AN: I welcome you to my new Sonic series, Sonic Legends. This series is meant as a reboot to the entire Sonic series. The same characters, locations, and objects will still exist. However, some characters will have different backstories as you're about to read here. That being said, some attacks and characters are narrated differently. I'm well aware of the attacks different Sonic characters can use, I'm just narrating it differently to give it that "never-before-seen" feel. Also, at the end of each episode, there'll be a theme section which will list the different themes used through the story during certain events. However, since this is the "pilot" episode, there aren't many big events happening here so there won't be a lot of themes being listed. Also, if you have any questions about the episode (locations, characters, attacks, etc.) feel free to PM me and I'll do my best to explain. Now, I present to you, Sonic Legends episode one, "Shadow".
Sonic's running through the streets of Empire City, dodging fire from Egg Gunners who're pursuing him.
"Doesn't Eggman have any regard for life?!" Sonic said to himself as he continued to run down the heavily populated streets.
Whether Sonic would shift left or right, bullets would still be blazing past him.
"Okay, I've had enough of this!"
Sonic immediately jumped up and used his Homing Attack on the Egg Gunners chasing him. Sonic landed back on the ground and continued to run again, unaware that there was one more Egg Gunner chasing after him. As Sonic continued to run, the Egg Gunner got closer and closer to Sonic until he felt a pinch on the back of his shoulder. When Sonic turned around, he saw a needle, which was attached to a steel cable, injected into his shoulder. Sonic quickly did a backflip, detaching the needle from his shoulder, and then took out the Egg Gunner with a Homing Attack. When Sonic landed back on the ground, he took a look at the Egg Gunner.
"How did I miss that one?" Sonic said to himself as he rubbed his shoulder.
Sonic, again, quickly ran off. As Sonic ran off, the needle detached from the steel cable revealing to be attached to a small test tube which was filled with a red substance. The test tube then protracted four, small robotic legs and began walking away.
Sonic went to Empire Park, which sits in the middle of Empire City. It's also the home to Tails who built his workshop there. But Tails isn't the only one who lives there. Sonic's also Tails' roommate. When Sonic got to Tails' workshop, he knocked on the door which was immediately answered by the yellow fox himself, Tails.
"Hiya, Sonic!" Tails said in an excited tone.
"Hey, pal!" Sonic replied.
Sonic made his way in and sat down on the couch near the door.
"Eggman's just never gonna stop trying to kill me. I ran into more of his mechs today."
"You should've told me you ran into trouble. I would've just powered the Tornado and-"
"It was nothing I couldn't handle, Tails. I'm just getting tired of always fighting Eggman's failures of robots."
"True. His robot designs are flawed."
"Flawed is an understatement."
Tails chuckled.
"Say, where's Knuckles?" Sonic asked.
"On Angel Island over the East River guarding the Master Emerald."
"Knuckles needs to take a break from that. I can't even imagine how bored he must be."
Meanwhile, on Angel Island…
With his eyes closed, Knuckles lies under the shadow of the Master Emerald with a warm breeze flowing through the air.
"This is the best job in the world. I can't think of anything better than this." Knuckles said to himself.
Back at Tails' workshop…
"I'm sure he likes it. If he didn't, why would he be doing it?" Tails commented.
"I dunno. He said something about it being his destiny or fate or something."
"Well, I'm pretty sure he's fine with it."
Sonic grabbed the remote off the table in front of him and turned on the TV.
Meanwhile, at Eggman's secret underground base...
The small, mobile test tube arrived at Eggman's base and stopped itself before the doctor.
"Ah! My bio sample." Eggman said as he picked up the test tube.
Eggman inserted the test tube into a console which uploaded the red substance, which was a DNA sample, to his main computer. The display showed Sonic's blood cells. Eggman then tapped on one of the red blood cells to zoom in on a DNA strand.
"Very interesting…"
Eggman tapped the DNA strand and started isolating certain parts of it. He then dragged the isolated parts to another screen where he recreated the DNA strand only entirely made up of the parts he isolating from the previous one.
"Yes…yes…" Eggman said to himself.
Eggman proceeded to copy the DNA strand multiple times before ejecting the test tube from the console. Eggman then inserted the test tube into a machine and stood back and waited for the results.
"If this works, my Life Egg will create my greatest creation yet. Sonic…prepare to meet your doom."Eggman said to himself.
A green light on top of the Life Egg lit up, as smoke came flowing out of the exhaust vents of the machine. A door on the Life Egg raised as a silhouette of a hedgehog is seen walking forward.
"Yes…" Eggman said as he rubbed his hands together with excitement.
As the hedgehog continued to walk forward, out of the machine, the smoke cleared as the hedgehog became visible: a black and red hedgehog with a white patch of fur on its chest, and upward quills similar to Sonic's when he's in his super form.
"My most brilliant creation yet. He's everything Sonic's not. He can do things Sonic can't." Eggman said to himself.
The hedgehog approached Eggman and stared at him.
