Shadow examined the wreck of what he now assumed was an extra terrestrial escape pods. One thruster poked out into the air with the nose buried deep into where the great oak had stood. The symbol on the door was still clearly visible.
A quick call to GUN had got the park quarantined without any questions, much to the distress of the early city dwellers out for a stroll. Soon there was a large group of people complaining loudly just over the hill. Shadow couldn't care less if a few mornings were ruined, there was a possible global disaster about to occur and these people were having a cry over a few acres of park. What was wrong with these people?
Shadow moved down into the pod. Inside was bare, with only one welded down chair and a metal box. The only interesting thing were the sets long gashes had been made in the back an along the edges of the door. These puzzled Shadow, as they indicated that someone had tried to get out of the pod.
"Was that creature locked in here against his will? If so, why wasn't he bound?" Shadow took a step back to get a closer look at the scratches. As he did so, his foot knocked against something on the floor, making a loud clang. He looked down to find what resembled a TV remote, except a million times more complex. Shadow tried to pick it up, but there were too many buttons to avoid, and he definitely didn't want to press any before he knew what it was.
"Hey Rouge," he called outside. "I think I've found something."
"'bout time!" Rouge said as she joined him inside. "What is it?"
"It looks like a controller of some sort. What do you think?"
"Whatever it is, it's sure complex," she said, examining it more closely. "I wonder what it does." She went to pick it up, but Shadow stopped her.
"It could activate something deadly," he warned her.
"Or it could be an extraterrestrial television remote." She went to grab it but Shadow snatched it from beneath her fingers. In doing so, he pressed a good half the buttons with his palm. The black hedgehog's body gave a violent spasm and he dropped the remote cursing.
"What the fuck was that?!" he cursed. Rouge took a closer look at the remote. He'd dropped it on the opposite side, so a screen with a glowing hedgehog on it was clearly visible. She poked one of the buttons. The cyber hedgehog's shoulder glowed. At the same time Shadow rolled his shoulder.
"Interesting," Rouge thought to herself.
"What's interesting?" Rouge was surprised that Shadow had read her so quickly, but she'd gotten used to these small unexpected skills of the ultimate life form. Maybe if he showed some sort of happy emotion, then she'd really be surprised.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think that this might be a Black Arms genetic controller."
"Meaning it controls Black Doom's DNA?" Shadow guessed. Rouge nodded.
"We found a few in the remains of the Black Comet, but never anything this advanced before. Usually all they have is a big button to stop the target's movement altogether. But this one seems to affect all of the movements precisely. I wonder why Black Doom didn't have one this advanced himself."
"Maybe he did." Shadow pointed to the gashes in the door. "Maybe he found it too dangerous to keep but needed it for the Earth invasion, and sent our grey friend to deliver it to him when the time was right." Rouge looked at him doubtfully.
"That's a bit of a stretch Shad, especially since it landed a good year off target."
"You got a better idea?" Rouge didn't, so she just pouted. "We'd better get Tails to look at it before we inform GUN." The bat nodded and both left the wreckage.
Mercury had to admit that he was lost. Everything here was unfamiliar to him: the buildings, the streets and the people. His scattered memories didn't help him as he looked over the masses of poor and homeless littered in the streets between massive stone skyscrapers. He'd asked a few people for help, but they all looked at him strangely and kept walking. Most of them were dressed in little more then rags. He guessed he did look a bit strange with his cloak and skintight suit. The inhabitants of this planet obviously had a different sense of style to wherever he came from.
"So I'm from a different planet," he thought as he continued to walk. "That explains why no one recognizes me. I wonder if anyone from another planet is here. What did that fox call me, Black Arms. Sounds like the military." Mercury was so deep in thought that he didn't watch where he was going and tripped over someone sitting on the curb.
"Hey!" a female voice yelled as he tripped over the tightly wrapped figure. Mercury fell, but rolled through it to get up again.
"My apologies madam," he said, turning round. The girl he'd knocked over was a hedgehog with tarnished gold quills that hung down over her eyes. He guessed she was fourteen, but she was so malnourished that it was hard to tell and grime obscured her face. A torn shirt and jeans that were far too small were all that she wore besides her dirty blanket. Toothpicks and matches were scattered where she'd dropped them.
