Me again, yay. With another chapter of Shadow's story! Whoo hoo! If it seems like i'm going a little fast its because this story's gonna be kinda long and a lot of things are going to be happening including a surprise ending that no one knows about. haha.
Chapter 2
The little grey hedgehog walked slowly out of the suspended animation capsule and looked around. She looked a lot like Shadow, she was grey with pink streaks on her spikes and she wore a small pink shirt. Across her chest were two straps that ran diagonally down her shirt and a belt hang loosely around her waist. On the side of her belt was a small gun, just in case. Prof. Ushama was overjoyed, but didn't say a word, he just smiled. The hedgehog shook her head and looked at the ground. She sniffed making sure no one was a threat in the room. "Extraordinary." Prof. Ushama said with a smile on his face. The hedgehog looked at him with a confused angry look on her face.
"Who are you...and...and...who am i?" The hedgehog asked.
"I am Prof. James Ushama and you are Iris the hedgehog created by Prof. Gerald Robotnik." Iris looked down at the ground and thought for a minute.
"Why am I not looking into the face of my creator?"
"Prof. Gerald was taken to jail for doing a study on immortality and he put me in charge if you ever woke up."
"Why am I here?"
"You're just filled with questions and that's why I like you. You are here to keep an experiment under control. Though, seeing on how nobody has seen Shadow in over 50 years, I don't really know...I guess you're just here." Iris looked around once more. Prof. Ushama took a folder from off his desk. He opened it up and took out a picture of Shadow. "This is the reason you were created." Prof. Ushama handed the picture to Iris and she looked at it. "His name is Shadow. Prof. Gerald had a feeling something go wrong with Project: Shadow and just in case he became deadly, he created you to keep him straight. But, he might be dead. No one has heard from his since he escaped in that suspended animation capsule 50 years ago."
"Shadow..."
"Yes. He was supposedly the Ultimate Lifeform, but I guess Prof. Gerald thought something would go wrong and created you just in case."
"What could I do to stop him? If he is this..."Ultimate Lifeform" that you speak so highly of, he sounds as if no one could stop him."
"Maybe, but...If my research is correct and from what my father told me about Project: Shadow. Prof. Gerald gave you some special ability. Quite a few actually. But the most important, is your speed. Prof. Gerald increased your speed so you have the same velocity as Shadow. That way you can keep up with him. He also gave you the power over a certain element that even after 20 years of searching, I can't figure out what it is. But whatever it is, it's quite powerful. I can do a quick analysis on you and find out." Iris didn't say a word, but walked to the door and looked at the rising sun. She looked at the picture of Shadow the professor gave her and then back at the sun.
"No..."
'I will dedicate,
And sacrifice my every...thing for just a seconds worth,
Of how my story's ending,
I wish I could move,
The directions that I take,
And all the choices that I make,
Will never fall for nothing,
The grey hedgehog looked at the professor. "...I want to find out on my own."
Show me what it's for,
Make me understand it,
I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer,
Is there something more,
Then what I've been handed,
I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer,
"...And this so called "Ultimate Lifeform" is out there somewhere. And somehow...I have to stop him." Iris looked back out in front of her and raced towards the sun. The professor watched her.
"Good luck..."
Help me carry on,
Show me it's ok to...use my heart and not my eyes,
To navigate the darkness,
Will the ending be,
Ever coming, suddenly,
Will I ever get to see, the ending to my story,
Eggman typed in 5 letters that Shadow knew very well into the computer. M-A-R-I-A. The capsule door opened and Shadow stepped out of the suspended animation capsule and looked up at the fat man standing in front of him. He knelt down and closed his eyes. Eggman smiled. "For setting me free I will grant you one wish." Shadow said.
Show me what it's for,
Make me understand it,
I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer,
Is there something more,
Then what I've been handed,
I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer,
Iris raced over hill after hill with a determined look on her face. She looked at the picture of Shadow once more. 'I will find you hedgehog. You can't hide from me. Prof. Gerald created me to destroy you...and I intend to.'
