Chapter five

Discovery of chaos

It was late afternoon and Shadow was just finishing his combat training the Professor had suggested him to do in order to learn how to defend himself and fight, for future reference only the Professor knew about. Let's just say it involves Shadow's biological father's future invasion on earth, well that's what Gerald assumed that that's what Black Doom was planning, why else did he want the chaos emeralds in the future.

Shadow was breathing heavily and sweat was dripping down his head as he dodged yet another killer blow from the combat robot he was battling in the training room. Shadow was hit by a sudden attack and he fell back with a sickening crack against the metal wall opposite the viewing room. He slid down to a sitting position with his eyes closed in pain. His ears perked forward as he heard metal clanks coming towards him. Shadow opened his eyes and widened them as he saw the combat robot standing no more than 4 feet away and charging up the canon it had for an arm.

Shadow started to panic slightly as the light blue glow coming from the canon grew bigger and brighter. Realised he was cornered without an escape root, Shadow quickly stood to his feet and allowed his instincts to take over. Shadow unconsciously started to build up some weird energy into his right hand, causing his hand to glow and tingle from the raw energy. He made his move and flicked his wrist, letting loose a huge bolt of bright yellow energy towards the robot just before the combat robot realest the canon beam at Shadow.

A violent explosion filled the entire room and Shadow was pushed yet again into the wall. As the smoke cleared and the room was visible again, everyone saw what was left of the combat robot. The only trace there was of the robot ever being in that room was a scorched stain where it stood and small shards of metal scattered around that surrounding area.

Shadow froze wide eyed in shock and somewhat scared of what he did. Never in his wildest dreams thought he could be capable of something so destructive and deadly. This made him think what else could he be capable of and why could he do even do something like this in the first place. Wasn't he created to help cure a very sick child, if that's the case then why could he cause such destruction to a simple combat robot when he was meant for good not evil.

Shadow's thoughts were interrupted as he heard Gerald's voice on the intercom.

"Sh-Shadow...a-are you alright?" Gerald asked in a frightened and shocked tone at what he just witnessed

"I scared the Professor heck I've scared myself." Shadow said in his mind as he folded his ears flat, lowered his head in guilt and slowly nodded to signify that yes he was alright.

The entrance door to the training room was soon unlocked and opened to reveal the Professor himself, now fully composed and calm. Gerald slowly approached his creation with caution, he didn't want to scare Shadow more then he already was. Gerald could tell straight away when the smoke cleared in the room that that attack Shadow did terrified the hedgehog to no end and probably confused him also.

"Shadow are you sure you are alright you don't look it?" Gerald softly asked as he kneeled down onto both knees to reach Shadow's level and then moving Shadow's head up so their eyes met.

"W-what did I do?" Shadow whispered in a low tone with his tail between his legs and ears still pinned to his head as he was unable to control the shock, guilt, fear and confusion he felt.

Gerald couldn't take the look and pose of his creation he had grown so fond of and pulled him gently into a hug. Shadow was surprised by his creators action, he could of sworn he did something wrong. Shadow, after a moment or two returned the embrace and buried his head into his creator's chest, clutching a hold of Gerald's white lab coat.

"Shadow I'm not sure what you did but we will discover it together. Maybe you take more after Black Doom then I first thought. We knew you have his colouring but maybe you inherited his techniques to channel and use chaos energy. The only way we are going to find out is to do some tests. You think you are up for this my son." Gerald explained in a calm tone as he comforted Shadow by stroking his quills gently.

Shadow pulled away from the hug and looked at the Professor with a questioning look.

"Y-you consider me as your son even though we are in no way related?" Shadow asked in a confused tone, still displaying a puzzled expression.

"Of course Shadow, we may not be related by blood or genetics but I did create you and I am raising you after all." Gerald answered sincerely which caused Shadow to smile lightly.

"If it would be alright with you, I do not want Maria finding out what happened. I don't think I could take it if she became scared or cautious of being around me." Shadow asked in a slightly sad whisper.

"Of course I quite agree with you, come on let's do these tests and see if we can find out if my theory is correct." Gerald announced as he stood up, taking the 2 and a half month old hedgehogs hand and leading the way to the research lab, the one Shadow was created in.

On the way Gerald left Shadow outside a room that belonged to Jason and Michael, Gerald asked them if they wouldn't mind assisting him with the tests. A few minutes later the three scientists exited the room, once Gerald explained to them what happened in the training room. They all reached the lab to find Maria sitting on the examination table swinging her legs.

"M-Maria! What are you doing here? You are supposed to be studying." Gerald said in a surprised voice upon seeing his granddaughter unexpectedly.

"I was and when I finished I wanted to look to see if you and Shadow were finished with whatever you both were doing. You weren't here so I decided to wait a little while, in hopes that one of you would appear." Maria explained in a cheery tone and a bright smile.

Maria wasn't aware of the intense combat training Gerald had instructed for Shadow to learn, he didn't want his granddaughter getting the wrong idea about Shadow's existence. Gerald knew Maria was aware of GUN wanting him to create weapons of mass destruction but she also knew Gerald declined to help them with slight hesitation.

"I'm sorry my dear but we are not finished and wouldn't be for some time. If you are finished with your work I can always set you something else to do." Gerald replied with a grin knowing Maria wouldn't like that idea and would just leave without questions.

