Chapter Two
Brazil was beautiful, but to Shadow it was dark, deadly, dangerous and unknown. Deiter held the package in his hands, never putting it down. He looked around and started walking in one direction, further south. Shadow looked around, already starting to sweat from the heat, and spotted the Chao. He raced after and walked beside him, still perspiring. Hot. It was hot and he didn't like the humidity. It made him wish for the climate controlled ARK, his home before Prof. Gerald Robotnik went insane. It wasn't Shadow's fault, he didn't know anything. He had been grieving over Maria and then to be put to sleep because of his creator's threats only made him feel as cold and unloved as the last ice cube in the freezer at home. He hated the cold and now he hated this heat.
"I should have brought a fan, too." Shadow grumbled as he followed Deiter, who didn't mind the weather. "Hey, how far is it anyway?"
"Ten miles." Deiter replied, "Straight ahead." Shadow sighed and fanned his face with a hand. Way too hot. Couldn't Rouge have stolen the thing in the fall?!
"What's in that box anyway?" Shadow asked the Chao.
"I dunno."
"Open it and find out."
"No way! Rouge will know if I did and she'll be mad at me! We give it to Omochao!" Deiter snapped and walked on. Shadow blinked and stuck his nose up in the air disdainfully, putting his arms behind his head as he walked along.
"Well you didn't have to get so snappy about it. I was just curious." he muttered and huffed. Deiter made a face and continued on his trek to the Chao Temple.
Eggman had followed Rouge a little further until he was sure she didn't have the box. Frustrated, he headed back to the Chao Kindergarten and stepped out of his hovering machine. He marched up to the door and banged on it.
"Open up and tell me where the bat left the box!" he yelled. The door opened and Prof. Chao looked up at him.
"Hello! I'm Principal Chao! Welcome to Chao Kindergarten! Miss Bat isn't here, but she left her Chao with our teacher's aide. I think they went to the south." the Chao replied.
"Did that little Chao have a box?" Eggman demanded to know.
"Yep! It's so cute! He had a little package all wrapped up and ready for Omochao! How nice of them to give him a present!" Prof. Chao replied. "I know! You can go with them! I'll just call the teacher's aide!"
"You just said the teacher's aide went to the south!" Eggman snapped.
"Oh, really? I guess it slipped my mind." Prof. Chao remarked in confusion, "Oh well." Eggman shook his head. The southern continent was a big place, but it was his only lead and he had the tracking devices scanning for the component. All he needed was that piece and one other thing, although that would be hard to get.
"A lead's a lead. I'll worry about getting a suitable brain later." he sighed and jumped back in his machine. He pushed a few buttons and began to fly towards South America at top speed. "Why would Rouge give the component to a Chao, then to a kindergarten teacher?" he muttered as he headed over the ocean. "Unless it's a trick, and she gave it to Sonic. Only Sonic can get to the southern land in less than a day. I'd better catch up to him and get that component before he destroys it! Better yet, I could use him as a solution to my problem." Eggman laughed maniacally. "Yes! I truly am a genius! All these years Sonic's thwarted my plans for global domination! Now I'll use him as the missing piece to help me conquer it!"
Deiter sat on a rock and ate his piece of fruit while the package sat on his lap. Shadow leaned on it as casually as possible and chewed on a pear. It was still too hot. The black hedgehog made a face, growling just a bit now and then. He was starting to despise the climate more than he hated small spaces.
"The temple had better not be tiny." he grumbled and shook his head, "Never mind. If it was tiny, Cammy would never have been able to get in." He looked down at the cheetah Chao. "How much farther?" he asked.
"Seven miles." Deiter replied and finished his fruit, "More." Shadow gave him another piece and took another bite out of his own fruit. He looked out at the stretch of jungle and groaned inwardly. Three miles of marsh-land, now seven miles of dark forest. He liked fields, wide open spaces where he could see ahead and run fast if something came his way. He didn't trust the forests and jungles as much, too many places where something deadly could hide. Sure he could vanish in the shadows, but if he could hide there, so could some other black thing, like a soldier in camoflauge.
"Can't we go around the stupid thing?" Shadow muttered and popped the last bit of pear into his mouth, chewing away.
"No. Straight through or we miss the entrance. Go around and you get lost for a week." the Chao replied. Shadow looked down at him, studying him for a few moments. Then he turned to look at the jungle. He looked back at the Chao, sighed, and stood straight, dusting off his hands.
"All right then. Let's go." Shadow decided and picked the Chao up. "Just point the way." Deiter pointed ahead and Shadow walked on, unaware of the danger creeping along on his tail.
