Shadow Fall 2/4
Note: Happy 100th Chapter
(Theme song - Pokemon Journeys: The Series ( Season 23) - English Dub Opening)
(Abigail's POV)
*The gas was filling the gas & I was starting to feel numb*
Andrews: Helmets up! Rebreathers on! We've got too much to do before dyin' today people!
*He put a rebreather on Rouge & Cooper put one on me*
Rouge: I told that idiot we should've had these on from the start!
Andrews: But then the aliens wouldn't have wasted their time trying to gas us. Now we've got some time while they figure out a new plan.
Rouge: Typical "military intelligence."
*I turned to Omega*
Abigail: You doing okay, Omega?
Omega: I DO NOT POSSESS THE MEAT SACKS YOU CALL "LUNGS," AND SO I DO NOT SUFFER LIMITATIONS LIKE "BREATHING" OR THE IMPAIRMENT OF SUCH.
Rouge: "I'm fine" would've worked too.
Soldier Inside Giga Trouper: It's no use, sir. The doorway is sealed tight.
Omega: I CAN BLOW OPEN A NEW DOOR.
Andrews: And open us up to whatever-the-heck is out there? No thanks. What we're going to do is -
*Suddenly, four giant alien worms came out of the ground, surrounding us*
Rouge: Run-And-Gun! Don't let them target you! They're living missile launchers!
Andrews: Giga Trouper! Secure the nuke! Spider Troupe! Form up on me! Omega! Change in plans! Make us a door!
Omega: WITH GUSTO! *he shot at the wall, creating a hole big enough for the Giga Trouper* THERE ARE ISLANDS OF LAND THREE STORIES DOWN.
Andrews: In we go, Spider Troupe! Controlled bursts with your rocket packs - save your fuel!
Rouge: Hold on! We can't move on without Shadow!
Andrews: Are you kidding? He left us behind! He was our guide, and he left us to be ambushed!
Abigail: He was only scouting ahead! For all we know, he could have been ambushed too!
Andrews: Well then he can use his teleporting and creepy mind-link to find us! We mortals are leaving this death trap!
Abigail & Rouge: But - !
*We both looked at the Conduit Gel, worried. But seeing no other option, Rouge picked me up & flew into the hole*
Omega: DON'T WORRY ABOUT SHADOW. HE IS ALMOST AS STRONG AS ME. HE WILL BE FINE.
Rouge: Yeah-yeah-yeah. Down we go.
*We landed on one of the islands*
Male G.U.N Agent #4: Which way now, sir?
Andrews: Pull up the mission map. We'll push for the interior, lay the bomb and -
Male G.U.N Agent #4: Sir, I think our coordinates are no longer accurate. Navigation sensors seem to have been scrambled.
*Rouge landed & put me down*
Abigail: Well, if only we had someone with insight into this place. Who could help us. Oh, right! You abandoned him!
Andrews: Don't start with me, ladies. I'm head of this unit -
Rouge: And your unit is the escort for Team Dark! You follow us!
Andrews: . . . Fine. Lead us. We can't wait around, otherwise we're easy pickings.
Rouge: Any ideas, Omega?
Omega: I DETECT SOUNDS OF FALLING LIQUID THIS WAY. ANOTHER VERTICAL SHAFT SUGGESTS ACCESS TO DEEPER INTO THE COMET.
Rouge: That's good enough for me. You take the point. We'll just have to look for Shadow along the way.
Abigail:*in her mind* Please be okay.
(Third-Person POV)
*Meanwhile, Shadow was battling Eclipse the Darkling (a male black alien with red marks all over his body, orange eyes with black sclera, a white muzzle, & yellow teeth)*
Shadow: How are you blocking my Chaos Control!?
Eclipse: Whoa-Ho-Ha-Ha! We're of one blood you and I! "Chaos Control" is just a part of who we are!
*He blocked a kick from Shadow*
Shadow: That's impossible!
Eclipse: Oh, we're very connected . . . *he teleported behind Shadow & grabbed his head* . . . Let me show you.
(In Shadow's mind)
*Images flashed before Shadow's eyes*
Eclipse: You remember this, right? When you destroyed Black Doom, you took down every Black Arm under his command. But Black Doom had left a lesser-mind behind elsewhere to finish another conquest. The last of the Black Arms endured under Black Death. The link to our Hive-Mind is limitless! Through the Master, Black Death knew of Gerald Robotnik's betrayal. He knew about you. If the full might of the main Black Arms couldn't stop you, what chance did he have? So Black Death made his countermeasure to you, the 'Ultimate Lifeform.' He made me. Like Black Doom before him, Black Death commands the Hive-Mind. All of the Black Arms here are an extension of his will. Except for me. I'm free to act of my own accord. Free to think and fight you on my own terms. The Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Problem. But . . . I'm also free to question if this is the only way. The way I see it, we're an endangered species. The Black Arms are nearly extinct. So wouldn't we be so much stronger with the both of us working together? Twin sons of darkness! Brothers in arms! Worlds would fold to us, and the Black Arms would live forever!
*Shadow struggled to break free*
Shadow: RRRGH! I destroyed you once, I can do again!
Eclipse: Shadow, you're not listening! You don't need to fight us! You don't need to pretend you're one of them! You can finally come home!
Shadow: My home is the shattered world below. I made a promise to protect that world. You and the Black Arms would see it destroyed. My path is clear!
(Outside)
*A big male black alien with three eyes, & wearing a blue hood, a red tunic, & no legs floated into the room*
Eclipse: RRGG . . . Losing control . . . L - Little help . . . Here . . .
*The alien's eyes glowed.
