Chapter 3. Lord of the Dark

Average day.

Blow up Eggman's base, roll into a few bots on the way, save the world. That was Sonic the Hedgehog's average day, so today must have been a break from the average. He was bored almost literally out of his mind. He was lying under the sun, too bored even to decide that now was a good time to go running; he was also half-wishing Eggman would hurry up and attack something aleady, so his day could go back to normal. Lying in the sand, doing nothing, just felt wrong on so many levels. He was Sonic the Hedgehog, world-class hero! He should be blowing some evil machine up, not relaxing!

His reprieve arrived in the form of bright lights surrounding him and making him yell out in alarm before he disappeared.

Perhaps today would be normal after all.

"...ugh...ow...where is this?"

Sonic woke up on a cold smooth floor; he opened his eyes, and sensed that the air in the place was wrong. Not unnatural, but...he shouldn't be breathing it. It wasn't forbidden, yet he knew it wasn't for his lungs. He didn't belong here. And getting up on his knees, he saw that 'here' was very bizarre indeed.

The place was made of glass. It was a platfrom, upon which rested a dome supported by pillars. Between the glass pillars, Sonic could view what was unmistakenly a vast city- looking through the glass between his feet as he stood up now, he noticed that the glass platform was floating unsupported above the city below. Sonic wasn't one for fear, but he didn't like standing on a domed glass platform which floated miles above a huge city. Eerily enough, the city was empty- no movement, no life. On closer inspection, the buildings seemed to be decaying- holes were visible though their infrastructure, and debris littered the empty streets. It was reminiscent of a scene taken from after the world was ended- a barren wasteland which had once stood proud.

Most unnerving of all was the sky- the clouds twisted into columns and connected with each other in every conceivable direction, making looking up feel like one was staring at an irregular vaporous spider's web. The blue sky was visible through the multiple holes formed by the cloud columns crossing and connecting; a pale sun shone brightly between the holes as well, bathing the area in weak sunlight and giving the already unsettling city some nasty shadows.

What was with this place?

An alternate reality. That was what Metal Sonic decided the place was after making several observations and coming to the only truly logical conclusion. The way the clouds twisted and defied realistic belief was a large giveaway, but so was the rather weak sun. Sol itself was stronger than the mockery of a star which shone upon this world. The air was foreign as well...Metal didn't need to breathe, but he could tell the air of the place was different...and negative. It was not the same air from back on Earth...it had the same qualities, but it somehow still wasn't the real thing.

The Robotic Hedgehog was standing in another domed platform made of glass, similar to Sonic's, and was very much surprised when another platform came into view, charging toards his platform at an alarming speed; he braced himself against one of the glass pillars, for at the velocity the second platform was travelling, the two would likely collide.

Then it stopped, literally just before it had been about to hit, and hovered there as if it hadn't moved at all. And Metal suddenly straightened and glared at the other platform's occupant-

"Hey Metal! Yoohoo!" Sonic the Hedgehog called out mockingly, standing on the tips of his shoes and waving like an idiot with a goofy grin- he had recognised his metal counterpart instantly. Doesn't he have any regard for our situation? the robot thought disparagingly, but nevertheless fired up his engine- no matter the circumstances, the opportunity to destroy the infernal blue nightmare had finally presented itself and Metal wouldn't miss it now.

Sonic grinned upon seeing Metal's readiness and beckoned tauntingly, saying, "C'mon...just us two guys up here! Let's do this!" Inside, he was looking at the situation a lot more seriously- he knew how much Metal Sonic hated him, and how far the robot would go to kill him. Likely Metal had brought him here, where he had no outside help- perfect for Metal to finish him without interruption if Sonic lost. Well, let's get this over with!

Just as the two hedgehogs were about to charge across their platforms at each other, a field gripped them and both found themselves unable to move; Metal Sonic made a few bleeps and boops of protest, while Sonic gritted his teeth- he ws able to speak. "Knock it off, Metal!" he yelled across at the now-puzzled robot; "This isn't funny!"

"No, it very probably isn't," a new voice announced, and both Metal and Sonic cast their eyes about, looking for the source; it was deep, and smooth...almost certainly very creepy. "But it is amusing...hahahaha haaa!"

Then from out of nowhere, a black hedgehog with green reptillian irises and blue highlights appeared between the two platforms, floating in the air unsupported; Sonic gasped. "Shadow? What are you doing here...and what's with the colour change?" His voice was also vastly different to that of the black hedgehog both Metal and Sonic knew.

'Shadow' looked at Sonic and chuckled darkly; "Never you mind..." he stated, before gesturing to the world around them. "Lovely place, isn't it? The very vision of a world fallen into chaos...the perfect field for a battle, wouldn't you say?" Strangely, the hedgehog lacked a mouth, although his voice was clearly heard.

Metal Sonic made a few angry beeps, and 'Shadow' looked at Metal for a moment- he gestured in the robot's direction, who found he could move again. Sonic dropped to a knee and found he had regained movement as well, and got up quickly only to find that Metal was glowing and...changing. His spines grew longer, and he gained two extra- his leg and arm gauntlets became thicker, and his shoes grew more pointed. A waist cape now flowed around his legs, and two thicker black coloured shoulder-pads adorned his shoulders. He gained white highlights similar to Shadow on his spines and outside his eyes, and his nose turned black. The two bolts on his cheeks turned into spikes as well.

Neo Metal Sonic looked at his body, then looked up at 'Shadow' and demanded in that voice Sonic remembered hearing the last time Metal had used this form, "Identify yourself!"

"An interested benefactor to your intertwined fates..." 'Shadow' answered, who then laughed maniacally once more.

"I've had enough of this guy," Sonic declared and jumped at a quick speed towards 'Shadow', curled into a fast spinning ball- only to be caught mid air and sent crashing back into the ground by a telekinetic force.

"Funny how you don't remember me," 'Shadow' mused, before rubbing his hands together; "It doesn't matter! You're here because I brought you here! Why? Well..." He sniggered. "Because watching you two slug at each other for the past few years had bored me half to death. So I've brought you here to finish it. You want out? Then prove that you are better than the other! I will be watching..."

'Shadow' disappeared through a black portal, leaving Sonic to get up with a groan, and glare at Metal; the robot glanced at Sonic. An understanding seemed to pass between them.

Then the glass platforms shattered, and Sonic yelled out in surprise as both he and Metal started to plummet to the broken city below.

No matter the circumstances or reasoning...I have him in my grasp. Sonic...I will be rid of you.