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Shadow Returns

Angel stared in a stunned awe at what stood before him, and muttered under his breath. "The Shadow? How can this be?"

"Well Angel, surprised to see me?"

"How can you be here? You died with mother a long time ago!"

"I am eternal. I do not perish. Now I have a new host."

Angel froze. The Dark Crystal. She was the entity that the Espeon spoke of! He now knew why she seemed so familiar, yet wasn't. It was Eclipse's body, yet the darkened entity had taken control, causing the rings to fade. But they weren't fully faded like his mother's did when Shadow would take over.

"Well? You must have something to say about all this, Angel. " She placed the energy ball in front of her face, almost in a taunting pose.

Angel took a step towards her, unthreatened. "What have you done with Eclipse?"

"Eclipse won't be with us much longer." Shadow looked down at the rings on her legs, checking the transparency. The transformation wasn't complete until the rings were fully invisible. She wanted to make sure they stayed that way too; for good. Facing Angel again, she gave the reply he didn't want to hear. "I believe she will last until twilight, but after that her spirit will be no more." She snickered a bit. "I'm actually quite surprised she lasted this long. She is stronger than she looks."

"Let her go! She doesn't know anything about this…"

"That is what I look for in all of my hosts… innocence, stupidity; whatever you wish to call it. It makes it easier to take over. I normally am able to take over within a few days… your mother was the only exception. I will not make the same mistake with this one." Shadow sneered as she recalled her previous host. Mother to Angel and a few others she couldn't recall, and betrothed to Whitey. All that was over now and she would move on from past mistakes. She stopped suddenly. Whitey was the key here. She grinned from behind the ball of energy she still held in her paw. He had two sides; a trait Angel shared. She peered towards Angel, for any indication that it had surfaced. His dark side would help her, while his good side would fight her. All she needed was to make him mad enough…

Angel growled at Shadow, and slammed his paw suddenly through the energy ball she held in her paw, exploding it. She sat there in shock and awe, not expecting that so soon. He glared coldly at her, showing Shadow what she wanted to see: he was borderline darkness.