Cf96: Thank you! And the last chapter title basically reference Black Doom (Transcedentalism) and Eggman (Imperialism). But here, I'll let you in on a secret- all the chapters are named after a possible path Shadow can take in the game (and there's over 340 paths!), except for the ones named after songs, of course. ;)

SonicSonic54321: Well, things just might go right sooner than you think ;)

Chapter 15: Isolation and Solitude

~Isolated Soldier Shadow~

I was brought back to consciousness by the sensation of something tickling my nose, and after a few minutes of my nose antagonizingly twitching around, I finally stirred. The grass that had been bothering me was prompt brushed away, and I tried to make sense of my bearings.

"Ow…at least I can remember what happened," I moaned, not moving from where I lie sprawled in the grass. I glared up at the clouds, no longer seeing the Sky Troops streaking the sky. But as the events replayed in my mind, I scowled, and I didn't really want to remember what had happened…

But that would only prove me a hypocrite.

"Screw it," I sneered, finally pushing myself up and refusing to pity myself. "I need to find out where I am now…urgh, thanks to Black Doom, the others might get to the Chaos Emeralds before I do! But I'm the only one in the world that knows where they are…so I may still have some time."

My head was throbbing, and I was pretty sure a few of my spines were extra bent, but I was otherwise okay, given that I had fallen from several meters high and landed on my back. Looking down the hill I'd landed on, I saw what appeared to be a warehouse…but why was it in the middle of the forest?

"Well, I can't teleport anywhere until I know my own location…" I sighed, dragging my body toward the warehouse. "Might as well take a quick look…"

Hauling myself to the warehouse's front door had been perilous and downright painful, but I made it eventually. Gripping tightly onto the handle, I pulled myself steady and thrust open the door. Surprisingly, it had been unlocked, and even more startling was the fact that the room was absolutely empty.

"And the plot thickens…"

I scoped the area quickly- for all the square feet the place house, not even an inch of it was covered by anything. The pastel gray walls were stainless, and the floor was spotless too, like nothing had ever even resided there. Like the warehouse was built without ever needing to be used.

"There's got to be something to this place…" I pondered quietly, stepping into the room. My footsteps echoed with heavy thuds, and I realized that the floor was made of metal…and also very dusty. Waving off the particles as they were agitated into the air, I looked around for anything out of place…

And found it.

"Brightly glowing red and green buttons on the wall…how inconspicuous," I hummed sarcastically, sauntering over and giving it a look. After thinking it over for a bit, I pressed the green one, and believe it or not, the floor began to open up, revealing that the true secret of the warehouse was somewhere underground.

"Bingo." I stared down into the abyss, wondering what lurked down below. "…although, I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this…"

Sighing melancholically, I stepped forward and leapt into the unknown, once again.

Iron Jungle-

The "basement" of the warehouse went down father that I imagined- tree roots and vines were visible above, along with a few gathered pools of water, but there were definitely signs of mechanical tampering. Metal paths crisscrossed the underground, red pillars held everything up, and black and yellow signs attempted to ward off intruders…

The place reeked of Eggman, needless to say.

The very second I landed, I took a few moments to recover from the dismount, but as soon as I looked back up, I regretted it instantly. I swore that the color flushed from my face, because when I stared back up…

…I was looking back at me.

"Huh?!" I yelped, back-flipping away from the apparent contradiction. "What the-?!"

Now a little farther away, I could see that there wasn't just one of me- there was a whole army of them, staring soullessly and silently back at me, almost beckoning me in a way. I stayed slightly in a fighting position, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

"H-How can this be…?! WHO ARE YOU?"

None of them gave me an answer, and I feared that I already knew.

Seeing row after row of my look a likes was enough to make me feel faint, but nothing more so than Eggman flying over me in his Egg Pod, looking way more pompous and proud than he usually was.

"Listen up, Shadow Androids!"