How much further do I have to go,
How much longer till I finally know,
Cuz I'm looking and I just can't see what's in front of me,
In front of me,
Shadow walked with Eggman to his ship and they left Prison Island, having to dodge many GUN aircrafts. Shadow looked out the window and thought of the death of Maria.
Show me what it's for,
Make me understand it,
I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer,
Is there something more,
Than what I've been handed,
I've been crawling in the dark, looking for the answer!
'No matter what I will destroy you.' Iris said to herself. 'I won't fail you Professor...I promise.'
in Eggman's ship
Shadow stood at the window and heard Maria's laugh in his head. He put his hand on the window and shut his eyes.
Shadow's memory
Maria laid on the floor, slowly dying. "Please...Shadow...I beg of you...please...do it for me...for all the people...on that planet..." Maria collapsed.
"Maria!"
flashback end
Shadow looked out of the window once more. Dr. Eggman walked up behind him. "Beautiful view isn't it. Now...let's get right down to it, shall we?" Shadow turned to him. "You are the creation of my grandfather, Prof. Gerald Robotnik, correct?" Shadow slowly nodded still pondering his latest memory. "Excellent! You will obey me now that my grandfather is gone. You belong to me." Shadow didn't like the sound of that one bit, but he stood quiet. "Now, to take over the world...my grandfather spoke a secret...military...weapon...somewhere...?"
"The...Eclipse...Cannon?" Shadow said slowly. "How did you..."
"I have my own sources of finding things out. I'm a scientist aren't I?" Shadow looked at the ground. "Now...about the Eclipse Cannon?"
"The Eclipse Cannon...is a secret weapon that, if given enough power, could destroy an entire planet."
"HO HO! Now we're talking. I could threaten this planet, what an idea? But finding the power source could be tricky. How powerful does the source have to be?"
"There are seven emeralds that were scattered across this planet several years ago. They are called Chaos Emeralds. The Chaos Emeralds have enough power to activate the Eclipse Cannon. Find them and you could destroy any planet you want."
"Perfect. All I have to do is find the seven Chaos Emeralds and threaten the Earth to either allow me to build the Eggman Empire or their planet will be destroyed. Now...where is this...Eclipse Cannon?"
"On the ARK."
"Space Colony ARK? But...that place has been abandoned for years, ever since some accident or something! That accident could still be up there! We can't go up there! What ever it is could get us and kill us!"
"We're going."
"WHAT!"
"I'm the accident."
In the White House
Several agents were gathered around a small table. The president sat on one end and beside him sat Rouge the Bat. "Mr. President, if we don't do something now the outcomes could be disasterous." Said a male agent. "If Project: Shadow is woken up then, it could mean disaster for us all."
"If Eggman really did capture the project then we really could be in danger." The president said as he stood up and looked out the window. "We should've gotten rid of him when he was on Prison Island." The president sighed.
"Sir? What would you like us to do?" The president took a long pause and then turned around.
"I want you to find out more about Project: Shadow. Find out all you can. About the project, Prof. Gerald and see if he left anything behind that maybe shows if Project: Shadow has a flaw or a weakness."
"Yes Mr. President."
"In charge of this case, I appoint Rouge. Rouge, I want you to find Shadow and convince him that you're on his side and find out as much as you can about him." Rouge did a semi-sallute and winked at him.
"Will do, sir."
"Now go!" The agents and Rouge walked out of the room. Rouge walked a separate way from the other agents.
'Oh I'll find him alright, but that doesn't mean that I'll ever come back. If Project: Shadow is as powerful as I've heard, maybe I could use his power to help me get that Master Emerald, I've heard that's some gem. Better start looking for this 'Ultimate Lifeform' then maybe I can look for the Master Emerald.' Rouge thought to herself.
on Space Colony ARK
Shadow and Dr. Eggman stood in a room with a huge laser there with 7 slots in it. Shadow paced in front of the laser looking at it. "The ARK was the first Space Colony created by mankind. Not many people know that the ARK contained a top-secret research facility, where weapons of mass destruction were being created. The Eclipse Cannon is one of them and it was said that it was strong enough to destroy an entire planet. It's been deactivated for a long time and that's why we need the Chaos Emeralds, to give it a power boost." Shadow told him. Shadow pulled a Chaos Emerald out of his pocket and placed in in the machine and it powered the machine up a little.
