'Flashback'

"Shadow..." said Alexis.

The black and red hedgehog turned around and looked at her, his red eyes glaring at her. "It's useless," he told her, "I made a promise to Maria and I'm keeping it."

Alexis walked towards him. "What did you promise her? That you'd take revenge on the people that took her away from you? Getting revenge won't bring her back."

"So what?!" asked Shadow.

"It's time to stop this Shadow!" she yelled at him, a small malestrom of wind gathering around her as her anger and pain increased, "Please! You have to listen to me! How can you blame people alive today about what happened 50 years ago? Can't you see it's not fair!?"

"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT FAIR!" he yelled, "NOT AFTER WHAT HAPPENED HERE! Maria was my only friend, but your rulers sent soldiers to take her away from me! I tried to save her, but there were too many for me to stop! I never saw poor Maria again. Maria wasn't a threat to anyone, all she wanted was to visit your planet, but she never had the chance!"

"Shadow," said Alexis, "We both know that there are bad people in the world. We know that there are people who take things the wrong way. But there is something that I know that you don't."

"And what might that be?" he snarled.

"That there are people like Maria- and like me, Sonic, and many others that can see the good and beauty in this world too. I know that you'd agree with me if you only got to know those people and this world."

Alexis walked towards him, tears starting to come from her eyes. "I know how much pain you've gone through. I've gone through that loneliness too. But I got to know others that were good, that helped me through that pain and loneliness. I got friends, and I know that Maria would want you to be friends with people too."

Shadow's gaze widened. Alexis knew that she had struck a chord. She asked, "So I ask you again- what was your promise to Maria before she died? What did she ask you to do for her before she saved your life so that you could keep it?"

Shadow didn't say anything for a long time, but stood there, looking at the space in front of him in shock. Then, he dropped to the floor, his head bowing and his body shaking. Alexis heard a sound that she didn't expect to hear from him.

He was crying.

Alexis dropped down beside him and hugged him gently. Shadow didn't push her back, instead, he curled up in her arms, still crying. The young girl imagined that this was what he did with Maria whenever he was upset. She actually didn't imagine that he could cry, with him seeming to be so emotionless.

"She..." he finally managed to get out, "she wanted me to be friends with them. She wanted me to help them, and anyone else that would need it." He continued to cry for a few more seconds. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay, Shadow." said Alexis, "We all take risks for those that we love."

After a little while longer, Shadow stood up. He nodded to her and gently smiled. She smiled and nodded in return. "Now go help save the world, Shadow the Hedgehog."

Shadow nodded and sped out the door, Alexis, Amy, Rouge, and Mister Tanaka watching him leave.

A few minutes later, a bright flash of light appeared outside. A monster attatched itself to the Eclipse Cannon and continued to pull it down to Earth. A very short while later, a golden flash appeared, and Sonic, in his Super Form teleported into the room.

Alexis rushed forward and hugged him tightly. He returned the hug and asked, "So... what did you say to Shadow to make him side with us?"

"Oh," said Alexis, shrugging, "I just helped him remember a promise to an old friend."

Sonic nodded and then teleported outside, joining Shadow in fighting the monster.

Alexis, Mr. Tanaka, and Amy watched the best that they could through the window, trying their hardest to see through the flashes of light. Finally, after a massive explosion of light, they found themselves back in Earth's orbit.

Alexis turned as Sonic walked into the room. "Where's Shadow?" she asked.

Sonic didn't say anything, but looked down and shook his head. Alexis stiffened. Was Shadow...?

Sonic looked back up at her and held up one of Shadows golden inhibitor rings. The young girl took it, holding it in both hands. It struck her then. Shadow was gone, but he had kept his promise to Maria.

Earth was safe.

'End Flashback'

"Hey. You okay?"

Alexis jolted and looked to her left, where Sonic was looking at her with worry on his face. "I'm fine," she replied, "Just thinking." She put a hand into her pocket, feeling the gold ring that had belonged to Shadow.

Alexis and Sonic zoomed through the city, following Amy's directions as to where Shadow was. *He shouldn't be too far now.*

"Are we even sure that this is the real Shadow?" asked Alexis, "I mean, Zavok was a fake when me and the squad fought him. Why shouldn't this be any different?"

"That's a fair point," said Sonic, "I was pretty confused when I saw Shadow. But still, let's be careful. This could be the real Shadow. He may have just been brainwashed."

"Could Eggman do that?"

"I know he didn't have his memories for a while. Hang on, there's the faker."

"You're still calling him that?" Alexis whispered in amusement as they skidded to a stop, where a black and red hedgehog stepped out of the shadows of a nearby ruined building. Alexis' eyes narrowed when she saw the red glow around Shadow and nodded to Sonic. "A faker of a faker."

Sonic stiffled a snort, then turned and asked the fake Shadow, "We know that you're not the real Shadow. So where is he?"

The fake didn't reply, but it did stiffen. "Watch out," Alexis whispered to Sonic. He had stiffened as well, both of the hedgehogs adopting a ready stance as the fake Shadow burst forward.

Flames gathered at Alexis' hands, and she fired at the fake Shadow. It quickly dodged them and sent a volley of Chaos Spears at the two of them. Sonic quickly grabbed her and dashed to the left, avoiding the spears.

