Chapter 54
Tails wakes up trapped in a small cell with electric bars as she quickly realizes where she is. The metal city of Robotropolis and she had seen this room more times than she's liked. Sitting up she sees Shadow unconscious and restrained to the lab table in the center of the room. "Shadow! Are you alright?" Tails calls out to her as her voice gets Shadow to stir, her head still throbbing, "C'mon Shadow, we gotta get out of here before…"
"Before I arrive?" Robotnik said walking into the room, "Hello Tails, It's been a while." He walks over to the table looking over Shadow.
"Leave her alone Robotnik!" Tails yelled,
"Now why would I do that? The energy she's giving off could be harnessed to strengthen my robots." He said as Shadow starts to wake up, "Ah, hello Shadow." He smiles at her and she tries to flee but can't move.
"No!" She screams starting to panic, her memories of the constant experiments and torture they did to her flashing back into her mind.
"Not how I was expecting the Ultimate Lifeform to react." Robotnik frowns looking disappointed, "The files explained that you were programed to be a killing machine. how is this cowering creature my Grandfathers greatest work?"
"It seems G.U.N. may have found a way to block those memories." Dr. Starline said entering the room rolling in a cart of medical supplies. "However I witnessed firsthand her capabilities through muscle memory. If she was reverted back to her original programing I don't think anything could stop her."
"I see, so we need to jumpstart her mind. A little hypno-therapy should do the trick." He said as she still tries to struggle,
"No… Please…" She begged, as she started to tear up, "Help…"
"Oh don't worry my child. I won't hurt you, much." He laughs,
"I won't let you hurt her!" Tails yelled trying to grab the bars in desperation but gets shocked,
"Ah yes I can't forget about our guest." Robotnik said walking over to her, "Now what should I do with you? Robotisizing you would be far too easy. And your friends still have four of the Chaos Emeralds. Perhaps we can have you fetch them for me." He presses a button that sends electricity through her cell as she cries in pain.
"Don't hurt her!" Shadow yells as she starts bending the shackles taking both Robotnik and Starline off guard,
"Subdue her before she gets free!" Robotnik demands as Starline quickly places an oxygen mask over Shadows face as she struggles until the gas starts making her dizzy. She stops struggling as he straps the mask securely on her face,
"Fascinating, she cowers if she's in danger however that's the second time that she's gotten defensive over the Fox." Starline said rubbing his cheek where Shadow hit him previously.
"She almost broke those restraints… I made those strong enough to contain that blasted Echidna." Robotnik smiles sinisterly, "I must know what else she is capable of."
"Just breathe in deeply and relax." Starline said to Shadow as she feels completely numb,
"Help…" Shadow said again,
"Looks like you're safe for now little Fox. You'll be how we keep her under our control." Robotnik said,
"There's no way I'll let you use me to control her." Tails said,
"Who said I was giving you a choice." He laughs, "Keep her gassed until you make sure to over reinforce those restraints. I'll get the electro-helmet ready. And have the Swatbots take our guest to the other laboratory. We don't want Shadow to have another episode." He continues to laugh as the bars dissipate and two Swatbots grab Tails dragging her out of the room,
"Shadow! Try to be strong, I'll find a way to save you!" Tails yelled as the door closes behind them.
"TK…"
Cream, Blaze, Amy, and Knuckles had just snuck into the underground of Robotropolis and continue in deeper. "And you're sure you know how to use Tails' tablet?" Knuckles asked Amy,
"I've seen her do it all the time. Starline would have taken them to Robotnik's lab. And if I'm reading Tails' map right we need to keep going straight and then make a left." Amy explained as Blaze quickly grabs him and pulls him back right before he set off a trap.
"Watch where you're walking, if we get caught we're toast." Blaze said as he nods and continues leading them forward.
"First Shadow and the final Chaos Emerald drop on our doorstep. Shadow told us that King Naugus can't be trusted in her sleep and now we have to rescue her and Tails from Robotnik… this is the most Chaotic twenty-four hours in the history of the Freedom Fighters…" Knuckles said rubbing his temples,
"Shadow said we can't trust King Naugus in her sleep?" Cream said,
"Yeah, that's why we went into the other room to talk while she was resting." Amy said,
"Do you think she knew King Naugus in the past?" Blaze asked,
"Maybe, either way once we save them we're going into hiding." Knuckles said as they all nod.
