Chapter 16 - Resurrection
The group finally made their way to the lab, cleaning up any robotic troops on route. Sonic and Amy were the last to arrive, and they acted in surprise upon seeing each other's companions.
"What the...? GAMMA?!?"
"EEEK!! SONIC! Why are you with Metal?!?"
"Don't worry, Ames..." Sonic said. "Metal's on our side. He even helped me against Metal Knuckles and another Silver Sonic model...much to my surprise!"
"Yeah...Gamma helped me against a rebuilt Zero as well!" Amy said.
"IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO SERVE," Gamma said.
"Heh...monotone as ever," Sonic said, and then turned towards Metal Sonic. "Uh...no offense, Metal."
[None taken,] Metal said. [Though, honestly, Gamma...you need to get a better voice synthesizer like I have.]
Tails came out to greet Sonic and Amy as they arrived, and overheard how Metal had helped out. It was at this time that Anthony arrived, riding a somewhat beat up Tornado GM, causing Tails to react.
"Anthony, what the HECK did you do to the TGM?!?" Tails asked.
"Ugh...had a run in with another Packbell model they made," Anthony explained, "and to make things worse, Packbell HIMSELF decided to infest it so he could take me out!"
[Hmmf...blowhard...I hope you scrapped him good,] Metal said.
"Uh...right..." Anthony said, and then turned towards the rest of the group. "Okay, Sonic? Amy? Tails? Can someone explain to me why I'm having a Sonic CD flashback with Metal here?"
Sonic explained the situation with Metal Sonic, and Amy did the same with Gamma. Anthony nodded in understanding, and then got an idea. "Metal...Gamma...can you two keep an eye on the shuttle? If we need to get out of here quickly, you two are probably the best to guard it."
[Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gamemaster,] Metal Sonic said. [I'll do it...despite how boring that job is...]
"I WILL COMPLY AS WELL," Gamma said.
Metal Sonic looked at Gamma and said, [You have GOT to get some new programming, Gamma...]
After the two walked off, Sonic, Amy, and Anthony walked into the lab as Tails gave the Tornado GM a once over. They were shocked at the condition of the Chao, and Amy and Anthony immediately went to work to use their powers to heal the Chao. Ryndar and Hogi-San were currently being comforted by Aura and Lisa, as the sight of what happened to the Chao frightened them. The rest were currently giving the lab a once over while Knuckles and Teila kept a watchful eye over the Chaos Emeralds.
"Cripes...what are they up to in here?" Mina said, trying to make sense of the scene.
Julie-Su, who was trying to hack into the computer, said, "Must be something major if they were willing to kill themselves rather than talk."
"That's what worries me..." Red Sonic said, trying to search through some files. "What could be THAT major?"
"Got something!!" Julie-Su said. The group crowded around the computer and watched as Julie-Su brought up a file.
"Project CS?" Lazer said. "What is that?"
"Not sure...I could only bring up what looks like a log..." Julie-Su said. "Let's see...the most recent entry says 'Successful in acquiring samples of the Chao. Will commence extraction of samples from Specimen S after study of Chao samples are complete."
"Specimen S must be this thing," Rouge said, looking at a large glass tube filled with a bluish liquid that obscured the image of the creature within. "I wonder what's in it?"
Anthony, who overheard the conversation, headed over to the tube as Amy finished up with the Chao. "Well...whatever it is, I sense it's still alive. Can't sense any thoughts though...it's like it's asleep."
"Maybe there aren't any..." Tails said, walking in after hooking up the TGM to be recharged using the lab's systems. "It could just a non-sentient."
"Let's see if this place has any more clues. Keep at it, Julie-Su," Ryan said.
The group continued to look around the lab as Julie-Su continued to hack at the computer with Tails's help. It was then that they heard a gasp from Rouge's direction. "Rouge, what's wrong?" Sonic said.
Rouge said nothing, but stepped aside to show Sonic what she found...and what she was still staring at. Sonic looked and also gasped...as he looked upon what appeared to be a pair of white gloves similar to his, a pair of shoes with what looked like jets on the bottom, and a very familiar looking bracelet.
Anthony, upon getting a glance himself, said, "Isn't that...?" He then looked back at the glass tube and then towards Tails and said, "Tails, can we get whatever's in that tube out of there?!?"
"I think so..." Tails said, walking over to the control panel near the tube. He then began to work at the controls, and eventually the liquid began to drain from the tube.
All eyes looked at the tube, even Amy's and Julie-Su's, as the liquid drained. Soon, those eyes widened as the figure changed from an unknown form, to that of a black hedgehog with some reddish streaks in his quills. He was in some type of restraints that held him in place, and had an air mask over his muzzle.
