(A/N: Hello folks, it's finally here! After a month of procrastinating and stalling, it's the finale of The Miracle of Love. And this chapter alone is clocking in at almost 12k words, making it the longest chapter I have ever written! Holy shit, was this a hard one! But I hope you enjoy it!
The Miracle of Love
Chapter 13: Who I Am
DISCLAIMER: This fan fiction contains instances of profanity, extreme violence, nightmare-inducing imagery, and sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised.
All characters and settings are property of SEGA and Sonic Team
NOVEMBER 18, 2015
3:57 AM – BLACK COMET
Shadow stood at the center of the comet's core, in utter disbelief. His rival and frenemy, Sonic the Hedgehog, had completely dissipated before his very eyes. They had only now just realized that their fake emerald ploy had completely fallen apart. It was a good plan, but one that relied on the belief that the Black Arms were simply here to exterminate the humans and take over the world. The gang didn't imagine their real plans involved using mankind as cattle. Amy took the Blue Blur's loss the hardest. Although their falling out was hard, she had been in love with Sonic since day one up until a week ago, but she still found him to be a friend once everything was patched. Seeing Sonic seemingly die in front of her was a complete dagger stab to the heart. How in the hell would they explain this to the others?
"What a pitiful effort. Such is the fate of a worthless hedgehog, banished to a new dimension to be buried in." mused Black Doom.
Shadow glared up to the alien in absolute rage. After all the shit he has pulled, Black Doom not only had the gall to mock Sonic for his sacrifice, but to try passing off that he wasn't dead in a very disrespectful manner. There was no way Shadow was letting him get away with any of this. "How dare you...that hedgehog was one of the biggest and most unbearable assholes I ever met. But he was also a hell of a fighter, a great adventurer, and a good friend." Shadow said, "And you can cut the other dimension bullshit, because that's just lingo for 'you killed him' and you fucking know it!"
"Believe what you want, Shadow. But know that there is no hope for this planet. The Earth and its worthless people belong to us now!"
"Shadow!" the black hedgehog heard screams from behind him. Knuckles, Rouge, and Omega appeared on the other side of the bridge, at least twelve feet away from what happening on the other side. They had dealt with the Black Arms and rushed over to help Sonic and Shadow. They looked across and saw they were too late. Black Doom had all seven Chaos Emeralds (six of which were forgeries) and Amy, but one head was missing. Where was Sonic?
"Ah, it seems your friends have come to see the end of their pathetic world." said Black Doom, "A pity that insufferable fly could not be here, however. I would relish in his cries of despair quite brilliantly."
The time was ripe. The seven emeralds floated about, repositioning in a bunch in front of Black Doom. Shadow rushed to try to stop him, however Doom used a psychic force to force Amy, still chained up, into his path. He knew that Shadow wouldn't dare to attack so long as his beloved was in his possession. "Coward! Why don't you fight me fair!?" exclaimed Shadow.
"Now let us begin our ritual of prosperity…" said Black Doom, "Chaos Emeralds, gems of miracle, grant me your power!"
Shadow and the others' eyes widened. They knew what was to come, and they knew they couldn't stop it in time. "No…. he couldn't…!"
"CHAOS... CONTROL!"
A bright light illuminated the comet, forcing the Mobians and Omega to shield their eyes or look away. In mere moments, it completely consumed the surroundings and the entire comet, and a massive rumbling shook everyone. What happened next was beyond comprehension….
4:02 AM – THE BLUE TYPHOON
Tails was overlooking the situation from his spaceship. He hadn't heard anything from Sonic or Shadow in an hour and a half. The two-tailed fox was getting really worried. However, he knew Sonic better than anyone, and he knew that his surrogate brother would always pull through, no matter what. Now he needed to wait for those two to get the job done. He hated waiting like this, with no one around and always being on the sidelines, but there was no telling what kind of surprises Black Doom had in store. He needed to keep a bird's eye view of the comet and make sure the Black Arms didn't try anything while Team Sonic was distracted.
While he waited and observed the Black Comet's trajectory, Tails couldn't help but wonder why Black Doom would go through all this trouble. What was his true agenda? It was easy to say to take over the world and destroy the human race, but that sounded far too cliché. Even with his proclamation over the airwaves in front of millions, Black Doom couldn't just be plotting mass genocide. If he was planning that, why go through the effort of getting the Chaos Emeralds? And why attack now if they had been visiting for over two thousand years? None of this made sense. "Unless…" Tails thought, "The only way this plot would make sense was if they planned to…. Wait, they wouldn't…"
Before he could even finish his thought, the Blue Typhoon's sensors began blaring. A space-time anomaly had been detected, straight from the Black Comet. Tails looked out the window and, in an instant, the Black Comet completely vanished. Normal people would find it strange, but Tails knew what may have happened. Someone had to have used Chaos Control to warp the comet somewhere. He punched in the energy signature of the emeralds and the comet to determine its new destination. He was horrified when I found out.
"The comet has been warped to… Central City!?"
4:05 AM – CENTRAL CITY
Even in the early mornings and even on a Sunday, the streets of Central City would be bustling. People would be ready for work or preparing for a day with their friends and families. Perhaps some drunks would be attempting to get home. Nothing of that was to happen. After the evacuation order by GUN the previous day, the capitol city of the United Federation was barren. Only the GUN personnel remained in the city, as well as President Connery right at the city's edge. No noise. No bustle. No activity. A perfect landing zone.
Captain Topaz Tanaka and her squadron prepared to head out for the safety zone, intent on giving the citizens the okay to return. Suddenly, though, the skies turned blood red. It was the same calling card of the Black Arms initial invasion in Westopolis. How did they return and reach the city again? Before these questions could be remotely answered, a brilliant green light shone in the middle of the city. As it dimmed, the Black Comet appeared before them. The entire platoon gasped in complete shock. That shouldn't be remotely possible, should it? A celestial body shouldn't be able to pass into another planet's atmosphere. Then three sets of roots appeared from the comet and latched into the ground, keeping the comet thoroughly on solid footing.
The GUN squad was in panic and delirium. They needed to figure out what the hell was going on. "All men, assume battle formations!" commanded Topaz, "Get those tanks ready and air support flying! Whatever these roots are, they aren't good! Exterminate them now!"
"Yes sir!"
What nobody realized was that the Black Comet glowed a feint magenta aura, which spread to the roots. These roots all began emitting an odd fume into the atmosphere. But they didn't seem to be harmful at all…
…yet.
4:07 AM – BLACK COMET
As the light dissipated and the rumbling ceased, Shadow and the others looked around in awe. They know that the comet moved and landed, but they didn't know how or what was going on. Everything seemed so similar at first glance and no one could sense a thing wrong. But everyone knew something wasn't right. "Wha… what just happened?" asked Amy.
"My internal systems require reset." said Omega, "Sensors indicate the comet's trajectory has stopped, and has passed into Earth's atmosphere. Coordinates of destination: Central City. Illogical, this is a cyclical body of space matter. Contact of other stars is impossible."