"Well that doesn't seem so hard. I will get the Chaos Emeralds, use the machine to dominate the world and build a legacy of my own! Hahahaha!"
"It won't be that easy Eggman." Said a voice from above. The two look up to see a bat hanging from the ceiling. Rouge dropped down in between them. "Now, I think I may be able to help you two get the Emeralds...for a price of course."
"A price? What exactly makes you think that I will trust a complete stranger. What would be in it for me?"
"Why the control of Earth of course. If help me get the Master Emerald, then I'll help you get the last 5 Emeralds." Rouge pulled a Chaos Emerald out and showed it to them.
"Ooo..."
"What do ya say boys?" Eggman looked at Shadow and Shadow nods. "Fine."
"Ok then, it's a deal. My name is Rouge and I'm a treasure hunter..."
back on Earth
Knuckles was laying on the shrine to the Master Emerald leaning on it, fast asleep. Rouge flew above where he was with a Chaos Emerald tracking device. "Have you found it yet?" Eggman shouted from her transmitter.
"Keep your pants on, Eggy, I'm looking." Rouge demanded. Just then the tracking signal went off and she looked down and saw the Master Emerald. "Why, hello." Rouge put up the tracking device and flew down to where the Master Emerald was. She snuck by the sleeping guardian and looked at the Emerald. She rubbed her hands together greedily. "I can't wait to get this baby outta here."
"I don't think that's gonna happen for quite a while." said a male voice from behind her.
"Wha-" Rouge turned to see the guardian awake this time. She chuckled. "Finally decided to wake up, huh?"
"I love beating someone up when I first wake up. It really makes the day so much better." Knuckles smiled and began to crack his knuckles. Knuckles charged at her with his fist and she dodged it.
"You may have the strength to beat me, but there's one thing that I have that you don't."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Wings." Rouge flew off towards a forest.
"Get back here!" Knuckles chased after her, his temper getting worse and worse with every step. Rouge flapped her wings harder and harder but kept low enough for him to see her.
'Maybe if I fly hard enough and long enough he'll finally get tired and give up, then he'll have to give the Emerald to me.' Rouge stopped after awhile by a ledge. She turned around to wait for the echidna, but he never came up. "I knew sooner or later he'd give up." Knuckles bursted out of the forest and punched her to the ground.
"Naw, just waiting till you let your guard down." Knuckles said smiling. Rouge sat up and looked at him angrily. She kicked him and back and forth for about 5 minutes they hit and kicked each other. Then one time when Rouge stepped back she slipped off the cliff. At the last minute, Knuckles reached down and caught her hand.
"What the-" Knuckles pulled her back up and they both pause for a minute. Rouge backed up. "Keep your hands to yourself, don't touch me!"
"Is that how you treat all the guys who save your life or am I just lucky?" Knuckles said rolling his eyes.
"Saving my life? I could've flied off, I didn't need your help. You just wanted to hold my hand, didn't you? That's why you saved me, you're such a creep!" Rouge walked off.
"Wait!" Knuckles stopped her. Rouge looked at him.
"What?"
"I'm sorry...if I hurt you." Knuckles said as he turned and walked back to the Master Emerald. Rouge just watched him leave and she smiled and starts to walk away, but she looks back to where Knuckles was.
That's all for now. If you noticed, there were a couple of direct quotes from Sonic Adventure 2, of course some of them needed my own little personal touch. Some of the Knuckles and Rouge part was from SA2, but of course I had to change Knuckles reaction when Rouge blew him off. Him saying "...or am I just lucky?" kills me. It sounds more like him. Please review and tell me if you liked it. I've been working very hard on this story so...please!