Rouge checked into the Station Square apartments and headed to the pool side to let the sun warm her aching wing. Just as she was getting drowsy, a voice cut through her fading thoughts.
"Rouge?! What are you doing here?!" Sonic cried, "And what's up with your wing?!" Rouge turned her head and glared up at him.
"Do you mind? I was trying to take a nap. As for my wing, that's none of your business." she scolded and sat up. "Well, since I'm up, I'd better check on my delivery boy." Rouge reached out and grabbed her satellite phone. She aimed it, dialed a number and held it up to her ear. "Hello? Rouge here. How's it going?" she asked. Sonic and Tails watched her make her call, curious about what she meant.
"What do you mean, you hate the jungle? What's wrong with it?" Rouge remarked, "You don't like the way it gets dark so fast? I thought you'd like it. You can hide in it, can't you?" She listened to the angry chatter and rolled her eyes. "You're way too paranoid. The military doesn't have a clue that you're tramping around a Brazilian jungle." More chatter. "If there are jaguars, just bop them with that attack of yours. The homing one." A few barking words. "Don't raise your voice at me! I'd do it myself, but my wing is torn up and I can't fly! Just get him to Omochao!" More chatter followed by a yelp. "Oh, I forgot to mention. Deiter likes to nibble on things and he's got some sharp teeth. Be careful. How far are you from the temple?" Yelling and shouting came over the phone and this time Sonic could hear the voice clearly.
"I've got your crazy Chao gnawing on my arm like it was a hot dog and you're worried about the stupid temple?! I'm five miles from it, you ungrateful bat woman! And either you find a new teething ring for your pussycat, or I'll dump this thing in a lab!" Shadow shrieked.
"Is that Shadow?! What's he doing in Brazil?!" Sonic exclaimed. Rouge glared at him.
"Excuse me! Private conversation, thank you!" she retorted and went back to the phone. "Shadow, don't you dare do anything to my little champ! You get your spiny black butt in that temple today or I'll find out where you live and paint your house purple!"
"Don't you threaten me! Is that Sonic I heard a minute ago?! You're not conning him in this crazy plan, are you?! You get him to deliver the walking garbage disposal! I want to keep my arms in working order!" the black hedgehog snapped back. Sonic grabbed for the phone.
"Gimme that phone! Hand it over, Rouge! I want to talk to Shadow!" he ordered, then lunged for it. Rouge planted a hand in his face and held him at bay while Sonic waved his arms, reaching for the phone, which Rouge held away from her and out of his reach. "Hand it over! Gimme!"
"Hands off, hedgehog! It's my phone!" Rouge yelled, struggling to keep him away. Tails ran around to the other side of the beach chair and snatched the phone away, leaving Rouge and Sonic to continue fighting on the chair. He put it to his ear.
"Hello? Shadow?" Tails called into the phone.
"Who's this? You're not Rouge." Shadow answered, "Ow! Stop it! Get off! Here! Chew on this! Lucky me, I found a leftover chew toy in my backpack."
"It's me, Miles Prower. You know, Tails? Sonic's buddy? Where are you?" Tails replied.
"Middle of nowhere, Brazil, near the Chao Temple. Hey, while I'm here, I can search for Cammy." Shadow replied, "Er.... Where's Rouge?" Tails looked back at the bat and the hedgehog. Rouge stuck her fingers in Sonic's mouth and pulled them wide apart at the sides, distorting his face. Sonic pinched her cheeks and pulled them away from her face, stretching it in return.
"She's a little busy. What are you doing out there?" Tails replied, "Everyone thought you were at home."
"Rouge stole something from Dr. Robotnik and he wants it. She wanted me to give it to Omochao for safekeeping until she can plan something else. Deiter is carrying it with him. Omochao flew away here and Cammy disappeared inside the temple, so I'm going to look for both of them." Shadow answered, "I thought I heard Sonic. Is he there with you?"
"Sorta." Tails answered vaguely. Even after all that time, he still didn't quite trust Shadow. He looked cold and sometimes he acted it. He didn't know Amy's name, called Tails by his last name, and completely ignored Knuckles. But when it came to Sonic, Shadow knew almost everything; his name, attacks, favorite foods and hang outs, even the apartment he lived in. Yet he chased Sonic off now and then, ran after him on other occasions.
"'Sorta?' 'Sorta?!' What kind of answer is that?! Is he there or not?!" Shadow griped. Tails frowned. There he goes again, treating Tails as if he were just some scatterbrained kid. Well, young or not, Tails wasn't stupid. He'd show him.
"Shadow?" he called again.
"Quit playing around and put Sonic on the phone!" Shadow griped, "Ow! You're starting to get on my nerves, Deiter! The toy's over there! Quit nibbling on my leg!" Tails took a deep breath. Here goes.
