Chapter 8: Hatred Reawakened

Sonic and everyone else stared up and Shadow, who was obviously powered by the Chaos Emerald's power. Shadow looked around and smiled, he seemed to have decided what his targets will be. Shadow finally yelled the command for the destructive "CHOAS…BLAST!". Immediately all the air craft, both Eggman and Black Arm, were crushed by the power that flowed out of Shadow. To Sonic, it was looking at the power of a demon, caring not what it harmed.

When the flashed ended, everyone looked at the what remained of the air craft…hardly anything survived the attack. Sonic looked up and met Shadow's eyes. The hedgehog floated down, with his arms crossed and his eyes looking straight at his greatest rival.

"Are you impressed, Sonic?", Shadow asked.

"…Not even the Black Arms deserved that", Sonic answered looking at his dark rival, angry at his slaughter.

Shadow frowned for a moment, but smiled, "This is the true power of the Chaos Emeralds…you have never used them to gain their greatest gift!".

Everyone watched the two hedgehogs stare at each other, completely ignoring the Black Oaks charging at them with their clubs. Shadow smiled and turned around and raised his hand toward the Black Oaks. "Watch and learn, Sonic!", yelled Shadow. "Shadow!", Sonic yelled back. "CHAOS…WAVE!", Shadow yelled. Suddenly a charge of energy appeared at the palm of his hand and blasted forward crushing the Black Oaks.

Sonic and everyone else watched in horror as the Black Oaks were completely destroyed with nothing left of them. The ground began to collapsed under the power of Shadow and his insane power. The flash of his power faded, and all Sonic could think of is, "Shadow…why?".

"Don't you see the true power I control with the Seven Chaos Emeralds?", Shadow asked Sonic, "I don't even need to be in contact with them".

"Rouge…", Sonic whispered.

"Yeah?", Rouge said.

"Take everyone back to the base and get ready to leave", Sonic answered.

"WHAT?", Rouge yelled completely getting the attention of everyone else on her and Sonic, "You can't face Shadow alone like this!".

"Don't worry…", Sonic said, "…head back and help out Elle. I'm sure the Black Arms had more than one plan".

Rouge turned toward the base and back at Sonic, "Alright…"

Shadow stood standing with his arms crossed and thought, "What is he planning?".

Rouge flew toward everyone and yelled, "We need to head back, now! Elle may be in trouble!".

Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and the Chaotix nodded and turned around running toward the base with Eggman's monitor floating back to the base as well. Rouge turned to Sonic and give him a smile and a, "Good luck". Sonic gave her the thumbs up and watched Rouge leave. He turned to Shadow and got into a fighting position. The charged hedgehog smiled and also got into a fighting position ready to fight in the battle scared forest of the Mystic Ruins, ready to settle their rivalry…

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Elle's eyes slowly opened. She felt a arm wrapped around her waist. Her arms were motionless in front of her. She put her hands on the arm and tried to shake free.

"Don't bother, little Elle", spoke 'Vanilla', "You can't escape now…you will soon be brought to my leader and help us return to power".

"…Why?", Elle asked.

"Why what?", 'Vanilla' asked sounding annoyed.

"Why do you need ME?", Elle asked.

"…I don't really know why…", she answered.

The two finally reached a the main entrance to the base. 'Vanilla' smiled and walked forward expecting to walk out of the base with no problems. She stopped to keep Elle under control since she was trying to shake free. She looked at Elle and yelled, "STOP IT! DAMN IT!".

"Let me go! NOW!", yelled Elle.

"Maybe you should listen to her", Rouge said at the entrance to the base looking shocked at what she was seeing as everyone else.

"Great…the Black Oaks must've failed…way to soon", 'Vanilla' thought.

"Vanilla?", Amy asked, "What are you doing?".

"Damn…", 'Vanilla' thought.

"She's being controlled!", yelled a voice.

Everyone stared at the door behind 'Vanilla' and Elle and in came Cream. She was rubbing her the back of her head, but she seemed okay. She looked at her palm and noticed some blood and stared at the her mother angrily.

"Maybe I should have killed you", 'Vanilla' said.

Rouge walked forward, "Give us Elle and we hoped have to do anything violent!".

"You wouldn't dare…", mocked 'Vanilla' putting her hands on her hips and then finally saying, "…want to harm Mrs. Rabbit, would you?".

Everyone stared at her angrily. They knew they didn't want to harm Vanilla, but they have to get Elle away from her. Their staring stopped when the room began to shake. Soon a large force of Black Arm soldiers broke through the walls. They surrounded everyone and got into their fighting positions.

