Chapter Two - The Black Knight Rises
Shadow stood there, watching the werewolf run into the night. What had he just seen? What had he just heard? He had allowed the werewolf to push past him, he had let him go. He had seen something in those eyes of the that werewolf. They were eyes he knew, Sonic's eyes.
Shadow was deep in thought. He had seen more on the last few hours that he couldn't explain, then all of his life put together. He had seen Jet turn into that monster, and then see the werewolf violently attack him. Even in Shadow's opinion, the attack was brutal, the attack was savage. It surprised him. Shadow was a professional assassin, a contract killer, violence was in his nature, but even he found it hard to stomach. That was why he had pulled his guns on the werewolf, he wanted it dead. He felt threatened by it. He may have seen Jet turn into that monster, but he didn't actually see Sonic transform. Shadow smirked. Transform! Is that what had happened to him? What had happened to them both?
Shadow cast his mind to the blue hedgehog. Shadow found the him properly the most irritating person he knew. So jolly, constantly optimistic and when they were alone, ridiculously giggly. He drove Shadow demented, but he knew that the guy was harmless. He would never hurt anyone, let alone kill. Shadow could see it in his eyes, and from the large amount of white chaos aura that surrounded Sonic everywhere he when. As another high-level chaos creature, able to manipulate the Chaos Emeralds, Shadow knew he was the only one there who could see it, and it clashed beautifully with his own black, dark chaos aura. That was another reason why the hedgehog ground on his nerves.
Despite that, when given the choice, Shadow would take Sonic and his friends, over Eggman, any day, and that was exactly what he did. After his episode with the Ark after his first appearance, he had gone to them. He was received with a lot of aggression, and was asked to leave, but Sonic convinced his friends to give the black hedgehog a chance to prove his trustworthiness, which he since done, repeatedly. Sonic was the only one who stood up for him, and the question Shadow wanted to know was, why? He felt that he didn't deserve it, and felt he had never gotten a straight answer out of the hedgehog when he asked. Sonic would exclaim that that he gave everybody a chance. Shadow knew this was bull. There was a lot more to it then that.
He choose Sonic and his friends, because they never told him what to do. Requested his help, made suggestions, yes, but never gave him a direct order, which Eggman constantly did. He felt here that he was free, free to make a choice, to help them or not. Freedom was something Shadow's life had been constantly been lacking. Imprisoned from birth, forced to carry out orders against his will, freedom was something he cherished whenever it came in his direction. This low-life group of juvenile sapients gave him some freedom, and he was willing to put up the stupid antics to have it.
Since then, for most missions, Shadow had always been paired with Sonic. Shadow always hated this, preferring to work alone. Sonic, on the other hand, loved it, to Shadow's great irritation. But he had to admit it, the kid was good. In battles against Eggman, nobody on the planet could match him, on speed, power and the shear craziness of what Shadow could do. When the two hedgehogs were really on the ball, their teamwork was deadly. Not even Eggman would cross them, if they were together.
'Not bad' Shadow used to think. 'For a mere mortal!' he'd smirk. But after tonight, Shadow genuinely didn't know what to think. After years of working together, Shadow had grown rather fond of his blue rival, even though he still irritated him. He would often sort him out when bored, for a rival match or just for the company, and he was beginning to take huge pleasure out of bullying the blue hedgehog. Sonic was so naive around Shadow, the kid would just take the bait, every time. Sonic didn't make him feel like an outcast. He trusted him completely. Shadow got the impression none his friends did.
He knew that hedgehog. Shadow frowned. Correction. He thought he knew him. Could that werewolf really be his friend? Shadow's frown deepened. To say friend was pushing it. Allie, acquaintance, maybe, but true friend, no. There were only two people who fit that description. Rouge and E123 Omega. They had earned that title with him, and yet, he had spent more time with Sonic, then two of them put together. Why was he drawn to him? Shadow mentally slapped himself in the face, not quick believing he had just admitted that. He was not drawn to that blue idiot, Sonic kept following him about, claiming he just happened to be passing, a lot.
Shadow sighed. The moonlight shining down on his face and there was murmuring of voices behind him. Voices. That voice. His ears were still ringing from it. Shadow had noticed that he was the only one who had heard it. How was that possible? A migraine was now fully set in his head it had been so loud, but that was not what was concerning him. His name had been screamed at him, but he didn't exactly 'hear' it. It appear inside in head, right in the heart of his mind, completely out of nowhere, seriously making him jump. He instantly recognised it as Sonic's 'voice', but it wasn't what Sonic had said that got to Shadow, it was how he said it.
