Well, what stories could be told, if Bowser and Eggman weren't always trying to muck everything up? As I see it, they're really more determined to beat their rivals now than to truly rule the world. If they were to succeed in their plan? They'd probably just fight each other.
Wario's ability to use Chaos Control is finally explained.
Another update on future fics: I'm still trying to figure out exactly where the Sonic fic I'm thinking about will go. Most likely, I'll actually just refine what I've got, and make it a oneshot.
Chapter 22 (Shadow - FINALE)
Shadow dropped out of the portal to find Rouge and Omega sitting in the shade in Soleanna Castle Town.
"You'd think the citizens would notice these random portals, wouldn't you?" Rouge said. "Anyway, Shadow, where'd you go? What did you find?"
"Ten years ago, Mephiles was released – He is the other half of their sun god, Solaris. I believe that to be why Kingdom Valley is ruined. He was sealed within-"
"The scepter of darkness," Rouge said. "I've been doing my homework while you were gone. So, what are we going to do about him, now? I mean, it's not like we can just make another scepter of darkness, right?"
"Maybe not, huh? Wa hah! But that doesn't mean someone else can't find something for you." Rouge and Shadow turned on the spot to the new voice to find Wario standing not thirty feet away, holding… A second scepter of darkness.
"What the- How did you get that?" Shadow asked. "And why do you come back now?"
"Turns out there's quite a few of these babies. They were originally made by Koopas, in case any… Experiments… Went awry. And I've been following everyone, anyway," Wario said, shrugging as he tossed the scepter over to Shadow. Shadow effortlessly caught it, but continued to glare at Wario. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, you're angry. Don't take it so personally. I had stuff to do. Honestly, I was originally only going to use this baby," he took out the red Chaos Emerald for a moment, "To help with stealing. But, eh, I remembered a bit of my history, and got curious. Spied on people. Recruited some help. Gathered up as much info I could about all this. Look, I don't want the world destroyed, and that's usually what's at stake when Mario's involved. Sonic too, right?"
"That doesn't excuse ditching us to be tossed into the future!" Rouge said.
"Never said it did, batty." Rouge fumed at the name. "I ran away because I knew I couldn't face what I thought was coming. Turned out it was only part of it. But, if I'd gotten stuck in the future with you, we WOULD be facing the whole right about now. Think on that, alright?"
Team Dark was silent for a bit. "… I hate to say it, but he's right," Shadow said. "… I still don't like you, though, Wario."
"Eh, not many people do, but, whatyagonnado?" Wario asked, shrugging once more. "Anywhoo… Before you go after Mephiles, I've got just one more thing, the answer to how I can perform Chaos Control."
"… In truth, I would like to know that," Shadow admitted.
"I'm one of the seven Star Children," Wario said. "That means that I have the ability to control, channel, and generate energy. I don't know where we come from, but that's why I can do it."
"Do you know who the others are?" Shadow asked, curious.
"I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in the world who knows all seven," Wario said smugly. "Though I think you might be able to guess at a few others – Three of 'em ain't exactly subtle about their abilities."
Mario and Luigi, probably, Shadow thought.
"But, anyway, that's all I got for ya, now. Except one more thing: There's one Chaos Emerald left that no one's collected, in the desert. If I'm right, you'll find Mephiles going after it." Wario took out his Chaos Emerald. "And I'm never wrong. CHAOS CONTROL!"
Wario vanished in a flash of light, leaving Team Dark alone.
"THE WALKING BEACH BALL WAS QUITE RUDE," Omega said.
"Oh, you're one to talk!" Rouge said. "Come on, let's just get to this desert place, so we can get rid of him!"
"Hmph. I agree," Shadow said, skating off.
The ruins of Dusty Desert – Clearly the perfect place to search for a Chaos Emerald. It wasn't lost on Shadow how the Emeralds always turned up when and wherever they were needed, or that they were always in the most treacherous place. Team Dark reached the ruins without much trouble, beyond complaints about sand (mostly from Rouge).
They were more or less just what Shadow expected to find – Booby-trapped, dark, and filled with bats. This wasn't lost on the Mobian bat of the group, who seemed to have a strong dislike for her less-evolved cousins.
"GET OFF ME YOU FLYING RATS!" Rouge yelled, swatting at the black bats that swarmed them as they dashed through the dark hallways.
"You're aware that you're a bat too."
"It's not the same and you know it!" Rouge snapped, as they entered a room that was much better lit… And occupied by shadow monsters. Rouge took the opportunity to use these as an outlet for her anger, smashing them with powerful kicks and bombs.
"I WANTED TO DO THAT," Omega said.
"Take the next ones," Rouge said, calmer than before. The next room was a giant sand pit, which, of course, had shadow monsters in it. Omega wasted no time in shooting them, using Rouge and Shadow as ammunition.
"I thought we agreed to stop that!" Rouge yelled at Omega, flying after the robot as they continued on.
"IT IS MORE EFFICIENT. DOES NOT WASTE AMMO, PLUS SPINDASH FORM IS FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN BULLETS."
All in all, Dusty Desert's ruins were really no different than the numerous desert ruins Rouge had visited. Okay, they were far more bearable than that time she managed to get lost in Sandopolis on Angel Island while looking for Knuckles' new hiding place for the Master Emerald. At least this time there were no seemingly-endless slides that were a pain to deal with.