"About time!", 'Vanilla' yelled, "Kill them!".

"As usual…", Knuckles said.

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Out in the distance, a flash could be seen created by two powerful hedgehogs clashing in a over due rematch. The flashes couldn't be stopped by anyone…only the ones causing them. Sonic and Shadow slammed into each again, and finally pushed away from each other. Sonic was on one knee panting, his opponent much more stronger than he was. He rival, despite panting as well, stood and smiled, he knew he had the advantage and the power to beat his foe. It just seemed he was taking his sweet time…

"…He's a lot stronger than I am, right now", Sonic thought, "…Just have to hold on…for just a little bit more".

Shadow frowned, "Is he even trying? It seems he knows something I don't…he is just stalling, but for what?". Shadow stepped forward, "Sonic! You better be giving me you best! I don't want to win feeling like you held back!

Sonic smiled, "Maybe I am!". Shadow frowned, "I guess you have a death wish, hedgehog!". Shadow raised his hand at Sonic and energy began to appear at the palm of his hand. It got larger until it's size finally surpassed the size of his hand. Shadow smiled and quietly said, "…Die…", and fired his attack at Sonic…

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The room was loaded with fists flying left and right. Elle was now guarded by a Elite Black Arm while the leader of the group fought along side it's soldiers. The Black Arm controlled Vanilla proved more than a match for everyone, surprisingly, as she knew ways to fight back against her opponents.

"Not bad…", Rouge said.

"You are SO pathetic!", 'Vanilla' yelled back, "You can't expect to out fight me! Even in this body I more superior! A Black Arm from the next generation!".

"You think too highly of yourself", Espio said, "…Those who are over confident are the first to fall…".

"You can't expect to stop us!", yelled Vector.

"YEAH!", agreed Charmy.

Before 'Vanilla' can say anything the room began to shake once again. Taking advantage of the moment, Elle ran toward the entrance and ran outside. She could hear everyone calling out to her to wait, but she ignored them and kept running. She kept thinking to herself, "I'm SO sorry, Shadow", as she ran. She knows the cause of Shadow's pain…she wants to stop it…

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Shadow lowered his hand and smiled. Feeling sure he just killed Sonic, he began to walked toward Eggman's base. He didn't expect what happened next…a flash…and a fist to the face. Shadow stopped walking and rubbed his face, he couldn't believe he was harmed by someone…but who? He looked around until he found who he was looking for…the blue hedgehog, Sonic.

He had a blue aura around him like Shadow had a red aura. He smiled and gave Shadow the thumps up. "Something wrong, Shadow?", Sonic asked. Shadow smiled, "No…not really". The two hedgehogs looked at each other and then started to run along side each other away from the base. Sonic's aura began to glow almost as powerful as Shadow's red aura. Immediately Sonic and Shadow stopped and went in to punch each other. The two hedgehog's fists slammed into each other, immediately the two push away.

The two charged again, Shadow went in to strike Sonic in the face with his fist, but Sonic avoided the fist by jumping over him. Sonic landed, crouched and push off the ground and kicked Shadow in the back sending him into a roll that he stopped by kneeling down. The two didn't know where they were at the moment, but the two auras flowing around them has caused the objects around them to fall apart. Shadow smiled and charged at Sonic slammed his elbow into the teen hedgehog's gut. Sonic responded by kneeing Shadow in the gut as well, which caused the two to separated again.

The two hedgehogs put their hands on their stomachs. "Faster…than I thought, even at this STATE?", Shadow thought. He looked at Sonic who was smiling again, though he was panting again much faster. Sonic knew he wasn't at Shadow's level yet, he needed more time before he got the energy to not only match Shadow, but to help him realize what he is doing. "Shadow, listen!", Sonic yelled awhile he still panted, "Let go…of the power you now possess! This is not the way you should be!".

Shadow looked at him with a confused look, but soon frowned and crossed his arms. "Sonic, you just don't understand…", Shadow calmly said, "The power I now have is enough to destroy the Black Arms…and give me rule of this planet if I intend to…". Sonic looked at Shadow with anger in his eyes, but he closed his eyes and calmly said, "This is not who you are! You need to let go of this power, the Black Arms are trying to get you angry…for what I'm not sure…but you can't give in!".

"SHUT UP!", Shadow yelled, "You don't understand what I went through! You'll never understand!".