Shadow had never heard his name being said, with so much heartache, pain and shear desperation, before today.
'Actually.' Shadow thought 'There was one time before.' he paused and closed his eyes. 'Maria!'.
She had said his name exactly like that, just before she died, pleading with him to help the people of this planet. Shadow had never truly found closure over her death. He had accepted what had happened, but he could never truly move on. He had loved her too much. Shadow was a not a evil hedgehog, and despised anyone calling him such. He, unlike Eggman, had a heart. It was as cold, hard and dark as he was, but least he had one, unlike that pompous stuck up human. Shadow hated Eggman, it was one of the few things, Sonic and Shadow had in common, but for completely different reasons. Whenever Shadow worked for Eggman, he felt like he had lost some of his freedom, and he didn't like that.
Shadow was proud that he had a heart, but was very protective of it. It had a cold, hard shell around it and inside of it, was his compassion. Shadow was capable of compassion, but only at very specific times of his choosing. He loved Maria, she was the only person he had ever cracked the shell on his heart, got to the compassion within. Her death, had shattered his heart shell, ripped his compassion to pieces. This caused him so much pain, that he couldn't bear the same thing to happen again. It was why he was so defensive, why he never let anyone get close. Rouge had tried, and failed, spectacularly. He liked her, but as a work colleague and a friend, but not as a lover, he wasn't interested. Shadow didn't know what he wanted.
But that voice, Sonic's voice, inside his head, it had pulled on his heartstrings, causing a small crack in the shell.
'What!' Shadow thought. 'Why?' He wanted answers. Sonic 'voice' in his head had been desperate for him to stop, not to shoot him. If Sonic was that werewolf, then why did he attack Jet so violently? What was he trying to tell him? How had he done it? How did he speak to him that way? Shadow didn't know the answers to any of these, as he opened his eyes and turned around to face the mangled mess of fur and blood, that was Jet on the floor.
The other sapients were still staring at him and Jet. Confusion reigned. Storm grabbed him.
"What did you let him go for?" The large bird screamed at him. "He's killed Jet!" Now all eyes were on Shadow. Shadow instinctively came to Sonic's defence.
"No! He didn't!" He said, automatically, without thinking. Then it hit him, hard. Shadow grabbed Storm's large, beefy arms, and with a surge of unknown strength that seemed to some from the moon itself, Shadow threw the large bird off of him. Everyone backed off, as he wheeled around and ran to Jet's side, placing a hand on the monster's neck. Wave screamed and complained.
"Shut up, you stupid girl!" Shadow shouted at her, anger ripping through his being. "He's still alive!" Silence fell on the party, at they came to check for themselves. Shadow backed off, and let them. He was right. Now he knew what Sonic was trying to tell him. He wasn't a killer, and now Shadow believed him. But he still didn't understand what had happen to him. There was frantic talk amongst the sapients as Jet's life was confirmed intact, and they moved him to a better location. Correction, Shadow, Storm and Knuckles moved him to Tails' house. It was the nearest place that any quantises of medical supplies to treat Jet's injuries. The body of that Jet monster was heavy, and it was one journey that Shadow would rather forget and quickly. It took all night to move him, and it was breaking dawn by the time they got him there. Those stupid Grand Prix officials never did come back with any help.
They got him to Tails' house and plonked him on one the sofas, and the kid fox began to clean him up, with help of Wave and Rouge. Amy, and Cream and Cheese were at the house waiting for them, and when they were told what had happened, also helped. Dawn broke through the windows, as the sun was raising, rays hitting the unconscious body of the Jet monster. Shadow stood to the side, in the shadows, his back against the wall and watched. He noticed the body shrink at the sun beamed in through the windows. They all stopped and watched. Jet's body began to reduce rapidly in size, his large beefy arms and claws, became small feathered arms and hands, his muscular legs shrank back to normal. His monstrous teeth in his beak melted away back to nothing. His large furred hide going to his green feathered plumage. He body shrank back to normal as he lay there on the sofa. Something large fell out of his large feathers on the back of his head, and chimed at it hit the floor. Confusion hit, as Rouge made a break to pick it up.
Shadow stamped his foot on the floor, hard, making a noise so loud, it made them all jump. They stared at him. Shadow had the authority of the group now, as he walked towards item on the floor. Rouge backed off.
