Whats happenin' y'all? Sorry bout the long delay in uploading, been busy with University work. Gotta meet those deadlines! Yo Pyro! We ready to get this show back on the road?
Go for it. It's not like I got anything better to be doing right now
Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence!! Ok folks, here's the next chapter in Shadow vs Shadow!!
Chapter 8: A Broken Spirit, A Second Chance
"Shadow"
The voice echoed through Shadow's mind, causing him to slowly open one eye, glancing about for the source of the voice. Sleepily he looked about himself. Nothing seemed out of order. The blue sky. The green grass. Maria. Smiling contently, Shadow's eye closed again, drifting back to sleep.
A heartbeat passed.
Maria!
Ruby eyes shot open, staring at the apparition before him. The blue dress, the blonde hair, the big blue eyes. It was Maria! His Maria!
"How…who…what…" Shadow's tongue seemed to stick to the roof of his mouth, unable to form a coherent sentence. Maria giggled; it was a laugh that Shadow had all but forgotten from over half a century before.
"You're still the same silly old Shadow". The smile on Maria's face seemed to illuminate everything. It was only then that Shadow realised something. Something about his whereabouts.
He wasn't in the warehouse. He was outside.
The sun was shining in a bright blue sky, a few fluffy clouds dotted here and there. They were in a field of lush green grass, which extended as far as the eye could see. Standing up, Shadow looked around. There were other Mobians sat in the field. Some were eating picnics, others were playing various games. Children ran back and forth, watched by loving relatives.
This is peace, thought Shadow. This is what the world should be like, what it could be like…
Maria snapped him back to reality with a prod to the side.
"Wakey wakey!" she giggled. "Where did you go off to? You looked completely glazed over". Shadow shook his head, clearing the cobwebs, before turning to Maria.
"So where are we?" he asked, a quizzical look on his face. Maria just beamed at him.
"Shadow" she began, waving her arm out to indicate the field and its other occupants. "Welcome to the Elysium Fields" Shadow still looked puzzled, but his mind was working overtime.
Elysium Fields? The name screamed through Shadow's mind, trying to ignite some sort of memory. He knew the name from somewhere. Then it hit him…
flashback
"Grandfather"
Dr. Gerald Robotnik smiled as he turned from the blackboard to Maria. His grand-daughter was sat at her desk, books scattered across the wooden surface. Sat next to her was Shadow, who had chosen to accompany her for her weekly tutorials with Gerald. Hearing her call out for the twelfth time in an hour did nothing but make Gerald smile. She really did have the Robotnik gene for learning!!
"Yes Maria?" Maria, who had stopped reading her Quantum Astrophysics textbook, cocked her head to one side.
"If humans go to heaven or hell when they die, where do Mobians go?" Maria shot a quizzical glance at Shadow, who looked back at her and shrugged, not knowing the answer himself. Gerald twisted his moustache, pondering the answer.
"You know, Maria, that's a very good question. I have a very limited amount of research into Mobian beliefs, but somewhere I have...where is that file?" Digging through a mountain of folders and files, Gerald extracted a red folder, opened it and scanned a few pages.
"Aah, here we are. According to both modern and historical research, Mobian religious beliefs are based on those of ancient human societies, in particular those of Ancient Greece. They believe that when a Mobian dies, their soul goes down to the underworld, where they will be judged based on their actions while they were alive"
"If they are deemed to have lived a good, honest life, they are allowed into the Elysium Fields, a world of endless peace and joy, where a Mobian can do what they want, for the rest of the afterlife. However, if they have lived an evil life, they are condemned to Tartarus, a barren fiery land filled with pain and suffering. Those who have caused others suffering while alive shall receive eternal punishment in the afterlife"
All Maria could say, her eyes nearly popping out of her head, was "wow!!"
end of flashback
Shadow shook his head and looked at Maria.
"But how the hell can I have been allowed here? I'm a cold-blooded merciless killer. I hurt numerous Mobians and humans since being re-woken from the escape capsule and..." He was cut off by Maria's finger on his lips.
"There's no need to worry now. You're here because you've lived an ultimately good life. Despite your confusion during the Black Arms invasion, since then and before then, you've been a good Mobian, even if you were created artificially by Grandfather" The mention of Gerald Robotnik, along with his flashback, raised another question in Shadow's mind.
"But...I thought the professor created my as the Ultimate Lifeform...the immortal Ultimate Lifeform...unable to die from old age." Maria's head bowed. Shadow's eye's widened as the truth hit home.