"Impossible without an outside force of nature. The Chaos Emeralds are just that…" Knuckles mused. As he did, Black Doom noticed six of the emeralds beginning to crack. In mere moments, the fake emeralds completely shattered, only pieces of them remaining scattered onto the ground. Shadow's façade had been exposed, but it was all too late. The damage was already done. Under his rage of being duped, Black Doom chuckled at the irony. The black hedgehog gifted him fakes to deter him, but it only helped him further.
"So that's why you needed the Chaos Emeralds…" said Shadow.
"Precisely, Shadow." Black Doom laughed, "Our star's velocity and gravitational force is not strong enough to enter the atmosphere of another planet, not even this one's. Utilizing the full power of Chaos Control with all seven emeralds was crucial to the perfect plan I had set in place. Over two thousand years I had planned this, awaiting the opportunity to fully enact the promised time for this planet. We will no longer need to scour the cosmos for planets to invade or peoples to extinguish in order to insatiate our hunger. Everything that we require is right here…"
"Invade? Extinguish…? How many…? Just how many planets did you take?! How much peoples were massacred?!"
"Not enough for us, yet still a number so vast that I dared not record. Five thousand years the Black Arms had been travelling the galaxy for the perfect planets. When our homeworld was destroyed, this comet was all that remained. It was survival of the fittest from there; we needed to conquer any habitable planets and weed out their inferior races, making them our cattle to feast upon. But they were too weak, too fragile, and far too underpopulated. None of them satisfied us, and our offspring could not flourish. Then we discovered this planet, Earth. I knew this would be the most adequate place to call our new home. The peoples of the planet would make our race completely immortal."
"So then why wait this long to carry it out? You said you've been passing this rock for two thousand years, why not try attacking the first chance you got?" asked Rouge.
"The timing was not right. Humans were far too inferior back then to be considered appetizing. So we merely passed by, only leaving scouts during our visits." explained the alien warlord, "Nonetheless, I still knew a day would come where we could take the planet and its populace. Thus, I left my most powerful vessels behind in secrecy, hidden in plain sight as the feeble humans continued their petty conflicts and self-servitude. Then, a century ago, one of my scouts discovered a mural pertaining to seven gems that, when gathered together, could create a miracle. I knew the time was ripe to take it. But as our next visit came, I found myself a brilliant pawn to use, one who understood my plea. Professor Gerald Robotnik."
Shadow's eyes widened in horror, as did most of the others upon hearing this. Knuckles, Rouge, and Amy all knew Eggman's grandfather had some screws loose, particularly after the ARK had shut down, but to hear that he had been compliant in the ordeals of extraterrestrial terrorists was an immense dealbreaker. Perhaps it was a good thing that his grandson wasn't here to hear all of that. Shadow took this hardest. His own creator had made a deal with Black Doom? The same monster that sought to take everything he ever loved away from him?!
"The professor was searching for the secret of eternal life and attempted to create the Ultimate Life Form. He had hoped it would save his granddaughter, Maria, from the clutches of death. But all attempts to complete this were futile. He needed one last piece to complete his project." Doom explained, "That is when he discovered us. Robotnik was so desperate to save his family, that he asked for my assistance. I knew what good use he would be, so we made a deal. In exchange for a part of my blood and DNA, he would deliver the seven Chaos Emeralds to us in fifty years' time. The one created through this, the one made possible by our arrangement… was you, Shadow."
Black Doom pointed at Shadow, who listened to all of this completely distraught. Everything he thought he had figured out about himself, his creator, and reason for being was crushed. He was made not as a means to bring happiness to the world, but as a product of hate and malice meant to serve an alien dictator's twisted vision. It all now made sense to him: the Black Arms knowing him, the raid on the ARK fifty years ago, the search for the emeralds, GUN's hatred of him—all of it was just part of who he truly was. Shadow wasn't a savior or guardian of mankind; he was a monster. The Ultimate Life Form fell to one knee in despair. He couldn't believe it.
"Ah yes, I almost forgot." said Black Doom, "I believe you wanted someone back in exchange. Here, you may have your concubine back, as thanks for your service."
With a snap of his fingers, Amy's bonds completely disappeared and she was free. The pink hedgehog wasted no time and ran right to her boyfriend, wallowing in despair of who he was. Amy stopped a few feet from him, trying to reach out in comfort. Shadow didn't respond to her release or anything she could have said. He was too ashamed to even look at her. "I'm a monster. A monster…" he whispered again and again.
"That's not true, Shadow! You know that's bullshit! A monster wouldn't save the world as many times as you have!" she pleaded, "You're anything but a monster! Don't let Black Doom fuck with you like that!"
Shadow couldn't look at her. Not after all he heard. He wanted to believe her, but deep down, he knew the truth about who he was. And he hated it. As he was almost to the point of taking his gun and ending it all, he heard a small cry in terror. Shadow looked up and saw Amy standing up, her feet moved in a way that it looked like she was trying to move forward. But she didn't. Amy was just standing there, frozen in place like a statue. Something was horribly wrong.
"DANGER! DANGER! Toxins of unknown properties detected in atmosphere!" he heard Omega say.
"Amy, what's wrong?" Shadow asked.
"I… can't move!" she said. Shadow then heard similar grunts behind him. Knuckles was frozen in place in midair, with his fist up, as if trying to glide up and smash the Black Comet. Rouge was in stuck on both feet, one hand on her chest and the other covering her mouth. Only Omega seemed capable of free motion, as he started moving into a battle formation. Shadow glared up to his so-called master, who chuckled in a sadistic glee. "What have you done to them?!" asked the Ultimate Life Form.
"Our ace in the hole." said Black Doom, "When the gas emitted from this comet comes in contact with the planet's atmosphere, it will react chemically to become a poisonous paralytic toxin. In mere moments, total paralysis will hit their nervous systems, making capturing and devouring these swines all the more easier."
"Tails, do you copy?! Don't land on the planet! Repeat, do not land!" Shadow told Tails.
"Shadow?! What's going on down there?!" asked Tails over the radio.
"Black Doom's releasing toxic gas so he can paralyze everyone and feed them to his men! Just stay in the stars until I get done!"
"I got it! But… what about Soni–?"
Shadow hung up instantly. He didn't want to be the bearer of worse news right then and there. The black hedgehog looked back up to Black Doom. All despair and self-loathing was completely dissipated and replaced with anger. "So then how come I'm not stiff from up and down?" he asked.
"Did you not listen? You are made from my blood. This gas has no effect on us." Black Doom said.
"That's too bad for you! Because now I'm gonna fuck your appetite ten ways from—UGH!"
Shadow started to run at Black Doom, Shadow Rifle in hand. However, he stopped after only a few steps. He could feel a massive psychic pain in his head. He stepped back, holding his head. Then, he felt something worse; he was losing control of his body. Against his own will, he turned around and saw Omega charging across the bridge, springing into action, but then fired a gunshot at the robot. Omega was blasted all the way into a wall, falling back to where he started. Shadow was horrified at what he had done, but then his arm moved to shoot again. The black hedgehog tried to force his free arm to reposition it or stop it altogether. It was no use though. Shadow pulled the trigger, but the shot didn't hit Omega; it struck the switch the others were next to, activating a shield at the start of the bridge. Now none would dare interrupt Black Doom.
"Shadow, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Knuckles.
