So far I've gotten two good reviews I hope to get some more! People may think that this story is really great, but I sorta feel that it's… complex… at times, I have a little trouble keeping up with it but knowing the whole plot really helps me! Please review and don't be afraid to be a critic- just don't swear my work or anything-be a nice critic. The stories I write on are practice for the real book-publishing writing I want to do!

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Sonic, Shadow, etc- none of it belongs to me. They belong to SEGA. Remember that well.

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STORY TITLE: Just A Shadow In the World

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CHAPTER FIVE: Knowing Love

"Where are you guys? I've been waiting here forever!"

"We're coming. Stop you're wining, Sonic!" Sally rolled her eyes. It was two days past since Sonic had found the strange, condemned shack standing in-between two skyscrapers. Since it had seemed so odd and since his tracker had pointed to it, Sonic had dared to venture in. What he found was almost unbelievable: the deserted folds of the shack had revealed a spiraling set of stairs that led a mile or so beneath the city. At the bottom, he had stumbled upon another door, this one being made of metal, and had ventured through it. On the other side he had found a humongous warehouse-like room, completely empty, and a small, double-door at the opposite end. Sally had warned him not to go through it until the whole gang could back him up and, reluctantly, he had agreed. So now he stood waiting rather impatiently for his fiancée and friends to show up. Night was falling and Sonic's nerves started jumping. Two more minutes and he wasn't going to wait anymore-this was nuts!

"We're here!" Tails announced, breaking Sonic's pity-party, "Is-is this it?" He couldn't believe that the tracker had centered in on this pathetic, condemned shack. "This is crazy."

"Tell me somethin' new. Hey Knuckles, where 'ave you been?"

"Hiring some detectives."

"What? What for! I already hired Rouge to find the Chaos Emerald for us!" Sally erupted, "Why'd you go do that? I'm the leader here, Knuckles; sometimes you make me so angry!"

"Hey, hey, that makes better chances. I don't trust Rouge, besides, I'M paying the Chaotix. No worries, S'cool." He motioned her off sassily, but hastened over to Sonic for unwelcome protection lest she started to do something crazy.

"Ok, so this is where your tracker took you? To this pathetic old shed?" She sighed.

"Ya."

"Well, with Rouge AND the Chaotix tracking the Emerald as well, I have a gut feeling that we'll all be seeing each other soon. I can't believe this-we didn't need-and don't-need all these people running around trying to find the same thing. I shouldn't have even hired Rouge, but I thought that she would be able to find it before we did and save us some time and effort. I see I was wrong."

"Yay! A reunion!" Cream hopped playfully, oblivious, Big laughed dumbly, everyone else ignored them.

Rain started pouring, adding to Sally's steaming mood, "Alright, that does it! I'm goin' in, c'mon people!"

"Ah, ya, sugah!" Bunnie enthusiastically followed her girlfriend inside. Sonic followed after them, Knuckles, Tails, Antoine, then Cream and Big trailing in the back of the small train. Since Sally didn't know where she was heading, Sonic bumped to the front and navigated them all down the stairs and through the old door into the large, empty room.

"This is utterly devastating." Sally whispered, "Is that the door you were talkin' about?" She pointed across the grassless field to a metal, double door at the end of the room.

"Yea, that's it. I'll go first."

"Wait: why you?"
"Cuzz I know my way 'round!"

"That was upstairs. None of us have been through that door before!"

"Listen, Sal, it's safer I go in first."

"Why? I'm just as capable as you! I'm goin' in first."

"No you're NOT!" Sonic pushed her aside, but Sally shoved him back.

"YES I am!"

"NO you're NOT!" He shoved her again.

"Guys, guys!" Knuckles ripped them both apart, "I'LL go first, alright? No arguments! This is neither the place nor the time! I'm fed up with all of this anyways. I need to get back to Angel Island. There's no time to waist! Lovers…" He ran up to the door and tapped it a few times. Everyone stood around him, arched fashion, waiting, anxiously gulping. "Ah, Tails, c'mere and break this door code for me, will ya?"

"Sure thing, Knuckles." Tails ripped out a small, pointy object from his belt and jammed it into the small hole near the door. "This door has been encrypted with a six-digit word code." He announced matter-of-factly, "Heh, these people, when will they learn that words are so easy to crack?" He handed Knuckles his pick and tapped the word 'EGGMAN' into the panel. With a hiss, the door slid open. This room was different than the empty room they all had previously been in. There were liquids running through tubes, pipes, lights, and a few scattered objects lying on a few counters positioned against various walls.

"Amy!" Tails suddenly exclaimed, noticing a small, crumbled figure near one of the walls, "What are you doing here?"

The Freedom Fighters crowded around the shocked hedgehog. Knuckles broke her chains and Tails unlocked the cuffs from around her wrists. Something was major wrong. Amy looked like she had been crying-she was worn and tired.