"It...can't be..." Sonic began to say, lower lip trembling. "Shadow?"
After the liquid drained, the tube was raised and Anthony and Mina removed Shadow from the restraints. Anthony then placed his head over Shadow's heart area to see if he could hear a heartbeat. Upon hearing one, he attempted a Biofeedback power to try to revive him. "My abilities don't seem to be working..."
It was then that Knuckles spoke up. "Perhaps energy from a Chaos Emerald is needed. It was used to revive him last time." Knuckles then grabbed the Green Server Emerald and walked over to the rest of the group.
As soon as Knuckles neared the group, the Emerald began to glow brightly and fly up. It then moved near Anthony, causing him to react and step backwards. "What the...?"
It was then that everyone heard it...
"You are the one...and the time is now."
"Was that...the Emerald?" Teila asked. It was then that the other Server Emeralds began to glow and fly up towards Anthony, with only her cyan Emerald and the Master Emerald not moving.
Anthony tried to move away from the Emeralds, but soon found himself being surrounded by all seven of them. "Knux! What the hell is going on here?!?"
"I don't know, Anthony..." Knuckles said. He ran over to the Master Emerald and tried to use its power. "...and the Master Emerald can't control them!"
Anthony began to sweat as he watched the Emeralds begin to move closer to his body. As soon as they touched him, the glow intensified to a point where everyone present had to shield their eyes. They also winced as they heard Anthony's voice scream, apparently in pain.
As soon as the light subsided, every looked towards Anthony and saw him collapsed on the ground. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were shut tight. He was also hugging his midsection tightly as if in pain.
"Anthony!" Amy said, running to Anthony's side. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Anthony finally began to untense and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked himself over and said, "Yeah...I think so...but..."
"Anthony! Where are the Chaos Emeralds?!?" Knuckles said, worried.
"Knux..." Anthony said, a bit of fear in his voice. "I think the Chaos Emeralds...are INSIDE me!"
"WHAT?!?" nearly all present said.
"By the Walkers...just like the five red Emeralds are inside me..." Lazer said.
"Knux...can you get them out?" Anthony asked.
Knuckles grabbed the Master Emerald, manipulating it so it was the size of a basketball, and concentrated on it. After a while, Knuckles sighed and said, "No can do, Anthony...they seemed to be bonded to you."
"Oh, GREAT!!!" Anthony said, understandably upset. It was then that he sensed something, and looked down towards his armor. He then waved his hand in front of his armor, and to his surprise, the seven Emeralds appeared on the armor, circling the Descendancy Medallion attached to it.
"Whoa..." Red Sonic said. "Anth...any chance you can use those to revive Shadow?"
"I'll try..." Anthony said. He then walked over to Shadow's prone body and knelt down. He then reached towards the blue Emerald and somehow managed to detach it from his armor. It was then he sensed something else...knowledge he didn't know he had before...
"CHAOS CONTROL!!!"
The Emerald glowed brightly, and a blue aura also encircled Shadow's body as if the power of the Emerald was flowing through him. After a short while, the Emerald stopped glowing and the aura left Shadow. Anthony then tried to set the Emerald aside, only to have it fly back onto his armor. But that wasn't what he was focusing on...
"How did I...?" Anthony said, stammering. "But that was...impossible..."
"Anthony!" Knuckles said, naturally surprised. "You can use Chaos Control?!?"
"Knux...that wasn't any ordinary Chaos Control!" Anthony said. "I recognized the power! I used Regen!"
"Regen? But Anthony..." Amy said, "that's one of the Descendancy psionics!"
"I know!" Anthony said.
"Anthony...can you use any of the other Emeralds?" Ryan asked.
Anthony removed the purple Emerald from his armor and yelled "CHAOS CONTROL!" He soon disappeared from view as a Fade power was activated. "Well...looks like Fade can be used as well..." Anthony said, and then allowed the power to lapse and returned to normal.
"This is too weird..." Lisa said, now holding a slightly scared and trembling Hogi-San.
Soon everyone heard a groan and turned towards the source of the groan. They saw Shadow beginning to stir, and Sonic immediately went to his side. Shadow soon opened his eyes and said, weakly, "Where...where am I?" He then turned towards Sonic and said, "Sonic?"
Sonic couldn't control his emotions anymore and immediately grabbed Shadow in a bear hug. He was also crying tears of joy as he said, "Thank the Goddess you're alive, Shadow..."
