Author's note:

Remember to temporarily forget anything you've learned from the KTE comics – I'm twisting in some characters from it, but almost none of the storyline or plot from those comics.

SPOILER ALERT!

This chapter contains spoilers for the game Sonic Heroes. Do not read on if you haven't finished the game (ie. the 'Last' story), and don't want me to spoil the ending for you.

Chapter 3

Laying face down on the desert floor, Shadow opened his eyes. He could only see double at first, but after lifting his head and pushing himself onto his knees, his vision corrected itself. He was very hot from lying in the desert all day – short black fur not helping – but he felt a hundred times better than he had before he blacked out. For one thing, his energy was back. He looked up at the sky; the sun was almost set. There was a small group of shrubs and rock a slightly behind him and to his left – the sun's heat might have killed him while he was out, if the rock had not provided some shade for a good portion of the day. Shadow climbed to his feet and looked around. It was still very hot and dry.

Shadow started to run, leaving a continuous pattern of arcs in the sand as he went. He ran in what felt like northeast – the direction that Sonic had been running towards – towards the Egg Fleet where Eggman would surely be.

'…and that answering machine.' Shadow smirked to himself. He hoped that he could pick a fight with that robot once he found the Egg Fleet.

The light soon faded, the temperature dropped a few degrees, and the stars came out in the cloudless sky. The terrain was mostly bare, with small hills, canyons, shrubs, rocks, and cacti here and there. There was certainly enough room for Shadow to stretch his legs.

Effortlessly, Shadow quickened his stride as he approached a ledge. He left in his wake long, dusty arcs in the sand from the force produced by his shoes. When he reached the edge of the cliff, he coiled his legs and pushed off into the night sky, all in a fraction of an instant, and let himself fall. He closed his eyes and felt the warm night air, remembering the last two months…

"Ouch!" as he fell, Shadow's leg hit a big, prickly cactus, breaking off the top and sticking several spines in his skin. He made a rough landing, almost loosing his balance in the process, but continued on his way, angry with himself for letting his guard down.

"Attacked by a plant… humph!" he fumed as he started to pick up speed again, 'No rest…never a quiet moment.' and was about to start complaining, but was quickly interrupted by some mental discipline, 'How could you let yourself be distracted like that? What's wrong with you?!' the voice in his head seemed distant, however, as if someone else was yelling at him, 'You're the Ultimate Life, immortal, nothing and no one can tear you.' Shadow shook his head and doubled his pace as he reached the foot of a hill, trying to drive the vicious voice out of his head. He stopped running and gritted his teeth, "Except a cactus." When he reached the top, his breath deep and even, but not winded. He leaned over and bitterly pulled out the cactus spines stuck in his leg.

"Are you listening to me?"

Shadow felt his heart jump. He had just heard, loud and clear, the same vicious voice beside him. He turned to look, and suddenly he was looking into a mirror. He was staring into the sharp, dangerous red eyes of a being that was a spitting image of himself; a doppelganger. Shadow had often had mental conflicts with himself – the voice in his head – but he had never literally had a conflict with it… never like this. This voice in his head often spoke harshly to him on the rare occasions when his performance declined, but it had never taken a physical form.

"I must be hallucinating. Guess the heat really did get to me." Shadow was about to continue down the other side of the small hill, when…

"You're being sloppy, careless." his double said dryly.

"Yes… I know. I don't need you to tell me that." Shadow began to run, leaving his reflection behind.

"…and it's been getting worse. You were careless at the hidden base, you were sloppy when you were defeated by Sonic. And at protecting Maria…"

Shadow stopped on a dime at the bottom of the hill. His double stood, arms crossed at the top of the mound, and continued.

"…you were appalling to say the least."

The real Shadow narrowed his eyes in fury.

