Mysterious message! A transmission has
been intercepted far beyond the Outer Zones,
deep in the Virtual system. Why the
call has been made, and from where cannot
be established. But buried in the message
is a Shinobi distress code that has not been
used in over 2,000 years.
Espio the Chameleon, Shadow the Hedgehog and his
apprentice Amy Rose are sent to investigate.
Fearing a Separatist trap, they are to
meet with a heavily armed Shinobi cruiser….
A shuttle jumped out of hyperspace, in the cockpit were our three Shinobi who noticed there was nothing else in the area. Shadow activated the holo-unit which showed Fang but it was breaking up "Fang, do you read me? We're at the rendezvous point. Where are you?" "Sir, we are at the rendezvous point, but there's no sign of you on our scanners". Shadow was confused "What? We're both at the same coordinates" "This is getting interesting" Espio said. The hologram of Fang began to break up even more "Unable to find you. Where are you, sir?" "Something's blocking the signal" Amy said before the whole ship suddenly shut off. "Everything's dead. Even life support" Amy said, "I think we have bigger problems" Espio pointed outside the ship. There was a massive crystal shaped structure in front of the ship which split open and pulled it inside. A light enveloped the three of them and they suddenly fell unconscious. Shadow woke up first feeling like only seconds had passed, he saw outside that the shuttle was on a beautiful green planet with the sunlight shining into the cockpit "Who landed the shuttle?". Espio and Amy woke up "Where are we?" the latter asked. Espio checked the scanners "That's not… All it's telling me is that the atmosphere breathable. Nothing else, I can't even pinpoint where we are".
Shadow checked the controls "We still have power, but the ship just won't start. Nothing's working". They decided to go out and investigate, they saw that they were near a cliffside. They could see tall mountains in the distance and there were boulders floating in mid-air. "Are you the one?" "What?" Shadow said "Did you hear that?". "I didn't hear anything" Espio answered. "Are you the one?", Shadow turned around and saw what looked like a female echidna wearing a white robe. The others then saw her "Hello" Espio said but she was looking at Shadow "Who are you?" he asked her, "My name is Aurora. Are you the one?" "Uh, the one what?" Shadow asked. "I will take you to him", Amy was getting tired of the lack of answers "Him who?" "Uh, did you bring us here?" Espio asked. She stared blankly at them "Only he can help you. There is little time. Follow me. We must have shelter by nightfall". She started walking away from them, "And we thought the planet was strange" Shadow joked, "We'll be fine as long as we stay together" Espio said before they followed her.
They were walking through a path on the cliffside when Espio noticed the plants around them were turning brown "Have you noticed the seasons seem to change with the time of day?". Shadow nodded, "There aren't any animals" Amy pointed out. "There's something else. The Force is very strong here" Shadow said, "Yes. Unlike anything I've ever felt before. We should be cautious". Shadow decided to ignore that and walked closer to the echidna "Excuse me, where are you taking us to?" "Athair, of course". Amy rolled her eyes "Of course" she said sarcastically. "And what exactly are you?" Espio asked her, "We are the ones who guard the power. We are the middle, the beginning and the end". "Well thanks for clearing that up for us" Shadow said sarcastically. The green plants around them suddenly started to die and turned brown. Part of the rock above them suddenly collapsed "Look out!" Shadow yelled before pushing Aurora out of the way before the rock separated them from Espio and Amy.
Shadow checked if Aurora was alright, but she angrily slapped his hand away and turned to him "It is forbidden for you to touch me" "Sorry, I was just saving your life" Shadow responded defensively. Aurora looked up to where the rock fell from "That was my brother's work. You are in great danger. Wait for me. Do not leave this place" she walked on leaving Shadow alone. His commlink activated "Shadow, are you there? Are you alright?" "Yeah. But our friend here has run off!" he yelled in the direction she was going. "Go back to the ship and try sending another distress call. I'll follow her and find out how to get off this rock" "And it this is a trap?". Shadow rolled his eyes "Then I'm not gonna wait around long enough to find out" "I don't like it. Wait for us to find another way around and meet-" Shadow turned it off. He followed Aurora and saw a storm coming in the distance.