(In Shadow's mind)
*Shadow's escape was blocked by Death's Eye*
Black Death: There is no escape from Death's Eye! *more images flashed before Shadow's eyes* You were born from the blood of the Black Arms. You have seen the worst thar world has to offer. You have overcome their best. They are beneath you.
Eclipse: Promises were meant to be broken. There is nothing on that world for an immortal like you. One day, the friends and rivals you have now will mean nothing. They'll all be gone.
*Just then, Abigail appeared before Shadow's eyes. Seeing her gave Shadow the strength he needed to break free from their grip*
Shadow: GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
Black Death: You had your chance, Eclipse. This is pointless. End him.
Eclipse: No, wait! We almost got through to him! You agreed he'd be useful to us! One more push and I'm sure -
*Shadow lunged at Eclipse*
Shadow: YOU! *he grabbed Eclipse by the neck* Meant . . . To destroy me? . . . I'll destroy you first . . .
Eclipse: Destroying you . . . Would've been . . . The easier option . . .! I didn't . . .
Black Death: Last chance, Eclipse. We turn him now or never. *he grabbed Shadow's head with both hands* You are my blood. You are mine to command. Remember your true purpose.
*Shadow let go of Eclipse & fell to his knees*
Shadow: I . . . I am . . . Shadow the Hedgehog . . . *he stood up, his eyes hazy* Vanguard of the Black Arms invasion. I . . . Am to bring the Chaos Emeralds, and ensure a swift harvest of the world below.
Eclipse:*koff* See? I told you it could be done. *hack* Welcome back to the fold, "brother."
Black Death: Regardless, your purpose was to destroy him. This is the second time I've allowed you to so freely to pursue your own ambitions. Had I not assisted you now, you would have failed. Do not let this become a mistake.
Eclipse: The Dark Arms will be our finest soldiers, Master. And Shadow will make us stronger! All of this will benefit us in the end, you'll see.
*An image of Team Dark & Spider Troupe can out of one of Black Death's eyes*
Black Death: I expect it to benefit us now. The invaders are stumbling their way
*Shadow left with Eclipse & an army of Black Arms*
(Abigail's POV)
*We were now at the end of the path, which split in-two*
Andrews: Okay, where to next?
Omega: PROCESSING. I AM NO LONGER DETECTING ANY POSSIBLE AUDIO CLUES.
Agent Lodge: This is ridiculous. We've no idea where were going! Let's just set the nuke and get out of here!
Andrews: That's a negative, Lodge! Even if the blast killed all the creepy crawlies, chunks of this rock could rain down on what's left of our planet. We're doing this right or not at all!
Abigail: Well, glad to see we agree on something for once, Andrews.
Andrews: The world is already messed up enough as it is. I'm not risking anything else making it worse. *to Rouge* Any word from Shadow?
Rouge: No. Either he's been captured or he's doing his brooding-solo-thing. It better be the former, because if it's the latter, I'm gonna kill him.
Andrews: Take a number, lady. *hearing that made me nervous. I hoped it was the former too* Hey! Big guy! We can't stand around forever! Which way to this comet's core so we can vaporize this bad boy?
Omega: RESTRAIN YOUR EQUESTRIAN MAMMALS. I CAN CONFIRM THAT WE ARE DEEPER INTO THE ALIEN WORLD, BUT I CAN NO GUARANTEE EITHER PATH WILL BE A CORRECT PATH.
Agent Lodge: Should we split up? Cover more ground?
Agent Cooper: HA! You've obviously not watched enough horror movies, Lodge! Might as well paint a target on our backs.
Andrews: Coopers right. We're outnumbered, and nobody at the shuttle can get to us at this point. We'll just have to pick a direction and hope for the -
Omega: WARNING! MULTIPLE LIFE SIGNS APPROACHING! ALL SIGNATURES MOBILE - NOT PART OF THE COMET'S BIO-TECHNOLOGY!
*We all faced the tunnel on the right, weapons ready. Just then, Shadow came out of the darkness*
Rouge: Shadow! I was starting to . . . Well, whatever. Where did you -
Abigail: Wait! Something's not right.
*Suddenly, a black & red alien that looked a little like Shadow & an army of Black Arms appeared behind them. Rouge & I were horrified*
Rouge: Oh no . . . Oh, no . . . No, no, no . . .
Omega: SHADOW - IF THIS IS A CLEVER RUSE, YOU ARE TO CEASE IMMEDIATELY.
Andrews: Saw this one coming . . . Spider Troupe! Agent Shadow is a liability! Lethal force is authorized to neutralize the hedgehog*
Abigail: Wait! No, don't!
Eclipse:*to Shadow* Pathetic creatures, aren't they? Only good for their complex protein chains.
Rouge: Shadow! They've tried to get in your head before! Fight them!
Omega: PROBABLE FINAL WARNING! DO NOT MAKE ME SHOOT YOU!
Abigail: Please, Shadow! Don't let them control you!
Eclipse: They give you orders? Threaten to shoot you? Aw. Why don't you give them a reasonable response?
*Shadow skated towards us while Omega fired his laser guns at him. He then hit Omega in the chest with a spin dash*
Rouge: Get moving, Andrews! We'll keep Shadow off your back!
Andrews: Leave us with the alien horde? Thanks for the easy job. Spider Troupe! Run-And-Gun! On the double!
*He, Spider Troupe, & the Giga Trouper went down the tunnel on the left*
Eclipse: Cowards! We'll handle the humans, Shadow! I'll leave those three to you, "brother."
Abigail:*in her mind* Brother?
*They went after Spider Troupe & the Giga Trouper, while me, Rouge, & Omega fought the now mind-controlled Shadow*
To be Continued . . .
