CHAPTER 4

ATTACK ON THE ICE BASE

Later that day the Chaotix were traveling across the sky with the X-jet along with a lot of snow falling.

Charmy was trying to concentrate flying the plane during the snowstorm.

Vector trusted his piloting skills, but he wanted him to be careful during storms such as these, "Steady, Charms. You don't want to lose control."

"I know."

Espio had his arms crossed, "Why the hell did Dark have to build his base in the middle of the arctic. That's stupid."

Tonya came up with an explanation, "Don't you know yet, Espio? Dark and Shadow are demons they can survive the cold because all demons have their place in hell. Shadow and Dark need the flame inside of them to gain power. If they were in or near a church for instance they would lose half of their abilities because all demons are unholy. It's kinda like the opposite, if it's cold they're hot, if it's hot they're cold."

Espio scratched his head in confusion, "Huh?"

Tonya smiled and looked out the window, "You're kinda cute when you're stupid."

Espio blushed, "Thanks, Tonya. Wait a minute, what do you mean stupid!"

Later in the ice base control room Shadow ran into the room seeing Dark staring at the monitors.

Dark made an evil smirk when he saw a plane heading for the base, "Hmm, looks like those losers are trying to infiltrate the base."

"Master, I finished the cannon. Do you want me to..."

"Yes, do it. Show them what happens when they cross us."

"Yes, master", he was about to run out of the room until his master called him back.

"Darkness."

He looked back at him, "Yes, master?"

"What did you do with the bat girl?"

"I tied her to the bed, she was getting kinda out of hand."

"Has she transformed yet?"

"No."

Dark nodded, "Just curious. Resume with your duties."

Shadow finally left the room preparing the cannon.

Later in Shadow's room Rouge struggled to get free from the rope for almost ten minutes, until she finally eased her wrist through the rope. "Yes, it's about time", she began untying the other.

When she was free she tried to open the door. To her surprise the door was unlocked, 'The door is unlocked? Guess it's just luck.' She opened the door slowly and walked down the hallway trying to find a way out, 'There's gotta be an exit somewhere.' When she was about to walk across from the second hallway Shadow turned up. "Shadow!"

Before she ran Shadow grabbed her wrist tightly, "You just don't give up do you?"

Rouge tried to get away from him, "Get off me!"

"I'm glad I ran into you. You get to see my greatest yet." Shadow led her into a room. He pushed her on the floor and closed the door behind him.

Rouge got up nervously. She didn't bother to escape. She knew that he would stop her. She took her mind off the subject when she saw a huge cannon with its barrel sticking out the big window, "Whoa, what is that?"

Shadow walked up to it, "This is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Enough to destroy this pathetic planet. The Lunar Cannon."

"The Lunar Cannon?"

Shadow nodded, "Yes and I'm going to test this on your friends first."

"You...wouldn't."

Shadow began to push buttons activating the cannon.

'This can't happen. They'll die. I have to stop him.'

He looked through the scope having the plane in his sights. He had his finger on the red button to fire the cannon.

Rouge then ran up to him and kissed him hard on the lips.

Shadow would have enjoyed it, but his duties wasn't fulfilled yet. He didn't want to disappoint his master. He pushed her away. When he got back to the cannon the plane was already out of sight. He turned to Rouge forming an evil smirk, "If you wanted it that bad, I should've did it to you when you passed out."

"Put something fowl in me and I'll rip your ears off."

Shadow looked out of the window and saw the Chaotix gang jump out of the plane and enter the base. "Great, now they're in the base." He took out a green Chaos Emerald from his coat pocket.

The emerald had a thin string hanging on it.

Rouge's eyes widened, "What are you going to do with that?"

Shadow put the green emerald around his neck.

The emerald then turned green to black.

Rouge was amazed, "It's black, but how?"

"My soul is dark and evil it taints the emerald making it pure evil."

"That makes sense."

The black emerald glowed, "Time to teach these weaklings a lesson. Demon Form!" He grew claws, his teeth turned into fangs, horns emerged from his head, wings arose from his back, his tail became longer, and his eyes were piercing red. He faced Rouge scaring her, "Be a good girl and protect the cannon for me while I deal with these losers."

