(Authoress gives weak wave)

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Am WAY very sorry about the cliffy and the delay, everybody. Next chapters' up!

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Disclaimer: See last chapter

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Claimer: See above

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'Thank Chaos that Raven's not as great of a shot as he thinks he is,' Shadow thought to himself as he panted for air.

Clutched in his arms was the now utterly terrified younger version of himself, half-curled up only because being held by someone prevented the full curl-up

"Holy cow!" he heard someone - Tails, yeah - yell as the smoke cleared, "It's Shadow! Our Shadow!"

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"Hey Tails, hey Faker," Shadow called back over to his startled friends, deliberately keeping his voice sounding relaxed to help calm the quivering bundle in his arms, "So, did I miss anything interesting?"

"Not really," Sonic said, getting into the friendly banter if for no other reason that being ignored was starting to make Raven turn red at the edges, "What took you so long getting your lazy butt in gear - Faker?"

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The little version of himself stopped shaking slightly and peeked upwards at his savior, confused at the sudden change from instant death to friendly conversation. Shadow fought back any visible expression of wistfulness - he'd nearly forgotten how he'd used to look.

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"Um, thank you, I guess…" the little Shadow said, "Who are you? And who are those guys? And who's that guy that was trying to kill me? And why do you look sort of like me? And why does he sort of look like my big brother? And why's that guy blue? And why's that other guy got two tails? And why are you guys fighting? And why did that guy that sort of looks like my brother try to kill me in the first place?"

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'I also nearly forgot I used to talk so much,' Shadow remembered, but kept that little thought to himself.

"Two or one's no difference to me," Raven announced, drawing attention back his way, "I'll still obliterate you."

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"Come on, do you really think that you've changed anything?" Shadow shot back.

"What'dya mean?" growled the white hedgehog.

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"That one wasn't the real one. If you had stopped it, why would we still be here like this?" countered the black hedgehog.

"Then I'll just keep getting rid of them until the real one is finally gone!" Raven yelled.

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"Go stand with them, okay?" Shadow murmured to his younger self.

Little Shadow hesitated, but then scurried over to Sonic as fast as he dared, keeping an eye on Raven incase the crazed one tried to destroy him again. Raven, however, was too busy snarling at his real younger brother to notice him.

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"You stand there, oh so smug, but I'm really doing you a favor," Raven continued without a hitch, "When its gone, we'll BOTH be fine. And when you're gone, I'll be doubly fine and you won't be around to care!"

"You think so?" Shadow countered.

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Sonic and Tails - and Knuckles, whom Shadow had noted was watching this scene from around the corner behind Raven - had absolutely no idea what they were actually arguing about. Even if Shadow couldn't see their faces, this was something only he and Raven could understand anyway.

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"Take a look at me," Shadow added

Raven blinked.

"I haven't looked like him - " here Shadow pointed to his younger self - "For a very long time. You think I don't know what you're after?"

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"No…" Raven gasped, "You…you DIDN'T!"

"First thing I did after waking up," Shadow said, now smirking in an unpleasant way.

"No no NO! I wanted to destroy it! It was mine! You stole my destruction!" Raven yelled.

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"Hey, can I ask what the HECK you guys are talking about now?" Sonic asked.

"The Doctor called it the U.L.M. D. - short for the Ultimate Life Making Device," Shadow explained without taking his gaze off his brother, "I'm sure that explains some questions you might have had about the different colors Raven and I used to be."

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Tails gasped. Sonic blinked. Knuckles, in his little corner vantage point, also blinked.

And the little, not-an-Ultimate-Life-Form-yet version of Shadow made a little noise of surprise and some fear.

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"…Are you…are you really my…older brother? …Are you Raven?" Little Shadow asked, careful not to step away from Sonic and Tails even as he voiced the question.

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Raven laughed.

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"A smart kid, just like I remember you."

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Then he frowned.

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"Which is why I have to kill you now. Before you ruin things for me."

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Raven's form blurred as he darted towards Little Shadow, but he was immediately intercepted by Big Shadow and knocked aside. That didn't stop Raven from trying to attack again, which meant that Shadow had to block this attack too, as well as the attack after that.

"Going after a kid, Raven? Only cowards and weaklings stoop that low," Shadow said as he saw his brother get ready to try attacking for a forth time.

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"I'm stronger than YOU are," Raven snorted.

"Really? I doubt that. Prove it to me."

"What did you say?" Raven growled.

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Shadow smiled coldly.

"One last fight, just you and me. Prove that you're so much stronger than me, Big Brother."

Raven grinned back, his expression as cold as deep space. Without another word, both Ultimate Life Forms were gone down the corridor, with explosions marking their trail behind them.