(I do not own Sonic X, etc.)

Flip card 2:

Name: Egg Carrier 3

Age: A year

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Sonic had gone and injured his own pride by getting lost on the ARK, which admittedly was not hard to do, it was half the size of the moon and interwoven with a maze of corridors and metal chambers. At first he had been looking for Shadow again, but that quest was quickly abandoned when he discovered he'd been going in circles for the last few minutes.

Shadow knew this colony inside and out and was probably long gone. So now Sonic was set on a more realistic quest, trying to find his way back to the others so together they could make sense out of this whole situation.

Eventually the blue hedgehog wandered out from a passageway straight to a metal catwalk on the underside of the ARK, from this vantage point he could see the two clashing angelic armies. Despite the vicious fighting and the presence of the Egg Carrier neither side showed any signs of backing down. They were attacking each other almost fanatically and the streams of bullets from the ship nearby did little to slow them down.

The catwalk lead out from the colony itself to a platform hanging above, or below depending on the point of view, a large pit in the surface of the ARK. Sonic couldn't have even guessed by this facility had been a mining facility. The asteroid the ARK had been carved and built out of had been full of rich materials and much of that had been mined out to further the colonies construction.

The platform was oval shaped and flat, apart from curved edges around the side, a large metal circle standing directly in the centre. Sonic decided to stop here for a moment to get his bearings, not there was anything to get his bearings from. Nothing on this colony looked familiar and the last time he was here he'd been a little too busy to take note of anything he could use for exploration later.

Right now, his own feelings of helplessness was being to gnaw at him and what he really needed apart from anything else was something to punch.

There was a loud thud and Sonic shot around to see Metal Knuckles, one of Doctor Eggman's best robots standing behind him with glowing red eyes; its large claws already held up ready for a fight.

Sonic cracked his knuckles, a large smile on his face.

"That'll do." He said to himself as Metal Knuckles swung a spiked fist forward. Sonic dodged around the swing and contour attacked with his own kick, landing a solid blow against the side of the robotic Echidna. Metal Knuckles staggered backwards a few steps before leaping forward this time with both claws ready for a swing. His attack never reached home. Sonic simply disappeared around his side with a well placed kick, knocking his opponent's feet out from under him.

There was a loud thump from behind him and Sonic shot back around just in time to see Theta raise his double barrelled flamethrowers directly towards him. Leaping out of the way, Sonic narrowly avoided being roasts, the pillars of fire hitting Metal Knuckles instead.

Spiralling in the air, Sonic gathered up his energy for firing a Sonic wind through the air; the spinning blue vortex hitting Theta directly in the chest; sending the last of the E1000 flying to the edge of the platform.

The clicking of a gun caught the blue hedgehog's attention and he ducked to avoid a blast from the laser rifle held by Egg Robo who was hovering a short distance away. Taking on all three of Eggman's elite robots at one time had not been his original plan but if it helped with his training, the more robots the merrier.

Spinning his entire body around, Sonic reflected any further laser attack away from himself before counterattacking with a super spin. Egg Robo stepped to the side to avoid the blow, but wasn't fast enough to contour as Sonic hit on the rebound. Theta raised both barrels again and fired more flames; these managed to char-grill the end of Sonic's quills. "Hey, you know how long these take each morning?" He asked irritated, before dodging a swing from a crispy Metal Knuckles.

Blocking each of the robotic Echidna's blows, Sonic slapped his claws aside just long enough to come across his face with a swift kick. Metal Knuckles doubled over as the blow took effect and Sonic jumped over his shoulders, took hold of his head in mid air and tossed him straight at Egg Robo who was attempting another sniper attack. The two robots collided, sending them both falling off the side of the platform.

Sonic turned, ducked under a stream of fire from Theta before racing in to get close. He knew that the E1000's weakness was close range combat and he intended to exploit that weakness.

It seems however that Eggman had updated Theta some time ago. A secondary set of robotic arms came lancing out of his mid section armed with a curved sabre like blade. Sonic dodged backwards nearly having his stomach slashed open. The new limbs did little to hinder the abilities of the old ones and Sonic found himself dodging both folded steel and fire and Theta came after him with both barrels blazing.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Egg Robo came hovering back up to ground level again with Metal Knuckles hanging onto his legs. Just was the robotic Echidna was about to take a leap at Sonic with his claws outstretch, a red blur passed before him as a large fist smashed itself directly into the robot's chest.

Sonic looked back to see Knuckles himself hammer another few good punches to his robotic counterpart, before dodging a swing from Egg Robo and tossing Metal Knuckles over his shoulders.