I flinched slightly, seeing as I assumed he'd go bonkers if he knew I'd infiltrated one of his many lairs, but he passed harmlessly over me, as if I wasn't even a threat…as if I was just one of the many…

As if I wasn't even there.

"The Eggman fleet is still going strong, but those black creatures are a formidable adversary! I must return to the base to devise a new plan…"

And he disappeared into the halls of his own base, completely disregarding my presence.

Significantly horrified, I just brought my hands up to my face and tried to discern myself from the slew of robots standing before me. After all, not even Eggman had been able to…

"Shadow…Androids?!" I winced, sounding weaker than I had wished. "Am I…an android…too?!"

Before it had just been a theory; nothing more than a speculation…but now…it was becoming more and more likely that I really wasn't who I thought I was. The overwhelming realization forced me to the ground, and I couldn't help but tremble.

"You're the one that wanted to know."

That scathing voice…again.

Hissing over my shoulder, I whirled around to sneer at Eggman's relatively placid face on the monitor.

"If it wasn't for those scrapes you so adamantly adorn, I wouldn't have been able to pick you out of the crowd!" he continued with far too much glee. "So why don't you join your brothers and get to work preparing for my next assault!"

His monitor circled me like I was wounded prey, and I stayed put, simmering in my rage.

"As a matter of fact, I am on my way back to my base to restore order! However, GUN followed my flagship as it was landing and now they're on my tail…if you could just take the time to dispatch them for me, that'd be swell-"

I flared red, and Eggman's Monitor promptly dove for cover.

"You are absolutely deplorable," I seethed, clenching my fists tightly. "No wonder you've failed so much over the years…you're so underhanded that it ends up being your downfall! People aren't as inferior as you think they are, you know. It's no wonder a band of them has risen up to take you down so many times!"

"Huh, that's quite a heap of irony, coming from you," Eggman puffed right back. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Perhaps, but just because you think you can control me doesn't change my objective. I'm still coming for you, Eggman…even if I have to be the last 'android' standing!"

"Still don't believe me?" Eggman asked incredulously with a headshake. "A pity for you, then. You really enjoy finding out things the hard way, hmm? After all, even Metal Sonic was aware of your true origin, as I sure you recall…"

I gritted my teeth, recalling those unpleasant times in Bingo Highway and Bullet Station. I grabbed the monitor again, and Eggman screeched.

"That. Doesn't. Change. A thing. You've had a hand in all the misery that's been brought upon me, and you're either going to give me the complete truth or forfeit your life keeping the secret."

"You're bluffing," Eggman deadpanned, and I matched his expression.

"A pit for you, then. I guess we'll just find out when I bust into your headquarters and rip that mustache right off your face, won't we?"

Eggman cringed and turned off his connection to the monitor; I tossed it away and started marching onward to launch my campaign.

Revenge upon the doctor indeed.

. . .

Egg Pawns and GUN Soldiers alike were mercilessly taken care of, but they were hardly a fleeting fancy to me. I was tearing down the path at a blistering speed and making great time…when I was suddenly being shot at.

"What the hell?"

I dove to the ground and shielded myself with a broken Egg Pawn, peering around to get a glimpse of my attacker.

"Must eradicate all Eggman robots!"

Well, I guess I didn't need to look.

"All Shadow Androids must be destroyed! They compare not to the original Shadow!"

I reeled back when bullets started becoming lodged in my makeshift shield at a rapid rate, and I did the crazy thing and jumped out in the open, waving my arms to hopefully call off the rampaging robot.

"E-123 Omega, stop it!" I ordered. Omega didn't respond immediately, but he whirled to face me and raised his blasters anyway.

"Are you…the original?" he asked, and I knew answering either way could possibly result in the wrong answer. I ended up cringing and glancing at the ground.

"…you know we're both unclear on that answer," I murmured. I could sense Omega increasing his precision by the sound of whirling gears.

"Response is not sufficient enough. Confirm identification."

I cursed under my breath and kept my hands up- Omega and I might've gotten closer as teammates in the past, but that still didn't make it fine for him to hold me at gunpoint. Honestly.