"You listened to a little girl and let the human troops live. You let them live! They came and killed her. You let—"

WHOOSH! Shadow was instantly at his double's throat… or would have been if he hadn't dashed right through it. As he passed through his double, reaching for its neck, it softly exploded with a POOF! into a cloud of black smoke. The tiny particles quickly reassembled into his mirror image as Shadow turned to face it once more. The instant it took shape… WHAM! A well-placed right hook to the temple sent Shadow sprawling across the rough ground. Shadow's hand instinctively went to the spot where he had been hit. The hit had left a mark, and Shadow clearly felt the impact and pain – this was real. Shadow recovered quickly to his feet, more furious than ever, black and red quills seeming to twist and curl as he bristled. He charged once more, again passing straight through the ghostly, but solid seeming image of himself. It took shape quickly and attacked, rearing back, then punching Shadow between the shoulder blades full force in a fraction of an instant. Shadow flinched and almost toppled over, but again recovered and turned to face his newfound enemy. …but it wasn't real, it couldn't be…

The double spoke slowly, its silky voice wrenching Shadow's very soul, "You let a pathetic, weak, human, child convince you, the Ultimate Life, to spare your enemy's lives."

"No!" Shadow shouted in defence, shaking slightly with frustration; feeling defenceless was not something he was used to, "I could not kill humans in front of her. As much as I wanted to… to kill every single GUN trespasser."

"In failing to do so you blew your primary objective. They slaughtered the crew, the scientists, your creator, and Maria…" Shadow was about to yell something back, but was cut off by the doppelganger, "Then you went on and blew your secondary objective; swift and brutal revenge."

"…and just what is your point, faker?"

"Continue your path of destruction. Destroy every last filthy human on earth, and all those who oppose you."

Shadow was about to retaliate with 'Why don't I destroy you? You're doing a hell of a job of opposing me…' but decided against it, not wishing to suffer another blow.

The two stared at each other, one only distinguished from the other by their display of emotion – Shadow was ready to kill but looked nervous, while his doppelganger was stern but smirking.

"Just what are you anyway?" Shadow demanded.

"I is you and you is I." the faker said with a laugh, shrugging.

Shadow shook his head, going back to the original topic, "Destruction of the human race is no longer my mission. I am at least sure of that. That was not Maria's wish, and I cannot break my promise to her."

"Maria is dead—"

"Obviously!" Shadow shouted so loudly that his voice echoed off the canyons and hillsides, "…but that doesn't mean a damn thing. I cannot break my promise to her, even in death." Shadow shook his head, "I am still here, because I have a purpose to fulfil. There's still something I need to do. If I wasn't meant to do something, I would have died yesterday morning—"

"Yesterday?"

"Yes!" Shadow's annoyance climbed even higher as he was interrupted, "When I re-entered the atmosphere and landed on that island, unharmed. It must mean she wants me to live to do something."

"Ha! You didn't…" the double almost laughed, "You hit this sorry excuse for a rock exactly 61 days ago."

"WHAT?!"

"Two months ago. …and you didn't hit the island. You landed in the sea; sustaining several major injuries that healed slowly as you were carried to, and beached on, the island by the ocean's current. No divine intervention involved. You are a machine, Shadow, not a messenger, and your purpose is the destruction of mankind."

"No!" Shadow wasn't buying it.

"Yes!" the double hissed, showing its teeth in a grin; they were especially pointy, much different from Shadow's own, and he noticed this as his suspicion grew, "You've been absent from this world for almost another two months. You disappeared right after using Chaos Control at the Hidden Egg, and didn't re-appear until recently. While you were gone, that annoying Sonic and his fiendish friends destroyed the Egg Fleet, and—"

'Something's wrong here…' Shadow thought, as the double listed several other events that happened while Shadow was stuck in warp. Shadow then interrupted, bored and very tired of this conflict, "If you're really a part of me, you would always be with me, correct?"

"Hum?" the double had to think twice, "Well—"

"Then how did you know all of what happened while I was trapped in the warp?" Shadow's eyes flashed dangerously as the double shifted uncomfortably, "Besides, I may argue with myself, and I may not be what some would consider a 'normal' hedgehog, but my mind does not step outside itself and reveal things I have never witnessed." Shadow braced his legs, ready to spring into action. He was more confident now, having an idea of what this creature was, "I don't think you're really a piece of my mind." he growled, "…but I'm sure going to give you a piece of it. Come 'ere!"