Shadow didn't realize what was going on, but placed an arm around Sonic anyway to comfort him. After a while, Sonic let go, still letting a few tears of joy fall. Shadow looked at Sonic and asked, "Sonic...what happened? Where am I?"
"We're on the ARK, Shadow," Sonic said, trying to compose himself as the others began to group around the black hedgehog. Tails and Amy were next to hug the ebon hedgehog.
"I take it we succeeded?" Shadow asked after Amy let go of her hug.
"Yeah...thing is..." Sonic said, not sure how to explain it to Shadow, "that was more than a year ago. We just found you in that containment tube over there." He then pointed towards the apparatus.
Shadow slumped further and said, "A year? I was put on ice again? I...only remember falling through the atmosphere...and then waking up here..."
Anthony nodded in understanding. He knew from the game that Shadow was still in his super from when he entered the atmosphere, and that must have protected him.
"Well...we're just glad you're back, buddy..." Sonic said.
The others then began to greet the ebon colored hedgehog, as well as fill him in on recent events, including the reformation of Arcadia. Ryan, however, stayed out of the mess as memories of what he had done to Shadow filled his head. He wasn't sure how Shadow was going to react to seeing the echidna who challenged him to fight at every occasion, and cruelly beat him every time. Ryan felt bad about what he had done to Shadow...even wondering if he should just stay out of the way...
"Hey, Ryan?" Aura said, getting Ryan's attention. "Don't you want to say something?"
Upon hearing Ryan's name, Shadow looked up and saw the black quilled echidna. He then began to back away from Ryan, afraid that Ryan was going to fight him again. However, he became surprised when Ryan, instead, walked up grabbed the hedgehog in a tight bear hug as well.
Shadow was surprised at this action, even more so when he swore he heard Ryan say, "Thank the goddess you're alive..."
"Why?" Shadow said. "So you can fight me again?"
Ryan released the hug and said, "No...not this time, and not ever. I'm sorry for what I did to you, Shadow...and I promise never to challenge you again."
Shadow wasn't sure what to think of this reaction. Ryan then extended his paw and asked, "Friends?"
Shadow looked down at Ryan's paw and then accepted it, saying, "Friends..."
As soon as that took place, Julie-Su turned back towards the computer and said, "Well, we'd better find out what the PHM was planning with Shadow..."
The group finally made their way to the lab, cleaning up any robotic troops on route. Sonic and Amy were the last to arrive, and they acted in surprise upon seeing each other's companions.
"What the...? GAMMA?!?"
"EEEK!! SONIC! Why are you with Metal?!?"
"Don't worry, Ames..." Sonic said. "Metal's on our side. He even helped me against Metal Knuckles and another Silver Sonic model...much to my surprise!"
"Yeah...Gamma helped me against a rebuilt Zero as well!" Amy said.
"IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO SERVE," Gamma said.
"Heh...monotone as ever," Sonic said, and then turned towards Metal Sonic. "Uh...no offense, Metal."
[None taken,] Metal said. [Though, honestly, Gamma...you need to get a better voice synthesizer like I have.]
Tails came out to greet Sonic and Amy as they arrived, and overheard how Metal had helped out. It was at this time that Anthony arrived, riding a somewhat beat up Tornado GM, causing Tails to react.
"Anthony, what the HECK did you do to the TGM?!?" Tails asked.
"Ugh...had a run in with another Packbell model they made," Anthony explained, "and to make things worse, Packbell HIMSELF decided to infest it so he could take me out!"
[Hmmf...blowhard...I hope you scrapped him good,] Metal said.
"Uh...right..." Anthony said, and then turned towards the rest of the group. "Okay, Sonic? Amy? Tails? Can someone explain to me why I'm having a Sonic CD flashback with Metal here?"
Sonic explained the situation with Metal Sonic, and Amy did the same with Gamma. Anthony nodded in understanding, and then got an idea. "Metal...Gamma...can you two keep an eye on the shuttle? If we need to get out of here quickly, you two are probably the best to guard it."
[Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gamemaster,] Metal Sonic said. [I'll do it...despite how boring that job is...]
"I WILL COMPLY AS WELL," Gamma said.
Metal Sonic looked at Gamma and said, [You have GOT to get some new programming, Gamma...]
After the two walked off, Sonic, Amy, and Anthony walked into the lab as Tails gave the Tornado GM a once over. They were shocked at the condition of the Chao, and Amy and Anthony immediately went to work to use their powers to heal the Chao. Ryndar and Hogi-San were currently being comforted by Aura and Lisa, as the sight of what happened to the Chao frightened them. The rest were currently giving the lab a once over while Knuckles and Teila kept a watchful eye over the Chaos Emeralds.
