MirrorTF: The next chapter! We find out what went on during Shadow's chat with Lirias!
Tails: Can I do the disclaimer?
MirrorTF: Sure!
Tails: Mirror the Fox does not own Sonic or me, and she doesn't own any other Sonic the Hedgehog characters! She owns part of this plot line but not the alien lizards or Karo.
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"I'm thinking even past that Sonic
"I'm thinking even past that Sonic. Something you've only done once and that neither Shadow nor I have done. I'm talking creating the Super Emeralds again. I'm talking going Hyper." Knuckles said matter-of-factly.
I couldn't believe what Knuckles had just suggested, even if it was the best idea we would get.
"Are you serious Knuckles? I haven't gone Hyper in years. Years! You've never gone Hyper. Do the Chaos Emeralds, even if we charge them to the Super Emeralds, really have enough power for all three of us to go Hyper? There's never even been more than two of us Super at the same time, much less Hyper!" I shouted in exasperation. I groaned and put my head back, the room had started spinning again.
"Calm down Sonic. I'm a Guardian; I know more about the Chaos Emeralds than anyone else. They'll have enough power. Now, four of the Chaos Emeralds are on Angel Island with the Master Emerald. You all had three, Karo ate one, so the other two are still in Tails' lab. We need someone to go get them. Knuckles said calmly.
"Actually the other two are in the X Tornado, so they're here." Tails said. "I'll go get them now." He left to go get the Chaos Emeralds.
"Sadda, what Chaos Emerald? Is that shiny stone Karo eat?" Karo asked, nudging the back of Shadow's hand with his nose.
"Yes Karo, the Chaos Emerald is the stone you ate. But don't worry about it for now; we'll worry about it later. " he answered, petting his head.
"Saddo need stone, Karo give. Stone not eat like plant, Karo give." Karo said and with that he promptly upchucked the Chaos Emerald.
I stifled a laugh at the looks of utter horror and disgust at the rejected emerald. I'd figured days ago when he first ate it that he would upchuck it if asked. It was covered in a layer of thick drool and brown film that was most likely some type of stomach fluid. Shadow was the first one to react, making it very clear how he felt about it.
"I'm not picking that up" he said with firm resolution.
Amy and Rouge left to retrieve the emeralds from Angel Island, and Karo curled up on the end of my bed. My vertigo was wearing off, so was the morphine and I felt a burning pain in my leg. Shadow seemed very thrown off by the very idea of a higher level than Super.
"Knuckles what is Hyper? I've never heard of it.," he asked.
"That would be a better question to ask Sonic. He's the only one who's ever gone Hyper."
"I don't know how to explain it! All I can really say is that it's nothing like Super. It's beyond anything you've ever felt. Like I said before, I haven't gone Hyper in years and it was only once. I have no doubt that Knuckles could go Hyper, but I'm not even sure if I can again…." I said annoyed. How should I know how to explain something I'd only done once?
"Nonsense, it's exactly the same as going Super, just with the Super Emeralds instead of the regular Emeralds. Stop being afraid; not to mention, this may be our only shot. I've never seen anything so powerful as that huge dragon." Knuckles said condescendingly.
"Big dragon? Clawrostira maybe?" Karo squeaked. We all turned towards him.
"Maybe, why, do you know anything about him?" Shadow asked.
"Clawrostira no eat normal power light like others. Clawrostira eat super big power light. Eat planet power light." Karo said.
"He eats a planet's power?" Shadow asked nervously.
"He only eat every daddy life. Every time planet go 'round star lot's of times, maybe even more than daddy life." Karo said simply.
"Karo that doesn't tell us anything!" I said, exasperated.
"He's right Karo. How old is your father?" Knuckles asked.
"Karo not know, just know daddy older than mommy." Karo said, fear present in his voice. Shadow sighed and patted the dragon on his head.
"It's ok, Karo. Don't worry about it. What are we going to do about that anyway?" Shadow said.
"About what?" Knuckles and I answered together.
"About a certain high-ranking military officer in our enemy's army. The one that Karo knows exceptionally well." Shadow said while quickly glancing at the confused Karo.
