Chapter 3

"Claws?" said Angel, confused.

"Heh heh! That's what they call me!" said Claws, joyfully.

Claws was a white bat, muscular figure, ruby-colored eyes, handsome, well dressed in black robes, and it looked as if he had lots of money. He gave off a serious type look, but he was rather naive and childish. He was seemed to be an overall nice guy.

Citrus started panicking. She was running all around Claws to get any "hints" about him. Like what he did for a living.

"Why are you here? Who is this Malum guy? What is your job? How do we know if we can trust--"

"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down Citrus! He is trying to help us!" said a helpful, Rini.

"I am here to help you guys. You see, Malum isn't a good guy. He wanted to try and take over the earth for one main reason: to find BOTH Ultimate Lifeforms. After, he finds them and uses their power he will try to enslave the Earth's people to do his evil things. As for my job, I am Malum's assistant," explained Claws.

"Wait, two Ultimate Lifeforms? I thought there was only one, Shadow," said Citrus.

"Well there is a lost document on a FEMALE Ultimate Lifeform, somewhere out there," he said.

"WAIT!! Isn't he going after Shadow then?" asked Rini.

"Well--"

There was a sudden crash through the window. It was the Black Hedgehog. He had a frantic look on his face.

"Where is he?" said the Black Hedgehog.

"We don't know what you are talking about, Shadow," said Citrus.

"Sh-Shadow?" said Angel.

Angel recognized him from earlier. She didn't know why he seemed so familiar. The dreams she has been having of him and the visions of them. It was all to much for her to handle. While she was thinking Shadow was trying to explain a man who sounded an awful a lot like Malum.

"That's Malum," said Claws.

"He attacked Citrus and me. But Angel saved us and did something called Chaos Blast wit h a Chaos Emerald," said Rini.

Shadow didn't respond to Rini.

"HE'S AFTER YOU, SHADOW!" screamed Angel, in a confused horror.

"What?" growled Shadow.

"He is after the two Ultimate Lifeforms," said a redundant, Claws.

"What? Two?" said a now annoyed Shadow.

"There is some proof that there is another document out there on the Other Ultimate Lifeform," said Angel.

"So, when are we gonna kick Malum butt?!" said an excited Rini.

"Wait, we have to go to- Calgia?" said Angel, nevously.

"Well, we will have to... eventually... first we need some Chaos Emeralds. At least two," said Claws.

"I have one," Angel said, as she held out the Emerald.

Shadow didn't say anything; he just held out his hand to show a cyan emerald.

"What do we need the Emeralds for?" asked Citrus.

"To teleport of course!" said Claws.

"COOL!!" said Rini, in a excited way, "WE GET TO TELEPORT!!"

Angel got a scared, uneasy look on her face. The idea of her having to go to Calgia and have her own "adventure" there was not what she called "fun". All her friends seemed excited. Why didn't she? She wasn't sure.

"What's wrong with you?" said Shadow, in the rudest way ever.

"What's your problem?!" snapped Angel.

"Hey! I was asking if you were alright!" barked Shadow.

"That's not what I hear-"

"ANGEL! SHADOW! Please stop!" screamed Citrus, "We have to leave."

"Thank you Citrus. Now let me see the Emeralds," said Claws.

Shadow and Angel handed the Emeralds to Claws.

"Okay, now if we all want to go we have to join hands," said Claws.

They all joined hands. Angel was holding Shadow and Citrus'. Angel blushed while holding Shadow's hand.

"Great!" said Claws.

The Chaos Emeralds started hovering around the circle.

"Here we go!" said Claws, excitedly.

A white light carried them out into the land of Calgia. There, they arrived in a very poor village. There were little houses, dirt roads, and gray skies. It was a miserable little village. A blue cat was crying about her younger brother having to go to prison; for a crime that he did not commit.

"This is the Village of Tristis. This is one of the poorest villages in all Calgia," exclaimed Claws.

"It is horrible, what happened here?" asked Citrus.

"Malum," said Claws, plain and simply.

"Aww! This is horrible," said Rini.

The blue cat ran over to the group.

"Mr. Claws! Please help my brother out of prison! Please! He didn't do anything!"

"I'm sorry Splash, I 'quit' the other day... now I'm wanted as well,"

The cat just ran off crying.

"YOU ARE WANTED!?!?" screamed Angel, in anger.

"Did I leave that out, sorry," said Claws, embarrassed.

"Now what are we gonna do?" asked Shadow.

"Well, know we have to find Aduro," said Claws.

"Whose Aduro?" asked Citrus.

"He can help us, that's all I know," said Claws in a confused way.

"How do we get there?" Shadow asked.

"Well we have to though the Tristis Forest," said Claws.

"Okay then, lets go," said Rini.

They started to make there way into the forest. They all walked because the group couldn't have kept up with Shadow and Angel. Angel was taking up the back, but Shadow was farther behind them being the lone-wolf. Claws, Rini, and Citrus were taking up the front. They were just talking and laughing. Then Rini mentioned, "I beat them in Scarbble everytime!" Angel just sighed. Then she looked back to Shadow he gave her a look.

The sun was starting to set over Calgia. The beautiful night sky peaked up over the snowy mountains. They started to make a fire by a pond. The area where the made camp by was beautiful. An open scenery of the night sky, a pond, and a bunch of oak trees. The scene was nothing other than spectacular.

"So are we gonna set out tomorrow?" asked Rini.

"Yup," said Claws.

There was a minuet of silence, until Shadow broke it.

"Are there going to be anything like some of Malum's minions?"

"I don't know. We have to be on our toes," exclaimed Claws.

It was quiet again, then Angel spoke up.

"Citrus, aren't you scared. Ya know, I'd imagine you'd never you did something like this. But-but you are so confident... so confident you will do fine," said Angel, while her eyes were starting to water.

"That's what you gotta do sometimes, Angel. Be confident and you will be fine!" said Citrus.

Angel stared off into space for a couple of minuets. Everyone else but Shadow started to make fall asleep. Angel walked over by the pond and glared at the her reflection for a half hour or so. She started to think to herself.

What's wrong with me?

This should be exciting!

But... What if I die?

Angel glared over to see Shadow sitting under one of the oak trees. His legs crossed and a smug look on his face. Angel tried to communicate with him.

"Are you tired Shadow?" she asked.

"Hmph"

Angel sighed and fixed her eyes again on her reflection.

"What's his problem?" She asked herself.

It was silent, except for the sounds of the night you can hear. Angel started getting tired. Before she could have fallen asleep something happened.

"WHERE ARE THEY?!" screamed a warrior-like man.

Shadow jumped up and picked up a Chaos Emerald and got into a fighting position. Angel on the other hand was petrified. She couldn't move one bit. She had her Emerald in her hand but couldn't use it.

"Who are you?!" screamed Shadow.

"I am a Warrior for King Malum! I was ordered to kill you!" screamed the warrior.

Shadow jumped in front of Angel to protect her.

"Sh-Shadow?" said Angel.

The warrior started shooting dark beams at Angel and Shadow. One of the beams hit Angel right on, right in the arm, she fell down in pain.

"ANGEL!" screamed Shadow in horror.

"Haha! The girl is finished! Now it's you turn!" shouted the warrior.

"Not on my watch, CHAOS BLAST!!" screamed Shadow.

The blast was just enough to hurt him. He limped off somewhere into the forest.

"Angel! Angel!" he said, as he ran to your side.

"Sh-Shadow?" Angel said.

"Angel are you okay?" he said.

"Yeah, thanks," she said.

"Whatever," he said, going back to his old grumpy self.