The four traveled to the surface, lead by Meiou. It was a shock for Shadow, this new territory, he had thought perhaps it would look like earth. It did not. It was a rather dark place, black soil and mountains, a red sky with white lightning, and within this strange wasteland, the most disturbing and vicious vegetation that looked as if it would come alive and attack at any moment.
There were buildings though, and that was where the rabbit took them. All the buildings were small, including this one, though it appeared to be a command center with it's symbols. A blue penguin and black cat came out of it, whom Shadow immediately recognized as Articzlar and Crimzone.
"It'z about time youz got here, Shadowz. That last attack was beyondz are capability to defend! Will we be the first colonyz to fall?!" Articzlar said in a hyper voice that the hedgehog had never heard her use before. Her partner sighed and shook her head, her red and black markings now tainted with scars.
"Nothing is certainz, even I cannot seez the future with thesez developmentz." She said. "With Omarz gone, we have lost a greatz protection. We will have to seek anotherz for the time being. Fortunately, the Foxez has an idea for one. But an expedition will have to be sentz for this, as well as for Omarz. Unless of course he came on his ownz, this newz one, but the likelihood of thatz is lowz."
"Where's Foxy?" Shadow asked.
"She is busy at the moment, you should understand. She won't be seeing anyone for some time." The rabbit answered for him. He turned back to the cat. "I know of who you speak, it would be wise to fetch this new one, and have him aid us in getting Omar back. We don't have enough power at the moment to be able to handle this alone. I doubt he would refuse with the whole settlement on the line, expectially if we offer a high enough price."
"Unfortanately I agree with the rabbit. We need a few more, with knowing what Bujin is capable of." Shade said.
Shadow continued to watch with interest. This new world, and what seemed a new order of things was quite intriguing. Was this planet really that dangerous, that a single colony was in danger so easily, he wondered.
It didn't take them long to gather the needed supplies for the journey, and they were on their way within a half an hour. The clouds had receded for a short time, to reveal a full moon that glowed a strange, erie blue.
"It won't take long to get there, we just had to load up because of the dangers along the way. Just in case you know." Meiou explained. "If we're lucky, we won't run into any."
They were crawling and running through the strangest of rocky canyons, moving quickly, perhaps not as fast as the hedgehog could at full speed, but as fast as the rabbit could go, for he was the guide. Only the three of them had gone, as they needed to cover ground fast.
"The clouds only clear at night, so we never see the sun, and aside from the lightning, it's always dark." Said the bunny as they continued. "We should camp soon though, it's been nearly a day since we left without rest, and night brings out the more potent predators."
They set camp in a cave, after Shade checked it for other inhabitants, which luckily their were none. Blocking the entrance with rocks except for a small part for air, they lit a small fire, and had dinner without speaking, and went to bed. Shadow, being the original ultimate lifeform and created so that he didn't truly need sleep, (though he could) volunteered to stay awake.
When it was morning, Shade was the first to awaken, and still hadn't spoken a word to the rabbit more then needed. He only glared at him. Shadow decided to let the rabbit sleep a while longer.
"So, why do you dislike Meiou so much? How has he wronged you?" The elder hedgehog asked him.
Shade turned to look at him, then back at the rabbit again, still sleeping as he was, a long ear flopping with his snoring.
"He hasn't… Technically wronged me… So much as making me look like a fool. And what's worse, he may be stronger… then I."
"More powerful? Interesting… You are as powerful as Omar, if not more by a touch, making you slower. He spoke as if Omar were the strongest of them all though. And a fool? How so?"
Shade closed his eyes, then looked at the floor. "The rabbit… He uses a strange technique to look like others. I haven't figured it out yet. He can duplicate them, and be a an exact replica. But… I asked a favor of him when I shouldn't have."
Shadow waited. What could have possibly come between the two?
"I asked him to look like mother. Then became angry with him, because he wouldn't. I understand why now, of course. It would only bring back darkness, and sadness.
But most of our people heard it, and saw how I reacted. I'm surprised that he even comes near me now, after nearly killing him. I was shocked not to be banned from the colony itself for having such a rage." The young hedgehog sighed, then stood.
"But I AM stronger then him, and he shall see it soon. Soon this shall all come to an end…"
Before Shadow could reply, his son had walked up to the rabbit and kicked him awake, harder then necessary.
"We don't have time to sleep in, rabbit. Let's go."
"Owowowow Ow… Alright, alright!" The rabbit rolled over to get away and quickly stood up, rubbing himself. "You don't have to do that to get me up."
Shade didn't answer, instead he picked his share up the supplies up and unblocked the cave's entrance to leave.
Meiou picked up his own bags with a slightly worried face and followed, as did Shadow.
The clouds had returned again, and with the lightning on this day, heavy rain and winds.
Shade was standing in it with his head up, looking to the sky. As the other two came out of the cave, he turned and dropped his bag to the muddy ground, a dark look in his eyes.
