I really ort to apologies for the terrible delay to the story, but I don't think it's going to get any better, so I probably shouldn't apologies for it and then do it again immediately. So sorry, but don't expect a rapid improvement.

Oh yes, and a character that has really been missing from this story is about to finally make an appearance. Enjoy!

10. Hedgehogs and Spiders

In one of the many stone enclaves of the Floating (okay, Angel) Island, resided Knuckles' dinning room. And it was here, miles above the surface of the planet Mobious, that Shadow was sipping a glass of wine, and considering what had just been said.

"I still don't quite get why your going into big business Knuckles," he said, "I mean, don't you like the peacefulness here, and won't a factory churning out hundred of thousands of burgers ruin it?"

Knuckles shrugged. "Possibly, but I have to do something since the wars ended. And now Mobious is peaceful it's prosperous! So that means there's money to be made, and this Island doesn't' look after it's self!"

"But I thought the Chaos Emeralds protected it all?"

"No, that's just what we tell the tourists. Most of these buildings are on the verge of failing down, and when my people return, I want them to have more to return to then rubble."

"Anyway," added Tails, as Shadow studied the cracks in the ceiling dubiously, "I've designed the factory to be fully automated and almost completely sound proof, so the Island should still retain its peaceful ambiance."

The Black hedgehog sipped his wine again. "So why do you need me," he said, keen as ever to get to the point.

"Marketing!" said Knuckles enthusiastically, "I mean, we're going head to head with Mac Donald's and Burger King here, I need a strong campaign. Your image as a rebellious hero is just what Echidna Burger needs!"

"I lost that image years ago," said Shadow flippantly.

"Wrong," corrected Tails, "you never completely lose your image, that's why Clint Eastwood is still seen as a hard man, or Tony Blair a liar."

"Just think," said Knuckles, spanning his hands like any business man trying to make a sale, "Shadow, the mysterious hero. Where does he come from? Why does he fight? Whose side is he really on? The only certain thing is that he eats Echidna Burgers! It works on so many levels!"

"Like that you really don't want to know the history of the hero or the burger," muttered Tails darkly.

"All the mystery about me ended when my autobiography went platinum," Shadow said dismissively.

"Must you poke holes in everything!" Knuckles fumed. "Try the burger first!"

Shadow sighed and grabbed a Burger off the table and took a bite. His expression changed immediately. "This is brilliant!" he goggled, "you'll grind the competition into dust if it all tastes this good!"

"Actually," said Tails, "those came from Mark's and Spencer's. This is the Echidna one."

Shadow took a bite of this one, and considered the taste carefully and swallowed. "Knuckles, you amaze me."

"Really?"

"Yes, you've actually made something that taste worse then a Big Mac!"

"I'm not asking you to like the burger, just promote it," Knuckles began, but he was interrupted by an alarm.

"What's that?" shouted Shadow over the din. Knuckles stood up quickly.

"That's the Emerald alarm," he said, "someone's in there Chamber without my permission. And I hate trespassers!" He hurried off. Tails and Shadow shrugged, before downing there glasses and following.

Shadow arrived first, for obvious reasons. The Emeralds were all in place, orbiting the huge master one, and the place seemed quiet. Shadow glanced around the room for a moment, but he couldn't see anyone. That didn't mean he was alone however; being a professional, Shadow knew this. So he looked up.

On the ceiling, directly above him, was SP, hanging grimly on to a small grey emerald that Shadow hadn't seen before. It didn't bother him though. The kid was nearly all skin and bone anyway; she was hardly a threat, even if she was crawling on the ceiling.

"Come down here little kid," he said firmly. SP looked at him with the bright blue eyes, and crawled away from him. Shadow tutted and walked after her. Maybe if he was more polite. "Please?" he tried. SP looked at him intently, and Shadow forced a smile on to his face (an expression he didn't use often.) SP considered things for a moment, and jumped on to the floor, still looking at Shadow. "Good girl," he said. "Now, give me the Emerald."

When Tails and Knuckles arrived moments later, SP was biting into Shadow's wrist. Tails gasped, but Knuckles was more concerned about the Emerald.

"NOT THAT ONE!" he screamed, and dived forwards for it. SP looked up, and hurled the writhing Shadow away with uncharacteristic ease, before jumping over Knuckles. The echidna scoped him self up again, but had to dive back as SP took a snap at him. The young creatures lunge had however left her totally exposed to a well planted left hook right on the cheek, and that was what Knuckles duly delivered.

As she stumbled away, Tails took his chance to grab her around the neck, and jam the echidna burger into her mouth. The gagging SP had no choice but to swallow, and soon found her self projectile vomiting.