"Can't you just scan my wavelength or heat signature or… something?" I asked impatiently, rolling my eyes. Omega shook his head.

"Impossible. Presence in Eggman's territory jams my most acute sensors. Detection scan unable to be processed with accuracy."

Him and those sensors…

"Well, would it mean anything if I told you that the last time we met was aboard the Final Fortress?" I asked, and I saw Omega lower his gun ever so slightly. "Remember how I said our paths could possibly cross again one day? And how I was going to find my place in this world…"

"…I recall this exchange," Omega admitted. "But this does not clarify if you are the original or not."

"…we don't know, Omega," I insisted, growing temperamental. "Remember…I told you that I couldn't destroy a Shadow Android myself because…if I am one…"

My voice caved, and I really didn't want to continue. I hadn't back then either.

Omega stared at me for what seemed like hours before he finally put his guns away, replacing them with his sharp, metallic hands. I released a sigh of relief I didn't know I'd been holding in, and stuck out my hand.

"Good to see you again, old friend."

"The same salutations to you, Comrade Shadow," Omega replied, gripping my hand and giving it a firm shake. "However, testaments sent to me from Comrade Rouge state that you are not to be trusted…?"

I puckered, then raked my mind for a proper solution.

"It's actually just a huge misunderstanding," I explained, which wasn't too far from the truth. Omega just glanced emptily at me and awaited more explanation. "I'm here to get back at Eggman for messing with me one time too many…he's taken his sick jokes way too far!"

"I agree with this proposal." Omega nodded, sounding intrigued. "But…what is your course of action if you do turn out to be an android?"

I froze, as I had been in such denial about the whole thing that I hadn't considered the consequences had it been true. Leave it to Omega to bring up the worst…

"…we'll cross that bridge if we get to it," I muttered. "Do you have any idea where Eggman went?"

"If you are searching for Eggman, he's fleeing aboard his airship, the Egg Balloon."

"He never gets creative with the names, does he?"

Omega missed my bad stab at humor.

"If you wish to confront him, help me ground the vessel."

"I can help you stall it, sure," I stated, beginning to take off into the Iron Jungle. "But grounding it completely shall be your objective."

"…affirmative," the robot finally responded, swapping to his blasters and following after me. "I welcome any assistance you wish to offer."

I was about to make a comment to that, but a shadow suddenly cast over us, despite the fact we were underground. The both of us glanced up, only to see a large red blimp hovering by without a care in the world…

…until Omega started firing at it.

"Annihilate! FIRE! FIRE!"

Some things never change.

I let Omega have his fun, while I watched the direction of the rapidly escaping balloon. It was headed toward the north, meaning that there was something of interest in that general direction…

"And now I know where I'm going!" I declared, running off. Omega followed closely, if only to keep up with the fleeing Egg Balloon. While he was taking care of that, I swept up any Egg Pawns that were putting up a resistance and any GUN soldier or two that were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Omega apparently didn't care much either- he simply whirled in place when a cluster of any one came up to him, and robots and humans alike were tossed about in seconds.

"Attention all Egg Pawns and Shadow Androids!" Eggman's voiced echoed from the Egg Balloon. "It appears that we have two vigilante robots romping around my secret base! Under no circumstances allow them to infiltrate the base's core! Do you understand?"

The sound of a whole squadron of robots stomping and saluting reverberated all throughout the Iron Jungle, and Omega and I exchanged a fast glance before plunging on. The Egg Balloon had momentarily escaped for the time being, which was fine, since we now had our hands full with robots and androids.

"…you take the androids," I ordered in a whisper, already locking my sights on the Egg Pawns. I could sense the hesitation coming from Omega after I'd said it.

"Are you sure you want me to destroy them?"

"…the less Eggman has, the better."

