Chapter 4: Contacts

"What do you mean, you're from the future?" Shadow asked.

Blaze sighed and held up the two emeralds she was holding. "These two Sol Emeralds allow me to travel through time. I have come to the past to warn you about Sonic. I know what he has done, and what he will do if he is not stopped."

Shadow glared at Blaze. "What does Sonic have to do with this?" he asked, still skeptical. "And what are Sol Emeralds?"

"I will answer your questions in time. In response to your first question, Sonic has everything to do with this. In the future, he has destroyed everything on Earth. I have come to prevent that calamity, but I need your help."

"Of course," Shadow said. "We've been trying to stop Sonic too but it's hasn't gone well. Some of our friends have been killed including Tails, Knuckles and Silver. We foiled his last plot but it seems he's come up with a new one. Since you're from the future, do you know anything about that?"

Blaze shook her head. "I do not know what his plan is now; we must be cautious. What did he say to you when you fought him?"

Shadow shrugged and turned his back to her, opening the closet where the Chaos Emeralds were stored. Blaze looked at them and then at her own emeralds. She looked back at Shadow, her expression grim.

"The emeralds that I have are known as the Sol Emeralds and are as powerful as the Chaos Emeralds. They have almost the same powers, except that they revolve around fire. I have all seven with me. If Sonic gets a hold on these as well as the Chaos Emeralds, the entire world could be in danger. We must find out Sonic's plan before it is too late!"

"I can call Rouge and see if she knows anything; she works for GUN. Maybe she knows what's going on. I know that GUN has been trying to capture Sonic but, like us, they've been failing also."

Blaze thought about this and then nodded. "Very well; contact your friend. If you're right, we may have a lead."

Shadow said nothing as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone. He took a deep breath and started dialing Rouge's number. Little did he know that two red eyes were watching him and Blaze outside the window. They blinked, and then vanished.

Rouge the Bat was in the middle of eating dinner when she heard the phone ring. She sighed and picked it up, holding the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Rouge, it's Shadow. I just want to know if you and GUN have any information about Sonic the Hedgehog."

The bat frowned. "I'm afraid we haven't been able to catch him, if that's what..."

"No, I don't want to hear if you've caught him or not," Shadow said over the phone. "I asked if you have any information. Has Sonic been plotting anything recently?"

"Not that I know of. He's mostly been causing destruction in the city. Why?"

"Recently, he and I fought. He mentioned something about a plan that he came up with, and I was just wondering if..."

"You want me to look into it?" Rouge asked. "I'll do that, Shadow."

"Thanks a lot," Shadow said. After that, the line went dead.

Rouge sighed and hung up the phone. As soon as she did, however, the phone rang again. She sighed in frustration and answered it.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Rouge, it's the GUN commander. Sonic just tipped us off about something, and we want you to go check it out. Come to HQ immediately."

The bat hung up the phone after her briefing, and then raced out the door heading for GUN headquarters. When she left, Sonic walked out into the street and watched her leave before running off, heading in the direction of Kingdom Valley.