Chapter 8: Shadow's Brother

After leaving Rouge's apartment, Shadow asked Rouge about the location of any remaining Chaos Emeralds. "If Eggman's murderer is going after the Emeralds, then all we have to do is get to one and wait for him there."

Rouge chuckled and answered, "You don't waste any time, do you? Alright, there is the violet Chaos Emerald. It's being displayed at a museum just outside of Metropolis."

Shadow looked toward his accomplice, "Can you give me its exact location?"

"Sure," Rouge answered as she pulled out a GPS. She typed in some coordinates, and then handed it to Shadow. She pointed to a green dot on the screen. "It's right there."

"Alright," Shadow said. "Let's go." He pulled a red Chaos Emerald from one of his coat pockets and shouted "Chaos Control!" In a flash of green light, Shadow and Rouge were instantly transported into the interior of the museum. It was just after midnight, and the museum was closed. The lights were off, but the bright light of a full moon shone through the glass roof of the room, so its contents were easily visible. In the center of the room, there was a glass case containing the violet Chaos Emerald. Shadow looked. "There it is. He'll probably be here soon." He addressed Rouge. "Make yourself useful and turn off the security systems. I don't want anyone interfering with my business."

Rouge smiled and responded, "You got it, Honey." She threw Shadow a small radio which could fit in his ear. She winked and added, "Stay in touch." Rouge left the room and walked into the museum's central control room. She cracked her fingers and began typing rapidly on the control panel of a large computer with screens showing the museum's rooms. After a few minutes, she was able to disarm the security system. She contacted Shadow via radio, "You're good to go."

Shadow answered her, "Good." He waited a few more minutes. Then, his Chaos Emerald began reacting strangely. He looked toward the cased Emerald. It was vibrating as well. Then, a flash of red light appeared, and within it, there stood a figure. "Is that Chaos Control?" Shadow wondered aloud.

The figure was a short, anthropomorphic hedgehog. He had black fur, similar to Shadow's, but his quills were longer, more numerous, and spiked further up. At the end of each quill, there was a red tip of fur in a flame-like pattern. The two quills on his back sported this red pattern as well. He wore black shoes and gloves, and he wore three ring-shaped bracelets on each wrist. Two of the bracelets on his right wrist were dark grey, and so was another one of the bracelets on his left wrist, but the other three were each different colors. The remaining bracelet on his right wrist was green, and the two on his left wrist were silver and cyan. Each colored bracelet glowed and radiated with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Shadow pocketed his Emerald and pulled out his handgun. The mysterious hedgehog looked at him curiously. Then, he cocked his head to the side and gave a slight grin. The hedgehog opened his arms mockingly. "Well, hello there, my big brother."

Shadow's facial expression instantly transformed into one of shock. "Big brother?" was all he could say.

The mystery hedgehog maintained his mocking pose. "Yes, we're brothers, you and I. I wasn't expecting to meet you so soon. It's such a pleasant surprise."

Shadow's demeanor now became one of anger. He looked toward this new hedgehog and shouted, "I have no brother! You're just some imposter trying to mess with my head."

The hedgehog chuckled, "Believe what you will." The three colored bracelets on the hedgehog floated off of his wrists, and in their centers materialized a Chaos Emerald, each one corresponding to the color of the bracelet it appeared from: cyan, silver, and green. The hedgehog began casually juggling the three Emeralds in his right hand.

Shadow looked. "The silver Chaos Emerald, so are you the one who—"

The hedgehog finished Shadow's sentence with, "killed Dr. Robotnik? I suppose you could say that. He was a foolish old man, telling me that I would serve him and help him conquer the world, what an imbecile."

Shadow asked the hedgehog, "Why are you collecting the Chaos Emeralds?"

He answered, "All I want is to become complete. The Chaos Emeralds are the final ingredient in Gerald Robotnik's recipe."

Shadow remembered the coded plan in the old book written by Gerald Robotnik. "Recipe?" Shadow was becoming more confused. "What recipe are you talking about?"

The new hedgehog chuckled, "Why, the recipe for me of course! That is why you and I are brothers. We were both designed by the same scientist, albeit for different purposes. We are both the ultimate life-forms."

Shadow looked at him. "Even if I believed you, and I'm not saying I do, what do you intend to do after you become 'complete'?"

The hedgehog's grin intensified. "I'm going to rid this world of all inferior beings, and I shall create a new world in which only the ultimate life-forms shall survive." Shadow's look returned to a state of shock. "What do you say, Brother?" the hedgehog continued. "Will you join me in creating this new, ultimate world?"

Shadow looked down and clenched his fist over his gun. Then, his gaze returned to the mysterious hedgehog. "Not a chance!" He pointed his gun at the newcomer and fired. The hedgehog moved his head to the side, thereby dodging the bullet, which instead made contact with the window behind Shadow's target and shattered it.

The new hedgehog looked toward Shadow. "That was a mistake." The silver, green, and cyan Chaos Emeralds returned to the hedgehog's bracelets, and he ran toward Shadow at incredible speed. Shadow prepared to counter his attack. The hedgehog clenched his right fist and aimed a punch at Shadow. Shadow clenched his left fist and aimed an attack of his own. The two hedgehogs' fists connected with one another, and their fight began.