"Tails… Sonic… Guys…" She burst into tears, "He's gone! Eggman sent him to kill a government official that he thinks was going to ruin his plans! What am I going to do?"

"Who's gone-what? Amy, calm down, if you don't tell us, we won't be able to stop this guy-who is this guy anyways?"

She stood on wobbling knees, supported by Tails, "Shadow." The word was barely audible but everyone had heard. A general silence followed, in which Amy forced herself to break, "Shadow was captured by Eggman and his Chaos Emerald was taken from him. Eggman locked him in that empty capsule!" She bitterly pointed to the now empty, waterless capsule that had once held the hedgehog Amy knew she now loved and couldn't live without, "Eggman stuck wires in his body-he's forcing him to destroy people that are against him! Shadow can't stop himself because Eggman-oh, he's evil-has stuck some sort of control chip in Shadow's brain! Sonic, I have to warn you: Shadow doesn't want to do this, but since he's being forced, he can't stop and if you try to get in his way, I'm afraid he'll kill you! Eggman has given him a new ability called Chaos Command! He said it was way more powerful than the Chaos Control is! He also said that there's an eighth Chaos Emerald that he apparently hasn't found because Shadow needs it to use the Chaos Command! What are you going to do?"

"Chaos Command? Another emerald? Whoa! This is big stuff!" Sonic was aghast at this information, for no one, not even Knuckles, had ever heard of such a move, or that an eighth Chaos Emerald even existed! "First, since this is the base of Eggman, I say we destroy it!"

"If only it were that simple," A silky voice broke from the ceiling, "There's more going on here than just a Shadow pawn. Amy, aren't you forgetting one small detail? Metal Arnus is still around." Rouge fell to the ground right in the center of the company and winked, her metallic costume reflecting the small amounts of light shining their way, "Hey Knuckles, honey, how are ya' these days? I missed you." Turning to Sonic, she grew serious, "Sonic, Metal Arnus is the newest creation of Eggman. He's far more powerful than Metal Sonic was. You must stop him as well as Shadow."

"Where can we find him?"

"I'd say wherever Eggman is, you'll find Arnus." Espio's voice broke in. The Chaotix stepped into the circle, "We didn't find the emerald because you all did, but we did find out what Eggman's plans are. He thinks by taming Shadow that he can threaten to destroy all the government officials and major cities unless the world should bow down to him. Arnus's job is to make sure Shadow completes his missions. The metal monster also has to keep all of us out of the way. He was created to destroy you, Sonic."

"That's not surprising." Sonic smirked. Every minion Eggman had ever created had been out to mail his letter but none had ever succeeded. "I can take him."

"Sometimes I worry about that attitude of yours," Rouge frowned, "It will get you into trouble this time. Arnus has the newest technology to destroy and disintegrate. He can use the Chaos Emeralds for all sorts of nifty lil' tricks against us. Be on your guard. I know he'll show up soon.

"Can we get out of here? I know were Shadow is heading!" Amy suddenly wailed loudly, "I have to stop him! Only I can stop him!"

"Oh, Sonic, I can find that last emerald for you. It sounds like a worthwhile job for a treasure hunter like myself." Rouge jumped in again.

"Done! Sally will still pay you those jewels if you find it!"

"Right!" Tails picked her up, "Show us the way!"

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"Go to the destination on this screen," Eggman had handed Shadow the mini-TV screen, "There is a family that lives there: a mother, father, and their little girl. The father is a government detective that's been tracking me down for almost a year. He's too close and I need him eliminated. Go. Kill him and if his family gets in your way, you can do with them what you want."

Shadow fought against the chip every mile that took him nearer through the hills around Harboropolis. He kept promising himself that he wouldn't do this, that he'd rather die than hurt a family who hadn't done anything wrong. But the chip drove him on. If he dared stop, electric pulses would shock his nerves. The pain was excruciating. Shadow had found a matching enemy in the inch-sized parasite feeding off his body.

"How am I going to stop this?" He thought allowed. It was night and the stars were twinkling in the sky. They had always been a comfort to him but he didn't bother to look up at their promising light this time. "I don't want to do this, but no one can help me this time," He sparked to a stop in front of a small house on the corner of a quaint street. "This is it…" A few lights were on in the house-on the second story. "Guess that's where I have to go." He headed for the vine hanging close to a window that was open on the second floor. Maria, can't you help me?

He lingered by the window but the pain started increasing so he silently propped the screen off. Soft, girlish singing hovered in the room. Sweet singing. So familiar. The voice was so familiar. Shadow dropped the screen quietly and approached an open door leading into the large closet at the right side of the room. The voice continued singing sweet melodies of friendship and love. Who is this girl? He blinked, stopping again as the girl stepped out of the closet with a prom gown in her hand. She shook her layered blond hair carelessly, threw the fancy gown on the bed, and picked up a brush off of her dresser.