Shadow leaped forwards and rolled into a rapid spin. The double stood immobile, but scowling, thinking that Shadow would again try a direct attack. Instead Shadow broke slightly left and spun in a perfect circle around his foe, traveling faster and faster as he went.

"Aaarrgh!" the faker raised its arms to its head, trying to shield its face from the torrent of dust and sand thrashing around its body. The force of Shadow's spin, a mimic of Sonic Wind, created a very small but powerful twister. The sand and debris finally enveloped the double completely, so much so, that Shadow could no longer see it.

"Now… what are you?" Shadow landed on two legs and an arm nearby, quills swaying in the dark wind he had created, as he watched the twister die down.

Suddenly, a metal version of what looked like Sonic was on top of Shadow, claws digging into his right shoulder and head. Shadow struggled, trying to push the metal arms away, but every gloved hand and shoed foot that pushed against metal went unfelt. Metal Sonic was incredibly strong. Shadow made eye contact. Orange L.E.D. eyes, a shocking contrast to this robot's black and navy blue body, stared right back into Shadow's red eyes. When it spoke, it revealed sharp metal teeth. Shadow started to panic, but only his widening pupils showed it.

"I'll just have to re-program you, seeing you won't come willingly. Dr. Eggman was right; you do have Sonic's intuition. I was seeing if I could manipulate you into my doings without fuss, but you were too clever for that. I'm very much pleased. Such an intelligent creation will make a fine servant."

The robot was none other than an upgraded Metal Sonic (also known to Shadow as: Eggman's answering machine). His five razor-sharp upper spines were around four feet long; the one in the middle and the two beside it sticking straight up and out behind him, and the two below that angled sharply towards the ground. His spines were highlighted with white stripes, accenting their sharp angles. His nose and ears were pointed, and two smaller additional spikes protruded from the side of his face. Adding to that frightening display of spikes, was his armour; sharply curved shoulder pads attached to a billowing black cloak, a jet engine in his torso, two curved blades, each two feet long, protruding from Metal Sonic's knee joints, and red, upward curving foot coverings that ended in a sharpened point.

Shadow had no doubt in his mind that Metal Sonic could slice him in two easily.

"I'll bet you're wondering why you couldn't strike me? Hum?" Shadow squirmed as Metal Sonic dug his claws deeper into his head, impatient for an answer.

"Arrrughyeesss!" he managed to cry in reply.

Metal Sonic grinned, "Well that's simple. Before Eggman and I went our separate ways, he gave me a new ability. Any genetic data I have stored can be used to my advantage in surprising new ways… one which you have just witnessed. Thanks to the upgrade my creator gave me, I can allow those who carry the same genes as the ones I have stored to pass through my body, making me invincible to attacks." Metal Sonic's eyes narrowed a little, "Except for that little trick you pulled off… No matter, after a memory wipe we'll be on better terms."

"Mem… mem… ory… wipe?" Shadow struggled to speak, trying to fight the pain in his head, and the panic of being almost defenceless.

Metal Sonic laughed a hollow laugh, removing his claws from Shadow's head, which was now streaked with his blood.

"Just like this. I wave my hand across your head, and you forget as much as I wish." Metal Sonic raised his chromed hand, preparing to literally 'wipe' Shadow's memory, "Try not to squirm too much, it will only—"

WHAM! A tall and narrow, transparent metal canister fell at incredible speed over Shadow, physically separating him from Metal Sonic's grasp. Looking down, Shadow could see Metal Sonic's hand caught under tube, twitching slightly. This wasn't part of his plan. Shadow looked up at Metal Sonic – he looked furious – and waved, while smirking boldly.

SCHLOOOOO! With a rush of air, Shadow (along with the dirt under his feet) suddenly felt himself leave the ground and enter a very small, lightless metal container. He had been sucked up a giant vacuum cleaner. Shadow righted himself in mid-air, ricocheting off the smooth, rounded wall before making a light landing on the floor.

