Disclaimer: still don't own anything but my OC.
"Guys, here's the short version: the Chaotix Team will show us the way, but we need to deal with the danger. Don't worry, they will tell us where and when the traps will hit." Ozone began. "I suggest bringing Knuckles and Shadow. Knuckles can help us navigate the lava reefs since he seemed to know the grounds better than I do." The alien continued.
Shadow wondered why he was selected to go, until Blaze figured it out: "I get the feeling you asked Shadow to come along since you know how he is with his temper." Shadow retorted, "How about I use the kitty as target practice for my new move?" "Don't even think about it!" the pyrokinetic feline shot back. Ozone facepalmed and replied, "Forget it, Blaze is coming instead of Shadow. If you can't control your temper, how are you supposed to concentrate of the enemy's strategies? Let me put it this way: if the enemy's strategy is oriented around a direct assault, then you'll be easy picking for the enemy."
"Are you saying that I can't handle some freak in the reefs!?" Shadow yelled. Ozone replied, "I didn't say that, I simply said that brute force may result in your defeat. If I know you enough, I'd say that you, when pissed, tend to begin acting on impulse and power." "You want to make something of it, Ozone?" "Of course not, I'm more focused on getting that 'ring' and finding out why it's so heavily guarded."
It took a while before things got ugly between the two hedgehogs and they broke out into a battle. Ozone charged up some chaos energy in his right hand and flew up in the air to begin battling. "Shadow, I really hate to battle, but if I'm going to get anything done with you around, then I have to take any measures necessary to get some co-operation." The alien said. Shadow retorted, "I do things my way, and you won't convince me to co-operate with ya." With those words, shadow began glowing a familiar shade of crimson red. "Now, let's see how you handle this!" Shadow charged towards Ozone at blinding speeds. Ozone barely got a chance to fire off the chaos energy he stored up in his hands. When Shadow was within ten feet of Ozone, the alien quickly withdrew the built-up energy into his body and glowed a soothing shade of blue, before something unexpected happened. Instead of being attacked, Shadow latched himself onto Ozone by getting a tight grip on the alien. "What the?" Ozone muttered, before hearing the words he predicted "Chaos... BLAST!" at that moment, Shadow expanded the red aura around himself into a huge orb of chaos energy. The attack was quick, but noticeable enough to be seen.
Once the attack was over, Shadow warped down to the spectators to be a snob about it. "Not bad, but that's the kind of thing I was talking about regarding your temper." Was what Shadow heard. "Where are you, Ozone!?" he shouted. "What are you saying, Shadow? Didn't you blow him up?" Amy asked "huh? You didn't hear him?" Shadow stuttered in disbelief. "Last thing I heard from him was telling you about your temper and loss of strategy skills." She replied. "Look down, Shadow." the ebony anthro ignored the 'advise' and searched the sky for Ozone. Before long, the gang felt an earthquake. The ground then gave way around Shadow's feet. "What's happening?" Shadow asked. He heard Ozone's voice in the air again, "I tried to warn ya, but you refused to listen. Another thing I said about your problem. Am I making my point yet?" Shadow growled as he fell in the fissure below him.
It took about a minute for the ebony hedgehog to come out of the fissure. He was somewhat bruised and had some minor scratches on his chest area. "Where are you, Ozone?" he yelled. At that moment, Ozone's form appeared in front of him. The alien crouched down to face Shadow and said, "Have you learned your lesson yet?" That really pissed off Shadow beyond belief. "I will not be beaten by some freak!" with those words, Shadow struggled to get onto his feet, and began charging green chaos energy into his hands. "Chaos…" he started. Ozone prepared himself for another chaos blast, but was taken back by Shadow's next move. "… REGEN!"
Shadow surrounded himself in the energy he stored up and began glowing a shade of green similar to an emerald. The cuts and bruises that once covered Shadow's body started to 'fix' themselves quickly. "I see, I guess it's round two." Ozone muttered. "Bring it!" Shadow challenged. Ozone jumped back about fifty feet and began charging energy that he stored in his body at the start of round one. Shadow lunged at Ozone with murder in his eyes. Ozone's reaction was simple: he began dodging every one of Shadow's punches and kicks. "You're rather easy to predict… at times." Ozone taunted as he dodged the onslaught. "So what if I am? That makes it even sweeter for me when I beat ya." Shadow retorted. Ozone gathered enough energy in his hand and stored it in his body like in round 1 and began charging a third set. Shadow noticed the energy charge and rushed Ozone. The ebony hedgehog shoved Ozone aside to absorb whatever energy is left from the alien's area. As he absorbed the energy, he laughed with evil intent. "Now I will defeat you using your own powers!"
"Well thought, Shadow" Ozone said. "That strategy would work, but you're absorbing the wrong kind of chaos energy for Chaos Blast or Chaos Spear." Eggman and Tails were wondering what Ozone until Shadow realized it: The Chaos Energy he absorbed quickly dissipated as he tried to convert the energy into Chaos Blast material. "What's happening the chaos energy I absorbed?" Shadow yelled. Ozone retorted, "I admire your tenacious spirit to keep fighting and trying tactics that you don't fully understand, but here's the problem: you're using the chaos energy all wrong." "What do you mean?" "Chaos energy can both hinder and help. It helps when used correctly, but when used incorrectly will hinder."
"In other words, you weren't charging up for an attack?" Shadow concluded. Ozone nodded his head and said, "I wasn't charging up for an attack that time." Shadow looked at Ozone in bewilderment at the alien's unusual tactics. "Shadow, your temper caused you to forget to consider what kind of Chaos Energy you're using." Ozone summed up. "I see…hmph, I'll keep that in mind when battling that beast guarding the 'ring' that the Chaotix Team are talking about."
"Alright, I think you learned your lesson, Shadow. I believe we got room for one more on the expedition." Ozone said. Shadow merely grunted in victory knowing that he's now getting a part of the action. "Let's get going dudes!" Ozone yelled as if to boost morale. With those words, Sonic, Knuckles, Blaze, Shadow, and Ozone raced off to the lava reefs. "HOLD IT!" Amy objected, "Where Sonic goes, I will go too!" "I second that, but with Blaze!" Silver then pitched in. Ozone sighed in annoyance, and said that they can also come along.
Seems like Shadow's lost it for a while, but was brought to his senses, thanks to Ozone. What secrets lie in the Lava Reefs that the Chaotix Team didn't mention? What is Mephiles up to? What could Black Doom have planned for Ozone and co? pray that Writer's Block doesn't hit me early in the story, and stay tuned for the next chapter.