"Shadow, I challenge you!" Tails declared into the phone. Silence. Rouge and Sonic fought on, oblivious to the conversation. Tails listened carefully. All he heard was some breathing, soft and shallow.
"Repeat that, please." the voice whispered on the other end.
"You heard me. I challenge you. I'm not just a kid and I'll prove it. If I can beat you, you'll have to stop treating me like one." Tails clarified. Shadow began to laugh, a dark, rich laugh that Tails hadn't heard since the black hedgehog broke into the Station Square bank, stole the green Chaos Emerald, and insulted the police from atop the city bridge.
"All right, Prower. But here's my side. When I beat you, you'll give me your Chaos Emerald. It'll go well with the one I already have." Shadow replied softly with a mocking tone. "Train hard, little fox. I have every attack Sonic has and then some." Tails pulled the phone away, startled. What did he just get himself into?
"Hah! Free at last!" Sonic laughed and rolled away, falling off the chair, "Ow!" He jumped to his feet, grabbed the phone and put it to his ear. "Shadow! Wassup?!" he greeted.
"Sonic? What did you just say? Is that even a real word?! Stop babbling in pig Latin and listen up!" Shadow snapped, "I'm here in Brazil, near a temple, and I've got Dr. Robotnik on my case if he finds out I've got his stupid component thing Rouge swiped. Get your hide over here, quick, or I'm toast! I can't deliver this box to Omochao, find Cammy, and foul up Dr. Robotnik's latest scheme by myself! I'll get clobbered on my own! My arm is still a little weak!"
"You don't have to yell. We'll be there soon. Bye." Sonic replied and hung up. He tossed the phone to Rouge and looked at Tails. "Pal, we've got a mission! Get your Emerald and ready the Tornado II! We're going to Brazil!" he declared.
"You have a plane? Why didn't you say so? I'm coming too!" Rouge declared, "This way, I can make sure Shadow delivers the package." The three of them ran for the train station to get to Tails' workshop.
In a few short minutes, Sonic, Tails and Rouge were on their way to find Shadow. Tails' yellow Chaos Emerald was at the front of the plane, the source of its power. The plane flew speedily onwards. It passed right by Eggman's hover machine and they didn't even notice, too intent on their 'sometimes' friend out in the forest. Eggman noticed and made the machine go faster.
Dieter slept quietly, laying stomach down on the package. Shadow was somewhat curled up nearby, trying to sleep, but waking up every time he heard a strange sound. He looked around, grumbled, and curled up into a tight black ball, shivering. Why couldn't Rouge have picked spring to steal the stupid box? Night had fallen but it felt like it had been night for the past few hours, the jungle was so dark. Shadow started a fire to keep animals at bay, but it began attracting bugs. He curled up in his blanket to keep them away.
"If that thing is anything less than a weapon more dangerous than the Eclipse Cannon, I'm shoving that Chao down Rouge's throat!" Shadow griped and finally drifted off to sleep.
Morning brought the two back on the journey for the Chao Temple, Deiter walking along happily. Shadow followed behind, rubbing at one eye to get rid of his sleepiness. He yawned.
"Are we there yet?" he asked the Chao. Deiter sang joyfully.
"Almost! Two more miles!" Deiter replied and skipped along, still holding the package to him. Shadow grumbled and picked him up.
"You walk too slow. I can run there and get there sometime this century." he told him and started to dart around trees to get to the temple. The jungle was dense and it took a lot of work to avoid bumping into trees. "Whose idea was it to plant all these trees here?!" Shadow yelled and tripped over a tree root. "Hey!" He hit the ground in a ball and rolled along the grass, creating a Fire Somersault that mowed down trees and cleared a path for them. Shadow was still hugging the Dark Chao to him as he tumbled through the last couple of miles of foliage.
"Help! Help!" Deiter wailed as Shadow yelled the same thing. Finally, the two of them dropped off a small cliff and landed on the ground hard. Shadow popped out of his roll and lay flat on his back with a groan. Deiter sat up on his stomach, looking around. He smiled. "We're here!" he exclaimed and Shadow struggled to sit up. He looked up at the tall, pyramid-like building and groaned again.
"Oh, goody. We have to go in there? Why would Omochao be in there?" he griped. Shadow looked down at Deiter and scowled. "Hey. Off. I'm not a pillow." The Chao rolled off and dusted himself off, then picked the package up again. Shadow stood, wobbled a bit and looked himself over for injury. Finding none, he followed Deiter to the temple's entrance.
