The duo came running into the forest looking for the one they have declared ownership over.
"Do you think he might recognize us if he does wake up?" the yellow one asked
"Don't know." they walked farther into the forest, until a low growl was heard from above. They looked up and saw brown eyes looking down at them. The yellow hedgehog tensed up but the green hedgehog kept his cool.
"Hey, Maurice. You remember me right? Scourge?" said hedgehog tilted his head to the side looking at the other one.
"And Fleetway?" the hedgehog jumped down from the tree landing on all fours. Scourge went over to Maurice slowly pulling Fleetway with him. The brown hedgehog stood there waiting to see what they would do. Once the duo was in front of him, Scourge stuck his hand out for him. Maurice sniffed his hand and placed his head against it. Scourge smiled and waved to his partner over to do the same thing. Fleetway stuck his hand out hesitantly and Maurice did the same thing without any problems. He then stood up on his legs and looked over at them.
"Let's get you out of here." Maurice nodded and followed the other two to their hideout.
Meanwhile...
The gang finally got a heart broken Tails back to his house. Once they stepped in, the fox ran up stairs. Amy tried going after him but Rouge stopped her.
"He just needs a moment to himself." They were about to leave when footsteps were heard.
"Guys! You have to see this!" They looked back at the stairs to see a breathless Tails in front of them. They followed him all the way to Sonic's room.
"Help me get this stuff out of the way." Shadow took out his emerald and teleported all the items outside and came back in. "I was heading to my room when I saw Sonic's room wide open. I wanted to get some more info, when I saw that." he pointed to a piece of wallpaper that was ripping off and had something red underneath.
"Help me. Please." he begged to them
"Alright Tails. We'll help." the gang started to tear the paper off the walls and the red revealed itself to be writing of some sort. The paper teared at different spots but eventually all of it came off. They were astonished at the messages on the wall like 'Die' or 'Kill' but two stood out the most.
"Robotnik is my only friend." Amy read out loud
"The ultimate life-form shall meet his end!" Knuckles read and they looked at Shadow who was speechless.
"What is this?" Rouge asked. Shadow cleared his throat and touched the wall.
"Evidence, that's what." he turned around "You said you wanted to figure this out."
"Yeah but I never expected Sonic to be a... psychopath!" Tails blurted out "Oh, my, god. I followed an insane person!" he held his namesakes close to him
"It's alright Tails." Amy tried to comfort him
"No, it's not alright until he is behind bars." Knuckles said getting everyone's attention "Think about it. A killer has been free all this time and kills others for his own twisted pleasure. Don't you agree with me?" Everyone was silent. They couldn't help but agree with him. They all know how crazy Sonic is and how happy he seems. Everyone must face the facts someday and they were not about to let him roam free anymore.
"Where do you think he is now?" Tails asked
"Well, he did run into the forest. We should look there first." Rouge announced
"Rouge, you go to G.U.N. and get a tracker." Shadow said to her and she nodded. They raced off without a second glance back.
The gang was making their way into the forest to look for the insane hedgehog when they heard some movement coming from farther in. They looked at each other and hid in the shrubbery as they saw the trio come there way. They immediately recognized their target that was following Scourge and Fleetway somewhere. They quietly followed them to a hidden base, when all of a sudden the brown hedgehog growled in their direction, behind some tree.
"What's the matter, Maurice?" said hedgehog flattened his ears against his head and got on all fours, still facing the tree. "Whoever you are, come out now. Or face the consequences!" Scourge shouted and the gang all came out slowly. Once they revealed themselves, Maurice stood up on his legs but still giving a low growl.
"What do you think your doing?" Fleetway asked coming to stand in front of the growling hedgehog.
"We just wanted to see what you were doing with him." Shadow said coming up a few meters away from their goal.
"Not to mention that he is insane." Amy pipped up
"Well you can't take him because he wants to stay with us. Right, Maurice?" said hedgehog nodded and then went back to staring at Shadow. The two eyes meet and almost immediately, the maroon hedgie held a green chaos-sword. Scourge went in front of the both of them to stop whatever might happen.
"Calm down. They haven't even done anything yet." Maurice looked at him and made his sword disappear. With one last glare at Shadow, he turned around and went inside the base. "Why are you here anyway?" Scourge asked turning around to the group.
"He should be taken to G.U.N. right now." Rouge stated
"Well, if you haven't already seen, Maurice doesn't like you and doesn't want you here."
"So, we suggest that you leave." both Scourge and Fleetway blocked the entrance of their base, not letting them in. Until they heard a voice from inside.
"Let Shadow in." they turned to see Maurice standing there, arms crossed over his chest
"You sure?"
"Do it." he growled and walked farther in. "And let the rest come to the entrance only." the two looked at each other and shrugged, moving off to the side to let the guests come in.
As the group walked in they could see that it was a fairly large base and metal beams were pointing in every direction above them. The goal of their search was just ahead of them, leaning on the wall, glaring at Shadow.
"Why did you want to see me?" Maurice just kept on staring at the life-form as he waved him to come closer. Shadow obliged and kept walking until there noses almost touched.
"Shadow The Ultimate Life-form, I'm finally meeting you face to face. I'm Maurice The Weapon."
"Maurice, why?"
"Why, What?"
"Why did you want to see me and not anyone else?" Maurice chuckled and walked behind Shadow.
"You are the solution to my problem, that's why." Just as Shadow turned to face him the maroon hedgehog slammed him into the wall. "I was created to keep you at bay and to make any necessary movement possible if you decide to fight back." the ebony hedgehog tried prying his counterparts hands off him but he couldn't. "I was designed to be everything that you are and are not. Using your strengths and weaknesses against you." he made the same green chaos sword appear and aimed the tip at Shadow's head. "If you ever think about trying to defy me, then I'll bring your head back to Master and he will be very pleased." he threw Shadow on the ground and walked away, making the sword disappear. As Shadow was getting off the ground, the gang was able to finally push past the the two guards at the door and come to Shadow's side.
"He's crazy." Amy said watching said hedgehog climb up one of the beams on all fours, to another level.
"More than that." Knuckles added in
"No, he's another me." Shadow stated glaring at the maroon hedgehog and he glared back, landing on another level and curling up. Watching them.
"Another you? That's a new one." the gang turned to see Scourge and Fleetway walking towards them. "What makes you say that?" Shadow looked at the maroon one then back at the group.
"He acts just like me." Fleetway looks at Maurice who huffs and turns his back to them.
"Seems crazy to me."
"But other then that, he shouldn't be running free." Amy said stepping up to the other two hedgehogs. They looked at each other then at the pinkette.
"Your not going to cause it's his choice whether he leaves or not and you can't force him to choose." Fleetway leaned down to her eye level and smirked "I would leave if I were you." she backed up a few steps until they heard a no. Everyone turned to the source and saw brown eyes staring down at them.
"Shadow stays, no matter what. Everyone else can either leave and they die or stay and listen to our rules." he growled out and then stretched, curling back up.
"I think I would stay."
"So would I."
"I agree."
"I think it's best to stay."
"It doesn't seem like I have a choice." all eyes moved to Shadow as he leaned against the wall and stared at Maurice. "Where's the rooms we are going to stay in?" Fleetway and Scourge looked at each other and shrugged as they showed everyone to their room.