Omega detected my bittersweet tone, but following instructions, he swapped to his guns and began assaulting on the Shadow Androids. I tried to focus strictly on the Egg Pawns, dodging their moves and counterstriking with my own, but it was hard, hearing every strike that Omega managed to deal. While I was punching straight through one of the robots, I unintentionally caught a glimpse of Omega launching a beam at an android, and effectively blowing its head right off.

"OOMPH-"

I'd felt my stomach do a flip at the sight, just as another Egg Pawn was taking revenge for its fallen brethren. I had the wind knocked out of me as I fell to the ground, facing Omega completely trashing all of my replicas. I saw a missile go right through my duplicate's stomach, leaving a mess of sparking wires behind. Another fell to pieces after a single punch, metal scraps clinking lifelessly to the ground. Omega was blissfully unaware of my turmoil- after all, I had given him the go ahead.

And just thinking…that could be me.

I felt something heavy trying to crush my head, forcing my attention back to the gang of Egg Pawns that were assaulting me. One was body slamming me, while another was on its back to increase the weight.

"I don't think so," I grumbled, kicking them both off rather harshly. They flew across the area, slamming into the Shadow Android that Omega was currently locked in combat with. I winced as the force knocked the android off the edge, toppling into the endless abyss below. Omega finally caught the look of shock on my face, destroying the remaining machines with no more than two missiles and marching over to me.

"Will you be able to continue to function?"

Breathing heavily, I accepted the hand Omega offered and pulled myself off. "…I'll be fine. It's just not every day you get to witness yourself get torn apart like that…"

"My condolences. Perhaps I was a bit too brutal."

"It's all right, Omega. You were just doing what you thought was right…"

I glanced back at the pile of tattered androids and grimaced. Finally pulling myself away from the sight, I beckoned to Omega.

"Come on; we're letting the Egg Balloon get away."

Omega seemed to come fully to life after hearing this, his speed increasing tenfold.

"Why do we linger longer than necessary? After the doctor!"

He grabbed me and yanked me along, and for the first time, I questioned which one of us was truly faster.

. . .

Fueled solely by Omega's determination and dedication, we caught up with the Egg Balloon in record time. As soon as it was within sight, Omega tossed me away and began firing at it, but it was literally just out of his range.

"This feat would be much easier to complete if Comrade Rouge was accompanying us," he grumbled, and I felt my ears twitch. Omega apparently expected a reply, but I never gave him one. "…what troubles you this time?"

"…I haven't seen Rouge since yesterday, and that was way back at the GUN Fortress," I recounted for him, shaking my head. "When did you last hear from her?"

Omega searched his databanks and dinged when he came up with the answer.

"It was shortly after she regained contact with the red echidna," he explained. "She relayed all relevant developments related to our current situation…"

"Things like what?" I asked, paying a bit too much attention to all the white Eggman insignias plastered everywhere.

"Well, she informed me that Knuckles had succeeded in his mission, although he let you get away with the fourth Chaos Emerald…and she also went with the young hedgehog girl and her rabbit companion to search for the final two emeralds."

Great…

"They'll never find them," I huffed with a sting of overconfidence. "I'm the only person left in the world who knows where they are located…"

"Continuing report," Omega blatantly ignored me and carried on. "Rouge departed with the two girls to explore a particularly vast jungle somewhere to the east of Westopolis…"

"…how would she think to look there?" I wondered slowly. Omega gave the equivalent of a shrug.

"It is lost on me. However, she mentioned not a word of you, other than your obtaining of the Chaos Emerald…"

Our contemplating came to an end, as the Egg Balloon had blown an engine and came to a halt for repairs. Omega lunged at the opportunity like it was prey while I scurried after him. A discarded bazooka of sorts rested on the ground, so I scooped it up and bounded to a higher place.

"Omega! Cover me!" I yelled down to my companion, who saluted me in response.

"Copied."

I kneeled down and took aim at the side of the Egg Balloon was Omega blasted away any projectiles that were coming for me. When I had a clear shot, I launched a shot from the bazooka, almost falling off my perch from the kickback.