"I am Dr. Eggman, your new master. Here. These are hover shoes that I personally designed which enable you to travel at high speeds. I'm also giving you these rings and these gloves which have these cuffs attached to them. The gloves are just for the sake of wearing. However, these rings, when removed, grant you access to an immense amount of power. When you wear the rings, you're building up your reserve power. Your powerful enough, but if you need a boost, remove them and that reserved power will explode outward in a devastating and lethal attack."
The hedgehog puts on the hover shoes, gloves, and rings.
"Now, for your task: kill Sonic." Eggman said as he showed a holographic picture of Sonic to the hedgehog.
"You'll wait in the shadows until Sonic's in sight. Then you take him down without mercy. Don't stop until he's dead. Hmm…shadow…what a brilliant name…Understand, Shadow?"
The hedgehog continued to look at Eggman.
"I want an answer. Do you understand?"
The hedgehog suddenly jumped up and roundhouse kicked Eggman in the face.
"I don't know who you think you are, but I don't take orders from anyone. You may have created me, but that doesn't mean I have to do your bidding. Goodbye, doctor."
The hedgehog disappeared in a blue flash.
As Eggman got up, he rubbed his face.
"Apparently I've made a mistake in design. I'll have to go back to the drawing board. But first…"
Eggman gets on his wrist communicator.
"Attention all Egg Gunners on patrol: be on the lookout for a red and black hedgehog. I want him back here alive! As for Sonic, I'll take care of him myself."
Back at Empire City…
Sonic's standing on the top of a skyscraper overlooking the city.
"This is a pretty good view. I can see the whole city from here!"
While Sonic's overlooking the city, Sonic sees some explosions happening in the distance. He also sees some Egg Gunners getting thrown about.
"Eggman!" Sonic said before he raced off to the scene.
When Sonic arrived, he saw a black and red hedgehog fighting off a bunch of Egg Gunners. The hedgehog jumped into the air and threw a bunch of yellow, lightning bolts at the mechs which destroyed them. As the hedgehog landed back on the ground, he saw another group of Egg Gunners approaching fast. As he was about to attack, Sonic intervenes.
"Don't worry, I got your back!" Sonic said as began attacking the mechs.
"What?" the hedgehog said, confused.
Sonic used his Spin Dash to take out the group of mechs that were headed toward the hedgehog. Once the mechs were destroyed, Sonic returned to the black hedgehog.
"I thought I was Eggman's only big target around here. Why's he after you?"
The hedgehog roundhouse kicked Sonic in the face and then pinned him down on the ground by stepping on his neck.
"Listen to me. I don't like when a fight is finished for me. I can fight my own battles and I don't need any help, especially from someone like you. Now get lost before you end up dead."
Sonic used his Spin Dash to get Shadow off of him and landed in a fighting stance.
"Do you wanna tell me what that was all about?"
"Mind your own business."
"Eggman's after me too. I thought I would lend you a hand since the same person who's out for you is out for me."
"I have my own reasons as to why he's after me. As a matter of fact, I'm not even that concerned. I don't even consider him a threat."
"We're talking about the same Eggman, right? Kinda fat, comical mustache…"
"Yes, we are talking about the same Eggman. I just don't take him as a threat. Fighting his mechs is a waste of my power."
"Well, how about you use some of that power to help me take him down so the city can be safe again."
"I have better things to do."
As the hedgehog began to walk away, Sonic called out to him.
"HEY! You have a name, don't you? Mind sharing it?"
There was a brief pause.
"I'm Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog." Shadow said as he looked behind his shoulder.
"I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog."
"Wait." Shadow said as he turned around.
"Sonic the Hedgehog?"
"Yeah, what's the problem?"
"The doctor talked about you."
"You talked to Eggman?"
"I was in his lab not too long ago."
"What were you doing there?"
"That's where I was created."
"Created…?" Sonic said in confusion.
"Yes. After my creation, he ordered me to kill you."
"So, you're just another one of Eggman's mechs!" Sonic said as he got in a fighting stance.
"I'm no mech. I'm organic. I escaped when I told him that I don't take orders from anybody. It's only logical that he would send his robots after me."
"I see. You're just another one of Eggman's failed experiments." Sonic said with a chuckle.
Shadow looked at Sonic with hated as he disappeared.
"Huh?" Sonic said as he looked around, confused.
Shadow appeared behind Sonic and punched him in the back of the head before disappearing again.
"Where'd you go?! Come back!" Sonic yelled.
Shadow appeared again, grabbed Sonic's arm, threw him a hundred feet in the air, flew after him using his Hover Shoes, and used his lightning attack causing him to come crashing back to the ground. As Sonic struggled to get up, Shadow stood over him.
"If you say that again, that will be the very…last…thing…you do…besides breathing your last breath. Got it, hedgehog?" Shadow said in a vicious tone.
"W-what did you…hit me…with?"
"Beats me. But I'll do it again if you're not careful…joker."
Shadow suddenly disappeared in a blue flash as Sonic struggled to get up.
When Sonic was able to get up, he got on his wrist communicator and called Tails.
"What's up, Sonic?"
"I'm gonna need you to come get me. I'm pretty banged up."