"Oh, that. What are we going to do?" Knuckles said gravely. I didn't quite get it, but then I remembered that Karo had told us his father was a general. We couldn't very well kill the kid's dad, even if his boss was trying to eat our planet.
We didn't have time to wonder what we could do, because Tails came rushing in at that moment. He had the two Emeralds, but Dr. Eggman was following him. All of us jumped to our feet at the site of him. I almost tripped but I was able to right myself quickly. My leg hurt, but now the splint was a handicap, especially because I could feel the power of the two emeralds resonate through the room.
"Relax you annoying creatures. I haven't come to fight you! I've come to see what can be done about our predicament. You didn't think that you were the only ones under attack." Dr. Eggman said haughtily.
"Gee Doctor, it's always good to know we can count on you." Shadow said with calm sarcasm.
Right then two G.U.N soldiers brandishing what looked like semi-automatics entered the room followed by the one person I could like less than Eggman. The G.U.N Commander and all his idiotic prejudices. We all knew he hated Shadow for what happened on the Ark, even after I helped clear his name he still blamed Shadow. He also had some hate for me, partially because I helped Shadow and kept his company, and partially because he knew that I was better at beating trouble than he was. As luck would have it, the first thing he spotted was Karo.
"What is that doing in here? Am I to believe that you are keeping one of these killing monsters as a pet?" The Commander spat in disgust as he pointed at Karo. The poor baby dragon quivered in fear and scrambled onto the floor to stand behind me.
"Maybe I am. He's a baby and perfectly harmless. His father doesn't know where he is so I see no need to panic." Shadow returned coldly.
The Commander folded his arms and glared at Shadow. Shadow, being who he was, returned the fierce glare, refusing to back down. Eggman cleared his throat and began to speak.
"I think we should put all our differences aside in favor of the well being of the populace. Gentlemen, I come here to ask a favor and to offer my assistance. These creatures are just as bad, if not worse than the Black Arms invasion several years ago. The creatures are nimble and are expert hunters. Some fly and some don't, but they never hunt lone. This, I believe, is the secret to their success, their superb ability to work together." Eggman said.
"I could have told you that Doctor. Tell us something new." Shadow said curtly. He turned away from the Commander, dismissing him as an unworthy opponent.
Eggman stroked his mustache.
"I believe we need to follow their example. I have seen them fight; as have you, I'm sure. Even if their partner falls, they find another and join them. Their tactics are flawless and innovative. They use everything to their advantage. We are not talking some mindless soldiers who need to be told everything, like the Black Arms; we are talking a race of fighters who are as creative as we are, if not more so." Eggman said matter-of-factly.
Knuckles, Shadow, and I nodded, always knowing what Eggman knew, considering we were always first on the scene. Which made me think of how well the three of us fought together no matter who we were fighting. We almost never had to converse and yet we were a thousand times better organized than G.U.N who had someone telling them what to do at all times.
"Bah! I will believe that when I see it. I don't believe in smart aliens, they're all stupid if you ask me. The fact that they attacked this planet makes them foolish." The Commander said vehemently.
"Yes, these creatures are stupid. The Black Arms actually were stupid and you couldn't drive them out of the city without Sonic, Knuckles, and me. The Black Arms, who were truly stupid, took out the CIA mainframe. These creatures, which are very intelligent, are killing your people faster than you can send them to be killed. Yes, they are the foolish ones indeed. I think you need to rethink your own overpowering stupidity before you force your prejudices on others." Shadow returned venomously. This was why we didn't get along with the Commander; he was such an idiot in denial.
"Keep your trap shut experiment! You will speak when spoken to!" The Commander shouted.
Karo and Shadow both hissed at the Commander and he took a step back from the rising viciousness. The two G.U.N. soldiers at his side cocked their weapons and leveled them at the two.
"Sad that you need others to guard your cowardice. As condescending of others as you are and as sure as you are of other's inferiority to you, someone would think that you could thoroughly defend yourself." Shadow spat in irritated disgust.
"I don't need to respond to an object." The Commander said simply. It was obvious Shadow was going to say more, but this would turn into an all out brawl in a minute.