"My counterstrike force will take care of you all!" Eggman yelled, opening a hatch from beneath the Egg Balloon. A small squad of Shadow Androids jumped out, looking bloodthirsty for destruction. "Don't interfere with them!"

I stalled, watching the android fall gracefully from the Egg Balloon and land in a fighting stance, just like I would have. They instantly locked their gazes onto Omega and jumped at him. I attempted to fire another shot at the Egg Balloon, but Eggman had finished his repairs enough to forge onward again. I started going after him, until Omega called out to me.

"Assistance required!" he blared, being outnumbered by the four Shadow Androids. They were as evasive as I was, dancing around Omega's attacks like they weren't even there. Omega fought back mercilessly, but they were always behind him, like shadows…

"Shadow!" Omega barked again. "Launch the bazooka!"

I was shocked at his rapid change of tone, causing me to instantly raise the bazooka again and carefully aim at only the androids. I was actually doing pretty well until one of them looked at me, grinning with the same sneer I always gave to my enemies.

My finger froze on the trigger.

"Comrade Shadow, what are you waiting for?!" Omega cried, three of the androids swarming him and pounding on his exterior. His defense may have been higher than the average Eggman robot, but that didn't mean he could hold out forever…

The fourth android kept staring sickly at me, raising a hand and gesturing me to attack.

"Come on; why are you holding back?" it taunted in my own voice. "Aren't you going to help your friend?"

My left hand trembled slightly.

It was then that I heard a sickening metallic thud, and I snapped back to attention just in time to see Omega on the ground with the androids trying to break him. Omega called out to me one more time…but how could I shoot them?

"What if I am an android?!" I winced to myself, locking eyes with the same android again. "Isn't it wrong…to go through with this?"

"Comrade Shadow," Omega began, trying to get back up again. "Even if you are an android…you are superior to these mindless machines! You have aspirations, awareness, and memories to call your own-"

"But Eggman said they were a lie!" I yelled back, slamming my fist into the nearest object. "What am I supposed to believe? Who am I supposed to believe?! Why do you think I'm desperately searching out the Chaos Emeralds?!"

"The Doctor is the liar," Omega affirmed, his automated voice coming off as gravely serious. "There had to be a reason why he had you in that separate room. Why would he seal you off away from all the other androids if you were really as insignificant as he implicated? After all, he deployed me in there as a last resort to prevent any infiltration to your containment…"

The androids yanked harder on Omega, but his resisting had given up a while ago.

"Shadow, regardless of what has been conveyed otherwise, I believe you are the original! Prove it by taking out these androids, and standing up to the doctor once and for all!"

His head was forcibly slammed into the ground by the fourth android, which glanced back up at me and started cackling insanely. Growling back, I finally found the strength to fire the bazooka.

The kickback this time was enough to knock me right off my perch, and once again I landed on my back, all too soon. I writhed in pain for a few seconds before sitting up, seeing pieces of Shadow Androids strewn everywhere. I feared that the strike was too strong and Omega had been swept up in it too, but he emerged out of a pile of rubble and simply brushed off bits of dust, like it hadn't even affected him at all.

"Excellent, Comrade Shadow. Use that amount of force on all the Eggman robots, and I'll be exponentially satisfied."

I just gaped at him for a bit before shaking it off and standing straighter.

"Omega…did you really mean what you said?"

"It is what I currently place my 'trust' in, as you call it, so yes. That is what I believe."

I looked at my arm for a moment, then at one that once belonged to an android, then back at my own arm. Omega caught my gaze and quickly yanked my arm into the air.

"Do not get any ideas."

"I won't need to have any if you keep manhandling me this way."

Omega promptly let me go after that, and I crashed into the ground for the third time since I arrived at the Iron Jungle. Omega whirled around and marched north again.

"Come. We've lost some ground thanks to that android ambush."

I nodded silently, picking myself up and trudging after Omega.

We had fought so much in the past…but now, it seemed like he was the only one I could confine anything in. I couldn't even talk to Rouge anymore, seeing how strongly she felt about the whole Black Arms situation…but with Omega, he was so anti-opinionated and unbiased that it was easy to receive a straight answer from him.