"Just where have you been?" The red Echidna asked Sonic as the blue hedgehog joined his side.

"Just needed a word with an old friend of ours." He replied before somersaulting over Theta and smashing a kick into his back. It seemed while Eggman had strengthened the robots ability for close range combat, he had left his rear relatively unprotected. Getting behind him to launch attacks was no chore. Eggman had increased Theta's weight with his updates making him far heavier than he used to be and thus much slower.

Knuckles turned to confront his Metal counterpart.

"Remember me?" He asked rhetorically, flexing his arms as the two of them circled each other. Metal Knuckles didn't reply, he just leapt at the red Echidna with his laws drawn back. Catching both arms with his large hands, Knuckles lifted his metal version up into the air and smashed his body down onto the floor.

Metal Knuckles contoured by rolling to the side, somersaulting back to his feet and slashing Knuckles across the side of his leg, making him stagger backwards and it was then Metal Knuckles went on the attack. Getting within the red Echidna's defences with his claws, desperately hacking away at his organic template.

Sonic grabbed Theta by the shoulders and spun in mid air, gathering momentum before tossing the robot through the air to collide with Metal Knuckles. The two robots collapsed into a big heap on the floor.

"You ok?" Sonic called over as Knuckles paused to catch his breath. He's been able to block of dodge most of Metal Knuckles' most deadly swings but a good few had nicked him here and there.

"Fine." He muttered, before a faint glint of light caught his attention. "Sonic look out!"

"Huh?" Sonic looked back just in time to see Egg Robo pointing the barrel of his laser rifle directly towards him, preparing to another sniper shot. "Woah!" He cried, slipping underneath the beam at the last second. Egg Robo raised his rifle to fire again but just as his finger tightened around the trigger, Rouge came up behind him in mid air and smashed one of her infamous kicks, sending him spinning around in mid air.

"Hello boys, you didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun?" Rouge asked coyly, landing effortlessly next to Knuckles.

"You have a strange definition of the word 'fun'." Knuckles replied before slamming a fist into the side of Theta, causing the large robot to stagger backwards, a large fist shaped dent in its chest-plate.

"I have a strange definition?" The she- bat began innocently with wide eyes. "You're the one who's content to stay on a flying island for the rest of his life."

"Can you save this discussion for later?" Sonic asked, dodging several punches from Metal Knuckles before counter attacking with a lightning fast kick. The robot staggered backwards, its eyes glowing bright red before he lunged forwards again, grabbing Sonic by the arm and slamming him into the ground. Sonic rebound and with Metal Knuckles still hanging on, spun himself around in a fast spin, sending the robotic Echidna flying over the side of the platform. "Got cha!" He declared in triumph, only to have Metal Knuckles steal the victory from him. Theta hadn't been the only robot Eggman had upgraded in the last few days. A pair of rockets flared to life on Metal Knuckles feet, preventing the machine from falling. Swing his claws around, the robot turned to face Sonic with glowing red eyes. "Oh." Sonic began, before hitting the deck as Metal Knuckles flew over him, nearly slicing his body with his large talons.

Dodging back, Sonic slid between it's swings before landing a punch directly against the robotic Echidna's chest plate, forcing it backwards toward the edge. Sonic kept up the melee, using his speed to land a succession of punches against the large bracers before swinging a kick around. This attack stunned Metal Knuckles just long enough to for Sonic to bring his hands forward and fire the swirling blue vortex called Sonic Wind at close range straight into his body. The sheer magnitude of the attack tore Metal Knuckles from the ground and sent it flying high up towards the colony.

The Robotic Echidna slammed violently against the side of the ARK before falling limply downwards and disappearing completely.

Egg Robo, still hovering in the air at the distance raised his rifle and began taking more sniper shots at them, firing over three shots every five seconds. Knuckles was by no means as fast as Sonic and the robots constant pot shots were beginning to annoy him. He ducked over a torrent of flames from Theta before gliding off the platform and sinking his spurs into the soft metal of a nearby structure, quickly advancing up towards the ARK itself. Egg Robo was too preoccupied trying to hit Sonic to notice him and by the time his sensors picked up anything it was far too late.

Knuckles lunged away from the ARK and football tackled Egg Robo out of the air, using his own weight to throw him violently back down to the platform. The manoeuvre would have taken Egg Robo out of the picture entirely, had the intelligence thinking machine spun them around at the last second so Knuckles was on the bottom.