"You told me before any of this that you put the past behind you!", Sonic said now pointing at Shadow, "You said you wouldn't allow the past to cloud your mind! You said it would never bother you again!". Sonic walked toward him, "The Black Arms are trying to get to you by awaking the anger you still posses deep down!", Sonic stopped, "DON'T SURRENDER! FIGHT THE ANGER!".

Shadow looked at Sonic. "I had…enough!", Shadow yelled as the aura began to intensify, "DIE!". Shadow crossed his arms in front of his face and began to say "Chaos-" before a voice rang out. Shadow stopped and turned around and saw Elle, standing there with a sad expression on her face.

"Shadow…", Elle began to say, "…Please listen…you can't let the Black Arms…use you!". Elle was tired but she kept on walking toward Shadow. Shadow looked at her and finally said, "The hate makes me strong…I know you need protection, I can do just that with this power". Elle stood there and began to cry, "Shadow…I'm the one who unleashed the HATE! I'm sorry…". Shadow looked at her with a confused look on his face and then turned to Sonic who had the same confused look as he did. "What are you talking about?", he asked Elle.

Elle started to walk toward Shadow, "I had a dream…I read a different version of the servers of the Chaos Emeralds!", Elle admitted, "I caused your change! Please, stop!", Elle stopped in front of Shadow, "…Your scaring me…".

Shadow looked at her, but he wasn't angry…he was sad. Elle walked up to Shadow and hugged him despite the heat of Shadow's aura. They stood together for a minute before Shadow pushed Elle back and took a step back. "I…must…get…the…hate…OUT!", Shadow yelled. The aura began to intensify again, but now it looked like it was pulling itself away from Shadow's body.

Sonic rushed toward Elle and pulled her away from Shadow who was yelling because of the pain he was now suffering from. The aura continued to pull itself away from Shadow's body. "LEAVE…ME!", Shadow finally yelled as the aura finally pulled itself from Shadow and formed into what looks like a body…

Sonic and Elle ran toward Shadow who kneeling down. Shadow looked up and smiled, Sonic and Elle did the same. They turned toward the aura in time for it's "show".

Sonic, Shadow, and Elle watched the aura form into a body similar to that of Shadow. It landed in front of them and looked at the two hedgehogs and the girl. It finally said, "Soon…child", before disappearing. Sonic's blue aura completely disappeared as he turned to his dark rival. "You alright?", he said with a smile. "Yeah…", Shadow answered.

Shadow got up and looked at Elle, "There's something you have yet to understand…that has something to do with me". Elle nodded, Shadow looked at Sonic, "We need to find out".

Sonic nodded, "You two find out…we'll plan and begin the assault against the Black Arms!".

"SONIC! SHADOW!", rang out two voices.

Sonic, Shadow, and Elle turned to see Tails and Rouge flying toward them. They were happy to see that there're at least okay (and a little shocked to see the forest as it was). They landed in front of them with smiles on their faces.

"I'm glad both Shadow and Elle are alright", Tails said immediately.

"That's nice and all, but we need to get back…", Rouge said, "Eggman needs us at the base! We need to move on".

"You guys go to the Doctor's base", Shadow suddenly said, "I need to take Elle somewhere. Perhaps it will jog her memory".

"I hope…", Elle said.

"Alright then", Sonic agreed, "We'll meet you at the Glyphic Canyon, alright?".

"Right", Shadow nodded, he pulled out the Chaos Emerald and gave it to Sonic, "You take it…"

Sonic nodded and took the Emerald. Shadow stepped back and waited for Elle to hold on to him. She did and Shadow yelled his signature "Chaos Control!" and disappeared. Sonic, Tails, and Rouge turned to return to Eggman's base…

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At the Glyphic Canyon, a large of group of creatures, some altered most not, remain in wait for their next order. The leader also remained in wait inside a chamber that is not to be opened yet. Black Shadow stood against the wall looking at the floor when he was startled by his leader's voice when it said "Come…". Black Shadow looked and saw the same red aura Shadow was possessed by. It kneeled in front of the leader and spoke.

"I don't know where Shadow went, but I sure he still has the girl with him".

"Understood…", said the leader, "…Black Shadow!". Black Shadow looked up, "I need you to find the Chaos Emeralds…and I need you to destroy them!".

"Very well", Black Shadow said.

He turned toward the other Black Arms and motioned to get a group started to search for the Chaos Emeralds. Black Shadow led them out of the cave and left to complete their mission. All over the Canyon the Black Arms rest, but for what? Their next invasion…

Finally the end of this chapter! The next two or so chapters won't be long because I intend to have less action packed scenes. Until next time, HAVE A NICE DAY!