werewolf lover99: Thanks, I only meant that compared to all the previous chapters, it was sort of a lull in the action, if you will. ^^;
DanceDream: Well, hi! I knew you weren't the biggest fan of Shadow's game, but I'm happy you gave the story a read anyway! I tried from the start to make Shadow relatable at the very least, even in his darker moments, and it's nice to hear that I have mostly succeded with it. :)
Just 'cause this was Shadow's story doesn't mean the others were any less important! Many of the characters' arcs had important impacts on Shadow, like Tails, Knuckles, and Omega, as you said; and Rouge, the Chaotix, and Amy and Cream in their one spotlight chapter, and ESPECIALLY Sonic (naturally, ha ha)...and even the GUN Commander and the President were affected by Shadow (and I surprisingly liked writing about the President a lot).
Also glad someone like the banter between Eggman and Black Doom in that chapter- you have no idea how fun that was to write. XD Anyway, thanks for giving this a chance, and I hope you enjoy these last couple of chapters!
Cf96: Final fight is ALMOST here...Shadow's got one last thing to square away first. :)
Chapter 30: Who I Am
~This is Shadow's Way of Life~
The temperature rapidly depleted with every step that brought me closer to Black Doom. Large stone monuments rose out of the ground like trees, and the ceiling above us was a variant of bright blue and deep red…with a neon blend of purple in the middle.
In a strange alien way, it was portentous.
Nevertheless, I sucked in my breath and climbed over the last step separating me from Black Doom, ready to confront him once and for all…
…and even in the prelude to his demise, he was still acting high and mighty.
"Well done, Shadow…" he hummed to me again, all seven Chaos Emerald hovering in an arch over his head. "You've gone farther than I expected…I'm impressed!"
I said nothing, simply opting to edge closer to him. If I could just get the Emeralds away from him…
"…hmm. You still don't understand, do you?" Black Doom asked me, sounding genuinely surprised. "The future we offer is the only option for these humans..."
"I've heard enough," I finalized, still striding towards him with my hands balled at my sides. "You're boring me to death, Black Doom! You're going down!"
Black Doom appeared to sigh before working himself into that throaty cackle and aiming his demon gaze in my direction.
"Such bravado for a little hedgehog...! I thought you were different from the rest…but maybe not."
"I am my own person," I stated again, finally stopping in front of him. "I cannot be compared to anyone, or anything…!"
Black Doom's eyes seemed to glow with true hatred. "Ahahaha…we are more alike than you know. After all…"
He raised his arm, and I scowled, having been frozen by his abilities once again.
"…the same blood runs through our veins."
The idea of that alone was enough to send a chill rocketing up my spine.
"This can't be-!" I had started to say, but that painful shock rocked my whole body and sent me into shock. This time was far worse than anything I'd experienced previously, the ache from my head exemplified and spread through every fiber in my being.
"NOW BOW BEFORE ME!" Doom suddenly roared, abruptly forcing his arm downwards. With a sickening howl, I was forced to obey, falling to my knees and kneeling before the one I loathed more than anyone I'd ever encountered…
"J-just…just…who ARE you?!" I strained to say through gritted teeth. I managed to use what little strength I had available to me to glare up at him, and if he had a coherent mouth, he would've been gleefully sneering down at me.
"Haven't you caught on yet? You were created from my blood!"
My pupils shrunk as I broke into a cold sweat.
"W-what…?!"
"That's right," Black Doom continued condescendingly, voice betraying the sense of victory he'd been trying so hard to conceal from the beginning. He had this card up his sleeve the whole time- even showed it to me, and I wasn't able to put the pieces together in time…
Me losing my memories just in time for the Black Comet to return must have been the biggest break he could ask for…
"You are a part of me…I know you feel the connection just as much as I do…I can control you…" He egged me on; taunting every advantage he had in my face and making sure that I knew it. "…You cannot escape me…nor can you escape your past!"
Black Doom fell into chortles again; utterly heartless as the situation he had placed me in. There was no soul hidden beneath his ghastly robes; and there was no emotion behind those blood red eyes of his…nothing but arrogance, avarice, and a thirst for blood.
And he had the absolute gall to laugh in my face as I was forced to bow to the bastard, practically kicking me while I was down, rubbing salt in my wounds, and adding insults to all my injuries…
He had so much power over me…
"D-Damn you…!" I stammered to say, trying to get out of my degrading position in hopes of turning the tides in my favor again. "No…this isn't true…"
It couldn't be true, and yet…I knew it wasn't a lie.