"Good work Tails," said Knuckles, as SP fell to her knees between them. "Now for the Emerald…" He reached out to take it, but suddenly, SP's entire body started glowing blue. The heat force Knuckles and Tails to step back, and then, in a blinding flash she and the grey emerald were gone.

"NOOO!" Screamed Knuckles, as Tails jumped up. "SHE'S GONE!"

"What's the problem Knuckles, she only took a small one."

"No, she took THAT one!" Knuckles gibbered, "She might as well have taken all of them! And she teleported away, she could be anywhere!"

Shadow, still clutching his bleeding wrist, walked up. "She went to earth," he said bitterly. "Now stop gabbling Knuckles and explain why that Emerald was so important!"

Knuckles, still shaking, looked at his feet. "Whoever holds the Grey Emerald controls all Chaos Energy," he said despondently.

SP reappeared in front of Bubbles, and immediately stuck out a hand. The Blue Puff took the Emerald from it. "Good work," she said, petting SP's head as if she was an animal. "Now, to Mexico."

Sonic was in a bad mood. This was partly because the government was still on his back about those missing villains, another part because someone had lost his favourite coffee mug, and partly because it was chapter 10 and he'd only just appeared. But it was mainly because of whom he was currently on the phone too.

"Don't blame me Shadow," he said angrily, "this creature is not under my control!"

"I thought that you had a better grip of things down there then that," said Shadow bitterly, "why else would those stupid people be so keen to keep you there?"

Sonic grimaced. "Surely you'd understand as much as anyone Shadow, that it's difficult to get what you want on Earth."

"Hey, I saved that wretched planet," Shadow flustered, "they should have been gracious enough to let us take back a murderer!"

"Humm, what an interesting relocation of events you have," Sonic said calmly. He was feeling a lot better now he'd put Shadow on the back foot.

"We're wasting time," the Black Hedgehog responded firmly. "What ever has that Emerald could be about to cause unimaginable Chaos!"

"Don't worry," said Sonic a lot more coolly then he felt, "I'll find it and have it in the post back to you before you can tie your shoelace."

"I don't trust you," said Shadow bluntly, "we'll borrow a porthole generator and be there in a few hours."

"Don't you dare come here…" Sonic started but the line went dead. "Fucking unt," he cursed vilely, before getting up and throwing open the door to his office. "BUTCH, GET YOUR ARSE IN HERE NOW!"

The Green Ruff arrived fairly promptly, with his brother. "What?" he said, immediately about to go on the defensive.

"Your little experiment with Mojo has found its way to steal something that it could use to destroy the universe. Is there anyway that we can track that stupid blue eyed freak down quickly?"

Butch considered it for a moment. "Blue eyed?" he said, "I thought they were purple?"

"Okay, so Shadows colour blind, I don't care, can you help?"

"I don't think so…" Butch started, but Sonic had already drifted out, as he'd just spotted some people running across the office towards him. He sighed.

"If you're looking for Blossom, it's too late, she's already gone."

"Yes, and we're here to tell you where," said Eddy indignantly. Before Sonic could respond, MJ started Babbling:

This is MJ's speech from the last chapter, with spaces, and a few adjustments: "Bubbles made a deal with Lex Luthor to use chaos energy to help him take over the world but its only a trick by Bubbles because if she didn't help him he'd do it anyway and might destroy the world and they've gone to a pyramid in Mexico and Bubbles wanted Blossom and Buttercup to come and help her defeat him and it has to be quick because he's already ready to do it and…and…"

"They've gone," finished Edward.

Sonic paused. "MJ, did you see SP when Bubbles told you this?"

"Yes, she'd just pacified her."

"WHAT," said Butch, "NO, SHE'LL KILL HER!"

"Calm down bro," said Boomer, "SP isn't that strong."

"That wasn't what I meant," Butch replied, but only Edward was listening. The others had been distracted by Eddy turning on the television.

"Do you mind?" said Sonic angrily, "we are sort of in the middle of a crisis here!"

"Yes," said Eddy quickly, "I was just looking at the news to see if anything had come on yet about it… and I want to see the World Cup scores." Sonic felt like screaming, as the score came across the ticker (France 1-1 Spain, HT), but before Eddy turned it off, the news item changed.

"And a story just in, It has been announced that the SSR is currently holding a super weapon in its vaults that makes the bearer invincible. Details are still sketchy, but we believe they are looking after it on behalf of a wealthy benefactor. More on that after this…"

"Is that true?" asked Boomer. Sonic shook his head.

"Lex Luthor owns that news channel," he said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that every Super Villain in the country will be bearing down on us in the next half hour."

Okay, please review. I will try to be quicker, but be prepared for me to fail. Thanks!