Amy and Espio made it back to where the ship landed but there was a problem "The ship's gone" "Yes, I see that" Espio responded when they noticed that all the plants around them were dying as it got darker. "Did you lose something?" they turned and saw a panda with completely yellow eyes. Amy ignited her lightsabers, but the panda didn't seem worried "You didn't do as you were asked" "And what was that?" Espio asked. "My sister said wait" "Did she now? Well, we were unfortunately separated. We'd like our ship back please" Espio told him calmly. The panda walked up to him looking as if he was only just containing his anger "Not yet! Is it true? Is he the Chosen One?". Espio quickly ignited his lightsaber "What do you know of such things?" "What is about to happen shall occur whether you like it or not". He waved his hand which deactivated both his lightsabers "You are Raiju" Espio said. He chuckled "Raiju? Yes and no. The storms here are quite lethal. If you want to live, I suggest you find shelter". He suddenly transformed into a massive bat like creature and flew off. "What in the universe was that?" Amy said in shock as rain began to fall around them and new plants formed which glowed blue. "I'm not quite sure. Let's find shelter" they headed towards a cave at a cliff side.
Shadow was led to a monastery at the top of a mountain, he cautiously entered a large room which had a throne at the end of it. On the right side of the throne was a statue of a griffin an on the other side was the bat creature the panda turned into. Sitting on the throne was an elderly male echidna wearing old tribal clothes, he was meditating. Shadow sat in front of him and he opened his eyes "Welcome, my friend" "What is it that you want form me?". The echidna smiled "To learn the truth about who you really are, one that maybe you have known all along, one you must believe in order to fulfil your destiny". They both stood up, but Shadow was getting fed up "Enough with these riddles, old man. Tell me what's going on here". The echidna looked to the storm outside "As you can see there is nowhere else to go. It is late. You will be my guest tonight".
The cave was full of glowing blue crystals, Amy and Espio were sitting by a fire. Espio looked to Amy who was sleeping but then "Espio, have you done as I asked?" he heard a female voice say. He looked around and to his shock he saw a familiar yellow hedgehog in a blue dress "Have you trained the boy?". Espio stood up and ignited his lightsaber "Master Maria, how are you here?" "I am here because you are here". This didn't help "I don't understand. What is this?" "Unlike any other. A conduit for which the entire Force of the universe flows". Espio was trying to hide his joy at seeing his old master again "Are we in danger" "This planet is both an amplifier and a magnet. Three are here who seek Shadow. They, like me, believe him to be the Chosen One". Espio deactivated his lightsaber "You were right. The Force within him is stronger than any known Shinobi. I've trained him as well as I could, but… he's still wilful, and balance eludes him". Maria nodded "If he is the Chosen One, he will discover it here" "And if he does not?" You must realize that with his power this is a very dangerous place for him to be". She disappeared which saddened Espio, but he now had something else to worry about.
Shadow was sleeping in one of the monastery rooms when he felt a hand gently touch his face "Wake up, my son. I must tell you a secret" he recognised the voice and he sat up "Who's there!?" he didn't see anybody "Who's there!?". "It is me, Shadow. Your mother", he turned around and saw Sonia the Hedgehog standing over him. He rushed away from her "What is this? You're… dead". She calmly walked towards him "Nothing ever really dies, my son. I have a secret to tell you". He backed away from her "Then tell me" "Everything you have done, everything you have earned has led you here". Shadow didn't want to listen to this imposter "Whoever you are, I know you're not my mother. I watched her..." "Die. Yes, and you blame yourself. Your Shinobi training has served you well, Shadow but you are more than a Shinobi. Tell me, where is your pain so I might take it from you".
Shadow looked away from her "I was... too late to save you. I failed as a Shinobi and I failed you". "How so?" she tried to place her hand on his face but he grabbed her wrist "I tasted only vengeance when slaughtered so many to avenge your death" he said with his voice full of shame. She placed her other hand on his face affectionately and this time Shadow didn't stop her "It is time you realize that your guilt does not define you, my son. You define your guilt". She hugged him as he began to look scared "I just don't know what will happen if I let go" "Then you are in a prison of your own making". Shadow shook his head "I… I have a wife. You've met her. I've always wanted to tell you. She means everything to me" "She is not your destiny". Shadow looked at her "I love her" "No! She is poison!" she suddenly turned angry. Shadow backed away "Who are you?" "Your fate!" she disappeared.