ARK Supercomputer Room-
As Sonic and the crew were paralyzed in the interior of the comet, and I was having my showdown with Black Doom, the Chaotix had been left behind in the ARK's computer room, insisting that they would never leave until they had broken into Eggman's files.
However, seeing that they had originally belonged to Professor Gerald Robotnik, and his grandson had layered the data with extra security, they weren't getting in anytime soon.
"Espio…" whined Charmy, obnoxiously shaking his superior's shoulder as he diligently continued to work. "Aren't you in YET?!"
Vector took the moment to push Charmy out of the way once again with his massive hand.
"Quiet, Charmy!" the crocodile ordered abruptly. He then proceeded to lean over the chameleon's shoulder and began badgering him as well. "Espio, we need you to focus, 'cuz if we don't hurry then all the data we recovered will be lost!"
"Easier said than done…!" Espio sang in annoyance, still rapidly banging his fingers along the keyboard. "Who signed me up for this anyway?!"
"THAT'S IT!" roared Charmy, flying well out of Vector's grasp and taking aim at the computer itself. "I'll do it…get out of the way!"
Vector and Espio exchanged a look in the time it took Charmy to dive-bomb straight into the computer, erupting chaos among the three detectives.
"Get back here, you idiot!" bellowed Vector, but Charmy had already crashed into the equipment, giving it quite the stir. Espio was so startled that he stumbled backward and collapsed onto the floor, and Charmy flew back and proudly put his hands on his hips as the files on the screen unscrambled themselves.
Once Espio stood back up, the three looked up at the camera monitor, watching as a fuzzy video of sorts battled to get onto the screen, but after a short few seconds, it cleared itself out, revealing the face of Gerald Robotnik…before his descent into insanity.
Vector, Espio, and Charmy just gaped.
"Hey…it's working!"
And unbeknownst to them, it was being broadcasted everywhere…including the Black Comet.
. . .
"Shadow…" a frail, old voice beckoned to me. "…my son…"
Black Doom must have been as startled as I was to hear the voice, because his control over me had loosened, allowing me to at least move my head around to look for the voice's origin.
"P-Professor…!?"
"What is this?!" Black Doom boomed, searching for the source as well. However, a few virtual screens descended from who knew where, surrounding the entire area with one of Gerald Robotnik's final speeches. Seeing his face stirred something within me, but given my current state, I didn't have much room to react.
"If you're listening to this, then the worst has happened…" the professor droned melancholically, shaking his head. "My son…you need to know the truth."
The truth…at long last?
The message was broadcast everywhere; in the room on the ARK, in the area before me, in the place that Sonic and the others were trapped in, and even every screen on the planet, letting everyone know the truth of fifty years ago…including the now returned GUN Commander and the President, who were watching the footage with wide eyes in the GUN HQ.
"The government plans to shut down our research…and imprison all who know about you. I made a terrible mistake, Shadow…it's all my fault, making contact with that comet…"
"Professor Gerald…?" Tower asked to no one in particular, unable to believe what he was seeing. The President was simply silent as he stood next to him, taking in all of the video's contents.
"Now, listen very carefully…in fifty years, the Black Comet will return…they plan to harness the power to destroy this planet! The only way to stop them was to develop a way to use the very power they intended to use against them…"
"…that's it! This was my grandfather's greatest secret…!" Eggman suddenly shrieked. "It's brilliant…!"
"Shadow…it's up to you and only you to stop them! I developed the Eclipse Cannon…it's the only weapon that can destroy that Black Comet!" Gerald's voice dropped a few octaves, sounding genuinely remorseful for his actions. "Shadow…you are the only hope to save mankind as we know it…the future of this planet depends on you!"
It was a lot for me to take in myself, as I was watching the screen with a glossed-over glaze. But it wasn't until the ever-cheerful Maria appeared on the screen giving her grandfather a hug did it really hit home.
"Don't worry, grandfather!" she hummed happily, hugging him tightly. "Shadow and I will protect the planet!"
Maria turned to the screen, clasping her hand and grinning with a smile that could rival Sonic's.
"Right, Shadow?"
My dear Maria…
The video clip ended then, with me hanging my head as I raced through my thoughts in an attempt to come up with an immediate solution…but no matter what I thought of, there was still one thing that had to be taken care of before anything else.
Black Doom.
"Geraaaaaald!" roared Black Doom, shaking his fists to the sky with rage. "YOU FOOL!"