"It might be a fake," said Alexis as soon as they had stopped, "but it's as powerful as the real Shadow. We need to end this fight quick."

"Couldn't you just use your flames and make him vanish?" asked Sonic as they dodged some more Chaos Spears.

"If he stood still, I could," she said, "but he keeps moving around. And if I try my Flame Burst, he could just teleport."

"Well then, it's a good thing that Tails gave me this before we left." Sonic reached into his quills, where he pulled out the cyan Chaos Emerald.

Alexis stared at it in shock. "Where'd he find that?" she finally asked.

"A few months after I vanished." he responded, "Found it around the same time he met Yacker."

"Alright then. Let's use it."

Sonic held up the glowing gem as the fake Shadow lunged forward again and yelled, pointing the emerald at the copy, "CHAOS CONTROL!"

A bright light flashed, and the fake froze. Alexis raised up her right hand and a stream of fire shot from it, striking the fake Shadow, which dissolved into red cubes. "Well, that's that." she said, dusting off her hands.

Suddenly, their com-links chimed again. *Did you guys deal with Shadow?* asked Amy.

"It was a fake," said Alexis, "Just like Zavok. Anything else you need us to do?"

*Well- wait.* Amy's voice suddenly stopped. Sonic and Alexis looke at each other worriedly as her voice came back. *There's another Shadow- no, two- make that five- ten Shadows?! No, eleven! There are eleven Shadow copies heading right towards your position! They're mostly in groups, but they'll be there any second! You need to get out of there- right now!*

Alexis turned towards the road that they came. She could already see the fake Shadows skating towards them. Sonic followed her gaze and held up the Chaos Emerald again. "Chaos- Augh!" A Chaos Spear had shot at them, slashing Sonic's wrist. He dropped the Chaos Emerald and grabbed his injured wrist.

Alexis grabbed Sonic and pulled him close to the ground, looking upwards at the building behind them. At least three Shadow copies were standing on the roof, but they soon jumped to the ground, their hands lighting up with Chaos Energy.

The female hedgehog's hand scrabbled for the Chaos Emerald. Maybe they could teleport out before- wait. Where was the last Shadow copy?

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Alexis jumped as a bright light flashed around her and Sonic. When she looked up again, all that remained of the Shadow copies were a few red cubes which soon sizzled away. And standing in front of them was another Shadow, but this one didn't have a red glow around him. It was the real Shadow!

Sonic- his face taunt with the pain from his wrist- looked at Alexis, who nodded to him. "I could ask what you've been doing for the past six months, Shadz," he said to the black and red hedgehog.

Shadow turned. Instead of a blank look in his eyes like with the copies, his eyes were burning with an angry flame, though it soon shifted to a slight concerned look as he said, "Are you two alright?"

"Just a slashed wrist," replied Sonic, wincing as he stood.

"I'm alright," Alexis said as Shadow turned to her, "just rattled a bit. Infinite must really hate us if he sent ten of you to deal with us."

"Seems like he's a bit too insecure," said Shadow, a slight smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth.

"Ya think?" said Sonic sarcastically. He was still holding tightly to his wrist.

"Let me see that," said Alexis, taking his wrist. Sonic winced as she held it, grimacing as she saw the deep slashes in his wrist. "Why don't Chaos Spears have smooth edges?" she asked no one in particular, although Shadow heard her.

"So they give out more damage, Alexis."

"Yeah, well- wait." She and Sonic turned to look at Shadow in shock and she asked, "You recognize me?"

"Yeah," he said, "You didn't?" he asked Sonic.

"Long story. But how did you recognize her?"

"Her eyes," he said, as if that held the answer to everything.

"They are pretty cool, aren't they?" said Sonic as Alexis' hand turned into flames and wrapped around his wrist. Shadow shrugged.

Alexis chuckled and turned back around in time to see Sonic looking at his wrist confused. "What did you do?" he asked. Worried all of the sudden, she removed the flames around his wrist, goggling at his perfect wrist. "So I can fix open wounds too?" she finally said, "Cool!"

Sonic flexed his wrist a few times as he said, "Well, I think maybe we should head back to base. Everyone's gonna be happy to see you, expecially Rouge."

"Then let's get going," said Shadow, starting to walk away.

Alexis put a hand to her ear and said, "Hey, Amy? Yeah, we found the real Shadow! Yeah, of course he's on our side! So- wait, what?!" Sonic and Shadow paused as she suddenly yelled out, "Right now? Well of course they're getting trampled, Infinite's there! Don't worry, we're on our way!" She hung up and said to the two hedgehogs, "Knuckles decided to stage an attack on Mobotropolis while we were gone. They're getting steamrolled!"

"Then we better get over there," said Sonic, "Before the Resistance gets wiped out!"

Shadow picked up the Chaos Emerald and said to the other two, "Hang on tight." As soon as they were gripping his arms, Shadow held up the emerald and yelled, "CHAOS CONTROL!" And they disappeared in a flash of light.

So that's the tenth chapter. I can't believe that I've gotten this far! Thank you guys for sticking with me all the way through!

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