"My body… what's happened to my body…?" asked Shadow, "I… I can't control…"
Shadow turned in horror, only to be forced to one knee as he saw Black Doom holding up his palm, and laughing at Shadow's despair. The Ultimate Life Form had never been frightened in his life, but this being, this monster; Black Doom was practically breaking him. He was losing his mind and his loved ones. "What… what the hell are you?!" he exclaimed to the alien.
"As I said before, you are like a son to me. And it is in every son's nature to obey his father without question." Black Doom chuckled sadistically, "Did you really believe that I would allow Robotnik to infuse my people's blood into something as powerful as you, without a way to control you?"
"Wait…. You don't mean…!"
"Indeed, Shadow. It is indeed possible for the creator and ringmaster to control the very beings of the Black Arms, and those infused with our blood! Not even you or that Black Hawk you tamed are safe from my mind control!"
"Then… then why wait…? Why not just… bring me under your control, from the start?! Why bother with all this trouble and suffering?!"
"The answer was simple: I wanted you to be granted the illusion of a free will. To make you believe that you were your own person, and that you had your choices. But that was never an option. You are what you have always been, a manservant of my will born to carry out my people's sacred mission! No matter what you may do or how hard you try, you can never turn away from who you truly are! There is no hope for you now, Shadow. You, your planet, your friends, and your lover all belong to me! This is the end! HAHAHAHAAA!"
Shadow was forced to both knees by Black Doom's power. He dropped his gun, holding his head in anguish. The alien warlord had thought of everything. Nothing he could possibly think of would work. From behind him, he could hear Omega engaged in combat. The E-Series robot knew he had to activate the switch to drop the barrier, but Black Doom summoned an entourage of Black Oaks and Black Assassins to intercept the machine. Omega was fighting with all the energy he had, blasting and ripping through every alien he came across. That is until a Black Oak clunked him in the back with a club. Momentum swung hard in the invaders favor, battering the mecha with ease.
"Now Shadow, as reward for your servitude, I want you to witness…" said Black Doom, "…as your concubine is the first of this planet's denizens to be our offspring's supplements!"
"NO!" shouted Shadow in horror. Amy's eyes widened in terror. There was nothing she could do to stop herself from being these monsters meal. Shadow tried to get up but found it hopeless. Black Doom's power was too much to stop. He saw the Death Leeches that he encountered at Cryptic Castle slowly crawl to Amy, eventually latching onto her. Slowly, they began to drain her, all while Shadow was forced to watch, unable to stop it. Shadow, closed his eyes with tears streaming. He had failed Maria, the planet, his friends. But worse of all, he failed Amy. "Sh-Shadow…! Help…!" she whimpered. But Shadow couldn't look, only mourn his failures.
"Amy… I'm sorry…"
4:24 AM – SPACE COLONY ARK – COMPUTER ROOM
"Hey Espio, you got it yet?" asked an impatient Charmy.
The busy bee was having to be held by one palm by Vector for bugging the ninja. Espio was doing what he could to hack into the video signals across the globe and wherever Shadow was. After watching the message in full made from the late Gerald Robotnik, they knew that it was imperative for Shadow to understand everything. And not a moment too soon. The Chaotix, GUN, and Cream has been made aware of what was happening on the surface thanks to screams and cries of help from Tower's communications. The commander in chief hated being stuck up in outer space when his men needed him, but there was little he could do. If he tried going down there, he'd be paralyzed too and there were little resources they had to deal with this.
"Espio, I need you to hurry and get this working! If you don't, everything that we had done will have been for nothing!" said Tower.
"With all due respect, commander, this is not as easy as it looks." replied Espio.
"I know it's hard, Espy, but millions of lives are in danger if we don't get this shit working! Just... please, try your best…" begged Sonar.
Espio sighed as he worked faster. The worst part was that he was doing his best. Computers were just not his cup of tea. Sonar had trouble with this hacking stuff herself. She more left that kind of stuff to Rouge, but her partner was stuck in the Black Comet. Cream and Cheese were clutching each other in fear. They dared not think of what would happen to them if the Black Arms succeeded in their goal. Charmy could see his girlfriend's scared expression in the corner of his eyes, and hated to see it. He was not going to let her cheery smile fade. Charmy flew right out if Vector's grasp and prepared to make his move. He recalled what Shadow did to get them into the Digital Circuit Zone. If he could do it, so could Charmy!
"That does it! Move aside, guys! I'll take care of this!" he said charging forward.
"Don't touch it, dumbass!" shouted Vector.
But Charmy didn't listen. He charged right at the console and rammed it shoulder first, causing Espio and Sonar to jump back a bit in shock. The console wobbled a bit but remained in place. Charmy landed on both feet, though a bit dizzy. Vector and Tower were just about ready to chew the kid out for damaging a very old and important piece of equipment, when they heard several clicks and an electronic voice.
"FILE UPLOAD COMPLETE. COMMENCING FILE PLAYBACK."
"Holy shit, that actually worked." Espio said a bit exasperated that it worked out.
"My hero!" Cream hugged Charmy and kisses him on the cheek. The bee blushed and chuckled modestly.
"Don't get too excited people." noted Tower, "We did all that we could. Now it's all up to Shadow to finish it."
The message began to be relayed across every frequency. They hoped Shadow would get it, but the GUN commander had hoped there was something else he could do to help Shadow. That's when he remembered something: the ARK did have one other thing they could try. He just hoped it would be enough…
4:25 AM – BLACK COMET
Black Doom laughed at the chaos unfolding before him. His two thousand year plan had come to fruition, his foes incapacitated, and Shadow was under his thumb, unable to save those he cherished most. Amy Rose could feel her blood and innards be drained at an exorbitant rate, and no one was able to save her. She witnessed her beloved Shadow lose all will and hope before her. Was this it? Was this really the end of them all? Shadow struggled but he knew he couldn't fight Black Doom's control. Everything was lost…
"Shadow, my son…"
"Professor?" Shadow looked up. He recognized that voice. It was the voice of his creator, his true creator. Had he finally cracked out of pure despair? No, he heard him. Several monitors suddenly appeared showing what seemed to be an old video of Professor Gerald Robotnik.
"What's this?!" exclaimed Black Doom.
"If you are receiving this, I fear something terrible has happened to you. You must hear me now, before it is too late… as you should be aware, you were created to be the Ultimate Life Form, the one to unlock the secret of eternal life. But to achieve this, I had to strike a deal with an alien known as Black Doom. He swore that his life blood would help save our dear Maria. However, I quickly learned that was untrue. In reality, he intended to use you as the herald of his evil ways. In my weakened state, I lost myself. I just wanted to save her, but my desperation was so bleak that I nearly doomed the Earth.
"I was able to use the Mobian DNA inside of you to curb your alien nature, but I know what is to happen. In short time, the government will learn of my sins and come to shut this facility down. They no doubt intend to imprison everyone we know and love. And you, myself, and Maria may suffer the worst fate of all. The thought of losing her is horrid. If that were to happen, I fear I will one day lose my own self and there would be no one to warm the world of Black Doom's deception. All because of the sins I committed, Shadow; contacting that comet and the devil that resided within it. It will be too late for me, but not for you. Not if I were to leave something to prevent it.