"I just hope we're not too late." Cream said,
"Me too," Alan said pointing out the turn as they continue forward.
"I hate when Tails gets captured… This wouldn't take as long if she was here deactivating all of these traps…" Knuckles said with a sigh,
"We should try and make time to learn from Tails, we're too reliant on her smarts." Blaze said.
"I'd say I agree with you if we weren't soon going to be on the run." Amy said,
"You have a point…" Blaze said with a sigh,
"This is my fault… it was my idea to go see the King… Some leader I make." Knuckles said second guessing their decision to make him leader,
"You're trying your best Knuckles." Cream said trying to reassure him, suddenly she hears the sound of creaking metal up ahead. "Everyone hide! Swatbots at twelve o clock!" she said as they all hide near the walls and stay as quiet as possible. The patrol passes them, and they cautiously continue forward.
"So where will we go? The forest?" Amy asked,
"Probably the best way to stay off the grid." Knuckles said, "It won't be easy since everyone knows who we are."
"We'll figure it out, especially once we have Tails and Shadow back." Blaze said,
"I'm so worried about Shadow… She must be so scared." Cream said as her ears lower,
"If Starline hurt either of them…" Knuckles clenches his fist. They could see the rage radiating off of him as Amy notices his ring start to glow.
"Hey… your ring…" Amy points out as Knuckles gets taken off guard by the glow as his rage subsides and the glow starts to dim.
"How strange." Cream said,
"We still don't really know what these rings are. They just appeared three years ago." Blaze said looking at hers.
"And the fact that we can't remove them is annoying." Amy said,
"On top of that Shadow has one too…" Knuckles said,
"Did you all ever notice that our rings are the same color as the Chaos Emeralds?" Cream said as they all pause for a moment.
"Chaos I think you're right!" Amy said,
"Than that means… there might be a seventh ring." Knuckles said, Amy turns back towards them realizing something.
"That's not all… guess what color that seventh ring should be?" Amy asked,
"Again with the color blue…" Blaze said,
"Everything seems to be falling together… like the universe wants us to find this Legendary blue Hedgehog." Knuckles said as they all agree.
"Let's put the theories on hold until after we rescue Tails and Shadow." Cream said as they nod, and Amy leads them further into Robotropolis.
Shadow tries to move but the odd smelling gas she was inhaling was making her feel strange. She was terrified, this place looked just like the Space Colony ARC and she didn't want to be experimented on again. "Please… stop…" Shadow asked between breaths as Dr. Starline starts strapping the Electro-helmet to her head.
"Don't worry dear, we're trying to help you. Don't you want your memories back?" Starline asked taking off the oxygen mask,
"No…" She tries to struggle but was still foggy due to the gas. She did want her memories back but not like this.
"Just try to relax, it will hurt less if you stop resisting." Robotnik said pressing buttons on the computer. "Make sure she doesn't break her jaw." Starline grabs a thick piece of leather and attempts to open her mouth,
"We don't want you hurting yourself," Starline said as she bites him, "Damn! Your teeth are sharp!" he attempts again and fails,
"Oh for Chaos sake…" Robotnik walks over and punches Shadow in the stomach causing her to cough. Starline slams the leather across her mouth forcing her to bite down on it. He straps it behind her head so she couldn't spit it out.
"Hope she's not rabid." Starline said cleaning his bloodied hand. Now that she was no longer breathing the gas she started to struggle more.
"Looks like she's starting to bare her fangs, good." Robotnik said grabbing her by the chin, "You were created by my grandfather and therefore now belong to me. Now behave and I'll keep your pet Fox in one piece." He said letting her go and she whimpers as he walks over to the computer.
"Ready when you are sir." Starline said getting clear of the table as Robotnik activates the device as Shadow is electrocuted unable to scream.