Shadow himself dealt with the next room full of yet more dark creatures. These ones were snake-like, but were easily dealt with by a few Chaos Spears. Once that room was clear, they moved on to find a huge, circular room, with Mephiles waiting for them.
"I was expecting you sooner. But it doesn't even matter," Mephiles said, holding up the yellow Chaos Emerald. "You're already too late, Shadow. Your fate is sealed. My revenge upon humanity will be completed. Pity you won't be around to see it. In another life, I may have extended an offer to you. That is not the case here."
"You don't truly desire revenge," Shadow said. "All you want is destruction!"
"You know me better than I might have expected," Mephiles said. "True, I do wish for destruction. But none moreso than I wish for yours!" Suddenly, the floor of the room grew dark as Mephiles approached, almost encased in shadow.
"Now!" Shadow yelled, pulling out the Chaos Emerald. Rouge and Omega got into position, Omega charging up his weapons fully and Rouge grabbing onto his head to keep him steady. "Chaos… CONTROL!" Time froze, and Omega's body spun around, blasting everything in the room. Once it was gone, Mephiles was nowhere to be seen.
"Did you really believe your technique would work, Shadow the Hedgehog?" Mephiles' voice rang out, and he and many of his shadow creatures rose out of the darkness. "Impressive, but pointless, nonetheless. Drown in darkness!" Mephiles dove into the shadowy floor, and three titanic beasts made of shadow creatures rose up.
"Whoa! That doesn't look too good. Can we handle it?" Rouge asked. "Oh, who am I kidding?"
"ANHILLIATE!" Omega yelled, setting his hands on fire and clawing at the first one. Rouge swooped over another, coming down from above with a drill kick. Shadow charged his energy and took off, gliding above the ground in a Chaos Boost as an orange aura of energy surrounded him. As it turned out, each member of Team Dark was more than capable of taking down a shadow beast on their own – In fact, it almost seemed like they were a…
Distraction, Shadow supplied himself, just as he leapt out of the way of a dark beam of energy. It missed him by a few feet, but it was more than close enough for him to feel its energy. Whatever that attack was, it was WRONG. It shouldn't have existed. There was more concentrated malice and evil in that one attack than Shadow had ever felt. It crashed into the wall, not leaving a single mark on it. Shadow didn't want to think of what might have happened if it actually managed to hit someone – He had the distinct feeling that rings and extra lives wouldn't matter to an attack like that.
Shadow turned on the spot, catching Mephiles in a spin dash before his doppelganger could hide in the shadows again. The attack caused the shadows on the floor to disappear, leaving Mephiles vulnerable. Shadow, Rouge, and Omega wasted no time in trying Chaos Inferno again, this time actually managing to deal heavy damage to Mephiles.
Then, the unexpected happened: Mephiles duplicated himself. With a silent glance at each other, Team Dark split up, and began attacking the copies.
"It doesn't matter how many of them you destroy, don't you know that by now?" Mephiles' voice rang out from each one. "There's always more where that came from!" More and more duplicates kept appearing, and the team continued attacking.
"What do you hope to gain?" Mephiles asked, just as Shadow noticed that one was different from the others. He continued attacking the clones, though, using homing attacks so he could focus his energy on what he really needed to do. "There's nothing you can do to-"
"CHAOS SPEAR!" Shadow yelled while still in midair, thrusting his glowing hand at the one Mephiles that looked a little less dull than the others, the one with shining crystals. The attack hit dead-on, flinging Mephiles to the floor. Shadow landed next to him, a cold glare on his face.
"How could you… I am… Invincible… I am forever…" Mephiles said, as he melted back into a purple shadow, the yellow Chaos Emerald clattering onto the ground.
"I am Shadow the Hedgehog," Shadow said. "I am the ultimate lifeform. That's all the answer you should need." He brought out the Scepter of Darkness, holding it up to Mephiles. Mephiles was sucked inside, and the Scepter began to glow. Just as it seemed as the deed was done, the glowing grew too bright, and the Scepter shattered.
"Did you truly think that I haven't gotten stronger!?" Mephiles yelled, as he scooped up the Chaos Emerald. "That the same trick would work twice?" Mephiles sent out a surge Chaos Energy, knocking back Rouge and Omega, though Shadow held strong.
"Don't you understand, Shadow?" Mephiles asked, as he floated over to the black hedgehog. "The Ultimate Life has no power over me now. Not even a child of the stars could hope to beat me." He held up his hand with the yellow Emerald, and the green Emerald flew from Shadow into his hand. He sent out another surge of Chaos Energy, knocking Shadow to the ground. "And you, Shadow the Hedgehog… I can't have you messing anything else up." Mephiles raised his arms, and a thousand clones of the doppelganger appeared, surrounding the nearly unconscious Team Dark. Shadow stood up, glaring at Mephiles.
"And yet, you still stand. You must realize there's no hope for you to stop me, now."
Shadow gripped his wrist, removing the ring that was held on his wrist. "I suppose, in a way, I am similar to Sonic." He reached for his other wrist, removing the ring there as well. "I'm too stubborn to give up on what I believe in and die! I AM SHADOW! Witness my true power!" Rouge and Omega got behind Shadow, as a huge burst of energy flashed up from the hedgehog. He skated through the clones of Mephiles, a huge aura of orange surrounding him, dissipating the dark clones as he skated through. Mephiles' army was being destroyed, without Shadow so much as expending effort to do so. Within a minute, every clone had been destroyed – But the original Mephiles was nowhere to be seen.