"In fifty years, Black Doom and his army will return to enslave this planet's people and claim the Earth as their own. The only way to stop them was to use their own technology against them. Shadow, there is a power dwelling deep within you that should be enough to stop them. But should that not be enough, I have prepared two weapons to stop them. First is the U78-X/D mech that will have more than enough firepower to destroy their leader. Second is a superweapon I created to pierce any stars: the Eclipse Cannon! It will be able to destroy their comet! Shadow, should Black Doom attempt to deceive you, understand that you may have been made from his blood, but you can choose your own destiny, and how you use that power! I made you not as a herald of darkness, but to be the beacon of light for Earth's people! The future of our world, and all worlds rests in your hands!"
As the recording began to end, a young girl appeared on the screen, hugging Gerald. It was his granddaughter, Maria. "Don't worry, grandfather. Shadow and I won't give up! We'll make sure to protect this planet and everyone there!" she said, then turned to the screen, "Right, Shadow?"
Shadow looked at her, then down at himself in shame. Everything he knew and believed in, it wasn't all a ruse. It wasn't for nothing. He had a greater purpose and did control his own destiny. But it wouldn't have been possible without those he cherished; the professor, Maria, Charmy… and Amy. He looked at her, seeing her weakening from the state she was in. Shadow was a fool to give up. Now he wouldn't! For the professor, Maria, the Earth, but most importantly, his beloved rose.
"How unfortunate for you, Robotnik." Black Doom chuckled, casting the monitors aside, "What good is your beacon of light when his will has been completely destroyed? Shadow is under my control and you have failed…"
Shadow was not going to give in. With all his will and might, he began trying to stand up, doing everything he could to resist Black Doom's mind control. The Black Arms leader was baffled. How was Shadow starting to resist him? Black Doom stretched his arm to force him back down, but Shadow would still try to get back up. This alien monster was not going to stop him from fulfilling his promises to his family and loved ones! However, Black Doom's influence was growing stronger. He could only hang in for so long. "Stay down, you impudent vermin!" shouted Black Doom.
But Shadow would not. He would still try to get up with all his might while always being forced back down. Then, something amazing happened. A fire inside of Shadow was ignited as he felt a strange energy coursing through him. He curled up in himself then outstretched his limbs in a shout of determination. He was surrounded in a bright orange aura that was unlike anything anyone had seen before. The Ultimate Life Form landed on his feet, still surrounded in the aura with a determined look in his eyes. He slowly approached Amy and the Death Leeches devouring her. Shadow was ready to take no prisoners.
"What's this?! What is this power?!" exclaimed Black Doom. He stretched his palm to gain control of his creation, but Shadow kept marching forward. His mind control had no effect. "What?! Why do you not respond to my mind control?!"
Shadow did not respond. He kept marching forward, stomping on all the leeches and ripping them right off of Amy. She looked to be nearly finished, so he came in just in time. Then Shadow pulled out the Heal Cannon and fired off at her, a blue light illuminating around her. Amy felt the effects of the nerve gas subside. She was finally free. Amy fell into Shadow's arms, too weak to even so much as stand on her own. She looked up at her knight in shining armor and smiled, happy that her boyfriend finally came through in the end.
"Amy, are you okay?" he asked.
"Thanks to you, Shadow." she nodded.
The black hedgehog's aura grew stronger still as he turned to the others. He saw Omega putting up a good fight, ripping out Black Arms internal organs and tearing them apart with every weapon in his arsenal. However, he was being overwhelmed by the Black Oaks attacking him. What's more, the aliens slowly approached Knuckles and Rouge. With his puppet no longer following his commands, Black Doom ordered his troops to begin feasting on the two Mobians. Shadow quickly launched a Chaos Spear at the barrier, shattering it on contact. He then rushed and disappeared, reappearing and disappearing again to punch, kick, and maim all the Black Arms.
Shadow then threw multiple Chaos energy-induced punches and kicks at the Black Oak holding Omega, ending with a Chaos Kick upside the head. At first, nothing happened. Seconds later, however, and the giant monster began to grow in pain, eventually exploding. It was already dead. The Ultimate Life Form pulled out the Heal Cannon and shot at his comrades & Knuckles. Omega felt more rejuvenated and flexed as he was healed. Knuckles, however, landed right on top of Rouge's back, the bat falling down in a suggestive position as they were free of the nerve gas. Not how they envisioned their Sunday morning to start.
"Ugh, fucking hell. Not the kind of knocked up I was hoping for…" groaned Rouge.
"You're welcome, you two." smirked Shadow, then walked all the way back to Black Doom with determined eyes.
"How? How did you break free of my mind control?!" exclaimed Black Doom.
Shadow looked up, then returned his gaze with upmost fury. "I am Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form created by Gerald Robotnik to be the final salvation for the Earth. I was made from the blood of the evil overlord, Black Doom, but I choose my own destiny. You cannot control me anymore Doom! I am the Earth's eternal guardian, and I intend to keep the promises that I made to the ones that I loved; to protect them, to protect the Earth, and to condemn any and all evil! This is who I am, and not a shadow of who I want to be!"
Black Doom was livid. Now it was his plans beginning to blow up in his face. The people of this planet were still immobilized but Shadow can still easily thwart his plans. He needed to send out all of his troops now and to deter his failed creation. "Very well, Shadow. If you wish to fulfill your vows, let us see you stop my entire legion!" he said, "Go, my Black Arms! Eat and devour these savory dishes!"
Like a sudden switch, all the Black Arms soldiers and monsters spread out towards the comet's exits. The humans were incapacitated on the surface and were easy prey. Black Doom knew that Shadow couldn't take every one of his men at once, nor could he rescue every single human. Not without Sonic's speed, and not while their leader still lives. Shadow turned to his friends and handed the Heal Cannon over to Rouge.
"Listen guys, I need you to get out of here now! Find any human paralyzed by the gas and free them, and take care of whatever alien is down there causing havoc!" he said.
"Affirmative!" said Omega.
"And what the hell are you gonna do?" asked Knuckles.
"I'm gonna finish what this fucker started, and cut the head right off this snake!" said Shadow.
"No way, Shadow! I'm not leaving you behind like this!" said Amy.
"Don't worry about me, Amy. I'll be fine! The Heal Cannon's effects will wear off in less than ten minutes, you need to get out now!"
"I can't leave you! Shadow, we already lost Sonic, I'm not losing you too!"
"I'll make it. I promise. Besides, I am the Ultimate. He couldn't kill me if he tried!"
Amy wanted to stay behind and help Shadow. Even with Sonic behind her, that stubborn streak of hers refused to die. But Shadow was putting her before himself. He refused to let her be hurt in any way. If he lost Amy, he didn't know how he would go on. Amy could see the determined but kind look in his eyes. It was the same kind of look Sonic would have, the kind that made her fall for him. She knew things would turn out alright. With a heavy heart, Amy relented and nodded.
"Let's leave the bad boys, pinky! We gotta bounce out!" said Rouge. Amy nodded to her and left with the others. Shadow smiled at her, then returned to his serious stance, approaching Black Doom.