Tails was restrained to the table in the other lab as she tries to slip her hands through the shackles when she remembered she hid a bobby pin on her tail for this exact reason. She moves her tail and grabs the bobby pin as the door opens and Dr. Starline walks in with a cart of medical supplies. Tails quickly closes her hand into a fist to hide it,
"Dr. Robotnik wanted me to make sure you were comfortable." He said turning on the oxygen mask and getting it ready,
"Obviously, a metal table isn't comfortable." She said glaring at him "You better not have hurt Shadow or I'll…"
"You'll what? Hurt me? Did you forget that you're the one strapped to the table? And she passed out after the first attempt so we're waiting for her to wake up again." Starline said,
"When the other's get here they'll make you pay!" Tails said. She fights against him putting on the mask as she bites him as he slams her head into the table stunning her.
"You damn rabid Mobians are so barbaric." He said getting the mask on her face. "Now go to sleep and wait your turn."
"N…" Tails tries to get the mask off, but the gas numbs her faster than it did Shadow as she releases her fist revealing the bobby pin in her palm.
"Trying to escape were we?" He said reaching over and grabbing it. "We can't have that." He laughs as he leaves her in the room.
Shadow jolts awake in a panic not remembering the situation she was in for a moment as Robotnik walks over and flashes a light in her eyes. She tries to protest but can't with the leather strap in her mouth. "Hmm, doesn't seem to be any change." Robotnik said as Starline reenters the room, "Is our other guest a little more comfortable?"
"She's resting now." Starline said. Shadow tugs at the restraints glaring at Starline as her ring starts to glow slightly.
"She really doesn't like you." Robotnik laughs,
"She cares a lot for a girl she just met." Starline said, "Was there any change?"
"Not really, but I believe her survival instincts are taking over. She's not acting as timid." He said handing Starline the flashlight as he looks at Shadow's eyes.
"She looks stable enough to try again." Starline said, as she panics.
"Excellent," Robotnik walks back over to the machine and they start the therapy again. She's felt being electrocuted before. It wasn't the other scientists but something else… Being electrocuted triggered anger and hatred and it began to start welling up inside of her.
"How much further?" Cream asked as they finally got out of the underground tunnels and back to the surface. They hid behind one of the buildings trying to stay out of sight. Seeing one of the patrols pass by them.
"We need to get in there." Amy points as a large building to the left of them, "But I have no clue how we'll get in there undetected
"Then we smash our way in." Knuckles said getting impatient, it took them a lot longer than they anticipated for them to get here and he was worried about what was happening to Tails and Shadow.
"Terrible idea, that building is huge, and we'll get caught way before we can find them." Blaze said, "We wait for the opportunity to sneak in and search for them."
"That would be the smartest option… But it's already been…" Knuckles said trying to calm down as his communicator starts to buzz, "Shit… it's Elias,"
"Don't answer it!" Amy said,
"It has an override to answer the call if I don't respond…" Knuckles said answering the communicator on speaker so they can all hear him, "Hey Elias, What's up?"
"Would you care to explain why you're in Robotropolis?" Elias asked, all of their ears lower hearing his angry tone. "Better yet, what is your connection to Project Shadow?"
"Busted…" Amy said as they all glare at him,
"You can yell at us later, Tails and Shadow were taken by Robotnik and we're trying to get them back," Knuckles said,
"I hope you all learned that you should come to me first before you go to the King about this kind of stuff… you all wouldn't have been vulnerable on base." Elias said with a loud sigh,
"We're sorry sir… We just wanted to help them." Knuckles said,
"We'll discuss it when you get back. I'll have Sally sync up with you. Hopefully, she can help you rescue them." He said,
"Thanks Elias," Cream said,
"Please… try to trust me more." He said sounding a little disappointed as he hangs up the phone.
"We're so dead later…" Amy said,
"I just don't know who to trust anymore… knowing Shadow doesn't trust King Naugus concerns me…" Blaze said as Knuckles communicator buzzes and he answers,
"Hey guys, I'm pulling up the schematics for Robotnik's research tower as we speak." Sally said, "A patrol should be entering the building in a few minutes. We'll have to take our time with this since Tails isn't there."
"Thanks Sally," Cream said,
"You all know I'm happy to help but we're going to have a serious talk when you get back." Sally said, they could all hear the anger in the tone of her voice.
"Yes ma'am…" Knuckles said as they all put in their headsets, "Alright here comes the next patrol. Let's go Freedom Fighters.