"Mom, do you mind if I use some of your eye shadow tomorrow to the party?" She hollered down the hall, but no one responded. "Oh well, I'll ask again later. This party is going to be so much fun, I can't-" She turned, saw Shadow standing frozen beside her bed, and paused, "Who are you and what are you doing in my room? Mom!"

"Maria? Don't yell, I won't hurt you!" Shadow's world spun, "Is it you?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Don't… you remember me?" His voice wavered. She was here, Maria-alive, healthy, more beautiful than he had ever remembered her before!

-Larue – I See You-

"Maria, it's me, Shadow! You and I lived together on the space colony ARK many years ago! Ah-curse this…" His head was throbbing, his body screamed from the pain, "You have to stop me-stop me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I was sent here by Eggman to kill your father! I can't-not that I know that you're alive! Stop me, Maria-help me not to do this!"

"I-I don't understand," Maria blocked the door to the hall, "I don't know you, I've never seen you in my life. Who are you?"

"My name is Shadow." He sped between her legs into the hall, against his will, but just so the throbbing would fade a little, "The Ultimate Lifeform, created aboard the space colony ARK over fifty years ago by your grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik." Shadow clutched the white Chaos Emerald desperately, "I want-need-you to take this from me." He held the emerald out but she hesitated at its beauty, "TAKE IT!"

Maria snatched the emerald fearfully from his outburst, "You're lying! I'll bet you're the one who has been giving me the dreams I've been suffering from the last month!"

"Dreams?" He stumbled down the stairs. Everything was growing blurry from the pain. "You-you've been dreaming?"

"Are you alright?" Maria grabbed his arm, "Ahh!" She fell back, gasping, "You shocked me! I can't believe this-what's going on? Don't kill my father!"

"I don't want to. I don't have a choice! Run away, run far away with that Chaos Emerald-never give it away-never let me have it!"

Maria pressed her slender form against the stairwell wall and gazed down at the weeping black hedgehog before her. Something was so familiar about him. She had seen him in her dreams, the dreams where they had loved each other and held each other. What was this? Everything was so difficult for her to grasp, she just wanted to fall down and faint. "Shadow… Sayonara Shadow the hedgehog…" She whispered monotonously, "That's what I said to you before... Before what? What had I done to you? Shadow! What's wrong with you? Don't die, you're the only key to my dreams! I don't understand!"

"You have failed your mission," A maroon robot warped into the room, "And you will be punished," His voice was as the cracking of ice on a frozen sea, cold, sharp. "The Master will see to that well."

"I would tare you apart if I could," Shadow grit painfully, "Maria, run away! Keep that Emerald to remember me! Find a blue hedgehog by the name of Sonic and he will help you remember who you are!" Still she hesitated, so Shadow used the last ounce of his sanity from the pain and screamed at her, "Get out, get out, Metal Arnus will kill you if you don't flee this place NOW!"

"Identify yourself, human," Arnus had Shadow trapped in a plasma lasso, "Hand over the Chaos Emerald if you want to live."

"No!" Maria kicked Arnus in the side so she could run down the stairs. As she ran, she was aware of a pursuit. Panic rose. The door was a few feet away-what if she didn't make it? Shadow had told her to keep the emerald to remember him. What would happen to him? Surely he wasn't going to die! Maria knew that she had just found someone from a former life but she just couldn't place him vividly in her mind. Everything she remembered were of sketches, small bits of events, but it had been just enough for her to realize that she and this Shadow had been inseparable.

"Help me!" She clutched the doorknob but it opened before she could even turn the knob! A two-tailed fox, an Echidna, and a bunch of other animals burst through the door with weapons in their hands. "What is this?"

"Who are you?" Sonic raised an eyebrow, "Whatev', stand aside! Is Shadow here?"

"Yes! And a strange robot thing!"

"Metal Arnus!" Tails spoke up, "We better stop them and save Shadow so we can remove his backup chip! According to my timer, his chip will power on in two days!"

"That doesn't leave us much time!"

"No kiddin'!" The heroes jumped over a confused Maria and raced for the hall. Her parents were shocked to say the least. A pale fear had shrouded Maria's mother insensible so only her father was available to evacuate the family. He did so with determination: picking up his wife and ripping his daughter from the floor and out the door. Maria protested the whole way: Shadow was going to get hurt! But her father ignored it.

"Tails, what does your scanner say about Metal Arnus?" Sonic snatched a few more rings for protection.

"I'm reading large masses of energy coming off of him-more than I've ever seen before in a machine of his size! Metal Sonic only had a fourth of what this guy has! I'm also reading large quantities of plasma energy, nuclear energy, deadly gasses, and Chaos energy! Man, this guy is loaded."

