Ok, ok, I lied. Since I was at the verge of just abandoning this story, I decided to make one last long chapter to fill you guys up who read. I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so sorry for taking so long, I was just lazy. But I'm back, and I'm ready to roll!

Knuckles: yah, yah, but when am I going to have a part in the story?

Maybe I could have you transported to Sonic's house in a dress?

Knuckles: NO, no, that's ok, I can stay out of his story (smiles and runs)

Shadow: THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR TRYING TO RUIN MY STORY!

Anywho…(hahahaha Mary!)…Now ONWARD WITH THE STORY!


Chapter 9

Defining silence rang though the occupied apartment that Shadow dwelt in. He lay in a bundle on his bed, the sheets around him becoming soaked. He was asleep, though twitching and twisting madly. Something was wrong with him, but Kyra doesn't know.

"Oh Shadow…what's making you this way?" She couldn't even touch him or else he would hiss in pain and her hand would burn. He had been like this for an hour now, his condition getting worse.

Sweat ran from his forehead down to drip from his chin. He was trembling, fighting against whatever what eating him from within. Unseen to the caretaker, Shadow's orange had come back. He still had no shoes, no nothing.

"Kyra!" Her name was shouted from the bedroom, but she couldn't see him since the heavy front door was opened and wind torn through his him. She raced after him; anxiety filled her to the brim. He wasn't in the lobby, but she saw him outside. Letting the doors open for her, she crept down the sidewalk to join him, though he was headed to the alleyway.

Finally dropping to his knees, flames erupted from him once again. Kyra had to bounce back to escape the heat, but something was different this time. The fire…it turned black and blue.

"Shadow! What's going on?" Her words went unheard as a scream pierced the air. Every fiber of the black hedgehog's body, every corner of his mind seemed to burn, but all would be over soon. He fell limp to the pavement below as a wisp of white came through his back. The mist soon formed into the figure of Shadow…it was his spirit. But a black monster formed behind him as he reached for his body. The black ghost grabbed the pure one, wrapping himself around him, and disappeared. Kyra stood still…deadly still as her eye continued to stare at the place her love vanished.

"Shadow?" She fell to the body on the ground, tears rimmed her eyes. "What do I do?"

Elsewhere, Shadow was cuffed to the wall, his feet unable to touch the floor. He struggled against them, but in vein.

"Now, now my boy. Wouldn't want to get hurt." Still the shadow crept on, but no form could be seen.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" To the point so fast it made the captor laugh.

"I'll tell you one thing, that Dan character sure can make anyone believe him." Mention of the scientist got full attention from the black hedgehog.

"What are you talking about?"

"So many questions, so little time. Point is, he lied to you. You were never given firepower; you were never destined to destroy the world. You grew distant from people because of what you are. Robotnic didn't report weekly as he should have, and that made Dan mad, considering he donated most of the chemicals you were created with. You never had a cost of not aging; it was just a side affect. You are technically the rough copy of what you're really meant to be, but that idiot liked you too much to perfect you. Does that answer your question?"

"So then why do I have firepower? And what does Dan have to do with any of this if all he did was get mad?" Growling angrily afterwards, still the figure chuckled.

"I have that firepower, and it was Dan who created me. Though I'm just a half spirit free to chose anyone to occupy, I was assigned to you."

"Why?"

"So curious…well, Dan originally wanted you for a pure fighting machine, but Robotnic didn't give you the flames that you were intended to have. So after learning you had been sealed away, he started to develop me. I am designed to give you those flames while I occupy your body, though you wouldn't even know I was there. Quite funny, isn't it? The sad part in my short life was when well…both when I was trapped onto the ARK and when Dan told me that I had to reek havoc on the world for his under-appreciation."

"So you listen to his every word?"

"Exactly." Silence calmed the scene, though tension was still felt. Shadow took a moment to realize that his hands and feet looked normal, without the extra stripes or the orange.

"Yes. Now that I'm out, you're back to your old self."

"Wait a minute…where am I?" Shadow couldn't see anything, but something was particular about the place.

"I'm holding you hostage in a prison cell in hell." Eyes wide and pupils thinned, the black fur looked almost a shade of gray.

"You mean I'm dead!" He thought back to the fact that Kyra was there…

"Not permanently. But yes, you are." Sweat crept down his face as Shadow began to struggle again. His wrist started to feel…wet…he began to bleed.

"Before you go and break off your hands, I would like to tell you that I'm letting you go." All actions stopped.

"Why?"

"Must you always be so picky? Because I hate being a slave and I hate being who I am. I hate being alive, but not. So, I decided to go against my very existence and leave you alone. Sorry for the pain, I wanted free. So…goodbye." He snapped his fingers, and Shadow was looking down upon his body. Kyra was there, though her tears leaked down to her chin. He took the dive, and felt heavy eyelids trying to open.

"Shadow?" He gave a moan, his headache starting to calm.

"Kyra." He seemed to almost whisper the word. "I got good news." He smiled to her, looking deep into her own crimson eyes. He pulled her face towards hers, and captured her lips for himself. Shock ran through her, but she came around…

The next morning was spent sleeping, waking at one to eat lunch. Kyra was working behind the counter once again, so Shadow came to visit.

"Hey Kyra."

"Hey Shadow, sleep enough?" She joked, getting a laugh out of her friend.

"Yah…pretty much." He gave a big stretch; letting out a sigh, then rested his arm on the table. Life was good for him again, and it couldn't get any better.

"Shadow! You look…normal!" There was Sonic right on queue. Here goes the story all over again.


So, did you like it?

Shadow: it was perfect (sarcasm)

Kyra: (sighs dreamily)

Knuckles: what's with her?

Shadow: you don't want to know

Well, I would like to thank all of the reviewers (THANKS!) and Kyra for letting me use…well…Kyra! I hope that this satisfies you for the time, and my other stories will continue (just incase you think I forgot about fanfiction). So now…see you later!

Kyra: BYE!

Sonic: NO! My fans!

Shadow: good ridden…

Now time for one more torture-I mean prank… (Pulls lever and drops Shadow into a mosh pit of screaming fan girls) hehehe…

Shadow: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Now please make me very happy and REVIEW!