They stopped the process as they check over Shadow's vitals again while she was catching her breath. They still saw no change besides the increase in rage. "Whatever G.U.N. did you her is rather tricky to undo…" Robotnik said looking annoyed at their lack in progress, "The more we attempt the more she acts like a wild animal.
"Perhaps we should add the hypno-goggles, giving her mind something to focus on during the shock- therapy might snap the memories back," Starline suggested,
"It wouldn't hurt to try at this point. We've been at this for a while." Robotnik said as Starline goes and grabs strange looking orange goggles with a red spiral. Shadow snarls as he approaches and he rolls his eyes,
"Haven't you figured out at this point that resisting does nothing?" He said putting the goggles around her. He flips a switch as the goggles begin to glow and block her vision from anything other than the light of the goggles causing her to panic. Starline presses another button as the red spiral starts to spin. She's confused at first but the longer she looked the more she felt this feeling of weightlessness. Her rage starts to subside as they notice her body relaxes.
"Keep looking at the spiral my dear. Let it help you fall deeper and deeper into your subconscious. There's no reason to fight, we're your family." Robotnik said in a soft tone, she didn't understand what was happening, but she felt compelled to listen to his words. "You are part of the Robotnik empire. You work for me." Robotnik nods at Starline as he turns on the Electro therapy again shocking her out of it as she regains control of her thoughts. She starts fighting the restraints again, but the spiral takes her mind once more.
"It appears to be working." Starline said,
"Nod your head if you understand me." Robotnik said as Shadow slowly nods but then she shakes her head. It felt like something was scratching at the back of her mind. Someone tried to control her like this before. She had to keep fighting. She had to find her. "You are part of the Robotnik empire. You work for me." Starline shocks her again and the spiral overwhelms her thoughts. What little of her mind that she had control of was starting to crumble.
"The seven servers are the seven Chaos." Shadow heard her own voice in her mind snapping her out of it as Robotnik scoffs
"She's not going to make this easy." Starline said,
"It wouldn't be fun if it was too easy." Robotnik said as she's shocked again. "Just let your thoughts wash away," He said. She was losing this internal struggle, questioning why she was fighting.
"Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart." No she had to keep fighting; her friend was in trouble. The process continued to repeat, the shock would scramble her thoughts and then the spiral tried to control her. "The heart is the controller." But the voice kept bringing her back from the brink of Robotnik's total control.
"Should we stop sir? This would have killed a normal Mobian." Starline said,
"She's not a normal Mobian, we continue until she breaks." He said as the process went on,
"The controller serves to unify the Chaos." And with the next electrical shock the lock on her memories breaks. She stops moving, her pupils dilate, the spiral no longer affecting her as she lay there overwhelmed by memories flooding back to her; TK, Caroline, Brandy, Kolt, Alan, Elias, Sally, Dr. Q, Tikal, the Zarkon… Saya. They continued to drown her as Robotnik and Starline start to see her entire body glow red.
"Starline! What's happening?" Robotnik asked as Starline rushes over and checks the scans on the computer.
"It appears she's charging up Chaos energy." He explained, "This amount of energy is equal to that if a bomb… She's going to explode!" They both quickly get as far away from the lab table as possible and duck for cover. Shadow unleashes a Chaos Blast enveloping the room with red light as the emergency alarms are set off. She remembers, who she is. The majority of the room was decimated as both Starline and Robotnik pop their heads out to see the damage.
"So this is the power of the Ultimate Lifeform." Robotnik said impressed as Shadow rises from the rubble ripping the remaining scraps of leather away from her face. They could feel the terrifying animosity radiating from her. Her eyes glowed with blinding rage.
"I'll kill you."
"I have a location on Tails' communicator, she's on the fifth floor." Sally told the others as they quietly sneak through the first floor to the staircase running up as fast as they can,
"Thanks Sally, we're in the staircase now and will let you know when we get to the fifth floor." Knuckles said,
"I just hope we're not too late…" Cream said, they pass the door to the fourth floor as the entire tower shakes followed by the emergency alarms going off.
"What in Chaos was that!" Amy asked,
"That was Chaos energy…" Knuckles said felling the aftershock from the blast. "I've never felt such terrifying power…"
"We need to keep moving." Blaze said snapping them out of it as they get to the fifth floor.