Unless it was anything related to Eggman, but still.

Sometimes, it seemed like Omega knew more about everything than anyone else, and that's what always astonished me the most…

For being a robot, he could certainly read people's emotions exceptionally well.

. . .

Omega and I chased after the Egg Balloon, hoping we hadn't lost too much ground on it. I casually rode along some grind rails to pick up some speed, and Omega did accompany me in doing so, but he wasn't really thrilled by it.

He was still stuck on his belief that it was ridiculous for a robot to be riding a grind rail, and I really couldn't argue…

When we reached the next area, Omega was off the grind rail long before me, and already scanning the place for signs of adversaries. At first it had been clear, but then a set of Egg Pawns decided to drop in unexpectedly.

"Multiple targets detected on radar! Eliminate all threats!" Omega announced, counting ten of the machines just by a quick glance. I scoffed, pulling out the green Chaos Emerald.

"Yes, but as per usual, they are dangerously outmatched."

I tossed the Emerald into the air.

"You know what to do!"

"Affirmative!"

I caught the Emerald and yelled, "Chaos Control!", halting all movement of the menagerie of robots. Omega then took the opportunity to spin around and sweep them all to pieces with his inferno beam, completing a move we liked to call "Chaos Inferno".

Although, it wasn't truly complete without Rouge.

We'd taken out a good chunk of them, but there were a few stronger ones still lingering, barricading the door that lead into the next area. I tried forcing my way between them and breaking through the door, but I just thudded against it and ended up ricocheting onto the ground.

"Oh ho ho ho ho! How pathetic!"

Eggman's voice boomed throughout the room. I scowled and looked around for him- he was hovering in the damned Egg Balloon again.

"My specially-selected robots are keeping the door to this room secure! Good luck dispatching them, suckers!"

I wanted to keep silently glowering at the doctor's pathetic balloon, but Omega nudged me into the fight with the three enforced Egg Pawns. In turn, I nudged Omega behind me and told him to stand back.

"What do you plan to do…?"

"What I should have a long time ago…" I grimaced, Eggman's heckling laugh and condescending voice bouncing around in my head.

"Tell me, Doctor…what was I doing…asleep on that base? And what about my memory?"

"Your memory? Hmph, what memory? You have no past to remember!"

Omega took a step back as a beam of red shot up from where I was standing.

"No. I'm not destructive…and I didn't cause that blast…"

I flashed open my eyes, staring soullessly at the three Egg Pawns that dared to challenge me.

"Perhaps…it's true…perhaps I have nothing to remember…and I am destructive…"

The Egg Pawns took several steps back, only to be cut off by the very door they were selected to guard.

"Stop…opposing…me…"

"CHAOS BLAST!"

Omega took cover instantly, while the expulsion of negative Chaos Energy completely wiped out the robots and the door behind them. With them annihilated, I dashed forward, with Omega doing his best to keep in step behind me. The Egg Balloon hadn't retreated too far away, so when I got close enough, I climbed up a red and yellow pole until I was nearly even with the Egg Balloon.

"Egg Balloon ascending," Omega informed, as if telling me to hurry up and strike. I gave him a curt nodded and threw myself at the balloon, landing on it far easier than I had with his latest flagship.

I could hear the alarms going off inside the Egg Balloon, alerting Eggman to my presence. He leaned out the window and practically spat at me.

"Hmph, haven't had enough, eh? Looking to be knocked into an abyss rather than just few measly meters out of the sky?!"

"You know exactly what I want!" I barked, steaming red once more. Eggman chortled at me, only serving to further enrage me.

"Clearly you need to be put back in your place, android." He annunciated the last word with extreme acidity. "Maybe I'll take you back to the base to reprogram you…we can start fresh and clean, cleanse you of these so-called 'memories' that you have!"