"Why don't you look where you're going instead of apologizing like a lord," she said back. Her blue eyes shone through the grime on her face as she looked him up and down. "What are you, a fricken alien?" She started scrambling round on the sidewalk to pick up her sticks, probably her only form of income. Mercury bent to help her, but she swatted him away. "Just get moving," she spat. The cat turned to go, but something caught at him. He could help this poor soul, and it wasn't as if it was putting him out or anything.
"All she'll do is hinder you!" a voice said in his head.
"She doesn't deserve this!" another argued back. "Give her something to help her."
"You must find Shadow!"
"Just a few minutes. She may help you in your quest." Mercury stood still for a few seconds, deciding. Finally he turned back to the hedgehog, noticing what he thought resembled a diner across the street. He knelt down beside her scrambling fingers, but she didn't look up.
"Why are you back?" she muttered.
"What's your name?" he asked her.
"Cassandra. Why do you care?"
"Well Cassandra, how'd you like some food?" Her neck snapped up, her eyes shining with surprise and joy.
"Really?!" Her voice was full of hope. Mercury nodded.
"It's the least I can do." He moved towards the diner, beckoning for her to follow. She followed slowly at first and then began to catch up as he crossed the street. Suddenly she stopped as he reached the middle of the road.
"Move!" He turned round in confusion.
BEEP BEEP!
A giant garbage truck was thundering straight towards his, a good five tonne of second rate metal. Mercury was straight in its path, with no possible way to escape being squashed. The girl he was helping covered her eyes so as to avoid the inevitable horror of Mercury's demise.
Mercury had a different idea. Instead of panicking, he simply made a sudden upwards movement with his hand. His powers grasped the metal that made the vehicle and sent it into the air. The giant truck flew over Mercury's head and landed harmlessly behind him and continued down the hill. The few onlookers stood stock still in shock. Mercury continued to the other side of the street and turned to Cassandra, who still stood with her eyes covered, nearly crying.
"You coming?" he called. She looked up and, after a few seconds of shock, ran over the street and into the café after him.
Mercury picked out a table near a window and began to scan over the menu. Cassandra ran quickly through the diner and sat opposite him.
"What was that?!" she hissed.
"What?" he asked without looking up from the menu.
"Don't give me that! You just sent an entire truck sailing over your head. Now who are you really? People with your type of power don't just appear out of nowhere." Mercury shrugged.
"Honestly I was hoping you could tell me. I seem to have lost my memory." He scanned the menu a last time before a waitress walked over.
"What'll it be hon?" the waitress asked.
"I'll have a steak and…" Mercury looked over at Cassandra.
"I'm not hungry," she lied. A growl from her stomach said otherwise.
"She'll have…" the cat looked over the menu a last time, picking a dish at random. "The steak burger." The waitress nodded and left them together.
"Have you ever heard of anyone with my type of power?" Mercury asked her. She shook her head and remained silent. Mercury tried a few more times to start a conversation, but to no avail. Finally their food came out. Mercury thanked the waitress and began to eat. Cassandra hesitated, staring at the burger in front of her with hungry eyes. "Go on, eat," Mercury urged her. After another second, Cassandra began to eat the burger ravenously like a starved animal. Her fringe fell into her food, but she made no move to clear them. The ferocity struck Mercury.
"I didn't realize she was this hungry!" he thought. "I would have helped her sooner."
"You see what your good acts can do," the same voice from before told him. "Think of what more acts like this could do."
"But if you can do this for others," the sinister copy of the other voice said. "Imagine what you could do for yourself."
The front door banging open stopped his trail of thought. He looked over the top of his chair at who had just entered. Cassandra, her face covered in a layer of food, did the same. A muscle-bound bear had slammed the door open. He had black fur, torn clothes and multiple battle scars. Most obvious was the shotgun he held in his hands.
"Damn it," Cassandra cursed under her breath. "Not you!" Mercury looked at her curiously. The man could be militia, or a poor police man for all he knew. Maybe that's how law enforcement dressed around here. The giant bear raised the gun and fired it into the roof.
Bang!
"Everyone on the ground!" he roared. "This is a hold-up." The few patrons in the diner either ducked under the tables or completely ignored it. This sort of thing probably happened weekly, possibly daily in this sort of place. The waitress from before ran out of the kitchen.
