CHAPTER 14

Shaodw, Rouge, Tikal, and Sonic searched the city for Espio but so far they hadn't had any luck finding him. "Where could he be?" Rouge asked when she and Shadow ran into each other awhile later.

The hedgehog shrugged. "I have no idea," he said. "But we have to find him soon. I want to find out what the Council has to tell us. It could be important."

Rouge nodded. "I would like to know too but we can't go back to the ship without Espio. He might return to the hotel and find us gone and think we left the planet without him."

"Yeah," Shadow agreed, putting his hands on his hips and looking into the sky. "I just wish I knew where that stupid chameleon has gone."

"Let's keep searching," Rouge adviced. "We'll never find him if we just stand around talking."

Shadoe nodded. "Right. Let's get going."

Once again they split up.

Espio felt cold. The man's answer wasn't what he wanted to hear at all. It just made things worse. His worry slowly flowered into something else. Rage. No! It can't be! he told himself. I didn't come all the way across the city to hear someone say they didn't know! I want results! and I'm not getting them! Pathetic fool!

"Padawan?" the man said, noticing a dark aura suddenly start swirling around the chameleon.

Espio looked up at the man, his yellow eyes expressionless and reflecting no light. "I don't like being disappointed, maggot," he snarled. "You should learn to think before you speak!"

Then he lifted his hand and Force shoved the man right through the wall!

Shadow heard the sound of screaming close by and stopped in his tracks to listen. What's that? he wondered. Are the Sith attacking? he pulled out his lightsaber and started running, his thumb pounding down hard on the power button.

Within minutes he arrived at what looked like a tavern, or what was left of it. The whole front wall had been blown out and people were running, panic strucken out of the hole. Shadow ran toward the building and jumped into it through the dimolished front. As soon as his ebony boots touched the ground he sensed a dark presence as all the light seemed to get sucked out of the building. A shiver went down his spine as he imagined what could be in there with him

Suddenly he heard someone snicker.

"Who's there?" he demanded, holding his lightsaber infront of him protectively.

"Shadow Yukimako," a low voice said from the darkness. "So my chaos has brought you to me."

"Who are you?" Shadow demanded, looking around himself. "Come out where I can see you!"

"With pleasure."

Shadow heard a sound behind him and quickly turned around. He wasn't about to be attacked from behind He saw something coming out of the shadows .When he saw who it was his eyes grew wide with shock.

It was Espio!

"Espio?" he gasped.

The chameleon walked toward the black hedgehog with a cocky look on his magenta face. Shadow noticed there was something strange about his friend's eyes. They reflected no light and looked dead.

Espio noticed the way Shadow was staring at him. He smirked. "What's wrong, Yukimako?" he asked. "See something you like or-" his yellow lightsaber activated. "Are you scared!?"

He lunged.

Tikal felt a horrible disturbance in the Force and leaned her hand against a building for support as she cltched her chest and breathed heavily. Her Force bond to Espio's mind caused her to feel her won fear and confusion as well as his.

"Something bad is happening," she whispered, pulling out her lightsaber and igniting the blue blade. "Espio is in trouble..." another sensation filled her mind. And image of Shadow flashed before her eyes. "And so is Shadow!"

Shadow's lightsaber blocked Espio's as he fell back against the pressure and his back hit the wall. He hadn't expected the chameleon to be so strong!

"Espio!" he exclaimed. "Stop!"

The chamelon grinned at him evily. "What's wrong, Sahdow?" he asked, towering over his frind. "Feeling weak?"

Shadow pushed Espio back with a Force helped shoved and jumped away. "Espio!" he shouted again. "What's wrong with you?!"

The chamelon didn't answer. He let out an unnatrual sound and came at the hedgehog like a run away train. Shadow couldn't do anything but defend as his friend's lightsaber seemed to multiply.

Espio laughed insanely as he mercilessly attacked Shadow. "What's wrong now, Yukinamko?" he taunetd. "Can't you fight!?"

Espio's instults were starting to make Shadow's blood boil as he finally fought back skillyfully. His anger fueled his blade and gave him energy as he began to hack away at his friend's defense. Even so, Espio's face remained smirking. He didn't seem to care that Shadow could kill him easily if he unleashed his full power. If act it looked like he wanted the black hedgehog to kill him! Shadow looked into the chamelon's eyes and saw a mixture of eternal darkness and fear. That's when he realized is friend wasn't in control. Some how something had possessed him. Why, Shadow did not know, but he had a guess. Whoever was doing it was trying to make Shadow kill his friend for some reason.

But why? Why would something want me to kill my friend? he wondered.

"Who are you?" he demanded, pushing Espio back so hard he flew into the far wall.

Espio slid down the wall and landed on the floor. He smirked as he stood up. "Who do I look like?" he asked, backing away slightly. "I'm Espio!"

"No, you're not!" Shadow shouted, coming at the chameleon again. "You're not Espio!"

Espio's face remained cold and expressionless. "Oh, but I am!" he said again, sneering. "I am now!"

"No!" Shadow shouted, lunging across the room. He got ahold of Espio's shoulders and pinned him to the floor. "You're not!" he screamed, slapping the chamelon's face. "Espio! Espio! If you can hear me-"

"He can't hear you," the chameleon sneered. "he belongs to me now."

"No!" Shadow hit the chamelon again. "C'mon Rio! You're stronger than this! You have to fight his control!"

The chamelon laughed in his face. "You'll never get him back!"

"Shut up!" Shadow was about to strike this leering demon again when a change happened in Espio's eyes. They snapped back into focus and showed pure fear. "SHADOW!" Espio screamed like he was dying. "HELP ME!"

A shot distance away Tikal fell to her knees with her head in her hands. She felt turmoil in both Shadow and Espio's minds as well as total darkness taking over the chameleon's soul. Something horrible was happening, something she needed to stop right away.

"Are you okay?" someone asked her.

Before she could reply something snapped and she started screaming.

Espio suddenly started to writh and gag. He looked like he was having a seziure. Shadoe watched in horror, unable to do anything about it. The chameleon screamed again then went limp.

Shadoe leaned over him. "Espio?"

The chameleon's eyes snapped back open and the black hedgehog found himself staring into pure evil. Before he couild do anything Espio let out a deep throated laugh and with incrediable strength, shwoved Shadow off of him, across the room, and into the wall. The black hedgehog grunted as the impact brought the whole wall down on top of him. As he pushed himself out of the rubble he heard Espio laugh again and looked up. the chameleon gave him a look of utter disgust then turned to go. Shadow got up to stop him but collasped. Before he blacked out he saw his friend disappear into the darkening city.

Tikal caught her breath and stood up. "Shadow," she said, feeling Espio's light fading then go out and sensing the black hedgehog's struggle. "I have to find him!"

She ran down the street.

A/N

Ooooh something bad is happening!