Chapter 2: Shadow's Quest
Power, it's not just an ambition. To our second hero, Shadow the Hedgehog, it's a way of life. The rush of adrenaline caused by reaching a new level of superiority is stronger than any drug. Therefore, Shadow searches for it relentlessly, hopelessly addicted, a slave to his own desire to become powerful for some undefined purpose. Was it to be able to take anything he desired, or was it to be able to please those he loved? Was it to overcome his enemies, or to protect his allies? He couldn't give you a direct answer if you asked him. "The ultimate life-form," genderless, though addressed as male, Shadow was over fifty years old, but his ageless body refused to be overpowered by time.
Shadow was now in an apartment, staying temporarily with his friend Rouge the Bat. He'd been staying here for almost a week now. The reason was simple. About a month ago, after Sonic defeated Super Mecha Sonic and destroyed Dr. Eggman's old laboratory, Shadow searched the remains of the lab and found an old book, which was authored by Dr. Gerald Robotnik, Dr. Eggman's grandfather as well as Shadow's creator. However, the book was completely coded, and he needed Rouge to help him decode it. Rouge deduced that the book could only be fully decoded by Dr. Eggman, but Rouge was able to decode a few words on a page containing plans of some sort: hedgehog, ultimate, chaos, and artificial. Shadow was convinced the page was about him, and the plans had something to do with him. Unfortunately, Rouge had been gone for several days now on classified business, and Shadow was stuck loafing around her apartment in solitude.
Feeling that his time was being wasted, Shadow reluctantly sat on Rouge's couch and switched on the television. The channel was already on the news, which showed a picture of a destroyed laboratory surrounded by police tape. The anchorwoman spoke, "This is the only photograph received from the scene yesterday, where a government agent discovered the new laboratory of the international criminal, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, otherwise known as Dr. Eggman. According to reports, the mad doctor was found dead in his laboratory by the agent, who saw the silhouette of a hedgehog leaving the scene, but the agent confirms that the silhouette was not of Shadow the Hedgehog. Investigators have concluded that Dr. Robotnik was beaten to death by someone shorter than him wearing gloves. Although police officials have refused to say anything about the matter, it's widely speculated that the doctor's death was caused by Sonic the Hedgehog, who was Robotnik's lifelong nemesis." Shadow turned off the television.
The black hedgehog looked down at his coded book. He clenched his fist. The door opened. Shadow looked at the door. It was Rouge. She had returned. Shadow stood up and confronted her, "What do you know about the death of Dr. Eggman?"
Rouge cocked her head to the side and looked innocently at Shadow. "I know the same things that you do, just what was said on the news."
Shadow's glare intensified. "Don't play dumb with me."
Rouge chuckled. "Alright, you got me. I was the government agent who found him dead. It'd better not have been you though because I already told everyone that you weren't anywhere close to the scene.
Shadow said, "Of course it wasn't me. I needed Eggman. He was the only way for me to finish decoding this page about my past. I've been cooped up here in your apartment waiting for you to get back from your 'trip.' "
Rouge smiled, "Aw, Shadow, you waited for little old me? You're such a sweetheart."
Shadow scowled, "Don't flatter yourself. I need you to decode this page for me. That's it."
Rouge chuckled again. "Whatever you say." Shadow walked to the door and began to exit the apartment. Rouge asked, "Where are you going?"
Shadow replied, "I'm going to find Sonic. He's the only clue I've got on this. If he's the one who killed Eggman, I need to know what happened, and he might know something about Eggman that could help us decode this book." Shadow grabbed a brown trench coat and a handgun. Then, he looked at Rouge. "Are you coming or not?"
Rouge grabbed a gun of her own and walked over to Shadow. "I'll be right by your side."