"What happened?"
"I'll explain later. Just…get here fast."
"Don't worry, Sonic! I'll hop in the Tornado and be there faster than you can count!"
"Thanks, buddy."
As Sonic hung up, he laid on a nearby wall, awaiting Tails.
"Did Eggman really create this Shadow character? And was his initial goal really to kill me? But…why didn't he? His I don't take orders from anybody attitude may be the only reason I'm still alive. I mean…he's pretty tough." Sonic thought to himself as he waited for Tails.
A few minutes later, back at Tails' workshop…
Covered in bruises, Sonic was laying on Tails' couch with an icepack on his head.
"You took quite a beating, Sonic. What happened?"
Sonic sat up while still holding the icepack to his head.
"This black hedgehog, who calls himself Shadow, was fighting some of Eggman's mechs. I rushed in to help him, and he suddenly attacks me. And one of his attacks was some kind of lightning bolt he would throw at me. What surprised me was how fast he beat me. I mean, I'm Sonic! I don't go down easy! Oh! He would also disappear and reappear in a blue flash."
"Wow, Sonic. This sounds like a serious enemy."
"I don't think he's my enemy. Basically he just told me to stay away from him."
"Considering how tough he is, I'd stay away from him."
"Are you kidding?!" Sonic said as he stood up, still holding the icepack to his head.
"I'm not going to make an effort to stay outta his way! If we cross paths again, I'll deal with him."
"Careful, Sonic. You don't know too much about this character yet. He could be a lot more powerful."
"Regardless of what he did, I still think he would make a good partner." Sonic said as he sat back down.
"What? You wanna team up with this guy?! Sonic, he could've killed you!"
"One, have you met me? Nothing and no one can kill me."
"I know you don't mean in the indestructible sense-"
"TWO, if we teamed up Eggman could be gone just like that." Sonic said as he snapped his fingers.
"It's your call, Sonic. Just be careful."
"Me, being careful?"
"True." Tails said with a chuckle.
"Just know what you're getting yourself into."
"I do." Sonic said with a thumbs up.
Somewhere in Empire City…
Shadow sits on the ledge of a billboard, which overlooks the city.
"Maybe the doctor wants this Sonic character dead because he's so annoying." Shadow thought to himself.
"Seems like a waste of resources to send killer robots out to destroy someone just because they're annoying, especially if they don't present themselves as a threat. And I've been around that blue hedgehog enough to know he's not a threat. Speaking of threats, I wonder what that lightning attack was I performed back there. I didn't even know I could do that."
Shadow looked down at hands and grabbed his right wrist.
"It just seemed so…natural. I wonder what else I'm capable of…besides what the doctor told me."
Suddenly, Shadow felt like something was trying to get his attention. Shadow closed his eyes and put his hand on his head.
"Gah…what is…this feeling…? It feels like…something's…calling me…"
Shadow stood up, jumped off the ledge of the billboard and followed his sense. Eventually, it led Shadow to the marina of Empire City.
"Why did this…feeling…lead me here?" Shadow thought to himself as he looked around the marina, filled with boats, parasailers, and surfers.
"The water…the birds…the wind…it's very…peaceful here…" Shadow thought as he walked around the marina.
As Shadow approached the end of a dock, the feeling got stronger. Shadow went down on one knee, unable to stand, and then landed on his hands.
"What…is…this…?" Shadow said as he tried to keep himself from falling over.
Something suddenly caught Shadow's eye. He saw something green floating in the water, but couldn't make it would because of the cracks in the dock. Shadow looked under the dock to see a green emerald floating in the water.
"What?" Shadow said in confusion.
Shadow picked up the emerald and inspected it.
"This must be what that feeling led me to."
Shadow looked deep into the emerald, able to see his own reflection.
"So that's what I look like." Shadow thought as he wiped off the water on the emerald with his gloves.
As Shadow continued to hold the emerald, he noticed something.
"Hmm…I'm starting to feel…stronger…this…power…it feels…good…" Shadow thought to himself.
Hearing a noise, Shadow turned around to see three Egg Gunners heading straight for him. Automatically, Shadow held the emerald toward the Egg Gunners, causing them to slow down.
"I didn't even know I could do that. The way I just did that felt almost like…an instinct." Shadow said to himself, shocked.
Shadow stepped out of the way and a few seconds later time sped up and the Egg Gunners fell off the dock into the water.
"It would appear I'm far more powerful than I once thought. And this emerald enhanced my powers. It appears I have the power to control time." Shadow said to himself.
Shadow looked at the emerald as it glimmered in the sunlight.
"I wonder if they're anymore of these emeralds out there. And if there are, I want to find them. If this one emerald granted me the ability to control time, I wonder what the other emeralds could grant me…if they're out there." Shadow thought.
As Shadow thought about the endless possibilities that could be opened for him if he collected all the emeralds, a sinister smile appeared on his face as he gripped the green emerald.
.
.
.
Themes Used Throughout the Story
The Birth of Shadow - "Boss Battle: Time Eater Version 1"
