Ending Seven: Semi-Hero

Forever Grey

"Finally, I have all the Chaos Emeralds!" Shadow declared as the seven mystic gems orbited him. At his feet, broken and beaten, was Dr. Eggman, trapped under his latest failure.

"You," Eggman said as he propped himself up. "You would have died if I hadn't saved you and you repay me like THIS!?" The Doctor raised his fist. "You ungrateful little shit!"

Shadow's eyes were closed as he concentrated on the Emeralds. After a moment he answered Eggman's hateful gaze with a blank one. "I do not know what you are talking about," the ultimate one said with an empty voice.

"Of course not," Eggman snorted. "That little fall robbed you of your memory."

The dark hedgehog blinked, "I do not remember that," he said. "I still do not remember anything…"

The doctor arched his brow and looked at Shadow, then the Emeralds, then back to Shadow and then let out a small laugh.

"Poor hedgehog," Eggman began, "did you think that the Emeralds would restore your memory?"

Shadow's eye darted from Emerald to Emerald as he asked "Why did they not?"

Eggman let out a bigger laugh as he said, "Foolish Shadow, they are called the 'Chaos' Emeralds for a reason; they cannot truly be controlled and they do not restore anything, only destroy!"

The ultimate one lowered his head; he could sense the madness within the Emeralds and thinking on it now, Shadow was uncertain how he ever expected them to restore his mind.

The doctor threw his head back and let out his signature hearty laugh. "In fact," he said, "I wouldn't be surprised if the Emeralds were to blame for your amnesia, given their affinity for discourse."

Eggman continued to laugh, fuelling Shadow's growing rage, until he could barely contain it. When he could take no more, the dark hedgehog raised his fist to strike the doctor, the mere threat of which silenced him. As Shadow stared at the doctor, his expression softened and he lowered his hand.

"No point," Shadow said as he turned from the doctor.

As Shadow walked away, Eggman spoke up, "That's it!? You're just going to leave me like this!?"

"No point to any of this," was the dark hedgehog's only response as he walked away, deeper into the bowels of the ARK.

Minutes passed like hours as Shadow marched through the empty hallways the Emeralds still encircling him. He did not know where he was going and did not care; he was perfectly content to wonder aimlessly for the rest of time and he may have done just that, had a sound not grabbed his attention.

The sound was laughter and Shadow quickly found its source; at first, all he saw were three red eyes glowing in the dark hall, then the outline of their owner, then the creature came into focus. It was the alien lord, Black Doom.

"Well done, Shadow," Doom said with the first hint of joy that the hedgehog had ever heard from him, "you have gathered the Emeralds far more quickly than my entire army could have."

Shadow stared blankly at the demon and said "They cannot restore my mind."

With a small chuckle, Doom replied "But with their power, I can."

"How?" Shadow asked. "Their madness may be what left me with no memories in the first place."

"You have learned much," Doom said with a small growl, "but there is still much you do not understand about the Emeralds; they keep an imprint of everyone who has every touched them. With that imprint and my own power, I can give you back what you lost."

The demon extended his hand to Shadow and he said, "Just hand them over and all your questions will finally be answered."

Before the dark hedgehog could reply, a voice rang out.

"Don't listen, Shadow!"

The ultimate one lazily turned around to see the Blue Blur, Sonic the Hedgehog standing behind him.

"You can't give 'em to that nutcase!" Sonic yelled as he pointed at Black Doom.

"Oh," Doom began, "so, he should allow you to possess them? Shadow despises you!"

"This ain't about who he likes!" Sonic retorted, "This about the future of the Earth, you can't give up on that, Shadow!"

"Nor can you give up on our past, Shadow!" Doom growled.

As Sonic and Doom argued over the Emeralds, Shadow stood between them; he was forever locked in between worlds, forever stuck in a hell of his own making as he never fully embraced wickedness, nor virtue.

The dark hedgehog lowered his head as he finally realized the truth. "Forever grey. This is who I am..."