It was so dark that Shadow could barely see his hand in front of his face, though it wouldn't make much difference in good light, as his eyes were tearing because of the dirt that had flown into them. He didn't get much of a chance to think about it either, as he suddenly heard a voice addressing him through an audio box in the front wall.

"Don't make things difficult. You can't escape anyway, so keep quiet while I deal with this lunatic."

"Doctor Eggman!" Shadow blinked rapidly to clear his eyes. Metal Sonic and Shadow had been so caught up in their conflict, that they hadn't even noticed Eggman approach in this machine.

"I said quiet!"

There was a mechanical whirring noise, then a loud clash of metal on metal. After a short silence, Shadow could hear something banging (he guessed it was Metal Sonic) on the lid of the shallow metal cylinder he was trapped in. There was another bang as metal impacted against metal, harder this time, and then silence, apart from the low rumble of this machine's engine.

Outside, unbeknownst to Shadow, Eggman had used the metal tube to swat Metal Sonic clear off the machine and far into the horizon. The machine had five monster-sized wheels on each side, which helped carry the massive vacuum tube (which now rested across the side), the container Shadow was in that resembled a hamster wheel sitting on its side, and the small bubble at the front containing Eggman and the controls. The machine as a whole was very rounded and resembled a black scarab beetle on wheels. Metal Sonic had damaged three of the wheels, making it difficult for the machine to move.

'We have to move quickly before he comes back…' Eggman thought as he flipped a switch inside the cockpit. The three damaged wheels detached and flung themselves a distance away from the sewer-vac-like machine. Eggman pressed a button on a lever and pulled back. The back of the machine opened up to reveal a large digging drill. 'I hate driving in reverse…' Eggman thought wearily as the drill powered up.

Inside the container, Shadow could feel the room starting to tip. He could hear the dirt on the floor sliding over to the back wall. He braced himself and tried to stay stationary in the middle of the floor as he prepared to spin dash the wall to escape. Shadow flung himself into a spin from the angled floor, and tried to ram through the wall.

"Ahhh!" not being able to see well, he misjudged the distance, hit the wall with his head, bounced right off, and landed back where he started in the middle of the angled floor. He could feel a small area of his head swelling; he normally hit hard walls with his quills or feet, not his head. When he put a hand to his head and withdrew it there was a small amount of blood, however he didn't know if it was from the new wound, or from the deep gashes Metal Sonic had carved into his head. That was one hard wall. Not even Metal Sonic had managed a dent.

"We need to talk, Doctor." Shadow yelled over the roaring engine and metal creaks, voice loud and stern.

"There will be time for that later, be patient."

"Is it really necessary for me to be in here?"

"If you want to reach my ship alive… yes." he then growled, "Now quiet in the back seat!"

"Won't Metal Sonic just follow us?"

"I can't heeeear yoooou…" Eggman said a singsong voice.

Shadow said no more, as the room was now on a 60-degree slant, and he was trying to slowly slide his way to the bottom without slamming into the wall again. The noise was deafening now, with the machine grinding and drilling its way through the ground, towards whatever ship Eggman was speaking of. After a few minutes, the drilling ceased, and Shadow could hear through ringing ears the sand, earth, and rock collapsing behind the machine. Eggman was covering their tracks, answering one of Shadow's questions.

Suddenly, Shadow felt weightless; they were falling. WHAM! He hit the floor of the container, hard, but managed to stay uninjured. Fortunately the machine had excellent shocks, and so the heavy impact from twenty-metre fall was greatly reduced, but it still hurt.

"Enough of this, Eggman, let me out." Shadow warned, his annoyance climbing once more. He didn't like the confines of this dark container, as it was making him feel helpless again.

Eggman didn't answer. Shadow didn't know if it was because he couldn't hear him, or if it was because he was ignoring him.

Outside Shadow's dark world, the machine had landed on the flatbed of a heavily armoured train. It was stationary and resting on four tracks deep under the ground. Eggman typed something into his machine's computer, making several glowing blue chains, made purely from concentrated energy, shoot out from the flatbed and wrap themselves around the machine, securing it. After taking a quick glance over his shoulder, he pressed more buttons and the train began to move. It accelerated quickly, and soon they were traveling at high speeds. The cavern walls, illuminated indirectly by floodlights on the train, could only be made out as a blur.