"You'll do no such thing!" I howled, the pent-up Chaos Energy flowing wildly out of me and without control. Omega watched from below, seeing what could only be described as the Egg Balloon bursting and erupting in furious fuchsia flames.

"Ballistic damage confirmed on Egg Balloon. Continuing assault."

Eggman tried to shake me off again, but this time I had a metal pole to hang on to, and I wasn't letting go for anything. He muddled over the fact that he couldn't get rid of me that easily, but he was particularly ticked when I pulled the bazooka on him.

"You ingrate…who do you think your enemy is?!"

I bared my fangs and opened my mouth, but sound escaped me when I realized I didn't have a concrete answer.

I despised Black Doom with every fiber in my being, but he still knew something about my creation…and simply about me, and it was for that reason alone I could never entirely turn away from him. I didn't even entirely hate humans anymore, after seeing how kindhearted Maria had been, and the dedication of Gerald Robotnik…but the humans still tried to kill me when I offered up my assistance! Sonic and his friends certainly weren't my enemies…but they were all conspiring against me, even Rouge…so what did that make them now? And Eggman…I loathed him too, but there was something in my gut saying that he wasn't completely distrustful…but why?!

"Who do you think your enemy is?!" Eggman demanded again, and I lashed right back at him.

"I don't know!" I screamed, shaking with rage and rattling the whole Egg Balloon. "I don't know who I'm against! I don't even know who's on my side anymore! I've been stabbed in the back so many times that it physically hurts!"

Utter misery stung at my eyes, and I knew Eggman could see it, because he abashedly turned away for a second or two. However, he whirled right back around again with a newly ignited vigor that certainly hadn't been there before.

"Well, that's certainly not my problem, now is it? All you need to do to get me off your back is hand over the Chaos Emeralds and tell me the location of the rest of them! You won't hear a peep from me after that!"

I gritted my teeth scornfully.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about! You reel me in, then try to double cross me for the Chaos Emeralds! Tell me, am I really just some android of yours?! Or are you just lying to me to mess with me for some sick thrill?!"

Eggman reeled back in his seat, but flashed forward with another wave of confidence.

"Who cares what you are?! The whole world is against you! You can't turn to anyone anymore! In that way, maybe I've won and I haven't realized it until now! You're alone in this world…and finding out who you really are won't change a bit of it at all. Everyone's still going to hate you for all that you've done! Whether you're the original or a robot, it doesn't matter to me…because you're dead to me."

He drove the Egg Balloon full speed ahead, but he didn't shake me before I left a parting gift in the form of another Chaos Blast. The Balloon went dangerously off-kilter after that, diving downward and nearly scraping me against the wall.

And that was when I let go, too weak from my three Chaos Blasts in a row to hang on any longer.

XxX

"Shadow…it's palpably obvious that something's really bothering you, and if you'd just explain maybe we can-"

"You know more than you're letting me in on," I said vigorously, not even bothering to look at the albino bat. Rouge's ears began to droop, for she knew she was cornered.

"Shadow, you know I would never lie to you-"

"Then why haven't you been telling me the truth?" My fist slammed into the stone pillar standing innocently next to me, crumbling after receiving impact. "That blue hedgehog…he's Sonic, the guy you knew…and he apparently knows who I am, along with his little friends! He's the guy in my vision, he's the blue streak I caught running through Seaside Hill…and he knew me."

"Look, it sounds like you've got a bone to pick with Sonic, not me," Rouge scoffed, shrugging aloofly, though her ears were a dead giveaway to how she truly felt about the situation.

"Tell me everything, Rouge," I had demanded, my voice completely devoid of humor. "Anything, regarding Sonic, regarding me…or maybe even regarding yourself."

Rouge's ears snapped back to their original position, and I watched as she practically transformed in front of me. Her wings stretched out with her rising inner anger; her fangs pierced out of her angry frown, and she was absolutely disconsolate.

Huh, her mood actually managed to match mine.