He turned back to me, glaring devilishly.
"There's nothing that can be done now! I was the leading force in creating Shadow! I've changed him into a soldier of my own design, and I have control over him! HAHAHAHA!"
Maria and Gerald…they had so much faith in me…and in that video alone…
I realized how much they loved me.
Black Doom…having control over me?
No.
Not anymore.
"Nrrgh….nrrgh!"
Black Doom heard my struggling immediately and whipped his head around at the very sound of it. "What's this…?"
Somehow, I'd managed to push myself to one knee. I was paralyzed deeply with pain, but I'd gotten this far- there was no turning back now. I was going all the way!
I'd waited too long to finally overcome Black Doom's control over me…I never had the strength to move against him before, but now I did…
…no amount of blood in my being could keep me down…!
"AAAARGH!" I finally hissed, successfully standing on my feet, raising my fists, and flashing my fangs. Black Doom was clearly ticked by the turn of events, but regardless, he still maintained that air of dominance, like he prepared for every moment.
"Well, well, well…so you've finally managed to become immune to my mind control," he grumbled, disappointed but not defeated.
"You have no control over me, Black Doom; you never really did," I stated boldly, still in bit of a cold sweat. "I now understand why I am here…I made a promise and I'm here to keep it!"
I raised my hand to the sky, as if to exemplify the fact that I finally knew what I had to do.
"Black Doom, there's only two days that really matter in our lives…" I explained, smirking with full confidence for the first time in a long time. "The day we are born…and the day we find out why. And for me, that day is today…and today, I put my past behind me!"
Narrowing my eyes, I charged at Black Doom, raising my fist to give him a well-deserved punch in the face.
"This is who I am…no longer a shadow of what I used to be…" I trailed, the adrenaline of my newly found confidence flowing through me stronger than my own blood. "…now, try to understand, that THIS is what you've made me…"
Vengeance would finally be served.
"…and you're not EVER going to change me!"
At the moment of what should have been a much needed fist to the face, Black Doom had warped out of my line of fire. I had to activate my jet shoes to prevent myself from falling abruptly. I lowered myself naturally, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Black Doom's true demeanor come to the surface.
"Have it your way, Shadow…" Black Doom rumbled under his breath. Dark smog suddenly began to cover the arena, and I wasn't feeling so on top of things anymore. "So be it…prepare to meet your maker! What happens today is that your past, present, and future COME TO AN END!"
I stood straight, keeping composed against what now floated before me…
"Preapre….to die, once and for all! Say goodbye, Shadow, as you witness my truth wrath!"
"Chaos above…" I whispered under my breath, watching as Black Doom went from a two-horned, three eyed alien overlord…to an abomination that was so horrifying to lie eyes on that I didn't wish to describe it.
"…Shadow?" Rouge's voice called out to me, speaking from my communicator. "What's going on? We just saw Professor Gerald…and the Eclipse Cannon…it wasn't intended to destroy the world?"
"Nope…" I trailed, biting my lip. "I'm…going to have to go back to the cannon eventually, but I've got a more immediate problem on my hands right now, everyone."
"What is it?" asked Knuckles.
"Oh, nothing too unbelievable…just that Black Doom absorbed some energy from these rapidly blinking Chaos Emeralds, transformed into this butt-ugly creature, and plans to kill me on the spot. I think he warped outside the comet though…"
"In that case, Shadow, you're just going to have to transform too!" Tails exclaimed. "Black Doom must have called upon the negative energy of the Chaos Emeralds…so you'll have to use the positive energy!"
"That's right!" Amy suddenly got excited too. "He can power up into his Super Form and take out Black Doom!"
I fell silent, glancing up at the Chaos Emeralds still floating above my head. They were glowing and fading on repeat, having been deprived of the negative side of their energy and looking to lose some of the positive.
I had no idea how to draw it out though…
"….um…"
"…Shadow?" Rouge, Tails, and Amy questioned on the other line. "Are you okay…?"
"You have to turn your thoughts into power, Shadow…" Knuckles trailed. "I know it's hard- I still have trouble doing it myself…but to draw on the positive side of the emeralds, you have to think of the good that you're fighting for!"
My eyes locked with the seven emeralds, and it seemed like they were begging me to take on their energy. However, my thoughts were wavering on that thin line of positive and negative, and it wasn't enough to draw the emeralds' power into me…
"I…don't think I can, Knuckles…" I stated, sounding a bit nervous. "I mean…ever since my amnesia occurred, my thoughts -or lack thereof- have been racing, and even with everything I've learned, I can't separate the good from the bad…so how am I supposed to channel that into power?"