The temple entrance was large and blocked by a huge door that didn't seem to open easily. Shadow looked up at it, then knocked, listening for a response. He ran his hands over the stone, looking for a secret switch that could open it. Deiter scanned the door, flying up a little to look at it closely. There was a drawing of a Chao in the middle of the giant door. Deiter smiled and let himself drop. Shadow didn't see him come. He heard giggling, looked up and had the Chao land on his face, knocking him onto his back again. He pulled the Chao off of his face and growled at him, bringing Deiter up to him so closely his nose was almost touching the little Demon Chao.
"Do I look like a landing pad to you? Why'dya do that for, ya little creep?!" he snapped. Deiter laughed and shoved the package into his face.
"I figured out how to open the door! Hold this and no peeking! Here I go!" he replied and flew up into the air again. He hovered for a moment, watching the door, then flew forward at it. Shadow held the package in one hand and yelped.
"Hey! Are you crazy?! You can't break down that big stone wall!" he shouted as the Chao hit and went splat on top of the drawing of the Chao. He sprawled out to fit the drawing and the door shook. It began to open inward, dust crumbling away as Deiter fell away from it. Shadow ran forward, jumped, and caught the little Dark Chao. The doors continued to pull away and finally stopped when the entrance was cleared.
"See? Told ya I could open it!" Deiter said woozily. Shadow smiled at him and laughed.
"Yep. You proved me wrong! Okay, in we go!" he remarked and headed into the temple.
Eggman managed to get to the temple ahead of Sonic and his friends, mainly because the trio of heroes had stopped to gather supplies and lunch. He looked around and pushed a button on his machine. High overhead, a carrier dropped a giant box. It released a parachute and the box floated down next to him. Eggman pressed yet another button on the box and it fell open, revealing a large machine. It was yellow and stood on two raptor-like legs, with four arms and a long mechanical tail. Instead of a head, it had a cockpit with an impenetrable glass dome covering it and a gel-like substance where the seat should be. On the ends of two arms were hands made up of three fingers, the third arm had a flamethrower and the fourth a laser blaster. This was the 'something big' Rouge had been talking about, a weapon that could do mass destruction, and was powered and controlled by a living brain. Or at least it would be, if it had the missing component Rouge stole, and a person in the cockpit with the headgear on. With the headgear, Eggman could control the brain energy of the person, thus controlling the robot.
"Without that component, I'll have to make do with these copies I made, but they won't last for very long." he muttered, looking into a second box. "They will only last a short time each and without that component, my ingenious creation will be unable to go out and conquer in my stead! Blasted bat!" He looked up at the open temple and frowned, using the hovering machine's grappling arm to pick up and carry the robot inside.
"This poses an intriguing question. If I just saw Sonic on his way here, and Rouge left her little pet with someone who made it here in less than a day, then who is walking around with my component part? It isn't Sonic, but someone else with his same speed. But no one else has that speed." Eggman muttered and grinned, "Well, I'll find out once I get in and find that teacher's aide! Look out, Sonic! I'll be setting up traps for you!"
Once inside the temple, Eggman released a few reprogrammed Artificial Chaos and E-1000 robots inside. He ordered them to look for anyone who had a small box with them and then began to explore the temple in search of a new hideout and anything of usefulness to his research and schemes.
Camilla Maria Hedgehog, legend hunter and tomb raider, sat in a foul mood at the bottom of a trap. Covered in dust and pack full of papers, scrolls and artifacts, she had explored the Chao Temple more deeply than any other member of her excavation crew. Which may have explained her triggering the ancient booby trap that dumped her into a pit from which she couldn't climb out.
"Help! Is anyone up there?!" she called for what seemed like the thousandth time. Cammy wasn't about to risk Chaos Control so close to a great discovery, and her supplies were still enough to hold her for another few days, but if she wasn't found soon....
She groaned loudly and blinked when a call answered her. Looking up, she spotted a large man with a bright orange mustache looking down at her. She smiled brightly and waved at him.
"Hi! Hello! Can you lend a girl a hand?" she asked and the man smiled back before disappearing from view. A crane lowered moments later and grabbed her around the waist, hoisting her up and out. "Oh, thanks! I thought I'd be stuck there for good!"
"It's no problem at all, my dear!" the man replied brightly as he set her down, "Would you mind helping me with a small problem? I'm looking for a person who has a package of mine and was seen wandering around in this temple with a Chao."
"And you want me to help find him? Sure! I'll get started on it right away!" Cammy replied with a thumb's up. The man smiled again.
"Excellent. Call me when you do." he added and handed her a small radio. She looked at the symbol painted on the side, it looked like the man's face, then tucked it into her shorts.
"Alrighty! Catch you later!" Cammy cheered and ran off, unaware of the bug planted in the radio by the evil Dr. Eggman.