"What is it?" she asked. Shadow knew what it was, it was why he was acting this way. He picked up the item.
"Its a syringe!" he said. "Don't touch it, we don't know whats in it." Shadow stared at it. It was huge, the biggest syringe he had ever seen. There were remonstrance of the contents still inside the casing, a fews drops of a bright purple liquid. He put the needle to his nose and sniffed, in the hope of catching the scent of the liquid within. Shadow's eyes when wide.
"What the...!" He exclaimed. Shadow knew that smell. He was geneticist. He had been working with various chemicals on the Ark for years. Chemicals that could change and manipulate genes and DNA, but he had never come across anything as advanced as this. He knew them so well because of their distinctive smells. This was some kind on Serum. Shadow was certain of that. That was how Jet has changed. Shadow eyes fell from the syringe to Jet.
"He had taken this, hadn't he?" He rounded on Wave, she bust into tears. Anger dwelled up inside again. Shadow repeated himself to her again, sharply. She nodded.
"What!" Said Tails, "Why? What's in it?"
Shadow told them of his suspicions.
Wave cried. Shadow rounded on her again, time for some answers.
"We thought it was a 'performance enhancer!'" She cried. "Jet had seen Sonic take it, just before the last Grand Prix, through the window, upstairs. We thought that was why he won." This piece of news hit Shadow like a sledge hammer, and found it very hard to believe. They all stared at her. They were all silent, allowing Shadow to take the lead. Wave continued."He has a box of them upstairs, under a loose floorboard, under his bed. That was where Jet said he found that, it was the only full one there."
At that point, Tails disappeared and within minutes, he was back downstairs, the black box in question in his hands, shaking uncontrollably. The box was opened and it was full of empty syringes. Shadow didn't believe it. Knuckles when white, and swore very loudly. They all looked at him. Seeing Sonic change, Knuckles had had his suspicions of what he was, but now it was confirmed.
"He's a Werewolf!" All these years he had been living with a werewolf, and he never knew. Anger swelled up inside of him. How could he be so stupid? He knew how dangerous they were. They all stared at him.
"A Werewolf?!" Shadow said, disbelieving. He was also well read, he knew what a werewolf was, but as far he was concerned, they were myth, nothing more. He laughed.
"If Sonic was a werewolf, then why hadn't he changed before last night then?"
Knuckles pointed at the syringes. "They must stop the changes when a full moon raises. But if Jet took his last dose, leaving him with nothing, then he would change as well."
Werewolf Serum. Shadow had heard of these power chemicals, but again, didn't believe they existed. Jet began to stir. He opened his eyes to the amazement of all of them staring at him.
"What!" Jet gasped, with a very cracked voice, looking around. "What happened? Did I win?" He said very naively.
A mixture of anger and astonishment swept through Shadow.
"You don't know?" He demanded. Jet shook his head. Shadow smirked. Then he realised what Sonic had done. He had saved them. He had saved them all. But at what cost.
"You turned into a mindless beast, and tried to kill everybody. If it wasn't for Sonic, we would all be dead. You owe him your life, we all do. How he managed stop you without killing you, is beyond me!" Shadow exclaimed. He never thought he'd be saying that about Sonic in his lifetime, but it was the truth. Jet looked scared, disbelieving. Shadow took the syringe and told Jet the full story.
Shadow sighed. "Your incredibly lucky to be alive." Jet bust into tears. Shadow's thoughts turned to Sonic. He had wronged him, he was not a mindless beast. Guilt now swelled up inside Shadow. He threw the syringe back in the box and made for door.
"Where are you going?" Tails exclaimed.
"I'm going to look for him!" He said opening the door. Shadow didn't need explain further. They all knew why. He left, slamming the door behind him. For a moment, he stood there, his head in his hands. He was sweating.
'He had saved us!' Shadow thought. Shadow realised that he must have been living the secret for years, and he gave up everything to save them. Knowing he would be forced to leave if they knew the truth. He was a werewolf and they never knew. Shadow knew the stories, that Werewolves were brutal, bloodthirsty, savage killing machines. He frowned. That was not Sonic. He was proved that today. Shadow suddenly felt the crack in his heart shell grow deeper. He groaned. Why was he feeling this way? Shadow wasn't interested like that. Sonic was a male hedgehog, he didn't swing that way.
'Technically.' Shadow thought. 'That wasn't true.' He'd try anything at least once. He had done in the past. A single tear fell down his face from one eye. He ran. He had to find him.