"Sally, where can we find Tails?" Cream asked,
"Her locator's location overlapped with the blueprints puts her in the room three doors down to your right." Sally explained,
"No more being stealthy, we save them now." Knuckles said kicking down the door and running down the hallway. But there were go guards or Swatbots as they get to the third room and Knuckles rips it open to see Tails unconscious on the table still breathing the gas.
"Tails!" Cream runs over and quickly takes the mask off her. "C'mon, wake up." She shakes her as Blaze walks over and melts the locks freeing her arms.
"Shadow's not here…" Amy said taking a defensive position with Knuckles in front of the door.
"Damnit…" Knuckles said, "Sally, We have Tails, but Shadow wasn't with her."
"There should be other labs on this floor, she may be being held in one of them." Sally said,
"What's going on?" Tails asked dizzily, "Where am I?"
"You're in Robotnik's lab, Are you feeling okay?" Cream said,
"My heads full of jellybeans…" Tails said,
"That's a no." Amy said,
"Tails try to focus, where's Shadow?" Blaze said as they hear the sound of large metallic footsteps approaching.
"Amy, grab Tails we gotta get moving." Knuckles said as Amy dissipates his hammer and goes over picking up Tails,
"What about Shadow?" Cream asked,
"We're going to keep looking until Tails snaps out of it, but we're sitting ducks in here." Knuckles said as they hear the footsteps run past their room.
"What if that explosion from earlier was Shadow?" Blaze said, they all pause for a moment at the realization.
"Follow those bots!" Knuckles said as they run out of the room and follow after the Swatbots to the other side of the hallway. They see the wall of one of the rooms was completely blown open as the Swatbots fire at something within. A red and black blur take them all out in a matter of seconds as it reenters the destroyed room. They quickly go up to the blast opening and see Shadow standing over Robotnik and Starline's unmoving beaten and bloodied bodies.
"What in Chaos…" Amy said as Shadow snaps her gaze towards them. They all froze in terror at the pure bloodlust coming off of her. She was so blind with rage that she couldn't recognize friend from foe. She started to walk closer as none of them knew what to do. This wasn't the same scared girl they met recently. This Shadow was a monstrous killing machine, and it became apparent that they were her next targets.
"Blaze…" Cream trembled as Blaze pulls Cream behind her,
"Stay behind me." Blaze said, "Knuckles… What do we do?"
"I… I don't know." Knuckles said, Tails starts to fight out of Amy's arms as he lets her down before he could accidentally drop her.
"Amy, let go!" Tails said,
"This is not the time to be squirmy!" Amy said as Tails runs in front of all of them and stands between holding her arms out. "Tails don't! She could hurt you!" But Tails ignored his words. She knew that the Shadow they met was still in there.
"Shadow, I know you're in there, you gotta snap out of it." Tails said but there was no response. As she gets an idea, "It's me! It's TK! Remember?"
"TK?" Knuckles said confused,
"She called me that when she saved me from Starline." Tails said,
"T…K…?" Shadow said stopping her approach,
"That's right, I'm TK right? We're your friends. I know you're scared but you don't have to be, we've come to save you." She said as they could all feel the terrifying pressure and deadly aura start fading away.
"TK?" Shadow said as the blinding red glow from her eyes fades. She had blacked out completely consumed by rage not realizing what she had done. She looks around now seeing the pure carnage that was left in her wake along with the labored breathing she heard behind her from Robotnik and Starline. Tears stream down her face as she falls to her knees… She almost blindly attacked her friends and becoming the killing machine she always feared she would become.
"Oh Shadow…" Cream said as TK walks up to her.
"It's okay, you're safe now." Tk kneels in front of her and hugs her as the others cautiously approach.
"I'm so sorry… I almost…" Shadow said trying to calm down, her emotions from the experience still overwhelming her, along with the different memories twisting and confusing her.
"We're just glad you're okay." Cream said, "You were probably so scared." Cream walks up to Tails and pets Shadow's head trying to calm her down.