"So easy, and rather simple to get you both out here alone. It's rather a pity you won't see the others again." He said with a maniacle grin.
"What do you mean? Shade what the hell are you talking about?!" Shadow started walking towards him.
Meiou stopped him, shaking his head. "I can't believe I didn't catch it, he played the act so well. Shadow, that's not your son."
"What do you…?"
"Nice deduction rabbit, though I assure you, the real Shade feels the same way about you, I'm sure he would say so, if he could be here. But he can't, so you'll have to deal with me. Hmm… Or not. I was thinking of sparing you both, given the fact that we were friends before, but I think not. You bore me." The look-a-like Shade said.
He leapt up into the air, spinning too fast for the eye to see his movements. He returned to the ground, with what looked like Shade's skin and face draped over an arm. He was Omar.
But this Omar… He looked different… He had black markings over his eyes, arms and quilltips, his boots were longer and had belts on them. He pulled a cigarette out of a pouch-like purse he had over his shoulder and lit it.
"It took Bujin less time then we thought, we were far too late… He impersonated Shade with a suit and mask of him." Meiou said, his ears drooping.
The green hedgehog threw the suit in the mud and took another breath of the smoke, his grin widening as he glared at them, his eyes glowing red instead of their usual soft purple.
"What have you done with Shade?! What happened to you?!" Shadow said, his voice rising.
"Oh have no fear, he's not dead, not yet anyway. Neither are those other Mobiuns we retrieved that you knew. What were they're names? Oh yes… Sonic, Tails, and Rouge were the prized ones we found. I can't remember the other experiments original names they called themselves." Omar let out a dark laugh, his ear and quill ring piercings jingling in the wind.
The wind continued to howl and the rain seemed to get worse, and the lightning more frequent. The storm was not going to lessen anytime soon.
Shadow was at a complete loss for words. How could this be Omar?! This had to be some sort of replica experiment of Bujins. This couldn't be the loving, caring Omar he had known before… He didn't even speak with the same accent…
Omar tilted his head snootily at Shadow and snorted. "Still don't think it's me hunh? Well, then, how's this." He took another long pull and tapped the ashes for a moment. "After I'm finished with you both, I'll go after my dear bitch of a wife, and perhaps we can teach those two brats of ours some manners. Knowing the entire colony, both Rubieteau, and Doralien, the invasion should be quite easy. I'm sure Maria would be happy to see me again, she's such a doll. Pity we'll have to kill her innocence."
Shade had had enough of this Omar. It was now obvious that he was truly the original, he knew too much to be one of Bujin's newest copies. Whatever he had done to his friends mind, had made him turn into a completely evil creature.
Shadow's eyes glanced towards Meiou, the rabbit was standing his ground, though he knew one way or the other he probably wouldn't make it. Him and Omar had stood on somewhat equal ground before, but now, with such darkness, anger, and insanity fueling the green hedgehog, he knew better then to think he could win in this weather.
If he were to run, and Shadow were to fight, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself, and Omar would probably win and come after him anyway now that he was stronger. If he stayed, he would be in the way of the ebon hedgehog, and they would both die.
Without warning, Shadow turned, racing towards the rabbit and grabbing his hand; his dragwinds keeping the bunny from bumping the ground as he raced down the mountain and into the strangely vegetated woods.
"Tell me where to go, where's this guy we're looking for?!" The hedgehog asked as he ran, they could hear Omar laughing behind them. He was teasing them. He could catch them, if he wished it.
"This is rather fun, I'll let you both have a head start, but only five minutes." He said as he slowed down and stopped.
The evil hedgehog disappeared behind them, the dark smile still on his face. Shadow turned his focus back to the path ahead and Meiou's instructions.
It wasn't but ten minutes later that they arrived at their destination, going at full speed it truly didn't take long at all. It was a rather interesting hole in the side of a hill, if you could call it that. It was a mound of metal plates all bent into a dome shape, about twenty meters going out round.
Meiou walked until they were a couple feet from it, and knocked… on the ground, where there was yet another round plate, flat in the rock. Only about a foot and a half round, it vibrated for a moment, then a reply knock came. The rabbit knocked on it again, in sequence this time. It opened.
A strange creature stuck it's head out and looked up at them. It looked like a mongoose, or weasel, but it was white all over. It came out all the way, and it's appearance became stranger. It had black spiked hair, and brown linings on his brows, arms and legs. His eyes were blue. He wore a brown cape, carried a satchel, and had black boots.
"Hiya Meiou. Hmmm… Who's this Shade look-a-like?" He asked.
"Shadow, Shade's father, actually. Shadow, this is Snicket, he's an ermine as you can see. He's the one we were looking for." The rabbit said the ebon hedgehog.
"Hmmm… Hope he's got more control over his temper then Shade does I hope he does in fact I do." Snicket said. "Pleased to meet you anyway I am, yes I am."