"Now then, Black Doom," he said, "how's about I reel you in?!"
"Your feeble threats do nothing to deter me, Shadow! I will show you the ultimate power of the universe!" shouted Black Doom, outstretching his arm in battle ready mode.
Shadow charged forward for the final battle with the demented monster headlining this invasion. He jumped up and struck with a Homing Attack to the chest. Black Doom tanked it, taking no damage, then swatted him away against a wall. The Ultimate Life Form rebounded from his feet and charged back at the alien. Black Doom moved away creating an afterimage of himself to further mess with Shadow. Doom chose now to attack, creating dark spheres on both sides of him, unleashing orange waves at him. Shadow was able to dodge easily and fired off a Chaos Spear at the alien leader. It hit clean onto Doom's head, dealing quite the damage.
"A feeble attempt! Now die!" shouted Black Doom. He launched large crimson fireballs from his hands at Shadow, which the black hedgehog had to speed around. Shadow decided to finally start using the weapons he had on him. If he was going to stop this guy, he needed to use everything he had and then some.
Shadow broke out his uzi and fired off at the alien warlord. Black Doom took a bit of damage but otherwise shook off most of the bullets. Doom put his palms together and prepared a sphere of dark energy to launch. Shadow pulled out his bazooka and fired off a rocket at the sphere. The chain reaction caused a massive explosion, dealing heavy burns to Black Doom. The Black Arms leader chuckled. He hadn't expected Shadow to be so resourceful or bold. Now the alien was ready to get serious. He hovered above him and summoned a large purple energy boomerang to attack.
"On guard, SWIFT STRIKE!"
Shadow jumped to avoid it, but the beam ricocheted right back to him. The black hedgehog brought out the Samurai Blade and slashed the energy attack, cutting it in half. However, this was but a clever diversion. Black Doom struck Shadow from behind with large fire spheres. Shadow was flown back several feet, growling at the Black Arms leader for such a cheap shot. He got back up grabbing the Omochao Gun. Black Doom laughed at Shadow wielding such a ridiculous weapon, but the Ultimate Life Form began shooting a barrage of ammo at the monster. Black Doom started dodging and teleporting away but the shots bounced off the wall eventually hit him many times. Shadow wasn't done yet though; he jumped up and fired off the Satellite Gun all across the floor, ensuring that Doom would be hit no matter where he landed. Black Doom disappeared before many could be landed but one beam torched him completely.
"How… how did you obtain that…?!" Black Doom exclaimed.
"Fuck you, that's how!" Shadow responded.
Black Doom was growing impatient with this meddlesome hedgehog. He began to summon meteorites to attack Shadow. The Ultimate Life Form pulled out the Egg Vacuum and used it to suck up all the meteorites. Doom couldn't believe it; they even made use of their Vacuum Pods? Before he could even respond, Shadow flipped the reverse switch and sent the rocks right back at him, severely weakening the Black Arms leader. As the dust was clearing, the black hedgehog charged with his Samurai Blade, jumping up and releasing a green wave at Black Doom that further scarred the monster. For one last measure, Shadow pulled out the Shadow Rifle and shot him in the face point blank, blasting the villain and sending him down to the ground. Black Doom laid down, severely beat and humiliated as Shadow collected the final Chaos Emerald from his opponent.
"Finally, I've got all the Chaos Emeralds!" he said triumphantly.
"Shadow, you fool…." Black Doom growled, "Do you not see? How vastly inferior and cruel these Earthlings are? They may view you as their savior today… but at one point, they will toss you aside when you have outlived your usefulness… The peace that we offer them… is the only way to preserve these creatures… You would rather kill a superior starving species and spare a greedy inferior one…?"
"Don't you try your virtue signaling bullshit on me, Black Doom! Not when you psychologically fuck with your own kind and send them to the slaughter when they don't follow you! Hell, you throw them into the wolves no matter what! This is all on you, because you don't give a fuck about anyone other than yourself!"
"Hmm… you see right through me. Very well… now I will have to unleash my true wrath!"
Black Doom floated up, discarding his robe and jewels to expose himself. Shadow looked to see that Doom's entire body merely consisted of his head, torso, and arms. He had absolutely no lower body to speak of and was merely floating in the air. Black Doom's body slowly began to turn red, his eyes glowed a dark orange, and wings slowly beginning to grow as he floated higher to the comet's ceiling, phasing throw it. Shadow has seen this scenario enough times to know what's going to happen next, and what he needs to do.
One by one, the six Chaos Emeralds emerged from Shadow's pocket space, rotating around him alongside the seventh. Shadow closed his eyes and tightened his fists as the emeralds glowed and spun faster. He could feel the energy of the gems power coursing through his body. As the emeralds twirled around at a rapid pace, the black hedgehog made a powerful motion and unleashed the power within him. His eyes were now a fiery orange and his black quills now colored gold, jetting upwards. Shadow had transformed into his super state through the Chaos Emeralds: Super Shadow!
With intense purpose, Shadow flew up to the top of the comet and smashed his way out. It was time to finish this, once and for all…
4:38 AM – CENTRAL CITY
Knuckles, Rouge, Amy, and Omega had spent the ten minutes of free movement they had to do what they could to stop the Black Arms' ambitions for human enslavement and cannibalism. Or at least halt it. Using the Heal Cannon that Shadow gave them, the gang was able to unparalize the GUN soldiers affected by the gas while also dealing with the Black Arms soldiers. Knuckles used his Maximum Heat attack to make short work of many of the aliens, while Omega used many of his guns to stop all the oncoming forces and Amy smashed anything she saw with her hammer. Everything seemed to be going well for now, which left the rest to Shadow…
"Hope Shadow's doing okay! I know he's strong enough, but I just can't shake this feeling that…" Amy trailed off while smashing a Black Warrior.
"Hey, chillax girl. I'm sure Shadow's made that Loki wannabe motherfucker his bitch by now." said Rouge, kicking another one's head off.
As their misfortune would have it, the form of Black Doom appeared at the top of the Black Comet, and he was growing and mutating. Not just in appearance, but also size. He was becoming the physical size of the Biolizard. Doom's arms stretched to become longer and stronger, his face turning to grow sharper horns, one single eye, and an atrocious looking mouth not unlike the one the Black Bull had. To further seal the deal of its hideous appearance, a second head grew on where his back was, similar to the one he had but instead with a long single horn on his forehead, and its eye closed as if dormant. Doom roared in feral pride as Shadow emerged from the comet, facing off his nemesis transformation.
"Behold, Shadow! You will feel the wrath of Devil Doom, my true power!" shouted Devil Doom, "Now I shall make you pay for your insolence with relentless pain!"
"I'm already feeling relentless pain, from you boring me you sack of shit!" shouted Shadow, flying to engage the monster atop the comet.
"Get used to it." said Devil Doom, raising his arms.
As he did, many skyscrapers and buildings were ripped apart, floating out and around him, as if through telepathy. Doom hurled the structures at Shadow, but the Super Hedgehog smashed through and maneuvered around them. With one punch, Shadow smacked Devil Doom in the eye, causing immense pain. Shortly after the punch connected, Doom's Eye suddenly popped out of the eye socket, closing up as it left. Shadow was perplexed. He had thought that it was merely his third eye, why was it suddenly sentient? Before he could ponder further, Doom's Eye flew into the other head's eye socket, taking control. Finally, the head awakened and Devil Doom roared out again, looking back and reposition his arms.