Shadow sat, leaning against one wall of his prison, and closed his eyes, curbing his anger. He knew that he wouldn't get any good answers until they reached Eggman's ship, and knew it would be stupid to waste energy trying. When Eggman opened the container, if he dared to open the container, that would be a different story.

Shadow drifted off in blank thought. Now that he had a semi-quiet moment, he could actually pay attention to his injuries. As he rested he could feel the punctures in his leg, the gashes and bump on his head itching and burning – they were healing. Every few minutes Shadow put a hand to his head to wipe off the drying blood.

Almost a half hour later, before he expected, the train halted sending Shadow skidding across the floor of the cylinder. He did not bother to sit up as the machine roared to life, rotated, then started to move. There was a rather rough bump, then the ride smoothed out, and eventually the machine came to a stop.

Shadow stood up now, straining his ears for outside motion, and straining his eyes to see in the dark. At the first hint of light, he was going to try and break through with a spin dash. Injuries being fully healed, he felt confident again. He heard muffled speaking outside; two male voices, one that was surely Eggman's, but he couldn't tell who the other one was.

"…. sure …. wise to let …. …." the other male voice.

"…. no choice …. …. only hope … defeating .… …. …." Dr. Eggman's voice.

Suddenly there was what sounded like heavy metal latches being opened, and in what seemed like slow motion to Shadow, a bright crack of light started to form straight in front of his eyes. He squinted and literally sprang into action. He spun and burst through the small armoured door, expecting a machine to attempt grabbing him, laser fire, or blaster fire. Shadow's eyes had not yet adjusted to the light, and he was spinning so fast that he couldn't see any detail of what was around or below him. All he knew was that he was free of his prison, and he was in a very large machine shop or warehouse style lab of sorts – kind of like the hangar full of capsules he had infiltrated in Dr. Robotnik's secret jungle base. Shadow landed and sprung off the wall, hover shoes blazing to help keep him airborne as he flew across the room. He could already hear in his mind the machines and weapons moving to attack, but in reality he heard nothing. He half expected to feel the sting of laser burns, but felt nothing. As his eyes adjusted, he finally came to his senses, and looked down.

Hundreds and hundreds of robotic echidna, plus Eggman, stared straight back at him. Shadow's eyes widened as he took in the sight, but he quickly shook off the shock and focused on his main target.

"Doctor Eggman." Shadow looked directly at Eggman, who was standing on a raised platform with stairs next to the open metal cylinder. He looked completely at ease. A black cloaked and hooded figure stood beside Eggman, but Shadow paid no attention once he decided it wasn't Metal Sonic. Shadow turned, using the wall as a springboard, and dove down towards Eggman aggressively, not aiming to strike, but to intimidate.

More cloaked figures that had been standing nearby, and some of the robotic echidna drew weapons or motioned to attack.

Instantly as Shadow's shoes hit the floor he pulled out of his dive, dashed up, and landed on one of the horizontal steel beams supporting the roof, preparing to retaliate. So they were going to attack him after all.

"Leave him! LEAVE HIM! Let him be!" Eggman bellowed at the robots, shaking a fist at them, "Don't even touch him! Do you hear me? Stand down!"

The cloaks and robots reluctantly lowered their weapons and relaxed somewhat. So did Shadow, though his eyes still darted from Eggman, to the cloaks, to the machines, and back. Still nothing happened. Shadow re-assumed the cranky mood he had put aside earlier, as he grabbed a diagonal steel beam and leaned on it. He noticed that his white gloves were heavily stained on the palms with his own blood.

Eggman pulled out a megaphone and spoke through it, "You're right Shadow, we do need to talk, but you up there and me down here doesn't work."

"C'mon up, Doctor." Shadow yelled down, smirking.

"G-g-grr…" Eggman forced down a temper tantrum and yelled back through the megaphone, "I don't have time for games, Shadow!"

"I don't have time for games either… I'm an impatient person, Doc." He turned his head away.