"What do you want Eggman? You said that you wanted to work together. We already have a plan, but I've learned from Tails that hearing other's ideas can be helpful." I said carefully hiding the level of urgency in my voice.
Eggman smirked at the hidden compliment and the plea for help hidden in my words. He twisted his mustache in his fingers as he thought.
"We need to take out their leader first. Even though they are well organized and are perfectly capable of fighting on their own, they still require some sort of direction. After that, we need to come up with some sort of strategy to defeat their amazing cooperative skills. What do you all have in mind?"
"I think you three have done enough damage! G.U.N. will take care of this threat." The Commander said angrily.
"Oh, you mean like how you handled the Black Arms? Or perhaps you mean that sorry excuse for a defensive attack to drive the creatures away from the city? I would enjoy watching the largest one, that huge creature who burned away a plane with its spit, do the same thing a second time!" Eggman said vehemently.
I nearly burst out laughing at the look on the Commander's face. He had been completely knocked off his high horse, by Eggman of all people! Karo snickered only as lizards can, and Shadow looked quite smug. I busied myself with removing my splint to hide the open grin that was on my face. Knuckles began explaining our plan to Eggman who was just as unsure about it as the rest of us.
"I know you know more about the Chaos Emeralds than anyone else Knucklehead, but are you sure this will work? I haven't seen you go super, though I know you have."
"It has to work Eggman. It needs to work, otherwise we're all doomed." Knuckles said his voice carrying the acute necessity and wish behind his words.
We talked over more plans, mostly leaving the Commander out, when Rouge and Mari, Tails' music tutor, came in with the other four chaos emeralds and the Master Emerald. I nearly puked when I felt the rush of power that was caused by having all the emeralds in such close proximity. Tails seemed to panic a little until I waved him off, though it took me a minute to recover. A loud crash from down the hall, followed by gunfire and the screeching of the flying aliens. The bark-cry of their ground soldiers could be heard as well.
A flying creature slammed itself into the window, cracking the shatter resistant glass from one corner to the other across the diagonal. Shadow crouched but the two G.U.N soldiers fired of their guns shattering the glass and killing the creature, but also shortening our working time. The Commander smirked haughtily to Shadow, but the first and only thing we smart beings could think of was how dumb an idea that was.
"You idiot! You broke the glass! That was the only thing keeping them out! You can't think more than two seconds ahead, that's why you can't organize a proper counterstrike!" Shadow shouted furiously. He then snatched one of the soldier's weapon and a fresh magazine and leapt out the window shooting.
"Alright, since we seem to be on two different channels-" I glared fiercely at the Commander who jumped at the fury that was behind the look.
"-We need to work out how the G.U.N are gonna handle defending the hospital if it must come to that. We also can't afford to waste anytime converting the emeralds." I glanced at Knuckles who seemed taken aback at my sudden charge of leadership, but he nodded quickly and got to work gathering up the emeralds.
"Hah! And what do you know about leading an army, eh boy? Have you ever organized anything more than your sock drawer?" the Commander said back on his high horse.
"Considering that I've killed more of these types of creatures with three people than you have with three hundred? And with almost no communication with those I'm fighting with? I'd say I do a better job at it than you ever have in your lifetime." I said, knocking his arrogance out the window, and wounding his ego at the fact I was right. Knuckles burst into laughter at the fact the Commander was bested by me of all people. Eggman, Tails, and the girls had a little more tact and did no more than snicker or giggle. Even the guards had to hide their smirks at my sharp retort.
A loud sharp series of barks came from outside, followed by the sound of retreating squawks and bark-shrieks. The Commander and his lackeys rushed downstairs to meet whatever could cause such a retreat. The rest of us looked out the window to see Shadow and the general lizard dude. I recalled his name was Lirias, he was a bigger version of Karo and darker in color.
"What is wrong with you?! Why do you bring this creature in here?!" The Commander shouted at Shadow.
"Well, I can see that humans don't work very well with others." Lirias said, slightly annoyed.
"It talks?! That thing talks?!" The Commander shouted incredulously.