Amy was sleeping in the cave when "Are you happy, child?" she woke up and looked around but couldn't see Espio. Suddenly though and older pink hedgehog wearing a red dress appeared. She had shorter quills than Amy and they were pointing down. "Your master, does he treat you well?", Amy stood up "What concern of it is yours?". "I am your future, your potential". Amy ignited her lightsabers "This is a trick" "There is a wildness to you, young one. Seeds of the dark side planet by your master. Do you feel it?". Amy shook her head "No. He is like no other Shinobi. I trust him with my life". The older Amy shook her head disapprovingly "There are many contradictions in you and in him. Be warned, you may never see your future if you remain his student. Leave this planet!" she walked into the fire and disappeared. "Amy?" she woke up and saw Espio "I… I had a vision. I think Shadow's in trouble".
Shadow advanced on the elderly meditating echidna with his lightsaber "Trouble sleeping? To strike and unarmed man is hardly the Shinobi way" "You're a Raiju Lord". He sighed "You have a very simple view of the universe. I am neither a Raiju nor a Shinobi. I am much more. My name is Athair" "Tell me what's going on" Shadow pointed his lightsaber at Athair's neck. The echidna grabbed the lightsaber with his hand without it burning him. Shadow watched in shock "Some call us Force wielders". Shadow deactivated his lightsaber "The Shinobi have never spoken of this" "Few know of our existence". "In that room, my mother came to me. But it wasn't her it was something else". Athair nodded as if this was only a minor annoyance "That would be my son, I suspect. We can take many forms. The shapes we embody are merely a reflection of the life Force around us. You carry a great sadness in your heart. My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites". Shadow stared curiously at him "This is a sanctuary?" "And a prison. You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe". Shadow sighed "I don't understand" "It is only here that I can control them. A family in balance the light and the dark, day with night, destruction replaced by creation" "Then why reveal yourselves to us?" Shadow asked. Athair looked regretful "There are some who would like to exploit our power. The Raiju are but one. Too much dark or light would be the undoing of life as you understand it. When news reached me that the Chosen One had been found, I needed to see for myself". Shadow shook his head "The Chosen One is a myth" "Is it? I should very much like to know. Why don't we find out together? Pass one test and I shall know the truth. Then you and your friends may leave".
Espio and Amy were back outside as the sun began to shine down on the planet rejuvenating all life around them. All the plants sprung back to life with a healthy green colour. "This planet gets stranger every minute. We should find Shadow" Amy said, Espio nodded in agreement. They suddenly heard a screech from behind them. They turned and saw the bat creature and a griffin flying towards them.
Shadow was taken to the centre of an arena by Athair "It is time to face your guilt and know the truth". They both looked up and saw the creatures carrying Amy and Espio. They landed on opposite sides of Shadow "Whatever it wants, don't do it, Master!" Amy said, "Let them go! I won't play your games" Shadow told Athair. He smiled "Oh, I think you will. I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is which one will you save" he suddenly appeared on a viewing platform above him "Your Master? Or your apprentice. You must now release the guilt and free yourself". Espio struggled from the talons of the griffin "Their powers are too strong for us, Shadow. Save Amy!" the creatures began to crush both their arms. "Let them go" Shadow ordered, "Only you can make my children release them". "Shadow, the planet is the Force. Use it" Espio told him. Shadow closed his eyes and suddenly felt the Force rush through him "You will let them go" he raised both his hands towards Feist and Aurora. Markings on the arena began to light up as he lifted them both into the air.
It suddenly turned to night-time as Shadow made them drop Espio and Amy. He then pushed Aurora and Feist into the walls of the arena. He then pulled them both towards him "On your knees!" they both turned back to their normal forms and fell to their hands and knees and bowed to him. The sun rose again as Athair was now behind Shadow "And now you see who you truly are. Only the Chosen One could tame both my children". Shadow was out of breath from the ordeal "I've taken your test. Now let us go". "Ah but first you must understand the truth. Now, all of you, leave us". Feist and Aurora did so immediately but Amy went up to Shadow "Do not trust him" "You think?" Shadow asked sarcastically before she and Espio left. "Do you feel your destiny? You must see it now. I am dying, and you must replace me" Athair told him. "Replace you? I can't stay here", this seemed to worry the old echidna "But this is yours. It has been foretold. The Chosen One will remain to keep my children in balance". Shadow backed away from him "No" he was clearly overwhelmed by what he just heard. Athair sighed "I… I cannot force you to do this. The choice must be yours. But leave, and your selfishness shall haunt you and the galaxy".
The three Shinobi entered their shuttle but Espio noticed Shadow was staring at the monastery "Ready to get out of here?". Shadow hesitated but eventually nodded before following them inside. The ship flew away from the monastery and was ready to leave the planet.