"Hmph. It seems I underestimated the power of the emeralds…" mused Doom, "Regardless, you will die right here!"
Shadow began to fly around to take out the other head but one of Devil Doom's wings swatted him away like a fly. The Ultimate Life Form stopped himself and charged ahead again. This time, Devil Doom arched back and launched massive fireballs from his mouth, which Shadow tanked. Dusting off the damage, Shadow began charging energy as the Black Arms warlord summoned large meteorites to attack, but the super hedgehog dashed past it all and released a Chaos Spear at Doom. However, one of his wings blocked the shot. Then, Devil Doom launched more fire at the hedgehog, giving him tons of damage and injury. The meteorites began homing in on Shadow, who had to fly about to dodge before he shot another Chaos Spear. This time, Doom was too occupied to deflect it. Doom's Eye flew out of the head and into the front once again. Now Shadow was noticing a pattern. That wasn't just Doom's own eye, but in a sense his true form.
"So that eye… that's who you really are?" said Shadow.
"You do not sound so surprised. Were you expecting less?" asked Devil Doom.
"I just find it ironic how a legion of man-eating alien monsters is led by a plate of sushi."
"Laugh while you can, Shadow. In time, it is I who will get the final punchline. Ask your maiden down there."
Shadow turned below him when he heard a shriek. He saw Amy holding her hammer up with one hand and take a defensive stance in the other… but not moving. As he feared, the Heal Cannon's effects had worn off and she was at the mercy of the Black Comet's gas once more. Knuckles and Rouge, standing back to back, would feel the effects as well. Only Omega was left to stop the onslaught of the Black Arms, along with the GUN squad. The E-Series robot was bringing out every weapon and attack he could to keep the cannibals at bay, but he was having trouble. He was fortunate that Topaz and her squad had plenty of weapons and drones to cover him.
This brief moment of hesitation and distraction was more than enough for Devil Doom to launch a wave of fire at Shadow, crippling the hedgehog further. As Shadow tried to counter attack, Doom grabbed Shadow with one arm and gripped him tight, further draining him. Now it was getting dire for the super hedgehog. He could feel his ring count diminish fast. Without any rings, he couldn't hold the transformation and would surely die. This felt like the end. But he couldn't give up. Shadow struggled against Devil Doom's mighty grip, hoping to be free but it was no use. His energy was low. Devil Doom prepared a fire attack to finish him.
"May you be an example to any beings that dare to oppose us! Now watch, Earthlings, as your beacon of light fades to black!" Devil Doom boasted, "Sayonora, Shadow the Hedgehog!"
Suddenly, a blue laser beam reigned down from the crimson skies, striking Devil Doom in the head and eye, forcing Black Doom out of it and dropping Shadow. The hedgehog fell onto the comet surface, exhausted and barely holding on. He looked up to see what had just saved him. Floating down to Devil Doom's level was a large red robot with a single orange retinal as its head and face, red and black retractable shoulder pads that appeared to be hiding some electric rods, and large chrome arms, though it had no legs and only an engine that allowed it to hover above ground.
"Who dares attack?!" asked Black Doom.
"Your worst fucking nightmare, Black Doom!" said a familiar voice from the robot.
"Commander?!" exclaimed Topaz. She didn't imagine Tower being so proactive after everything that's happened.
"Captain Tanaka, good work on securing the perimeter! Now you all head to the Silver Mansion and help the president immediately! That's an order, soldier!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Many of the troops headed off in a helicopter to ensure the president's safety. Omega was already doing well in clearing out the remaining Black Arms troops but they all knew more would be coming. They needed to cut off the head of the serpent for them to stop deploying. Tower, taking control of the large incomplete mecha, flexed the machine and began to press some buttons. Black Doom quickly assumed the place of the single-horned head of Devil Doom. "How do you like this, Doom?" asked Tower, "The U78-X/D, codename 'Diablon'! One of the many weapons provided by your old friend Professor Gerald! They never completed this thing before the ARK was shut down, but as you can see, it's still quite a match even for you!"
"I think not, human! Burn!" shouted Devil Doom, launched a stream of fire at Diablon. However just before it hit, the Diablon's shoulder plates lowered, revealing two electro-magnetic power rods. The moment they went up, they lit up, creating a yellow force shield around the mecha. The fire hit the barrier full on, not making anything in it at all.
"What?!" exclaimed Devil Doom.
"Electro-magnetic barrier. So long as this is up, nothing you do is gonna put a dent in this baby!" said Tower, moving the Diablon to Shadow.
He had to deactivate the electro-magnetic barrier to assist the hedgehog. This gave Doom an opportunity to attack, but Black Doom was forced out thanks to a missile from Omega. This bought the Diablon time to open its chest plate and take out a large bag of rings.
"Here, Shadow! A good 999 rings, courtesy of Team Chaotix! This should be more than enough to finish this guy off!" said Tower, handing it to Super Shadow.
Shadow quickly absorbed the rings given to him. He now felt rejuvenated and stronger than ever. It was as if he had been given infinite lives. As Devil Doom reactivated, Shadow flew up with Diablon, ready to finish him off. "Alright Tower, let's send this alien bastard to the worst parts of hell!" said Shadow.
"I think the time for talking is over. Time to push buttons and kick ass!" shouted Tower, preparing the barrier and ready to attack.
"Fools! Suffer like these pathetic Earthlings!" screamed Devil Doom, sending fire and meteorites at the duo.
Shadow charged forward dodging the attacks, while Diablon's electro-magnetic barrier shielded it from the fiery wrath of Black Doom's monstrous form. Shadow fired off several Chaos Spears but Doom's wings blocked all of them. It was clear that as long as those wings were still attached, taking him down would be a hassle. The Diablon looked right at Shadow and nodded, as if Tower knew what Shadow was thinking. The mech flew right at the grotesque alien, tanking anything he threw at it. Shadow then started throwing Chaos Spears at the monster's body. As Doom was distracted blocking the shots, Diablon briefly deactivated the electro-magnetic barrier to grab one of his wings and rip it right off. Devil Doom screamed in immense pain, just as Shadow used what seemed to be a Super Light Speed Attack to destroy the other wing. There was nothing to protect Doom now.
"Shadow, I got a plan to finish him off! Keep him busy for a few minutes, and I can end it with a bang!" said Tower.
"Hope it's a good one! I'm already sick of playing hot potato!" said Shadow.
Shadow charged forward and began firing off one Chaos Spear after the other. All Devil Doom could do to counter was summoning more buildings and meteors to hurl at the super-powered hedgehog. The Ultimate Life Form shot his blasts at him every chance he got, dodging or plowing through anything in his way. For many minutes, Shadow was able to keep Devil Doom at bay, but he knew time was of the essence. He looked down and saw that the Death Leeches were starting to come out. He knew Amy and the others weren't going to last, and even though Omega could kill a good number of them, there would always be at least one or two that would slip by. They needed to end this now!