"That's not the problem, Shadow."
This was from Sonic, who seemed the calmest out of everyone.
"Thoughts are turned into power, yes…but power is enriched by the heart," he explained, saying so with experience in his voice. "Even if your thoughts are a jumbled mess…or you can't remember them at all…if there is even a shred of doubt in your heart…you're not going to get anywhere."
"So what am I still doubting, Sonic?!" I yelled into the communicator, sounding a bit crazed. "What's left for me to question? I'm a byproduct of a mad scientist and an alien overlord, I was nearly assassinated by the government and my best friend died to protect me, then I'm reanimated fifty years later in order to destroy the world, I'm claimed dead after saving said world, I'm found five months later with amnesia, and three months after that I'm supposed to save the world again…from aliens, no less?!"
"Shadow, not even five minutes ago you said you were putting your past behind you!" Rouge exclaimed sternly. "Where did all these strong feelings come from…?"
"I dunno, but that is a pretty accurate summary of his life," Knuckles chimed unhelpfully, and Rouge growled at him in lack of being able to hit him. "What?! That's dead on and in a nutshell!"
"Knuckles, shush."
"Shadow, that may be relatively accurate, but that just pinpoints where your insecurities are," Sonic commented, still miraculously levelheaded. "You have the memories and all the testimony…but you still have doubts that such a past truly belongs to you."
"But...why would he still question if he's the original or not if he has the memories of the original Shadow?" Tails wondered. "I don't-"
"Well, I'm sure he would be much more confident if someone hadn't meddled into Shadow's affairs and caused more problems than necessary," Sonic hummed darkly. "After all, there's still that five month blank in Shadow's life we haven't filled in yet…"
I fell soundless, as Sonic had pretty much hit the mark, but all of the heroes managed to roll their gazes in Eggman's direction, who had been dead silent through the whole thing. Everyone kept staring at him, expectant for an answer.
"…all right," Eggman finally sighed, defeated. "A secret I one day wished to take to my grave…but if I must speak of it…then fine."
My ears perked up, and I focused solely on my communicator. "Doctor…?"
"Shadow, can you hear me all right?"
"Yes- you're a bit in the background, but I can hear you," I confirmed. Eggman seemed satisfied with this and continued, sounding like he was put into physical pain just by talking about it.
"This might be the last chance I have to speak to you so... what I said about having created you... it was all a lie..." he finally admitted. Rouge gasped sharply in the background, while I froze up again, suddenly feeling a weight lift from my being.
I heard Eggman gulp, hesitant to go on. "Everyone thought you died during that horrible incident... but I rescued you with one of my robots. They found you outside one of my old bases, and you had been on the verge of death…that was the main reason you were in the stasis tube."
"So, you saved my life…and in turn, you used me as a blueprint for your infernal Shadow Androids," I realized. Eggman hesitated again.
"I hadn't anticipated you waking up ever again…you were alive, but not conscious. A coma, if you will. I was going to keep you under my possession forever, and I had built Omega to ensure this was a reality…" his face scrunched up and he tried to glower at Rouge. "Everything would've been just fine if Rouge had never broken into my base…"
Rouge scowled back. "You monster…trapping Shadow, using him for data, making copies of him, messing with his fragile mind…!"
"I didn't know what else to do!" Eggman yelled, sounding genuinely disturbed. "When I found out that Shadow was released, I thought he was going to kill me…but Metal Sonic had managed to plant the idea in your head that you were a Shadow Android too…and when you confronted me yesterday, I decided to roll with it and use it to my advantage, but it backfired horribly on me…"
I said nothing.
"…I'm sorry, Shadow. There is such a thing as going too far…I never meant to deceive you in such a way, although I won't apologize for taking data on you, as that had been my intention from the very beginning…" Eggman was becoming more distraught by the second. "It was a miracle I found you, and all you received as a consequence was a lost memory, that's all…"
I started breathing heavier, and Eggman finished with the one phase I'd been waiting to hear this whole time.
"... you really are the ultimate life form my grandfather created!"
I am…the ultimate life the professor created.
I am…the Ultimate Life Form…
XxX
"Hello, my son…" Gerald Robotnik greeted me, and I only responded with the first blink of my eyes. "If all goes according the plan, then you will do many amazing things in your lifetime…and you may not understand me yet, but I'll tell you anyway that I have high expectations of you…"
Gerald folded his arms behind his back and continued smiling at me.
