"CHAOS CONTROL!"
The group looked around, and saw that their surroundings hadn't changed.
"What happened?" Shadow asked.
"I warped the Black Comet down to the planet," Black Doom said. Shadow grit his teeth.
"That why you needed the chaos emeralds?" he asked, irritated.
"The comet's velocity isn't powerful enough to pass through another planet's atmosphere," Black Doom explained. "The emeralds amplify the space-time control powers of Chaos Control. We needed them to charge to full power. It's the perfect plan. That's why I needed the professor the help me."
Shadow fell to his knees.
"That's my true purpose. To gather the Chaos Emeralds," he mumbled. "Whether it's for the eclipse cannon… or this. That's all I am."
"Shadow. We can't just stand here doing nothing. You've gotta fight back," Sonic called out.
Shadow tried to turn his head to look at Sonic, but found that he couldn't. He couldn't move at all.
"S-stop controlling me!" Shadow cried out.
Black Doom chucked darkly.
"That's not me."
"Wh-what's going on?" Sonic struggled. The rest of the group were standing still. No-one could move.
"A special weapon. This gas, once released is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. In a moment, total paralysis will hit your nervous system. The end is near now." Black Doom laughed in triumph.
The blob creatures that Sonic and Tails has seen before, crowded into the room and passed under Black Doom. They approached the group, fast.
"Ah, my dear offspring. You can finally feast!" Black Doom encouraged.
Sonic muzzle went pale and he stared at the creatures with wide eyes. He remembered the one he'd kicked before, and the sharp razor like teeth.
"N-no way man! K-keep those things away!" Sonic exclaimed.
"Shadow! You can resist the gas! You're part alien!" Eggman exclaimed.
"I want them to eat me. Maybe then I can finally rest in peace!" Shadow cried out. He scrunched his eyes tight, and wished that he could move so he could cover his ears. He wanted to shut out the world for the last few moments he experienced it. He couldn't take it anymore.
"Shadow! You're not as worthless as you think! My grandfather's plan may have changed before you were born, but he began Project Shadow for better reasons. You were created to save Maria's life, and if that were to work… you would have cured so many people after it. You're not a weapon, Shadow, you're a cure!"
"And what good has that done! I'm a monster!" Shadow exclaimed. "I'm a part of him."
Black Doom just floated and listened whilst he waited for his offspring to reach the paralysed heroes.
"You ungrateful hedgehog! I gave you life and you want to throw it away because of the traits that I gave to you!" Black Doom spat. "I will enjoy watching your own brothers devour you!"
Shadow looked at the creatures inching towards him; it made his stomach twist… to think that he was related to those things. He wanted to retch again. Knowing that that thick green liquid was inside of him made his skin crawl.
The first one reached Shadow and hesitated by his foot. It seemed to be confused by the metallic frame on Shadow's shoe.
Shadow realised something. The blood that he shared with the black creatures… made him who he was. The cure.
"Promise me, Shadow, that you will protect the people on that planet… this cure may not reach me in time, but… it may help someone else," Shadow could hear Maria's voice in his head. He could hear her laugh. "What am I doing… talking to a test tube. You can't hear me."
"I CAN HEAR YOU!" Shadow suddenly cried out. He stood up. He waved his arm and sent a dozen chaos spears at the approaching blobs. Many of them were splattered to oblivion. The rest began inching backwards, letting out small high pitched squeals in fear. Shadow stomped on the one that was closest to him.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Black Doom roared.
"Thanks, Shad!" Sonic called out in relief.
"This does not change anything!" Black Doom called out as he started floating backwards. "The gas is seeping from this comet and will soon reach all living things on the planet!"
"Not unless-" Shadow called out. He ran, leapt up and threw a Chaos Spear at Black Doom. But, the alien disappeared.
Shadow was left alone with the group. He turned around to face them.
"Shadow… we'll be fine, just go and get 'im," Sonic said.
"No. I don't want to risk leaving you here. Those creatures could come back," Shadow said. Then, he realised something and looked behind him. "He left the emeralds behind." All seven of them were left floating in the air.
"Sonic, if you go super with me-"
"I'm kinda stuck, Shadow. And… I think this is your fight," Sonic said. Shadow nodded. He realised what he needed to do.
Shadow pulled the Chaos Emeralds down by reaching up his hand; they all floated down and hovered around him.
"I've never done this alone before," he said.
"It's easy," Sonic gave a smile of encouragement.
"I know you can do it, Shadow," Rouge said softly.
"Of course he can! He's my grandfather's creation!" Eggman added.
"Go on, Shadow!" Tails called out.
Shadow nodded in determination. Then, he concentrated, and the emeralds began spinning in a circle around him, faster and faster, until there was a flash and Shadow was glowing a golden yellow in all of the places he used to be jet black.
Then, he stepped closer to his friends, held out his held so his palms were facing them.
"Chaos Control!" Shadow said. Then, they were all gone. Shadow hoped that they'd gone where he planned to send them, to the planet below, safe and sound.
Then, he closed his eyes and disappeared somewhere new himself. He was on top of the Black Comet. Shadow looked to the surface he was standing on. Dark, bumpy, intimidating. He began floating upwards. Until he got far away enough to judge the size of it. It was bigger than the Space Colony ARK, and Shadow remembered how hard it was to move that with Sonic's help. Shadow shook his head and huffed in frustration, then he took in a deep breath and shot down towards the bottom of the comet like a shooting star of golden light.
Shadow reached his hand above his head and grabbed the bottom surface of the Black Comet.
"CHAOS CONTROL!"