"Commander, I don't mean to rush you, but whatever you're planning better be quick!" said Shadow.
"Almost ready, Shadow! Energy charge nearly finished!" said Tower.
Now Devil Doom was starting to figure them out. He had figured those two were up to something but was unsure what. Not that it mattered due to the barrier in place that prevented him from attacking the Diablon. However, the Black Arms warlord was growing impatient. He would finish those two off now. Devil Doom, with a massive growl unleashed fire attack after attack at the two fighters. He wanted to see how much the heroes could take before they broke. The Diablon's barrier was still holding up completely, but Tower knew as soon as he dropped it to unleash his secret weapon, he would be exposed. Shadow, meanwhile, was hanging in but taking a beating. Yet he refused to cave. He had far too much at stake just to quit. That's why he wouldn't give up.
"You can do it, Shadow! I believe in you!" Amy encouraged.
"Don't you dare give up!" said Knuckles.
"We know you're strong enough!" shouted Rouge.
"Cheer mode: activated! Shadow, you must annihilate them!" said Omega while blasting the leeches.
This was everything Shadow needed to power through. His golden aura glowed even brighter, determined to see this through. As Devil Doom unleashed every attack he had, the Ultimate Life Form plowed right through them. He punched, kicked, and shot through anything that dared to stand in his way. Doom couldn't believe what he was seeing. Where was Shadow getting all of this from? He looked in absolute shock at the resolve and power of the hedgehog.
"Alright, charge complete! Now it's time to end this!" announced Tower.
"Gladly!" shouted Shadow, flying ahead to finish this off.
Devil Doom madly threw everything he had. This Black Arms would not be denied from what was his. Shadow kept the monster guessing and focused on him so that the Diablon could flank around without risk. In less than a minute, the mech was right above Devil Doom. Now came the tricky part. Tower deactivated the electro-magnetic barrier to attack and landed on the thing's back. Now was the time to fire.
"ANTI-MATTER CANNON… FIRE!" Tower shouted, releasing from the mech's body a 360° angle blast of anti-matter.
Shadow wisely steered clear of the blast radius, which covered most of the Comet's surface. The blast all but obliterated Devil Doom's entire body, leaving nothing behind. All that was left was Doom's Eye, the true form of Black Doom, floating around weakly. Shadow was not going to let this tyrant roam free. Teleporting in front of the defenseless alien, he prepared to strike. Doom blinked and shook in terror. He had no more vices, no advantages, and no powers. This was it for him.
"Shadow, wait! You cannot do this! Spare me, and I will offer you anything you desire!" Doom begged, "I can provide you more power than you can dream of, a planet, a galaxy! I may yet bring back what you lost! I beseech you, my son!"
"I am not your son. The professor… he was my real father! And you're nothing but fried calamari, bitch!" Shadow shouted, ready to strike.
"NOOOOO!"
"CHAOS… LANCE!"
Shadow fired from his hand a red colored Chaos Spear, the more powerful variant in the Chaos Lance. When Black Doom was hit by it, he completely vaporized, leaving not even a trace of ashes behind. It was finally over. The leader of the Black Arms was dead, their tyranny over. Yet it wasn't over then. There was still one thing left to do. Shadow stood on top of the Black Comet and looked down at the world below. The gas was still coming through, the leeches were directionless but needed to be fed. It was time to finish it. With fiery intensity, Shadow flew up and down to the bottom of the comet, attempting to lift it. It was time to blow this thing sky high!
"Begone, my cursed past!" Shadow said, "CHAOS… CONTROL!"
A bright light was cast from Shadow and the Black Comet. Within a moment, they both had disappeared. The gas had stopped transmitting, and the sky was slowly beginning to clear. The Ultimate Life Form had sent that rock up into space to meet its end, along with the Black Arms.
4:57 AM – SPACE COLONY ARK – ECLIPSE CANNON CONTROL ROOM
Sonar, Cream, and the Chaotix were all preparing the Eclipse Cannon for its full purpose. It was quite some time since it was last used. They weren't sure if it was even going to work, with or without the Chaos Emeralds. Moreso, the others were worried about what would happen when the emeralds were gathered. They were aware that last time this happened, the colony turned into a time bomb that nearly collided with Earth. They were praying it didn't happen again. As they were finishing, they saw on the monitor the Black Comet suddenly appearing out of the blue, right in the cannon's line of fire. That's when Super Shadow teleported in, all seven Chaos Emeralds surrounding him.
"Told you I'd be back." he said to Charmy, who was ecstatic to see his surrogate brother alive and really kicking.
"Better hurry and blow that motherfucker to bits!" said Vector.
"And what if Gerald's self-destruction protocol is reactivated? Remember what happened last time?" asked Sonar.
"Relax. When Sonic and I used Chaos Control to put the colony back in orbit, it froze the program completely. It's safe to use." Shadow reassured.
"Then hurry!" shouted Espio.
Shadow nodded, then flung the Chaos Emeralds into the cannon's battery panel, powering it up and reverting him to normal Shadow. The energies of the emeralds flowed all over the control room and into the cannon. The Eclipse Cannon's nose opened up, revealing its gun barrel. Green energy began being syphoned through the cannon, the group locked onto the comet, ready to fire on command. Cream and Cheese looked on, praying this worked.
"Eclipse Cannon, FIRE!" shouted Vector.
He pressed the fire button and let the Eclipse Cannon do its thing. The energy was unloaded into a large concentrated laser beam that hit the Black Comet full force. Within a few seconds, the comet began to crackle and then exploded, leaving only chunks of rock floating in space. Tails witnessed it through the Blue Typhoon and was ecstatic. Shadow had pulled through after all. In the control room, it was even sweeter. The Chaotix celebrated like they had won the lottery. Espio took Sonar and kissed her like no tomorrow. Charmy and Cream hugged each other happily and lovingly. As for Shadow, he crossed his arms with a big smile on his face. It was finally over. The memories, the nightmare, all the mind tricks and torture he was subjected to… he was finally free.
"Great job, boys! The Black Comet is destroyed and the Black Arms extinct!" said Vector, "I'd say this case is practically wrapped up! And thanks, Shadow! You saved us all."
"You guys played that message, didn't you?" said Shadow, "I doubt I would have been able to stop Black Doom without you. Especially you, Charmy."
"Aww, shucks bro!" Charmy blushed. He then flew over and hugged his friend and surrogate brother. Just then, they received a call from Tails.
"Shadow, I'm detecting no life form readings from the Black Comet's debris. The Black Arms are officially extinct!" said Tails, "And the toxic paralytic gas you mentioned appears to be evaporating and the atmosphere is cleaning up. Looks like we owe you another one!"
"You can pay me back right now by getting us the fuck off this place and bring us down to Earth." Shadow said.
"Coming right up! Meet me at the hangar!"
Shadow nodded and turned to the others. They all looked ready to finally head back to Earth and put this whole invasion crap behind them. "Come on, everyone. Let's head home." He said, leading the way to the hangar.
