Chapter 55: Hope
"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight," Shawn said as he mentally recapped all the answers Shadow just gave him. "You're a spirit, or something like one, of a super powerful being known as The Ultimate Life-Form who was created on another ARK that existed before this one by a past version of Gerard and Black Doom. You were then hunted down by the G. U. N. soldiers of the previous Mobius who killed a past version of Marie while you got put into suspended animation like I did. Fifty years after, you were woken up by Eggman while he was alive and helped him activate the Eclipse Cannon of the previous ARK, which nearly crashed into Mobius, but you had a change of heart and stopped it from colliding into Mobius with Sonic's help.
"However you lost all your power and fell toward Mobius, causing everyone to think you were dead when you really weren't. Instead, you were found by Eggman and placed inside a healing pod which Rouge the Bat woke you up from. But you couldn't remember anything that happened previously until your encounter with Black Doom whom you eventually defeated after learning more about your past. Then after several adventures with Sonic and his friends you were killed by Metal Sonic and reborn inside me. Is that about right?"
Shadow nodded and walked up to Shawn till he was a foot's length away. "Now do you understand why I tried to save Marie?"
"Yes, but I don't know if I can forgive you for it," Shawn said, looking down. "If you hadn't interfered, she might still be alive today."
"Do you really believe what the Commander told you?" Shadow said mockingly. "His inclination to blame me for the events that occurred onboard this ARK stems from his previous life where he was also the Commander of G. U. N. and he blamed me for what happened to that ARK as well."
"So everything that has been happening up till now…already happened before?" Shawn looked at Shadow's eyes which didn't shift.
"Exactly," Shadow responded. "Now if we don't come to terms with each other, Black Doom may actually conquer Mobius this time."
"But why is it up to us? Can't Sonic and his friends take care of this?"
"Because we're the only ones who can, and this is why."
The screen where Shadow had been showing Shawn all of the things that happened while he was in control of Shawn's body lit up, and Gerard's face appeared. His eyes were obscured by his shades but he had a solemn look on his face. The room behind him was sparse and Marie's figure could be seen lurking in the open doorway.
"This was a private conversation Gerard had with me prior to the massacre," Shadow explained. "He wanted me to tell you this when Black Doom showed up again but I think it would be best if he told you."
"Shadow the Hedgehog," Gerard said slowly."If Shawn is within you somewhere, I want you to let him know that in fifty years the Black Arms aliens will return inside the Black Comet, their ultimate weapon. Their intention is to take over the world and harvest energy from the human race. Under the threat of annihilation I promised their leader, Black Doom, that I would collect the Chaos Emeralds for him so that the Black Comet may be transported to Mobius' surface. If I die before completing this task, I want Shawn to take over for me but he must not give the Chaos Emeralds to Black Doom under any circumstances! Instead, he should use them to power the Eclipse Cannon, which is the only weapon that can completely destroy the Black Comet and the reason I built it in the first place."
"Don't worry, Grandpa!" Marie said as she came up behind Gerard and held Shadow's hand. "Shadow and Shawn will save the world, and I'll be there rooting for them!"
Gerard chuckled and put an arm around Marie. "That's right. We're counting on you, Shawn and Shadow. You're our only hope."
As the image on the screen faded, Shawn sighed heavily. "Well, that's just great! I did exactly what Gerard told me not to do. We're screwed, aren't we?"
"Not yet," Shadow said, pinching Shawn's arm. "If we can get the Chaos Emeralds from Black Doom, there might be a chance to destroy him and the Black Comet."
"But how? Black Doom's got me paralyzed and there are slug-things that I'm pretty sure are about to eat me right now."
"Let me take over."
"What?" Shawn got out of Shadow's grip and backed away. "No. I'm not going through that again."
"I've dealt with Black Doom's mind-control powers before, so it won't affect me. Plus, I need to be in control in order to unlock the 'miracle' that happens when all the seven Chaos Emeralds are together and that's the only way we're going to be able to defeat Black Doom."
Shawn thought about it for a moment and then he said, "Fine. I'll let you take over if you promise to find a way to extract Black Doom's blood from my system so you don't have to permanently control me. But in exchange, I'll call on you when I need your help in the future."
As Shawn held out his hand, Shadow hesitated before he shook on it. "Deal."
"Then I guess we're settled," Shawn responded.
###
When Shadow came to, the slug-creatures were all over his body and were about to sink their pincer-like jaws into his flesh.
"Chaos Blast!" Shadow cried, emitting a wave of energy from his body that vaporized the slugs completely and pierced the surrounding walls.
Several footsteps came running toward Shadow, who steadily rose from the floor and warped in the direction they were coming from. They turned out to be hordes of Black Arms aliens, which Shadow plowed through with ease. He made his way to the center of the Black Comet, where he figured Black Doom was hiding as the number of aliens he fought grew larger. His assumption proved true once he reached the Black Comet's central control-room and saw Black Doom floating near the helm with the Chaos Emeralds floating over his head.
To be continued…