Rouge was sick of him treating her like a child, "Kiss my ass, bitch."

Shadow walk out the door, "Maybe later." He locked the door.

Rouge crossed her arms, "Jackass."

Later the Chaotix ran through the hallway trying to find Rouge.

"Come on guys, she has to be around here somewhere", Vector and the rest of them stopped when they spotted a black demon in front of them. "Dark."

The demon smirked, "Have you come to save the bat?"

Vector whispered over to Espio, "Go find Rouge. We'll take care of Dark."

Espio nodded, "Right." Espio easily ran passed Dark.

Dark was about to go after him, until Vector stood in his way, "I don't think so. You'll have to go through me, Tonya, and Charmy."

Charmy nodded, "Wait, why did you say my name!"

When they were about to fight Shadow came up.

"Man, one demon is enough", Tonya took out her fans.

Dark faced Shadow, "What are you doing here?"

"To help you." Shadow looked over to the Chaotix, "Wait, someone's missing...Espio!"

"Go and kill him while I kill the rest."

Shadow ran down the hallway looking for Rouge.

Later in the room where the cannon was Rouge was sitting on the floor waiting for someone to save her. She then heard a distant voice calling her name on the other side of the door.

"Rouge, where are you? Answer me."

Rouge ran to the door, "Espio, is that you?"

"Rouge, stand back. I'm gonna break the door down."

Rouge stood away from the door while the door flew open. She saw the purple chameleon and hugged him, "Espio, you don't know how happy I am to see you."

"With you choking me, I do."

Rouge broke away from him, "Espio, Shadow and Dark did something to me."

"What did they do to you?"

Before she could explain a black creature came behind Espio and began to suffocate him by the neck. "Shadow, leave him alone!"

The demon threw Espio on the floor, "Espio, long time no see friend."

Espio laid on the floor holding his neck, "Shadow, you bastard. What did you do to Rouge?"

"You'll find out when her day comes. As for yours, it just did." Shadow's claws sharpened and he struck them at Espio.

Fortunate for Espio he moved before he stabbed him. He stood from the floor trying to reason with him, "Shadow, don't do this. We're your friends. Don't let Dark get to yea like that."

"Hm, you know, Epsio. I knew Dark long before you did."

"You just couldn't remember until he told you."

"Enough of this, Espio. We were friends, but that was a long time ago."

"Until Dark got a hold of yea."

Shadow gritted his fangs.

"So be it, Shadow. Just try to kill me right here and now. I won't hold back on you."

"As you wish."

Rouge stood there not knowing what to do. 'Don't fight.'

Later Vector fell on the floor beaten up. His arm bleeding to death from Dark's claws.

Tonya helped him up, "Vector, are you okay?"

"This time I don't think Dark's playing around."

Dark laughed with some of Vector's blood on his claw, "You losers will never defeat me."

"Vector, he's too strong", Charmy was getting scared.

Tonya stood in a stance, "We'll see." She ran towards Dark slicing his leg with her blades from the fans.

Dark kneeled to the floor holding his bleeding leg, "You bitch."

Tonya smirked, "There's more where that came from."

Later in the cannon room Espio and Shadow broke apart from their powerful punches and fell on the floor, but stood back up quickly ready for more.

Espio panted heavily as he eyed the cannon, "What's that cannon for?"

Shadow panted as well exhausted from the fight, "To destroy this planet of course. Which reminds me." He ran passed Espio and hit a button that would make the cannon destroy the world. He turned to Espio and Rouge, "I just set a timer for the cannon to destroy the world within fifteen seconds."

"No!" Rouge shouted.

"You bastard!" Espio hit Shadow down on the floor. Afterwards he ran towards the cannon trying to deactivate it. He pushed some buttons on the control panel having no idea what he was doing.

Shadow stood from the floor, "No, you idiot! You'll kill us all!"

Then the base formed into a bright light along with a massive explosion.