"Cripes...what are they up to in here?" Mina said, trying to make sense of the scene.
Julie-Su, who was trying to hack into the computer, said, "Must be something major if they were willing to kill themselves rather than talk."
"That's what worries me..." Red Sonic said, trying to search through some files. "What could be THAT major?"
"Got something!!" Julie-Su said. The group crowded around the computer and watched as Julie-Su brought up a file.
"Project CS?" Lazer said. "What is that?"
"Not sure...I could only bring up what looks like a log..." Julie-Su said. "Let's see...the most recent entry says 'Successful in acquiring samples of the Chao. Will commence extraction of samples from Specimen S after study of Chao samples are complete."
"Specimen S must be this thing," Rouge said, looking at a large glass tube filled with a bluish liquid that obscured the image of the creature within. "I wonder what's in it?"
Anthony, who overheard the conversation, headed over to the tube as Amy finished up with the Chao. "Well...whatever it is, I sense it's still alive. Can't sense any thoughts though...it's like it's asleep."
"Maybe there aren't any..." Tails said, walking in after hooking up the TGM to be recharged using the lab's systems. "It could just a non-sentient."
"Let's see if this place has any more clues. Keep at it, Julie-Su," Ryan said.
The group continued to look around the lab as Julie-Su continued to hack at the computer with Tails's help. It was then that they heard a gasp from Rouge's direction. "Rouge, what's wrong?" Sonic said.
Rouge said nothing, but stepped aside to show Sonic what she found...and what she was still staring at. Sonic looked and also gasped...as he looked upon what appeared to be a pair of white gloves similar to his, a pair of shoes with what looked like jets on the bottom, and a very familiar looking bracelet.
Anthony, upon getting a glance himself, said, "Isn't that...?" He then looked back at the glass tube and then towards Tails and said, "Tails, can we get whatever's in that tube out of there?!?"
"I think so..." Tails said, walking over to the control panel near the tube. He then began to work at the controls, and eventually the liquid began to drain from the tube.
All eyes looked at the tube, even Amy's and Julie-Su's, as the liquid drained. Soon, those eyes widened as the figure changed from an unknown form, to that of a black hedgehog with some reddish streaks in his quills. He was in some type of restraints that held him in place, and had an air mask over his muzzle.
"It...can't be..." Sonic began to say, lower lip trembling. "Shadow?"
After the liquid drained, the tube was raised and Anthony and Mina removed Shadow from the restraints. Anthony then placed his head over Shadow's heart area to see if he could hear a heartbeat. Upon hearing one, he attempted a Biofeedback power to try to revive him. "My abilities don't seem to be working..."
It was then that Knuckles spoke up. "Perhaps energy from a Chaos Emerald is needed. It was used to revive him last time." Knuckles then grabbed the Green Server Emerald and walked over to the rest of the group.
As soon as Knuckles neared the group, the Emerald began to glow brightly and fly up. It then moved near Anthony, causing him to react and step backwards. "What the...?"
It was then that everyone heard it...
"You are the one...and the time is now."
"Was that...the Emerald?" Teila asked. It was then that the other Server Emeralds began to glow and fly up towards Anthony, with only her cyan Emerald and the Master Emerald not moving.
Anthony tried to move away from the Emeralds, but soon found himself being surrounded by all seven of them. "Knux! What the hell is going on here?!?"
"I don't know, Anthony..." Knuckles said. He ran over to the Master Emerald and tried to use its power. "...and the Master Emerald can't control them!"
Anthony began to sweat as he watched the Emeralds begin to move closer to his body. As soon as they touched him, the glow intensified to a point where everyone present had to shield their eyes. They also winced as they heard Anthony's voice scream, apparently in pain.
As soon as the light subsided, every looked towards Anthony and saw him collapsed on the ground. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were shut tight. He was also hugging his midsection tightly as if in pain.
"Anthony!" Amy said, running to Anthony's side. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Anthony finally began to untense and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked himself over and said, "Yeah...I think so...but..."
"Anthony! Where are the Chaos Emeralds?!?" Knuckles said, worried.
"Knux..." Anthony said, a bit of fear in his voice. "I think the Chaos Emeralds...are INSIDE me!"
"WHAT?!?" nearly all present said.
"By the Walkers...just like the five red Emeralds are inside me..." Lazer said.
"Knux...can you get them out?" Anthony asked.