"I'm not immortal against battle damage, am I?" Maria looked at Shadow with tear-filled eyes, and shook her head slowly. Shadow plopped himself back on the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees. "But I was never meant to be a warrior...I was meant to save people...to save you..." Maria sat down next to him.
"There is more though" Shadow looked at her, the pain evident in his eyes. Maria smiled. "You've been granted a second chance." Shadow was confused.
"What do you mean, a second chance?" Maria looked down at the ground.
"There are two powerful hedgehogs that rule the Mobian Underworld. One over the Elysium Fields, the other over Tartarus. Both have agreed that you are not meant for this world yet. Therefore, they are sending you back to the real world." Shadow's eyes widened at the information he had just received. Maria looked him in the eye and continued.
"I know that fate separated me from my best friend on the ARK. Fate has decided that, if you are to be separated from Rouge, it is not to be now." The adult tone disappeared from Maria's voice as a smile spread across her face. "You really like her, huh?" Shadow blushed slightly and nodded. Maria's smile grew.
"Then go back, save her from that deranged mechanical monster. Do for her what I never allowed you to do for me. Fight for her." Shadow nodded, a small tear running down his cheek. The two friends embraced, and stood up.
Suddenly, Shadow felt an unbelievable amount of power coursing through his veins. He felt his fur beginning to glow a familiar golden colour.
"That's your life force returning to you." explained Maria. "The saying is true. What doesn't kill us certainly makes us stronger. Now go and save Rouge." Shadow looked at her, his best friend from fifty years ago, and smiled.
"Thank you Maria. I'll never forget you" Maria mockingly put both hands on her hips.
"Be sure you don't!" she giggled. Shadow chuckled, and then looked to the sky, determination in his eyes.
"I'm coming back, Mecha. You're gonna regret the day you messed with the Ultimate Lifeform!" With that, the glow around Shadow grew in intensity. With a blinding flash, Shadow disappeared from the Elysium Fields, leaving a happy Maria behind, tears in both eyes from finally seeing her best friend again.
XxXxX
While this had been going on in the Mobian underworld, Rouge had had her hands full fighting a demonic robot. Having spent all of her ammunition to no avail, she had resorted to swift kicks before ducking behind crates and barrels to avoid the seemingly endless rain of minigun bullets. Now, tired, bruised and in agony from a stray bullet to the right shoulder, Rouge found herself literally in the grasp of Mecha Shadow.
The cold metal claws squeezed ever tighter around the bat's throat, slowly cutting off the oxygen that her body so desperately screamed out for. A maniacal laugh erupted from the mechanized voice box.
"Hahahaha. You're pathetic, rodent. Without Shadow, you're nothing." Rouge struggled against the burning pain in her shoulder and the dizziness that was threatening to overwhelm her, and looked Mecha Shadow in the eye.
"When he…wakes up…you'll…be sorry." The same maniacal laugh, this time louder, boomed around her in response.
"When? I doubt that. My sensors indicate he's already gone. You're all alone. Don't worry though" The demonic glow in the LED eyes seemed to intensify. "You'll be joining him soon." With that, the steel grip around Rouge's throat began to tighten again. As she struggled for air, Rouge was sure she could feel her windpipe slowly being crushed.
XxXxX
With a deep gasp, the limp body sought life, took a hold of it with both hands and hauled its soul out of the murky depths of the underworld. With a primordial roar, and a blinding flash of yellow light, the Ultimate Lifeform announced his return.
XxXxX
The bright light and explosion behind him made Mecha Shadow drop Rouge, just before she lost consciousness. Rouge, gasping for breath, glanced up at the source of the bright light. It was a sight that warmed her heart, whilst chilling the circuits of Mecha to virtual breakdown.
Stepping out of the large crater was a golden form, its fur and quills glowing in Super form. The aura was a bright golden colour, as if the figure had absorbed the Master Emerald itself. Standing before Mecha and Rouge, bloodied, bruised and with a scowl that would have sent the Devil himself running for cover, was Shadow the Hedgehog. The Ultimate Lifeform was back from the dead, and he was pissed as hell.
OH HELL YEAH! The Ultimate Lifeform Cometh! Shadow is pissed as hell!
I don't know about you, but if I were Mecha, I'd be extremely worried right now.
Abso-bloody-lutely! Anyway, hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Working on the next chapter as we speak, so will try to get it uploaded asap. As usual, please read and review. See ya next time - Theos & Pyro