"Are Starline and Robotnik…" Amy was afraid to ask as Shadow shakes her head,
"I can still hear them breathing, they are just unconscious." Shadow said,
"I can hear it too." Cream confirms,
"Damnit, I'm better than this…" Shadow said wiping away the tears. "I've never let my emotions blind me to that extent." She said frustrated with herself as the rest of them were surprised at how she was speaking.
"You… sound different…" Amy said as Shadow lets out a sigh,
"That's because I remember." She said, "Are you alright T…" She pauses remembering that she doesn't actually know that name, "I mean… Tails."
"I'm okay, but how did you remember?" She asked as the both stand up.
"Robotnik's shock therapy forced my memories back… I should thank him for helping me remember who I am." She tries to joke,
"When you say you remember…" Knuckles said,
"I remember everything. And we shouldn't talk here." Shadow said looking over at Robotnik and Starline lying unconscious,
"Agreed," Blaze said,
"Sally to Knuckles, did you find Project Shadow?" Knuckles hears over his headset.
"Yes Sally, we found her." Knuckles said,
"You all still work with Sally?" Shadow asked, sounding almost relieved to hear that,
"Do you know her?" Cream asked,
"It's… complicated." Shadow said looking away from them as they start making their way towards the staircase,
"Was anyone injured?" Sally asked as Knuckles pauses for a moment,
"No one on our side…" He said as Shadow lowers her head looking guilty,
"That's good to hear." Sally said with a sigh of relief. "I'll send you the coordinate to the rendezvous point. You're still in Robotropolis so stay alert."
"Understood…" Knuckles said,
"Sally's sending coordinates for pickup." Knuckles said as Amy hands Tails her tablet.
"How mad were they?" Tails asked,
"Elias gave us the disappointed tone…" Blaze said as Tails' ears lower.
"Is Dr. Q still your physician?" Shadow asked as they all look surprised.
"You're starting to freak me out…How did you know that?" Amy asked,
"Well… This is going to be hard for you all to believe but the memories I have are from another life." Shadow said,
"Another life? Like reincarnation?" Tails asked,
"Yes and no… Like I said we should talk about it later so I can tell the whole story." Shadow said. Knuckles stops as he senses the two Chaos Emeralds.
"I just got an idea… we need to make a detour on our way to the pickup." Knuckles said,
"Why would we do that?" Amy asked,
"The Chaos Emeralds, with Robotnik and Starline out of commission they can't stop us from taking them back." He explains,
"That's one big apology gift." Blaze jokes, as Shadow grabs her head,
"You okay?" Cream asks,
"I'm still recovering from being electrocuted multiple times. On top of trying to sort through all of my memories." Shadow said as they get to the first floor. "I really need to rest but we don't have time."
"I could carry you if you aren't feeling well." Amy offered as she looks at him annoyed.
"I'll be fine." She said continuing forward,
"Was it something I said?" Amy turns to Blaze as she shrugs,
"Either way we need to hurry…" Knuckles said following where he senses the Emeralds, "The Emeralds are nearby."
"Good, we'll need the Chaos Emeralds to find Sonic." Shadow said,
"Who's Sonic?" Tails asked. Shadow ears lower as she couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken hearing Tails say that.
"She's our friend… but you all don't remember her…" She said looking sad.
"Is she the Legendary Hedgehog?" Cream asked as Shadow nods,
"That would explain why we keep feeling like something was missing." Amy said looking at Tails,
"This is all Naugus' fault… He has to be hiding her somewhere." Shadow said clenching her fist hoping silently to herself that she was okay, "Whatever happens, you can't trust him."
"Why would he have this Sonic? What's so special about her?" Knuckles asked,
"She's the only one who can fix all of this." Shadow said,
"Fix all of what?" Blaze asked,
"The world… but first I need to figure out a way for you all to remember without it being as painful as it was for me…" She said as they get inside another building. They see the Chaos Emeralds behind a laser field.
"Tails, can you deactivate the lasers?" Knuckles asked as she goes over to the computers,
"No need," Shadow said warping to the other side and grabbing the Emeralds before warping back. "This Robotnik's security is pathetic. I assume it's because she wasn't here to shatter his ego and make him second guess himself." She scoffs as they all look impressed, secretly wishing they had her on their side sooner,
"Glad you're on our side." Amy said with an impressed smile,
"Where is the pickup?" Shadow asked as Knuckles looks at his watch showing the coordinates to Tails as she put them into her tablet.