Knuckles grabbed the Master Emerald, manipulating it so it was the size of a basketball, and concentrated on it. After a while, Knuckles sighed and said, "No can do, Anthony...they seemed to be bonded to you."
"Oh, GREAT!!!" Anthony said, understandably upset. It was then that he sensed something, and looked down towards his armor. He then waved his hand in front of his armor, and to his surprise, the seven Emeralds appeared on the armor, circling the Descendancy Medallion attached to it.
"Whoa..." Red Sonic said. "Anth...any chance you can use those to revive Shadow?"
"I'll try..." Anthony said. He then walked over to Shadow's prone body and knelt down. He then reached towards the blue Emerald and somehow managed to detach it from his armor. It was then he sensed something else...knowledge he didn't know he had before...
"CHAOS CONTROL!!!"
The Emerald glowed brightly, and a blue aura also encircled Shadow's body as if the power of the Emerald was flowing through him. After a short while, the Emerald stopped glowing and the aura left Shadow. Anthony then tried to set the Emerald aside, only to have it fly back onto his armor. But that wasn't what he was focusing on...
"How did I...?" Anthony said, stammering. "But that was...impossible..."
"Anthony!" Knuckles said, naturally surprised. "You can use Chaos Control?!?"
"Knux...that wasn't any ordinary Chaos Control!" Anthony said. "I recognized the power! I used Regen!"
"Regen? But Anthony..." Amy said, "that's one of the Descendancy psionics!"
"I know!" Anthony said.
"Anthony...can you use any of the other Emeralds?" Ryan asked.
Anthony removed the purple Emerald from his armor and yelled "CHAOS CONTROL!" He soon disappeared from view as a Fade power was activated. "Well...looks like Fade can be used as well..." Anthony said, and then allowed the power to lapse and returned to normal.
"This is too weird..." Lisa said, now holding a slightly scared and trembling Hogi-San.
Soon everyone heard a groan and turned towards the source of the groan. They saw Shadow beginning to stir, and Sonic immediately went to his side. Shadow soon opened his eyes and said, weakly, "Where...where am I?" He then turned towards Sonic and said, "Sonic?"
Sonic couldn't control his emotions anymore and immediately grabbed Shadow in a bear hug. He was also crying tears of joy as he said, "Thank the Goddess you're alive, Shadow..."
Shadow didn't realize what was going on, but placed an arm around Sonic anyway to comfort him. After a while, Sonic let go, still letting a few tears of joy fall. Shadow looked at Sonic and asked, "Sonic...what happened? Where am I?"
"We're on the ARK, Shadow," Sonic said, trying to compose himself as the others began to group around the black hedgehog. Tails and Amy were next to hug the ebon hedgehog.
"I take it we succeeded?" Shadow asked after Amy let go of her hug.
"Yeah...thing is..." Sonic said, not sure how to explain it to Shadow, "that was more than a year ago. We just found you in that containment tube over there." He then pointed towards the apparatus.
Shadow slumped further and said, "A year? I was put on ice again? I...only remember falling through the atmosphere...and then waking up here..."
Anthony nodded in understanding. He knew from the game that Shadow was still in his super from when he entered the atmosphere, and that must have protected him.
"Well...we're just glad you're back, buddy..." Sonic said.
The others then began to greet the ebon colored hedgehog, as well as fill him in on recent events, including the reformation of Arcadia. Ryan, however, stayed out of the mess as memories of what he had done to Shadow filled his head. He wasn't sure how Shadow was going to react to seeing the echidna who challenged him to fight at every occasion, and cruelly beat him every time. Ryan felt bad about what he had done to Shadow...even wondering if he should just stay out of the way...
"Hey, Ryan?" Aura said, getting Ryan's attention. "Don't you want to say something?"
Upon hearing Ryan's name, Shadow looked up and saw the black quilled echidna. He then began to back away from Ryan, afraid that Ryan was going to fight him again. However, he became surprised when Ryan, instead, walked up grabbed the hedgehog in a tight bear hug as well.
Shadow was surprised at this action, even more so when he swore he heard Ryan say, "Thank the goddess you're alive..."
"Why?" Shadow said. "So you can fight me again?"
Ryan released the hug and said, "No...not this time, and not ever. I'm sorry for what I did to you, Shadow...and I promise never to challenge you again."
Shadow wasn't sure what to think of this reaction. Ryan then extended his paw and asked, "Friends?"
Shadow looked down at Ryan's paw and then accepted it, saying, "Friends..."
As soon as that took place, Julie-Su turned back towards the computer and said, "Well, we'd better find out what the PHM was planning with Shadow..."