"Shadow! Get down here this instant!" he really did blow his temper this time, "You're behaving more stubbornly than Sonic!"

Shadow thought this would be a perfect opportunity to show that he could dominate Eggman and his army of echidna easily, and was about to say 'Than I've succeeded.' but something came over him. He didn't want to be compared to Sonic. He resumed a normal stance, and suddenly leaped off the beam, executing several flips before landing expertly in a round clearing the robot echidna had made as they watched him fall.

Shadow eyed them carefully as he slowly made his way through the rows and rows of robotic echidna. The robots eyed him back, not daring to get closer than around ten feet. They all looked the same apart from some height differences, and seemed rather primitive and out-of-style for Eggman robots. Shadow wondered why Eggman had suddenly developed an echidna fetish.

As he came closer to Eggman, he noticed the cloaked figures. He couldn't see any of their bodies, except robotic red eyes that shone out from underneath a few of the hoods. They made no movement and stood silently. Shadow guessed they were robots as well – probably spies or secret weapons.

Shadow stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked up as the rows of robots behind him assumed their former positions.

"So… you're alive after all." Eggman raised an eyebrow, "I was beginning to worry, as I couldn't see you on radar for around—"

"Four months." Shadow crossed his arms, and the dark figure beside Eggman shifted position, seemingly uncomfortable that Shadow was bold enough to have interrupted Eggman. …or maybe it was the bloody palms? Either way, Shadow thought it was amusing, but didn't show it.

"Yes. That's correct." Eggman rubbed his chin, "Firstly I would like you to note that these… uh… friends of mine, under my command, will not even attempt to attack you, unless you strike first. I will not be held responsible for what happens if you decide to start picking fights. Got it?"

"Yeah… just make sure they get it." Shadow pushed a thumb in the general direction of the cloaked figures that had drawn their weapons moments earlier, "I have a feeling they're trigger happy."

Eggman grinned, said quietly, "Believe me, they are." and began to descend the steps, one by one, slowly followed by the cloaked figure, "Shadow, I don't know what happened after ARK, but I assume you and I are sill allies. Being your creator's closest living relative…"

Shadow kept his intense gaze fixed on Eggman's dark glasses, "…is Metal Sonic under your command?"

"Hell no!" Eggman straightened his glasses, edgy under Shadow's piercing stare, "That traitor is the main reason I have sought you out."

'Doctor Eggman versus that metal head… a pleasant surprise.' Shadow thought, then said, "Then I don't see why not. …but that doesn't mean I'll take orders from you."

"Good!" Eggman seemed relived, but appeared not to have heard the last part, "Now that we have that out of the way, I would like to know how you found, and what you were doing in my father's old base?"

"I found it by chance, and was looking for you." Shadow answered quickly, then continued before Eggman could ask more questions, "I want to know more about myself. Exactly what I am, why I can heal so rapidly, and how I can beat the bolts out of Metal Sonic."

'Healing rapidly? So that's how he does it! Excellent… and he's made an enemy of that bucket head. It will be easier to use him now.' Eggman thought happily. Things were going better than planned, "All of that will come in time, Shadow."

Shadow didn't like that answer, "When?" he scowled.

"When you defeat Metal Sonic and his army, I will tell you everything you want to know. I have the location of your documents detailing your creation, your death and rebirth, and your… well… you'll see." Eggman was still grinning.

'Death and rebirth?' Shadow thought, 'What is he talking about?!'

Eggman pulled a remote control device out of his pocket and pressed a button. A holographic screen popped up in midair, showing Metal Sonic.

"Your enemy." Eggman pressed another button, and the screen changed, "…and your enemy's army…"

Shadow stared at the screen, masking any emotion he may have been feeling. The screen showed… him! Hundreds and hundreds of Shadows lined up in rows, similar to the rows and rows of robotic echidna. It was like looking into a mirror reflected off a mirror off a mirror – what seemed like infinite copies of himself.

"Wha—" Shadow started.

"When you were created," Eggman interrupted and began to circle Shadow, "A backup was also created. The backup, unlike you, is not organic. He is strictly a machine – very advanced – but he is not 'alive' per say."