5:15 AM – CENTRAL CITY
The red clouds had completely faded away. The sun was beginning to rise on a new day, a brand-new adventure. Thanks to Shadow's brave efforts, the Black Arms were destroyed and peace was stored. Now that the aliens were gone and the gas was gone, people were given the okay to return to their homes and to Central City as well as Westopolis. Commander Tower had left the Diablon and began tending to his men, ensuring they were okay. It was perhaps the first time in so long he openly showed this much compassion. Amy looked up in the sky and saw the Blue Typhoon landing nearby. A few minutes later, the whole gang marched over to them; Shadow in charge, with Sonar, Cream, Tails, and the Chaotix following behind him.
Amy couldn't contain her joy from seeing her love. She ran up with great speed and glomped Shadow. The Ultimate Life Form caught and hugged her tightly. With all his strength, he kissed and made out with his beloved rose. Everything he did was for her. Now he could finally be with her, without worry, without fear. He would protect this planet, and Amy. Both groups smiled seeing the two lovers embrace as they came together to celebrate and congratulate one another. Tower approached the group with his men, saluting everyone for a job well done.
"Good job, Team Sonic. It seems like we are, once more, in your debt. Especially you, Shadow." he said, "And I'm sorry for everything I put you all through. Had I known what my father was really like, I would never have treated you so harshly, or been so apathetic to you and my men. Even knowing that, I should never have done this or treated you with such contempt."
"We all have a past we like to forget. But I'm done living in it. I'm going to work toward a brighter future." Shadow said. Tower smiled and the two shook hands, putting all differences and past conflicts aside for good.
"Well, looks like I'm late to the party…" said a voice above them.
The group looked up and saw Dr. Eggman in his Egg Mobile, looking over in disappointment. The others looked up, getting in fighting stance at the sight of the doctor, GUN drawing their weapons at him. Shadow looked around, waiting for the Shadow Androids to come out and ambush them. And then… nothing. Nothing happened at all.
"I was hoping this blasted gas would wear off sooner so I could get the Chaos Emeralds from those Black Arms!" said Eggman, "I even had a new creation just for the occasion. But it looks like everything sorted itself out. Oh well, I'll just take those emeralds back and…"
"Doctor Eggman, you cannot escape me this time!" Omega suddenly said, "I will destroy you and prove my superiority!"
"N-Now now, Omega, let's not be hasty!"
The angry E-series would not listen to his creator. He began firing missiles and gunshots at Eggman, as the doctor darted off in the distance, Omega chasing after him once again. The whole gang laughed at the doctor's misfortunes once more. Though would have laughed more had Sonic humiliated him for the umpteenth time. That's when they were all reminded of their big blue friend. Tails approached Shadow in curiosity. The fact Sonic wasn't with them was particularly worrisome. "Shadow… where's Sonic?"
Shadow and Amy looked at one another and then looked down in sorrow. They knew there was no avoiding this discussion with the others, so much as they wished they could. Shadow took a deep breath and prepared to tell them the bad news. "He's gone. He tried stopping Black Doom the minute our plan fell to shit, but Doom, he…"
"Black Doom claims he was beamed away to another dimension, but that's just anime talk for being dead, if you ask me." added Amy.
The others were in shock. They couldn't believe that Sonic was just gone, and that he gave up his life for them. For Shadow. Some of them really didn't believe it. Tails had seen Sonic seemingly die several times before, then come back without so much as a scratch. Knuckles as well, he knows how stubborn Sonic can be. And though Shadow and Amy had seen the Blue Devil go through worse, they had seen what Black Doom did. There was no way anyone could have survived.
"If there's any chance Sonic may be alive, though…" said Tails, "I'm willing to take it. And try to find him!"
Shadow nodded, then turned to see some of the citizens surrounding them. Many of them were cheering him. Despite all he had done in his brief time with the Black Arms, they were willing to forgive him, and were praising him as a hero. He felt a bit happy about that seeing all this. However, within the crowd, one person stuck out. The child of the parents he murdered in Westopolis. The young boy looked at him with fear and hatred, not recognizing the black hedgehog as a savior, but rather a menace. Shadow remembered Black Doom's words, how that kid would forever hold a grudge against him for his sins and may even attempt revenge. He knew he couldn't live with it. He had to do as he promised the president.
"Commander, I know we may have found peace. And we're all ready to put this all behind us…" said Shadow, "But I still believe that I need to pay for my sins. I'm asking you all to arrest me, and for me to be punished justly for what I've done."
Everyone was surprised to hear all this. Team Sonic were still shocked to see him follow through with his vow to pay for his crimes, but GUN especially. They weren't aware of the president's chat with the Ultimate Life Form, nor did they think Shadow to simply turn himself over like that. They had hoped that he could be pardoned for his sins, as he did just save the entire world once more.
"Shadow, you do not need to do that. You've done more than enough to make up for all of your crimes!" argued Tower.
"You know damn well that isn't true. You may think I've atoned for what I have done, but there are thousands of others in Westopolis that may think otherwise. Even if I didn't kill everyone, I ruined the lives of that city's people, their friends, and loved ones. They won't simply accept a flimsy pardon for what I did to help Black Doom and his insane ambitions. That's why I need to deal my time and own up to what I did."
"Shadow…" Amy whispered in sorrow.
Tower looked down at the hedgehog not with contempt or pleasure, but of sadness. He was ready to get to know Shadow, give him a second chance. Perhaps even give him an offer to join GUN as a secret agent like Rouge and Sonar. But he knows that he needs to think with the best interests of his nation and people, and that all criminals need to serve time and be dealt with in the best possible manner. They all knew it, even Rouge. Amy and Charmy wanted Shadow to not go through with this, but the Ultimate Life Form had made up his mind, and he was sticking with his decision.
"Very well, Shadow. If that's what you want." said Tower, turning to Topaz, "Captain Tanaka, take Shadow the Hedgehog into custody and send him to the nearest penitentiary."
"Yes sir!" Topaz saluted and then slipped handcuffs right onto Shadow.
Shadow had his hands behind his back as he was cuffed. He looked right at his friends with a fierce and sincere smile. He knew he'd see them again, and when he did, he would continue to fulfill his promises to Amy and Maria. He would protect Amy and this planet. As he turned to be loaded onto the car, he swore he could see the ghost of Maria Robotnik with them, smiling with immense pride. Amy thought she could see her too. Maria turned and winked down to her, as if to say 'take good care of my Shadow'. However, no one else could.
"Something up, Amy?" asked Knuckles.
Amy turned away for a moment, and when she turned back, Maria was gone. The pink hedgehog shook her head. "It's nothing…" she said. Shadow smiled at them all again, giving them a thumbs up as he was loaded into an armored truck. Charmy shed a tear seeing his brother be taken away like a criminal, but Cream wiped away his tears. She knew they would cross paths again. Maria's image began to fade as the sight of the GUN truck faded as well. Now that Shadow's purpose was fulfilled, and their vows kept, she could be at peace and watch over her good friend.
"Sayonora, Shadow the Hedgehog…"
TO BE CONCLUDED…
(A/N: Holy shit, that was a long one huh? There were times I got stuck or distracted which is probably why it took a month for me to get this done. Most of this, as you can tell, was just a lot of talking and exposition, so that may be another good reason for this being so long. Now with that, please proceed to the epilogue to see what happened after! Thank you guys again for reading!)