"It thinks?! That thing thinks?!" Lirias mocked. Everyone snickered at the witty creature.
"I am Lirias. I am a general in my people's army. Who do I have the acquaintance of fighting?" Lirias asked calmly.
"Look at that, he's diplomatic. I am the Commander of the Guardian Unit of Nations. What do you want on this planet?"
"Your lives of course, I thought that would be painfully obvious. Our leader, who goes by the name of Clarostra, needs to feed every fifty orbital rotations. In other words, fifty of my planet's years. A baby might say his name Clawrostira, but that is from a poor ability to translate our language into yours." Lirias said with a slightly haughty air.
I sped downstairs and appeared behind the Commander. Least to say I surprised all the humans that were there.
"What exactly does this Clarostra eat?" I shouted from behind the Commander. No one had even noticed me except maybe Lirias who answered me without skipping a beat.
"Stars, planets, whatever suits his fancy at the time." Lirias said, that same air of haughty nobility in his voice while he scratched his neck.
"What did you come in here to do, negotiate surrender?" The Commander asked.
"No."
"Well, what did you come here for?" The Commander asked, frustrated and now confused.
"That is between me and your rather short ambassador." Lirias said, glancing at Shadow. I snickered at Shadow's annoyed expression at the reference to his height, but he kept quiet.
"I should like to take him to the room where were before Commander. The top floor. He can leave through the broken window." Shadow stated simply.
The Commander glared at me.
"I don't think so. I refuse to let the enemy into my stronghold."
"Sorry to inform you good sir, but you already have." Lirias said calmly. "Shadow."
He looked to Lirias, and I already had an idea as to what he would ask.
"What?" he asked suspicious.
"Ever rode a dragon before?"
"Never had the pleasure." Shadow said now curious.
"Well, here's your chance." Lirias grabbed Shadow's quills and flung him onto his back. The soldiers around us scrambled away and Lirias ran out of the door with Shadow on his back. I made my way back upstairs, but the flying dragon got there the same time I did Everyone else panicked at the site of Lirias, but they quickly calmed when Shadow explained why he was there.
"Daddy?" Karo peeked from under one of the beds.
Shadow hopped off Lirias' back as he practically charged to get to Karo. Karo squeaked, peeped, and squawked to his father happily. Lirias turned to Shadow with a grave and thankful look. He nodded and explained who Lirias was to everyone else.
Amy and Shadow had a quiet exchange during the little reunion.
"Shadow, I must thank you. I was nervous that you would betray me. I must know, what can I do for you?" Lirias said as he nuzzled his son.
"You can stop killing people." Knuckles said.
"I'm afraid I can do nothing about that. Clarostra has his mind set on this planet, I'm afraid I cannot convince him to leave. All I can say is that I would become a traitor if I sanctioned his death." Lirias said.
"What would you do if we did kill him?" Shadow asked.
"Go back to my home and rule in his stead. He has no family and I am his highest-ranking and most favored soldier. Is there anything I can do now? Perhaps bring your…diverse family back with us? Our planet is not unlike yours, albeit cleaner and with less of these buildings."
"I'd much rather stay here than going to a hostile alien planet." Rouge said.
"I cannot do very much or else I would be deemed a traitor and my son exiled. Clarostra will be gravely angry that I am associating with you now, though he will be easier upon hearing the reason. He does not believe in compassion towards any but his own race though. He will spare you-if I ask- but he will not spare the rest."
"Then we'll simply have to kill him." Shadow said, his ears twitching thoughtfully.
"Yes, but I must do all I can to thwart you." Lirias said sadly.
"Daddy, can Karo stay? Why daddy sad?" Karo said. Poor kid didn't understand a thing that was going on.
Lirias' expression became stoic and he croaked something to Karo that evidently soothed the baby creature. Lirias walked over to the window and he spread his wings wide. Before he took off he turned to face us.
"We shall meet again Shadow. Next time it will be on the battlefield. A star will die when we meet and the fate of a planet lies in the hands of the winner. What are you willing to sacrifice? Are you ready to give your life? We shall see how deep your mercy and your courage run star creature."
With that he leaped out the window, wings spread wide.