Taking the worst of the fall Knuckles was slammed hard against the platform surface and all Egg Robo had to do to get up again was roll back to its feet. Taking hold of his' rifle again, he raised its barrel and prepared to finish Knuckles off. Rouge kicked the weapon out of his hands before slamming a kick with the other leg directly into his face, knocking him side ways. Egg Robo staggered back towards the edge of the platform and swayed there for a moment.

"Four!" Sonic cried, going into a spin in one place for a moment and then flying forward, smashing his attack directly into the robot, sending him flying off the edge and disappearing into the darkness.

Knuckles pushed himself to his knees, angry with himself for making that kind of mistake. Standing up, he tore around and slammed two fists directly into Theta's flame throwers, blocking them up completely with dented metal. The pressure inside them built up quickly and in that next instantly they exploded, sending the heavy robot flying off the edge.

From the windows high above on the colony itself, Tikal watched the three of them take on the three of Eggman's best robots. This situation was widely spinning out of control and Void was at the very centre of it all. She had to talk to Shadow; maybe he could shed a light on the details of this whole mess.

"Metal Knuckles, Theta come in!" Eggman yelled won the com signal, trying to locate his Elite robots after he had deployed them to remove any and all hostiles from the ARK. A few moments ago the Egg Carrier 3 had lost contact with their radar signals. Eggman;s forces were stretched out beyond their limits already and he could not afford to loose his three best robots. In frustration he pressed a red button marked "emergency recall." This was a teleportation device that transported all three of his robots back to the repair depo onboard. "Alright, that is it." He mused to himself, angrily taking back his seat at the back of the bridge. "I've had enough, prepare the cannon for firing procedures."

"Aye sir." Becoe began, throwing a large lever and a few switches. The engines of the Egg Carrier hummed, sending as much energy as it could spare to the large cannon directly at the front of the ship.

-

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From here, Shadow could see most of the colony. All the way from the shuttle bays to the research zone, with the earth framing it in the background. This view always seemed to calm him down, now matter how mad he saw when he arrived.

Void was beginning to push his luck. If this business wasn't over in the hour, then Shadow was going to drive EVERYONE out. Void didn't think he could or would, but then again Void didn't know him very well.

He was well aware of the fact that someone had entered the room, but since he could tell that person had no intention of attacking him he let them approach. He simply stood there with his arms crossed, staring patiently out of the window.

Whoever it was actually stood beside him and shared his view. He gave whoever it was a momentary side glance and out to some surprise that it was Tikal, the girl he had seen in the ancient past, the one who tried desperately to stop her people from making the biggest mistake of their lives in attacking the Emerald shrine.

It occurred to him that he should be shocked to find her here after he was well aware that she had been sealed inside the Master Emerald to keep Chaos in check, but he didn't. Shadow had seen enough weird stuff to believe just about anything was possible.

"You still blame yourself for her death?" Shadow snorted at that remark she made without even looking up at him. That was no secret; even the dense Sonic had enough brains to realize that.

"And what if I do?" He replied stubbornly. "If I choose to remember Maria in my own way there's little you or anyone else can do to stop me." Tikal managed a smile, the kind of smile the black and red hedgehog would expect from Sonic.

"You're arrogant Shadow." That bit deep. Shadow had had no reason to be humble in any way shape or form. Humble was a word used by those quacking in fear of a god. He was a being created by science and technology, no god held sway over him so he could afford to be slightly confident of himself. Confident, by hardly arrogant; at least he wouldn't think so. "Have you ever tried a little thing called live and let live?" He shot her one long glance over his shoulder, giving her a look that forced a chill down her spine.

"I can rid myself of anger and hatred, but nothing could ever make me forget what happened here fifty years ago nor could anything make me forgive those responsible." Tikal levelled her eyes.

"How sad, you're trapped in the past. A slave to your own history." It was not so much the words that infuriated Shadow but rather the meaning behind them. She was implying it was time for him to let go, to forget, to move on. That was the one thing he could not do. The memories were both too painful and too joyous for him to ever consider letting go. "Fifty years is a long time Shadow."

"Not nearly long enough." Was the steely reply. His words were as solid as a rock, but in his eyes she could see the unending pain in his soul. The rage had gone and only the sadness remained. He did a good job of hiding it from most people, but she could see through his façade easily enough. Her words alone would not be able to reach him, but still she had to try something.

No one, not even the Ultimate Life-form could remain bound by grief forever.

"Is she all you grieve over?" She asked, putting together some verbal plan that might work. "Perhaps the reason is not so much her demise as the pain her grandfather endured during his madness?" Shadow didn't move but she saw one of his eyes twitch as more memories passed before him.

