Chapter 8: Life Can Be Hard

Once again, Shadow came to a halt outside of town, the same woods where he started.

"Back to square one." He banged his head on the tree a few times, but somehow, it gave him a clue…a memory came back to him.

Flashback-

(This is how Shadow is remembering it…he doesn't understand it) The eyes of Shadow were close to the floor as he looked at his favorite ball. He heard himself giggle, he seemed to be just a baby, and ran forward. His toy came closer to him, but it was rested against a wall. This wall was gray, dark gray, and looked overloaded with wires. He stood over his ball, and went to jump on it and banged his small head right into the metal in front of him. His wails echoed through the empty place, but running answered back as it reached his caretaker. He didn't get to see her, but her voice was like an answer from god to heal his pain. He could hear her comforting call, but the memory faded just like that.

End flashback-

Sonic was home again, his thoughts clouded as he just walked forward, leaping on the couch with no concentration since he knew his home so well. Tails interrupted him and came to join.

"Hey Sonic, who was that? I saw him on TV when you were there." Tail's child tone snapped his friend back to reality.

"His name is Shadow…and I met him after I fought Eggman and Metal Sonic…when I was coming home." Sonic still stared ahead, not taking one glance at his twin-tailed companion.

"What did he want?"

"I don't know, but he was really mad at that one man, and he seemed to have a really bad headache…" Sonic kind of laughed from that…it was odd. How would someone who was 'the world's ultimate life form' get a headache from hearing screaming?

The black hedgehog traveled far, his journey taking him back to his past torture. He came upon the jail of G.U.N again, and knew to stop his pain; he must find what they did to him. He launched himself onto the roof, extra sneaky because he felt watched. He found the air duct's end quickly, and hopped inside. As he swiftly crept along, he could feel eyes following, but where. 'I'm not paranoid' he told himself over and over again, though he seemed to travel quicker at every noise. He looked down from an opening, and saw a research lab below him. 'This looks promising' he sneered as he saw a black chamber inside marked 'chaos controller'…obviously for him. Though what started him was the fact that there was a chaos emerald on top of it. Inside a thick, double glass container.

"At least this is done, we just need to find him again."

"That won't be a problem, will it?" Three men below the spy discussed their position; the general's angry face was unmistakable. He was with a scientist, his white lab coat the give away, and a soldier, who cares which one.

"You have to rally the troops and start search parties…now!" The powerful man yelled to his employee (if that's really what I should call him).

"Yes sir." He practically ran from the room, his thoughts in fear at the moment.

"Now…this chamber will keep him in control, right?" The general looked to the scientist again.

"Yes, but the real problem is…it might kill him from taking away his power."

"That won't be a problem, Klive, because we don't need him to be alive to use his ability, as long as we collect it." The man was obviously angry at Shadow, his life not any care to him. "Now to find him."

"Why should you look when I'm right here." Shadow was now there on the ground standing behind the G.U.N members, his eyes in flame. "Now…shall we get down to business?" He gave his familiar grin, his fist clenched tight.

"You won't get away with this." All three of them spun around and saw Kyra standing there, her hands on her hips and her face in pure anger. This was the first time Shadow saw the real her, unafraid, uncontained, and ready to really kick it up a notch.

"We have no need for you anymore, but it's Shadow we want, and don't get in our way. Remember?" The general tried to frighten her, but it didn't work.

"Oh, I remember, Steven Crooning. I remember all of my anger, and it just makes me stronger." She ran around Shadow, her speed amazing to him for an average hedgehog, but it was her fight that dropped his jaw on the floor. She lunged into the air, spinning and smacking the scientist in the head, knocking him to the ground.

"No…"

"And this is just the beginning."

Sorry about the long...er wait...I'm just really busy lately. But hey, these chapters take about a half an hour to do, so I'll try to make more on free days...anyways I hope you like this chapter, because action is ahead!