"And I know you won't disappoint me."
As I'd just been born, in a sense, I slipped into sleep rather quickly, unfortunately not awake to lay eyes on the researchers who got the chance to initially see me first…or young Abe Tower, who was really the first one to see me.
But a few days passed, with Gerald instructing me on the basics of life that I picked up quickly. Eating, sleeping, walking, talking…in a mere seventy-two hours I could do it all, although only at a bare minimum level. But, that was also the day I met Maria…
I remembered waiting in the research lab as usual, with Gerald scribbling away at some papers for a few hours. After what seemed like an eternity of staring at a wall, Gerald spun around in his chair, with his hands folded in his laps.
"…the time has come," he started slowly, a glare in his glasses keeping the expression of his eyes hidden. I perked up at his voice, curious for a new experience. "Today…you're going to meet someone very special, and a matter of fact, she is your reason for existence."
"Reason…?" I asked, and Gerald nodded.
"Yes- your purpose for being here. You see, she has a potentially fatal disease that would have terminated her had she been exposed to the uncontrolled conditions of the world. That's why she was brought here, on the ARK, where we can at least keep her condition stable…"
I remember a tear trickling down his face, and as I'd been young at the time, I hadn't known the meaning behind it.
"However…even with the stability of the ARK, she still doesn't have long to live…" he glanced up at me, and I stared back with wide eyes. "That's how I came up with the idea for you. The ultimate life…would potentially hold the cure that could save her…"
"Ultimate life…" I repeated quietly, just in time for the lab's door to open and reveal a bright blond girl in blue on the other side. She stepped inside curiously, looking around with her brilliant gaze.
"Grandfather…?" she asked, still scanning the room. "You wanted to see me…?"
"Maria!" Gerald exclaimed, rising from his seat exuberantly. He greeted her with a hug, then turned her in my direction. Our eyes met for the first time, and I wasn't sure how to react, but Maria simply gave me a smile and waved at me.
So, I smiled and waved at her too.
"Aw, he's so cute! Is this the ultimate life you intended to make, Grandfather?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at Gerald. Gerald nodded eagerly, clasping his hands together.
"Indeed! This, Maria, is the first step into the next big breakthrough of science…this, Maria, is what is going to save you, my dear…"
The professor became emotional again as he hugged Maria once more, with Maria's gaze locked onto me. I only blinked back.
"…what's his name?" Maria asked, and I glanced up at Gerald.
"What's a name…?"
Gerald seemed genuinely surprised at our questions, but after giving it some thought, he realized they were legit.
"I suppose in my excitement, I've neglected to name him," he admitted, walking over and sitting next to me. "And a name is sort of a way of identification…it's a way of knowing who you are, and letting you stand out from everyone else."
"What's mine?" I asked. Maria turned to her grandfather and folded her arms.
"Yes, what is his name, grandfather?" she repeated, seemingly a bit irritated at the fact that I hadn't been named yet. I must've thought it was some sort of big deal, so I folded my arms and pouted my lip too. Gerald caught sight of this and only ended up chuckling under his breath.
"Heh, well, with the way he is now, we might as well call you Maria's little shadow…" he snickered in my direction.
He had only meant it as a joke, but the mere mention of it seemed to make Maria's eyes light up. She then whirled around and crouched down in front of me, until our eyes were level with each other.
"…say, how would you like to be Shadow? I think it's a cute name," Maria hummed softly. I merely pointed at myself and blinked. I could do little else at that moment in time.
"Shadow…?"
"Yes!" Maria cheered, her laugh echoing in the room. "See, Grandfather? He's already identified himself!"
"…well I'll be," Gerald said at last, adjusting the glasses on his nose. "…so he has. Shadow the Hedgehog…"
He tested the name out, and after hearing it myself, I had to say, it kind of suited me.
From that moment on, Maria, Gerald, and I worked relentlessly every day trying to make a cure for Maria, but not every day was full of hard work or stress. Some days Maria and I would gaze out the window, or play one of her games, or entertain Abe when we had to…
We had our hiccups, but overall, life was good…up until that day Maria died.
I remembered the rainbow of emotions that clouded my mind as I plunged to the world below; wondering what was in store for me next. I could only wonder what Gerald had been doing on the ARK, before he had been captured…
I could only assume he was setting up the trap with the Biolizard.
