Hey there. Look, I'm sorry about the long updates. It's always school though. I was lucky to get this chapter up at all. It's a little shorter than usual, but whatever. I had to get something up. Anyways, sorry again. Enjoy!

Chapter 17

Eggman was staring at the chaos emeralds. Three were completely drained, the yellow, the dark blue, and the green ones. He was holding the cyan emerald in his hand, while thinking deeply.

So much power...I wonder what I'd be able to do with all of it. So many things my enemies do are the cause of my downfall. If only I could control the emeralds' power like Sonic and Shadow can.

The villain absent-mindedly twirled his mustache with his fingers. His thoughts quickly ran through some of the things he could do with all the power he had access to.

I could build robots faster than Sonic! Robots strong enough to beat Shadow! I could power my facility for days on end! I could...I could...hmmm.

The scientist's expression went from thoughtful to excited, as if he was planning something evil. Oh wait, he was!

I bet I could chaos control!

Eggman laughed out loud. Then, he called in one of his robots. "Prepare my Eggship! We leave in five minutes!"

"Yes sir." The mech said in a monotone. He left to go carry out the orders.

Eggman turned his chair, while clutching the emerald. There was a sharp glint in the madman's eye as he opened his hand and gazed at the cyan stone.

Oh man, does this feel good! Sonic thought. He was the happiest he'd been in years, running full speed, with his new girlfriend in his arms. Tsk, tsk, Eggman. You tried to ruin everything, but in the end, it just brought us closer together. Like, major failure right there.

Amy's thoughts were identical. Who knew that Eggman would be the key to me and Sonic getting together? He is so messed up sometimes, but hey. It makes for one heck of an interesting life!

Sonic ran for a while along a random beach, and then turned back in the direction of his house. "Sorry Ames, but we need to get home and make a plan. And I need to make sure that Shadow doesn't destroy anything else when our next episode happens, whenever that will be."

"It's okay." the pink hedgehog nodded. "I understand. This was really nice though."

Sonic smiled. "It was. When this is all over, I'm gonna take you out on a proper date."

"In that case, let's hurry and finish it!"

"Alrighty then. Hold on!" Sonic put on a fresh burst of speed, a sonic boom emitting from around the hedgehogs.

Time to test out his theory. If Eggman was correct (and he usually was), he should be able to harness the cyan chaos emerald's energy and have it flow into the engines. The doctor then should be able to say where he wanted to go, shout "chaos control!" and they would be off. Again, though, that was just the theory.

Well, whatever. If it doesn't work, then I'll just have to go back to the first plan. But I cannot let all this energy be wasted! It's against my principles!

A robot came over to Eggman. "We are ready to go sir. Everything is in place."

The scientist grinned. "Finally! Let's get a move on!"

The human walked to the engine room and stood right in front of the chaos emerald. "Alright, take me to Miles Prower and Sonic the Hedgehog' house."

The emerald glowed in response. Only one more thing to do.

"Chaos control!"

Everything was quiet in the brothers' house. Rouge was eating the leftover pancakes (even she agreed that they were the best pancakes she'd ever tasted), Knuckles was chatting with her, Tails was tinkering in his workshop, and Shadow was napping (I just picture him being like Sonic and loving to sleep. Don't know if he does, but I think it works).

Suddenly, Shadow woke up. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and then looked for the cause of his disturbance. He shook his head, and laid back down and closed his eyes. But, there is was again! Something was wrong. Someone was doing something with a chaos emerald that should have been impossible. The hedgehog didn't know how he knew this, he just felt like something majorly bad was going to happen.

Shadow sat there for a few minutes, trying to pinpoint what he was feeling. It was distant, but then it was getting stronger. Rapidly.

He worried for a moment about Sonic. He needed to warn him, but how? Did that mind thing work from this distance?

Only one way to find out.

Sonic. Can you hear me?

The blue hedgehog almost tripped. He instead jumped and landed, coming to a halt. Amy looked at him with a surprised and concerned expression. "Sonic? What's wrong? What is is?"

He didn't answer, just held up a finger. She watched him as he concentrated.

I'm here. Ames and I were just starting to head back. What's up?

The response came a second later. I don't know. Something's up. I feel like someone's using the chaos emeralds in a way they shouldn't be able to. Can you feel it?

Sonic focused on the emeralds. He did feel something. It was weird. It was like there was something hot in the distance, but getting hotter by the second. Some kind of energy was at work.

Yeah, I feel it. What the heck is it?

I have no idea. But I think it's bad. You should get home as soon as possible. Shadow's tone, even in Sonic's head, sounded urgent.

Sonic nodded, then remembered that the black hedgehog couldn't see him. Alright, we were going back anyway. We'll be there soon.

Okay. See you in a few.

Sonic shook his head, ending the link. Breaking his concentration was almost like hanging up a phone. He looked at Amy, and she was able to read the slight drop in his eyelids. It meant something was going to happen.

"What is it, Sonic?"

"Not sure, but it's not good. Shads said we need to get home fast." He picked her up again. "Hold on. We're going full speed."

The pink hedgehog nodded silently. Once she got a good hold around Sonic's neck, he took off. Immediately, they broke the speed of sound and were speeding towards the house.

Then it happened. Sonic slid to a halt and apologized to Amy. He concentrated on the emeralds again. He listened and felt hard for...whatever it was.

There! Sonic turned his head in the direction opposite his house. That warmth, that energy, it was really strong now. And fast. It passed right over the hedgehogs' heads and continued toward the house. Sonic still didn't know what it was, but he knew for sure it couldn't be good.

The blue blur switched his focus back to Shadow. Listen, listen. Whatever it is we felt, it's headed right for you!

Wait, what?!

Shads, brace yourself!

Brace yourself! Sonic said again in Shadow's head. Then their connection broke off.

Shadow shot to his feet. He rushed to the kitchen where Rouge and Knuckles were. "Guys, were under attack! Something's coming!"

They got up fast. "What its it?" the echidna demanded.

"I don't know, but it's heading this way!"

"Where's Sonic and Amy?" Rouge asked worriedly.

"There fine," Shadow answered. "Sonic and I both felt a disturbance in the chaos emeralds' energy. Someone is using them in a way they were not meant to. Sonic just told me that the energy was headed this way. It passed right over the couple."

Rouge sighed in relief. "Good."

Shadow stared at her. "But not good for us! I need to get Tails!" With that, the midnight hedgehog dashed off to the workshop.

He paused outside the door, his hand on the knob. He felt it. The energy, it was right over their it was strong. Almost against his will, Shadow went over to the nearest window. He opened it, and stuck his head out, only to see a nightmarish sight.

"It's Eggman!"

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