"Not too far from here. Follow me." Tails said leading the way. Shadow takes out the containment field and put the other two Emeralds inside then holds it out to Knuckles.
"You're leader right?"
"Uh… yeah." He takes the device and pockets it,
"It'll be up to you to convince them then. Hopefully, you can get Sally and Elias on our side." Shadow said,
"You sound like you're not coming with us." Cream said sounding upset.
"I'm coming with you; however I worry what they plan to do with me." She said, having three lifetimes of extensive knowledge of what G.U.N is truly capable of… they won't let her roam free.
"We told him you were harmless…" Blaze said,
"That means nothing to G.U.N. If I'm classified as a threat then they have specific means to keep me contained. But I should try and keep up the charade just in case. Though I do not like looking weak… then again Naugus knows not to take me lightly since he knows what I'm capable of." she said angrily. Knuckles was surprised at how she gave off an authoritative tone very calculated and precise.
"You're a completely different person then when we first met you." Tails chuckles,
"Good different or bad different?" Shadow asked,
"Hard to tell just yet but it's nice to meet the real you." Tails smiles,
"It's nice to meet you too." Shadow pats her head and smiles back. Tails feels nostalgic to Shadows touch, but she started to get that feeling she gets whenever she looks at the Sapphire in Naugus' throne room. Like something was missing.
"We're getting close." Knuckles said,
"Cream, do you mind if I hold your hand to make it look more convincing?" Shadow asked as Blaze glares at her, "Relax, I'm taken." She stops, looking a little guilty for a moment after she says that.
"I don't mind." Cream smiles as Shadow takes her hand and lowers her ears,
"Do I look less threatening?" Shadow asked, as they nod, "Chaos this is embarrassing…" She began to blush,
"You're cute when you're embarrassed." Amy flirted,
"Sorry, you're not my type." She teased as he pouts,
"Hopefully, you won't have to keep it up for too long but try not to break out of character until we're in the clear." Knuckles said as Shadow nods lowering her head. They go to the helicopter and climb in; Cream plays along and holds onto Shadow protectively as the helicopter flies off.
They get back to Freedom HQ as Elias and Sally were waiting for them with a swarm of guards. Shadow knew she had to keep up the act no matter what happens, or she might end up back on the Space Colony ARK imprisoned again. They all cautiously exit the helicopter as Knuckles takes the lead looking angry at the amount of force Elias brought. "These men for us or for her?" Knuckles glared at Elias,
"You know we have to be cautious; I have direct orders." Elias said as Shadow hides behind Cream,
"Please Elias, she didn't do anything wrong." Cream said,
"I'm sorry but this isn't my decision," Elias said, "Unfortunately you all will be detained to your rooms until we can determine if she's a threat." They all are grabbed as three men grab Shadow, but she pretends to struggle.
"No…" Shadow cries out as they put strange cuffs on her wrists and ankles before covering her mouth.
"Let her go!" Amy yelled as they all are cuffed,
"Elias don't do this!" Blaze said,
"Take them to their rooms." Elias said as they are dragged away. Another of the guards clicks a gold ring around Shadows neck as her entire body felt drained. She knew this feeling too well; it was a large Limit ring. She started to realize how much trouble she was in, but it was too late. Elias walks up in front of her as they strap her to a carrier to be moved. "I'm sorry about all of this, but King Naugus said you can't be trusted." Her ears lower as she tears up knowing that the Elias in front of her was not the man she trusted in her life. She tried to struggle but they restrained her so tightly she could barely move as they wheel her to a cell.
"That look she gave you…" Sally said,
"I saw it too… like she felt betrayed." Elias said,
"Are we doing the right thing? She looked really scared." She said,
"We don't have a choice… the King wants her in his custody for Chaos knows what. But we're not giving her up until I get some answers." Elias said heading to another hallway.