"Fine, Shadow, fine!" Rouge practically hissed, quaking now. "If you really want me to tell you that you once wished revenge upon the world and vowed to destroy it, that you once assisted in blowing up half the moon, that you changed your mind in the end, sacrificing yourself for Sonic, me, and the entire world…and that you're supposed to be dead, then fine! There you go. Hope you're happy."

My frustration drained away in an instant, completely replaced by sheer shock. Rouge began marching away, letting her words sink as deep as they needed to go.

"Don't you think I kept my mouth shut for a reason? If I had blabbed all this to you in the first place, we wouldn't be where we are now, especially since I now have to cope with the possibility that those aren't your memories, because you could…possibly not have any memories, like Eggman said. You could possibly be an android. And maybe…"

Her hand reached into her pocket, clenching it around the inhibitor ring that rested within.

"…the Shadow that I knew is still gone. And maybe he's never coming back."

XxX

Eggman's Egg Balloon had careened away as soon as I let it go, leaving me to free fall onto the many iron platforms that made up the path to the mad doctor's base. Rouge's rant at me back at Hang Castle was suddenly fresh in my mind again, and I remembered how I couldn't trust what she said because I couldn't remember for myself…

But that didn't stop me from blindly following Black Doom.

I inwardly cringed, silently cursing myself for being so stupid and blind. It was no wonder I was truly alone in the world- I drove everyone away, in one way or another…

And now it was like the world was my enemy, and I still didn't even know what I was fighting for…

I landed haphazardly, but at least my back hadn't slammed into flat metal or rough ground this time. What I did land in, however, was Omega's arms, who was busy staring at the spot where Eggman had vanished into the core of his base.

"Omega…" I murmured weakly, still drained from the excessive Chaos Energy usage. "No matter how much faith you have in me…maybe I should cut and run while I'm ahead…Eggman certainly knows where to hit where it hurts, that's for sure."

Omega blipped out of his intense staring and glanced down at me.

"The Eggman lies coldly and excessively. Do not believe a word he spews out of his mouth. I know he lies…because you are most certainly not an android, and you are not alone in the world."

I stared right back at him.

"And how do you know for sure?" I asked with little enthusiasm. "This isn't just your bitter hate for the doctor talking, is it?"

"If you were truly an android, I would not have been skeptical on the fact and you'd probably be destroyed right now as we speak."

"Gee, thanks for making me feel better about my existence, Omega."

"And you are not alone, because you have my loyalty. As do you have Rouge's, and all of those other furry creatures'…"

"If they're loyal to me, then why do they want me dead?" I questioned, closing my eyes. I heard Omega's processor whirl with contemplation.

"They never said this, have they? And if they have, it certainly wasn't mentioned to me."

I mumbled incoherently in response. Omega bleeped.

"If I were to compile the data and process what I already know, I'd come up with the conclusion that they just want you to be you again, no matter what path you decide to take."

"…why are you getting so psychological with me? You're a robot!"

"I'm simply going by the observed data I've collected and processed. I am only conveying the most probable results. Sensors never lie."

'I know, I know," I murmured, not wanting the explanation again. "But that group sucks at conveying that though- especially since Rouge held a rifle at me at point blank!"

Omega carried me to the entrance to a barricaded tunnel after that- the very same that Eggman and his lame balloon had disappeared behind. I frowned slightly as Omega suddenly burned with desire to ultimately destroy the doctor and all of his robots.

"Up ahead is the doctor's base. Shall we depart?"

"Might as well," I huffed. "I didn't just get beat up several times to turn around and go back- the doctor's really asking for a punch to the face, if you want my opinion."

Omega blasted a hole in the door, offering us a way forward. I leaned up a little in Omega's arms and shouted down the corridor.

"Did you hear that?! Now, Doctor, you will tell me everything!" I shouted, my strong voice echoing down the passageway. "You can't escape me; I will find the truth from you, even if I die trying!"

And I meant every word.

Next time, Shadow and Omega continue their quest to put a stop to Eggman, but when Shadow has a breakdown, it's up to Omega to get him back on track again.