"Whoa!" Sonic whistled. Arnus stood, smirking, his eyes narrowed, "You're going to be harder than that Metal faker was! Hand over Shadow and we'll let you live!"

"I will destroy anyone who gets in my way." Arnus replied, "You will be destroyed!"

"Hmm… Get him!" The Freedom Fighters took fighting stances in a flash. "Give 'em what you got!"

Arnus disappeared silently. The bunch stopped in their tracks nervously. The room was silent as death, and then a bright light filled the room! "What's goin' on?" Sonic yelled.

"All enemies will be eliminated!" A plasma net fell on the band, "Prepare to meet your doom, Freedom Fighters!"

"No, don't hurt my friends!" Amy, unnoticed until now, jumped from the top of the stairs onto the unsuspecting Arnus, ripping wires from his head. Sparks flew upward. Arnus shook violently for a few seconds, head shaking, voice cracking, then fell to the ground motionless. "Shadow, are you alright?"

"I… I think so… My body isn't hurting anymore. I think that Metal Arnus has the ability to turn the chip off and on at his will. Destroy him." Shadow was his old collective self around Sonic. The two were still rivals, no matter how things stood.

"Shadow! Finally, we found you!" Sally engulfed him in a warm hug, "We never intended any harm to come of you! We should have talked about the problem with you-please listen to us!"

"Why should I?" He shook her off.

"Just listen for a sec, Shadow." Amy grabbed his hand, "Sonic isn't the evil sort." Even her woes had vanished through the ordeal just minutes before. She no longer loved Sonic like she had before and so her heart was whole and loving once again towards him.

"Fine." Shadow gripped her hand harder.

"Ok, it's like this, Shadow," Sonic stepped closer, "There's this chip in your brain that's fatal if it's not removed. Tails told me that the professor stuck it in there when you were created in case you didn't finish your revenge on the earth. In two days, this chip will turn on and wipe out your whole memory. You'll be like Metal Arnus: on a mission that no one can stop of only destruction and death. The only one that can remove the chip is Tails."

"Yes," Now it was Tails' turn to explain, "The chip is a basic backup command process. It two days, ten hours, and thirty-one minutes, the Shadow you are-all your memories and personality-will be completely wiped out. Think of a computer recovery process. Gerald Robotnik created this backup chip when you were first created. If this chip wipes you out, you'll be like a new computer just booting up all over again, accept with a totally new purpose to you life-like a new promise to fulfill."

"Interesting. How long will it take you to remove the chip?" His voice was testy."

"About two hours, you'll be asleep of course."

"Hmm… Alright…But I don't want any of you to follow me after this. I have a mission to complete and I don't want anyone to slow me down."

"We understand," Tails scanned Shadow, "Just as long as you're not holding a grudge against us."

"I guess I could let it drop, but first I have to know something."

"Yes?"

"We're all of you just pretending to care for me or was it really sincere?"

"It was sincere," Sally broke in, glaring at Sonic, "We love you Shadow. Don't go away. You're special in your own way, just like all of us are, and you deserve the same chance that we all get. We didn't betray you. We were unprofessional in the matter we chose to take care of the problem you have, but we failed to discuss it with you. Tails won't hurt you, don't worry."

"And he'll remove the chip Eggman also put in my mind?"

"Yes. Definitely." Tails smiled adorably, "I'll remove any chip you want me to but we need to return to my lab at the Mystic Ruins. All my tools are there."

"Wait a minute," Shadow turned to Amy, "Maria is alive. I saw her. I must go find her."

"Shadow?"

"I don't know what else to tell you-I don't even understand it myself how she can be alive unless this is another life for her…And I…was left behind." He turned shamefully away from her, "She doesn't remember much of anything. I must go to her and try to get her to remember me."

"We'll help you Shadow but we must stop Eggman first and find the eighth Chaos Emerald!"

"The last Emerald!" Rouge and Team Chaotix exclaimed at the same time, "Arnus must know something about it if Eggman knew about it! I'm sure that old doctor let him in on the juicy secrets concerning it's whereabouts! Tails," Rouge jogged over to Arnus, "Come scan this piece of junk to retrieve it's data. I'm going to find that emerald!"

As Tails scanned the unconscious metal hedgehog, Shadow stood in the darkness of the room, away from the others, eyes closed, mind concentrating. "I have this feeling you're going to want to come with me."

"You're right." Amy hadn't left him the whole time, neither had she allowed Shadow's grasp of her hand to fall empty. She smiled a tint, and whispered to his ears only, "Don't push me away, Shadow, I love you."

"How do you love me? In the way they do?" He opened his eyes, motioning over to the Freedom Fighters almost bitterly.

"No…"