"I-I'm alright...infact I think I left out a few questions. I'll just go and start on them...see you at dinner." Maria answered then rushed off before her grandfather decided to set her more work anyway.

The scientists and hedgehog watched Maria exit the lab in a rush towards her bedroom. Gerald then locked the door so there would be no interruptions while the tests were being carried out.

"Alright Shadow we're going to hook you up to this machine that will read and analyse your energy levels. It will let us know if you are channelling chaos energy all the time or just in difficult situations like in the training room." Gerald explained then started to connect the machine to Shadow.

Gerald put the suction pads that had wire running all the way to the machine on Shadow's temples, neck, chest, abdomen, upper and lower arms, thighs, ankles, shoulder blades and at the base of his tail. He then, with slight difficulty inserted a special needle that will monitor Shadow's blood into Shadow's wrist taping it in place to keep it secure.

All the while Gerald was doing this, Shadow sat on the examination table watching his creator's every move, Jason was sitting next to Shadow making sure the suction pads stayed in place against his fur, also making sure Shadow sat very still while the needle was inserted and Michael was fixing up the machine, turning it on, setting it so it would read Shadow's energy levels and then making sure it was connected correctly to the computer that held all information and reports on Project Shadow.

"Ok Shadow you may feel a little tingly as your energy is read…Michael if you would, turn the machine on please." Gerald announced then asked all in a serious tone.

Turns out Gerald was right and Shadow could feel this slightly uncomfortable sensation coursing through his body he knew he had to keep still but the tingling feeling was making it hard not to. Jason was doing his best to keep Shadow still but one quick twitch from Shadow caused the needle in his wrist to almost fall out of place. Gerald slowly inserted it all the way again and kept his hand there to keep it in place.

It wasn't long into the test that Shadow suddenly felt sleepy and somewhat relaxed as his energy was being analysed by the machine. With a few beeps from the machine the test was complete and the data was automatically being processed onto the computer. Gerald removed the needle out of Shadows wrist while Jason pealed the suction pads off of Shadow's body. Michael was at the computer after turning the machine off, trying to find the results of the test.

"Professor is it normal for me to feel sleepy after a test like this?" Shadow asked in a soft voice then yarned at the end of his sentence.

"Yes it is...in order to measure and see what energies your body is producing the machine takes samples and analyse those samples. Why don't you lie down for a while on the table, it will take a bit of time to get the results." Gerald explained then suggested to his creation in a warm tone.

Shadow gave his creator a light smile and laid on the examination table then closed his eyes to rest for a bit, curling up to get comfortable...Shadow slept for about an hour before he was awoken by his creator. Shadow groaned and turned to face the one who woke him up. His eyes were half open as he slowly sat up feeling very stiff from sleeping on a metal table for a long time.

"Can't I have five more minutes Professor?" Shadow asked in a drowsy tone as he rubbed his eyes.

"We have the results of that little test we did on you but if you want to go back to sleep..." Gerald said leaving his sentence hanging with a grin.

"No...so what do they say?" Shadow replied now feeling wide awake and eager to hear the results.

"Thought as much...well the tests show that your body is channelling a rare energy and is constantly producing this energy in order for your body to function. This energy is no other then chaos energy and it seems without it coursing throughout your body you could die. If you lose too much you would go into a deep slumber until you body reproduces enough for you to function properly." Gerald explained in terms that Shadow would understand, being so young and all.

"Oh so I do take after Black Doom a lot more than anybody first thought...I wonder what else I can do that I got from him?" Shadow thought out loud with a curious look about him then added, "I hope nothing bad..."

"Well you defiantly haven't inherited his temper...well at least you haven't right now." Michael said as he saved the resulted onto an encrypted file then shut the computer down.

"What! You mean to say I could develop a bad temper...yeah right like that would ever happen. It would take a lot for me to get mad and go off on a rampage." Shadow announced with a playful smile as hopped off the table.

"Yes well why don't you go find Maria, she must be bored without you to play with..."Gerald said with a serious look.

Shadow just smiled and rushed off to find Maria. Gerald closed the lab door and signalled Michael and Jason to come closer. The three scientists huddled close and discussed the results further without Shadow there to hear and over react about them.

"I'm not sure I like this new information on Shadow...what if GUN finds out, this could be very bad especially if they think we are creating weapons up here." Michael stated in a whispered voice just encase there were others spying in on their conversation.

"This is true they might even try to shut down the project or what's worse actually turn Shadow into a mindless weapon...I don't think I could handle any of those options." Jason added also in a whispered voice.

"I suggest we try our very best to keep this information on Shadow a secret and pray that GUN doesn't find out...I would also want to develop Shadow's chaos ability so he can use it to his advantage...but I might need both your help to achieve this. I will also start researching on chaos energy and see if I can make a replica of a real chaos emerald and see how Shadow reacts to it." Gerald explained in a low whispery voice.

Michael and Jason agreed to help Gerald in developing Shadows chaos abilities. The only problem they had was making sure Shadow understood the rules of not performing any of his chaos abilities in front of anyone apart from them three and if need be Maria.

"This is going to be a little tuff when it come to explaining all this to Shadow...I can just already hear the million and one questions on this." Gerald sighed out as they opened the door, walked out of the lab and down the corridor together.