But I, on the other hand, had instantly been found the moment I landed on the planet, as GUN has easily calculated my trajectory and my estimated time of arrival. My capsule was delivered to Prison Island on the spot, and while I battled and fought to get out, escape was out of my reach. I remembered being kept in an isolated room for the longest time, and they hadn't even put me into a cryogenic sleep yet…
But then, I remembered Gerald coming back one last time.
The guards had sealed him in the room with me, as one of his last requests was a few minutes of alone time with me…I didn't know what to say at time, especially because the professor that had walked into that room was not the same as the one who had created me and loved me as his own.
His gaze was empty, even behind his broken glasses, and that air of confidence and pride was all but gone and replaced by despair and insanity. The loss of his granddaughter had affected him far more than it had me…or so I thought.
He chuckled lowly as he approached me, opening my capsule and offering me my first taste of freedom in so long. I hadn't moved in so long that I couldn't walk, but the professor was there to catch me. His grip was firm and precise, and before I could utter anything at all, I suddenly felt a syringe press into my arm, and my vision went blurry on the spot.
"Wh…wh…"
"The countdown has finally begun," he murmured, his voice lacking that controlled edge it usually had, in favor of a more senseless tone. "All those ungrateful humans, who took everything away from us…will feel our loss and despair."
"Despair…" I droned, his words sticking in my mind strongly.
"I have nothing more to live for! But revenge…that's all that matters to me now. I've designed your mind to perfect, and pure, and I will leave the rest up to you…one day, you will be awakened, and when you do…I want you to promise Maria your revenge on the world. Gather the Chaos Emeralds, and put them into the Eclipse Cannon. It, along with you, has a new purpose now…"
"Maria…I promise you…revenge…" I mumbled, and my eyes started to blink rapidly before falling completely to a close. Gerald Robotnik placed me back into the container and walked over to a console, typing in a password and adding a requirement for a Chaos Emerald.
He was altering GUN's security right under their noses…
When he was finished, he threw the switch, and even as I slowly lost consciousness, I felt myself being lowered into the floor, hopefully hidden from any prying eyes. I heard the faint sound of a guard entering the room, just before I disappeared into the floor.
"…are you ready for your last words?" the head guard asked, just as two others in the room ran in to restrain Gerald. It was pointless though- he never resisted.
"…yes," he finally stated, and as he was marched out of the room, I fell into a cryogenic sleep…for fifty long, dreamless years, and only the false memory of my promise to Maria stayed intact…
Then Eggman awoke me, and I planned on carrying out that revenge, just as I had thought I had wanted, and the fact that it was Gerald who had altered my memories had escaped me (but how Black Doom knew that was beyond me). But surely, I realized what Maria had wanted at the last possible moment…
And I had planned to sacrifice myself for that wish…but I didn't, really.
Somehow, when I had hit the ground, I had lived, and I was conscious, but just barely, like Eggman had said…the memory was fuzzy because of it, but I still recalled being scooped up by a random Egg Pawn and being brought to Eggman's base. I remembered being presented to Eggman, and I vaguely recalled him asking how I was still alive…
…and I had said, "Who…am I?"
And if what Eggman had said was true, I slipped into somewhat of a coma after that, and five months later, Rouge had awakened me…
And that was where all my troubles began…and also, where they finally ended.
XxX
I remember…I remember everything.
The good, the bad, and even the ugly….not everything about my past was beautiful, yet not everything was horrendous either…
It was all me…and I am all of me.
"The ultimate life form, born to ensure peace and preserve life amongst all of mankind…" I trailed to myself, eyes closed as I finally recounted every moment of my life for myself, with no help from the emeralds. "Now, I know what I have to do…"
I know now…just who I am.
Looking up at the Chaos Emeralds again, I was able to channel my thoughts into power, a power that was enriched by the clarity I now had in my heart…my past hadn't been an easy one, but it was mine, and I could finally accept it…
But more importantly, I could finally move on.
I raised my arms and beckoned the emeralds to swirl around me, before closing my eyes again and taking on their positive energy. In a mere moment's time, a rush of Chaos Energy washed through my very being, turning my fur a blistering white and making my quills stand even higher on end.
With nothing holding me back any longer, I took off after Black Doom…ready to set things right after fifty long years of suffering for everyone.
NEXT TIME...Shadow finally faces against Devil Doom, battling the leader of the Black Arms once and for all in a superpowered fight to the finish and...well, I can't make it sound anymore epic than it is, really. xD