Shadow nodded slowly, understanding, but kept his eyes on the screen. Eggman stopped circling and stood a few feet behind Shadow.

"He thinks he is the real Shadow, and acts identical to you." Eggman scratched his head, "When Sonic and his friends, plus your copy, Rouge and Omega, came looking for me, they found the Egg Fleet in Metal Sonic's command." Eggman clenched and unclenched a fist, "We made a temporary alliance and worked together to decimate the power maddened Metal Sonic. After succeeding, Sonic and his friends ran off, leaving your copy and Omega to deal with the incapacitated foe." '…and the Chaotix to deal with me…' Eggman winced, remembering the ordeal, "In my absence, Metal Sonic used the memory wipe technique I should never have taught him on Omega and the copy Shadow, then re-programmed them as loyal servants. They escaped, taking the command ship with them to look for you. The command ship…" Eggman looked worried, "…contained all the duplicate copies. The army of Shadows. My original plan was to let that infernal hedgehog cripple Metal Sonic after he had created the copies, so that I could use the copies for myself, but I was chased off before I had a chance to regain control over the Fleet."

Shadow finally looked at Eggman, though was still expressionless.

"Now Metal Sonic has your original copy, Omega, a repaired and possibly modified Mecha Sonic, plus an army of copies under his control. The last two months have been a race to find you. Even the real Sonic was looking for you when he realised what had happened. He's still kicking himself for running off…" Eggman chuckled to himself over that small victory.

"Why do I have a copy?"

"I'm not certain. Though I think it was to keep you busy, should you get out of my grandfather's control… so that they could find a way to destroy or deactivate you while you fought your mechanical clone."

Shadow raised an eyebrow as he thought, 'Get out of control?' he knew he was prone to outbursts of rage during battle, but he had never gone totally insane. Keyword, totally.

"Don't worry, the copies are not capable of breaking the sound barrier, and probably less than half as powerful as you."

"Probably?" Shadow didn't like all these uncertain answers, "What about warping… the Chaos Control. Can they use it?"

There was a long pause.

"…yes."

That made things much more difficult. Shadow looked down at the floor. He had faced Sonic after he had learned to use Chaos Control – it wasn't easy. Fortunately there were only seven Chaos Emeralds, and the power was limited depending on how far you wanted to warp. Once the power was used up, they normally disappeared to a random location in the world to recover. Shadow looked up at Eggman again.

"What about going super?"

"How should I know? I was surprised that you could go super." Eggman turned his back and started to walk away, hands behind his back, one holding the remote control. He then stopped and turned around, shutting off the hologram in the process, "I doubt it. I have yet to hear of a machine using the Chaos Emeralds to go super." he said, and then thought to himself, 'Though an older Mecha Sonic did use the Master Emerald to power up.' He continued aloud, "They could use the seven Chaos Emeralds in other ways, however, like powering a machine."

Shadow nodded knowingly, "Metal Sonic." then looked over his shoulder at the assembly behind him, "What about these echidna?"

"Oh yes. I was going to explain that earlier." Eggman put the remote back in his pocket, "When you found my father's old base, you also stumbled upon some old equipment of his."

"The capsules and that machine." Shadow nodded again.

"Yes. When I found out that Metal Sonic had seen you at the base, I went over there to check it out. I had forgotten about its existence. It turns out that these echidnas were part of an unfinished project my father, Doctor Julian Robotnik, was working on. I was able to power them up and gain their services. They've decided to be mercenaries now that their creator and 'master' is dead, and I have freed them. I have promised them the reign of the Floating Island if they help me defeat Metal Sonic and his army."

'He's promising a piece of his future empire? That's a joke…' thought Shadow, mostly because he didn't think Eggman would ever succeed at becoming supreme dictator of the planet, then asked, "What about the cloaked ones?"

"They are special. They lead this… uh…" Eggman struggled to think of the words, and then giving up he called over to one of the mysterious cloaks, "What do you call your… organization, Dimitri?"

Shadow turned around to face the one called Dimitri.

"We are the Dark Legion."