Captured by G.U.N, his granddaughter dead and his life's work in ruins Prof. Gerald went into utter insanity. It was in this state that he reprogrammed Shadow to hate the Earth and its people in an attempt to destroy them all. Still, it had not been him who was to blame for that, it the voices in the darkness that whispered to him, even while he slept.

Then Shadow hid his soul from her and turned to face the female Echidna completely, that flat emotionless expression pressed like concrete into his face. For a moment he looked like he was going to reply, but then sighing he turned back.

"Do you get some sadistic pleasure in playing mind games?" The black and red hedgehog grumbled.

"Little point really." She said with a shrug. "Your mind is a tangled mess of pain, hatred and rage, as is your heart. I couldn't play with it any more than it already has been." Believing turn about was fair play, Shadow came up with a retort.

"Of course you're no stranger to pain and hatred, are you?" He asked her almost slyly, she looked up with a confused look on her face. "Your people worshiped an evil deity who in the end betrayed them and they paid the price for their stupidity. You tried everything you could to stop their aggressive ways but in the end all your efforts were in vain. Chaos rose up and overwhelmed first their armies and then their entire civilisation." His words put the familiar sting of tears in her eyes but she refused to let any fall. If she did, Shadow would win this little contest of character. "I lost only two people close to me, you however had your family and friends, an entire race destroyed before your very eyes. And all because your father put more credibility in blind faith rather then his own daughter."

"That was cold." She remarked trying not to hint at any emotion whatsoever.

"So was talking about my losses." He replied, unfolding his arms. "Now let's get to what you actually want here? Only idiots come to me intending to try and strike at my heart with tales of woe." Tikal managed another smile, although this one was not as wide more as heartfelt as those before had been. Which for some strange reason made Shadow regret his perhaps hasty words.

"You struck me as a great dealer wisher than getting involved in the politics of Maginaryworld." She told him, putting her arms behind her head.

"Personally I don't care who beats who becomes what or whichever." Shadow retorted with sigh. "Void can win or lose, means nothing to me."

"Then why help him?"

"Because I owe him a favour." Shadow did not sound entirely enthusiastic went he added that last part and Tikal was instantly suspicious. Shadow was not someone bound by the same code of moral honour as most "heroes" were and put little value in moral obligations. Still, she said nothing about it.

"He's a good enough strategist though." The black and red hedgehog added in remark looking out at the battlefield. By now it was become obvious that those angels in crystallised like armour were beginning to overwhelm the others, driving them further and further away from the colony. "Looks like's he's almost won."

"But is that a good thing?" Tikal asked. Shadow shrugged.

"Don't know don't care."

"You will if he decides he wants to keep this colony."

"At that point our contact becomes invalid." The black hedgehog told her sharply, no hint of bragging in his voice. "And no army in the world could keep me from his throat."

"Remember what I said about arrogance." She told him coyly. Shadow actually laughed. That stunned Tikal, she hadn't thought him capable.

"Whoever said I was being arrogant, more like realistic." He smacked a fist into an open palm suggestively.

"Be nice." She murmured and then a large smile crossed her lips. "You're more like Sonic then you'd care to admit." Shadow narrowed his eyes, implying that that was the worst insult she'd come up with thus far. Sonic was loud, self opinionated and had an inflated ego. Shadow on the other hand was quiet, cold and calculating. A good deal more intelligent than Sonic as well, Shadow didn't rub his face in it that often. It was undeniable that they did have certain similarities in more than just appearance. But that still didn't make it easy to admit.

Perhaps it was that similarity that allowed the two of them to merge into Nazo, perhaps not.

"Shadow, a word if you may." Void's voice told him inside the reaches of his mind. He shuddered involuntarily. Did he have to use telepathy? Shadow found the intrusion a tad more than irritating.

"What is it now?" He asked, sending the thought inwards.

"Come to my device. I need you help."

"I've been giving you enough help Void."

"One last thing, and then you may consider the debt you owe me repaid." With that he was gone. This had better be the last thing, Shadow's patience was beginning to dwindle. Sighing he turned and made his way towards the door.

"Void keeping you on a short leash?" Tikal asked over her shoulder.

"No one keeps me on any sort of leash…" Shadow replied in an unfriendly tone before disappeared in mid-stride.

(In Chris' voice)

This is insane! Is Shadow really on Void's side or what? And speaking of Void, his plans are about to come to fruition as his nemasis arrives. See what happens next time on Sonic X, the Tribunal of Illumina. Don't miss it!