Knuckles is thrown in his room and the door slammed behind him. He quickly gets back up to his feet and to the door, "Damnit!" He yells trying to resist every urge to smash through the door. But he knew if he retaliated anymore he'd be locked up like Shadow. He should have told her to run… now all of them are trapped. His door opens and Elias enters as Knuckles takes a few steps back knowing if he got too close he might hit him. "You tell us to trust you and then you do this?" Knuckles yelled,
"This wouldn't have happened if you had trusted me!" Elias yelled back before taking a deep breath trying to stay calm, "Now talk, I want the entire story and do not leave anything out."
"Why should I tell you? You're just going to lock her away anyway."
"I want to know why King Naugus wants her in his custody." Elias said as Knuckles expression changes to fear,
"Elias, whatever you do to us we can take. But you can't give her to him," Knuckles pleaded,
"Then give me a reason! She stays as long as I see fit but if you don't give me an explanation I have to go with the Kings word that she's dangerous." Elias said,
"Okay I'll tell you, but first." Knuckles tosses the device, and he catches it, "Compliments from Shadow the Hedgehog." He presses the button, and the three Emeralds appear,
"How?" Elias looked back at Knuckles shocked to see the three Emeralds.
"Yesterday in the middle of the night Tails' Emerald locator detected an Emerald right at our doorstep. It was with Shadow as she was unconscious and injured. We brought her inside so we could help her. She was wearing a G.U.N. Experimental scientists division logoed jacket so you can see our hesitation telling you." Kolt explained hoping telling Elias will get him to sympathize with them.
"Yes I do… you all still have trouble talking about it…" Elias said. It had been years since they were removed from the experimental division and no matter how much Elias, Sally or Dr. Q attempted to make them all feel comfortable they could never bring themselves to talk about it.
"When she did wake up she could barely talk like she didn't know how and was easily frightened of everything especially me and Amy. We first snuck her out of HQ so you all wouldn't discover her."
"Where did you go?"
"My old apartment. That's when I had the idea to ask Naugus for help since he's the one who freed us in the first place. I was hoping him seeing her the way she is he'd be sympathetic to our plight… but after we got back to my apartment Blaze and Cream went to get her some aspirin,"
"Why would she need aspirin? The reports explain she has incredible healing abilities." Elias asked,
"Any time she tried to remember something she'd get a headache and after seeing King Naugus it made them much worse. To the point that she passed out."
"What could have caused such a memory block?" Elias asked,
"We're not sure… but the worse part was while unconscious she said that Naugus was bad. On top of that she kept repeating, not safe." Knuckles said,
"So somewhere within her subconscious she knew that Naugus was a threat to her." Elias said as Knuckles continued explaining the rest of the story.
At the same time that Knuckles was explaining what happened, the guard watching the door to Shadow's cell had a visitor. "Commander Elias, I thought you were interrogating the Freedom Fighters first." He said as Elias approached him,
"I changed my mind; I want to see what this Ultimate Lifeform is all about." He said as the guard unlocks the door and he walks in, "Be sure to lock the door behind me, and I would like to not be disturbed." The guard nods and locks the door behind him.
In the center of the room was Shadow still heavily restrained. She sees him enter but she didn't know if she should keep up her charade or just give up at this point. "Hello, Shadow Hedgehog." He said as she realizes his voice changed, he snaps his fingers and the cameras in the room turn off. His form changes into Naugus taking her by surprise. He steps closer, "I can smell Tikal's magic on you." He snaps his fingers again as the strap over her mouth disappears. "You have your memories back don't you?"
"Wow I must truly be a threat for his Majesty to come see me in person." She said sarcastically as he frowns,
"That Hedgehog had more of an impression on you than I realized," Naugus said,
"Where is she?" Shadow said glaring at him, "If you've hurt her…"
"Do not fret Shadow, she's safe and unharmed."
"I highly doubt that." She said trying to struggle,
"Why would I harm my own property?" Naugus said as Shadow looks at him completely enraged as her eyes begin to glow,
"When I get out of here…"
"Ahhh but you and I both know you're not going anywhere." He laughs as he snaps his fingers again and recovers her mouth with the band as she tries to yell in protest, "Well, except to my palace." Shadow tries to struggle but it was in vain, she was completely helpless. He changes back into Elias and heads towards the door. "I'm done here." He called out as the guard opens up the door, "Get the car ready, I'll be transporting her to the King personally."