the chance!
"Doctor. Incoming transmission from unknown party." A computerized voice droned.
"Let them through." Eggman sighed. On the screen in front of him appeared a group of robed figures. The one in the lead however, had a shining red eye, one easily distinguished as mechanical. "What do you want?"
"If it isn't the infamous . We have heard of you and your amazing creations." The gruff voice, obviously male said. "We have a proposition for you."
"And what is this proposition?" Eggman asked, drumming his fingers on his chair.
"We will offer our services to you. But in return, we will need you to supply us with…upgrades." The figure said.
"And what exactly makes you think I'll accept? For all I know your skills are mediocre at best." Eggman frowned, pushing his glasses up slightly. "I don't have time for weaklings."
"I assure you doctor, we are not weaklings. Observe." He and the other figures moved to the side to reveal a disassembled Metal Sonic. Most of his remains were dented.
"Impossible! He was one of my most powerful yet!" Eggman screeched, standing up immediately. He than calmed down, assuming a calm demeanor and began to think carefully. "I see…we have a deal. You should know my location. Come to me at once."
"Yes…master. The Legion is at your service." The figures bowed, before cutting off the transmission. Dr. Eggman smiled, finally having something good happen today.
"Alright Shadow! You're ready to go, although I think you'll find you won't stand a chance!" Tails shouted to the ebony hedgehog. Shadow was in a simulation room, with his arms crossed. "Loading Empire City course!"
The room shimmered before Shadow, and became a city made completely of Sky Scrapers, which were large even for Sky Scrapers. Shadow turned to his side to see Sonic stretching his limbs and assuming a running position. Shadow grinned and did the same. Whatever type of running this hedgehog did, it must be extreme.
"No getting mad when you get dusted!" Amy yelled, but Shadow ignored her, focused on the task at hand. "On your mark, get set…GO!"
Shadow blinked, and Sonic was gone, already zooming away. The hedgehog became a blue blur, avoiding cars, people and more with ease. "See that? I'd like to see you try and even equal that speed!" Amy bragged, while Tails rolled his eyes.
"Don't feel too bad Shadow, not every- Shadow?" Tails asked, noticing Shadow was gone too. He began typing furiously on his keyboard and the Camera zoomed in on Shadow, who was skating at speeds Tails only assumed Sonic was capable of. "This is incredible! SONIC, COME SEE!" Tails yelled excitedly. Sonic walked in a few minutes later to see both of his friends with they're jaws wide open.
"What's up?" Sonic asked, then looked at the simulation through the window and saw his ghost running at his usual speeds. He grinned widely as he saw a black blur right next to his ghost. "That's pretty amazing! Finally, I have someone to race!" Sonic himself wanted to race Shadow for real, but alas he was injured, so he could not.
Suddenly Tails computer started beeping. Tails shut down the Simulation, leaving a confused Shadow. "Hold Shadow, we have an emerald on the radar, A Chaos emerald." Tails said, realizing that Shadow probably didn't know what they are.
"I see. I've heard of them but I've never been near one. The Professor did not let me near one, said I was not ready." Shadow said.
"Knuckles is already going after it, so we shouldn't have to worry. Instead, why don't you tell us about yourself and then we'll go show you the world." Tails proposed. He wanted to know more about this Ultimate Life Form.
"Sounds good to me." Shadow nodded, leaving the simulation room.
After a few minutes everyone was in the living room, ready to hear Shadow's story. "Well, orbiting the earth is the Space Colony Ark, my birth place. You see, I'm not exactly a hedgehog, I was bio-engineered by the brilliant Prof. Gerald Robotnik almost fifty years ago." Shadow explained.
"I've heard of him! Wasn't he killed for crimes against humanity?" Tails asked, his eyes widening
"Yes, he was. But his crimes were not against humanity." Shadow's hands tightened in anger as he snarled. "He did not commit any crimes at all. They were afraid of me…Originally I was a cure designed for his Granddaughter Maria. She was a sweet girl…She was like a mother to me." His eyes softened and he dropped his snarl.
"What happened to her?" Sonic asked quietly. He could tell it was something he would dread, especially since Shadow's expressions were changing frequently.
"Well, the G.U.N.'s idea changed when they saw the capabilities I held. So they slowly began changing me into a weapon. Super speed, amazing strength, intelligence, agile, ruthless, the ability to sense Chaos Emeralds, and my perpetual existence." Shadow sighed. "I have many more abilities but they are too much too list."
"Uh...what's perpetual?" Sonic asked scratching his ear.
"It means he can't age Sonic." Tails explained, and then turned to Shadow. "But how did they do that?"
"I was created using the seven Chaos emeralds, anything is possible with those." Shadow said. "Maria taught me how to care, read, many other things. She was my best friend. However, G.U.N. realized I had become too powerful, not too mention that for some reason, Gerald had built a cannon into the ARK. G.U.N.'s orders were very specific, seize the Professor, and eliminate me. Maria and I tried to escape, but she was shot in the process…"
Amy gasped at this, while Sonic and Tails nodded grimly. Death is never an easy thing, especially when it's someone close to you.
"She sealed me into a pod and shot me down to earth. G.U.N. found me and put me in suspended animation. The rest you know." Shadow finished. "It was Gerald's dying wish that I destroy all of humankind, but Maria would have wanted me to give them a chance, and so I will."
"I'm glad you are! I don't think I could stop you in my current state." Sonic chuckled, causing Shadow to crack a smile. "You have my speed and more."
Just then, Shadow stiffened up, his ears perking up. His breath became ragged, scaring everyone slightly. "What is it?" Tails asked cautiously, but Shadow just ignored him.
His sight became tunneled, literally. He stood up just as the door opened, revealing Knuckles the Echidna. And in his hand was the cobalt Chaos Emerald, shining in all its glory. "Mission was a success guys!" Knuckles then noticed Shadow. "Oh you must be Shadow…why are you looking at me like that…."
Shadow stepped towards Knuckles, eyes on the Chaos Emerald, but it felt more like he was being pulled. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to have it! "That emerald…."
"Uh, yeah, it's a Chaos Emerald." Sonic said. "What's wrong dude?" Sonic placed his hand upon Shadow's shoulder, but he just kept moving slowly towards Knuckles, ignoring the existence of anyone and anything else.
"Back up, buddy. I don't swing that way." Knuckles said cautiously, oblivious to the situation. "What's happening Tails?"
"I-I don't know." Tails stammered. Sure the Emerald was alluring, but this was ridiculous! It was like...like... "I got it! He said he could since the Chaos emeralds, but he also said Prof. Robotnik said he wasn't ready for them, so that must mean his senses have taken over!"
But no sooner had Tails finished his explanation, the Shadow, as well as the Emerald, was on the other side of room. Everyone, including Sonic was amazed at how fast it had had happened. "They said…I was not ready…if only they could see me now." Shadow wore a malicious grin as he stared into the Chaos emerald, holding it above his head.
"What's he going to do?" Sonic asked. "I wonder if…"
"CHAOS…CONTROL!" Shadow shouted, gripping the Chaos emerald tightly. A bright light flashed, blinding the others as Shadow disappeared.