"Ok, ok Gary," she said soothingly. "I'll give you the till. Just don't hurt anyone this time." The bear, Gary, snorted, but lowered the firearm and started to walk between the isles. Cassandra sank deep into her chair, trying to hide from him, but to no avail. As he passed, Gary looked down and saw her. A smile spread over his scarred face.
"Well, well, what do we have here? If it isn't the little squealer who sent me into jail. How are you Cassie?"
"Get away from me Gary," she said quietly. The bear continued to smile.
"Now is that any way to treat the man of your dreams?" He went to stroke her face but she bit at his hand. Gary pulled away, growling. "You just crossed the line, missy!"
"I'd rather die then have you touch me again!" the hedgehog hissed.
"That can be arranged." Gary hefted the shotgun at Cassandra's forehead. In credit to her, she barely flinched as the steel touched her skin. Everyone in the room was watching, but no one moved to help her. Well, almost no one.
"I'd suggest you leave," Mercury said to the bear. "Now!" Gary was surprised that anyone dared to say anything. Usually they just stood like statues as he did what he wanted. Certainly someone this thin never stood up to him.
"Who's this Cassie?" he laughed. "You're boyfriend? I'm surprised anyone would go near you, you little bitch!"
"Leave him out of this!"
"No way!" Gary removed the barrel from Cassandra's head and pointed it at Mercury instead. "How about you? Has she told you what she is yet?" Where Cassandra had barely flinched, Mercury didn't move an inch.
"I don't really care," Mercury said bluntly. "Are you going to fire anytime soon?" The statement took Gary by surprise. He'd never been asked to fire before in his life.
"Guess you want to die then. Fine." He pulled the trigger on the shotgun.
Bang!
Five metal pebbles slammed into Mercury's head. He collapsed forward onto the counter, the thud muffled by Cassandra's scream.
"Now that he's out of the way," the gigantic bear sneered. "Where were we?" He moved to touch Cassandra again. The girl was shivering uncontrollably from fear and shock. As he came close to her a movement from the bench top stopped him. The grey cat pushed himself, tapping his cranium a few times.
"Let's see," he muttered, completely oblivious to the shocked people staring at him. He concentrated for a second or two, and then shook his head. "Nothing." He turned to the stunned Gary. "Thought that might trigger some memories, but no luck. Now, are you going to surrender?" Gary looked clueless for a few seconds, but this was soon replaced by fear and anger.
"No demon's going to take me to hell!" he screamed and fired the shotgun again. Mercury raised his hand, his powers stopping the shards of metal dead. A smile spread across the cat's face unbidden and his stance seemed to change. He appeared confident and strong, authority rippling from him like a wave.
"Trust me," he hissed through his teeth. "Hell is too good for you!" Two of the pellets flew back through Gary's arms, splintering the bone. Another two shattered his kneecaps, forcing the now sobbing bear to the ground. Mercury stood over him, his grey fur, eyes, nearly insane smile and swirling black cloak making him look every part the fallen angel. Putting two fingers to his head, he extracted the pellets of the first shot from his skull. He allowed them to float above Gary's head before he prepared to send them back into the crying felon.
"Stop!" Mercury turned to see who had spoken. It was Cassandra. "Don't kill him. Please. I don't want more death on my conscious." Mercury thought for a few seconds.
"He's tried to kill you!" the dark voice hissed in his head. "Who cares what the girl thinks!"
"You can't make the call!" The light voice countered. "You've guessed this isn't your home, so let them decide."
"Fine." The floating pellets merged together to form one piece of metal that then gagged Greg as if by it's own accords. Cassandra came up to the bear and, completely without warning, punched his knee. Greg screamed through the solid gag.
"Maybe now you won't pick on little people now, you bully!" Mercury raised his eyebrow. The insanity of a few seconds before had seemed to pass.
"I thought you didn't want him hurt."
"I said I didn't want him dead," Cassandra snapped. "The longer he lives, the more he suffers." Mercury shrugged. To some part of him this made sense. The waitress crept out from behind the counter where she'd been hiding.
"You'll probably want to call whatever law enforcement is here." The waitress nodded dumbly.
"You saved us," she said hoarsely. How can we repay you?" Mercury thought for a second.
"I don't suppose you could cancel the bill?" he asked. "I'm kind of broke."