I hope you'll enjoy the chapter!
Entry 5
The Looming Shadow
''I see no, hear no evil; Black writing's on the wall. Unleashed a million faces; And one by one they fall.''
– I Am… All Of Me by Shadow The Hedgehog (NateWantsToBattle Cover)
xXxXxXx
''Woah, wait!'' Sonic dodged one of the Hunters as they charged at him, then turned his attention to the others, quickly ending this fight by using his super speed to run circles around them and making them dizzy, before skidding to a stop in front of Loki. ''I may be a hedgehog, but I'm not the hedgehog you're searching for.''
''Sonic's right!'' Lucas protested. ''He was with me the whole time.''
''How do I know you're not covering for him?'' Loki's claws glowed blue and he attacked Sonic, who leapt on Loki, using his back as a springboard and landing behind him.
''You said the hedgehog you're hunting is an Irregular. Don't you have a scanner or something? Sonic isn't even an Irregular!'' Lucas continued, hoping that his lie would work. Loki turned towards Sonic, who had his arms crossed, tapping with his foot, a wide grin on his expression. Loki frowned, grabbing an eye-piece from his pocket and placing it over his eye, scanning Sonic. To his frustration, the scanner showed him that Sonic was not an Irregular.
''You know, you should drop your 'shoot first, ask questions later' approach,'' Sonic said in a snarky tone once he saw Loki frowning. Lucas just sighed in relief, while Loki turned to Sonic.
''You still resisted arrest,'' he said.
''I was just defending myself,'' Sonic responded, with Loki glaring at him. Lucas stepped between the two, turning to Loki.
''Look, I understand that you guys are doing just your job, but this was a bit over-the-top. I mean, aren't the Irregulars the ones who usually show aggression?'' he asked. Loki glared at the two, feeling embarrassed, but then turned to his unit.
''We're leaving. We need to check the next sector,'' he said, then looked back at Lucas and Sonic. ''I apologize for my harsh judgment. I got clear orders to find a hedgehog Irregular, and you were the closest to the scene of crime.''
''No problem,'' Sonic replied casually. ''You gotta defend us civilians, right?''
Loki didn't reply, leaving instead with his unit. Lucas and Sonic exchanged glances, with Lucas taking a deep breath.
''We're lucky Tails put that program into your AR Visor to hide your identity as an Irregular,'' he said.
''As I said before, I trust Tails when it comes to his gadgets,'' Sonic replied, walking over to the hoverboard he had dropped.
''Speaking of which, I hope Commander Loki won't come across Amy and Silver, considering how he seems to be attacking every hedgehog in sight,'' Lucas noted.
''Don't worry, they can handle themselves. They're gonna be fine,'' Sonic said, his expression changing to a small frown. ''However, I would like to know who this hedgehog Irregular is that is causing trouble.''
''We would have to search for it, considering how not even the Hunters know where it is,'' Lucas mused, not looking forward to this. They had just dealt with an Irregular and Metal Sonic, and now another Irregular was causing trouble? He had hoped that they would at least get some peace and quiet for the rest of the evening, but that wouldn't be the case. ''Do you think that Metal Sonic is back to cause trouble?''
''No idea, but I could do a quick search through the city,'' Sonic said, the hoverboard in his hands dissipating into data particles, which then disappeared. ''If I find anything, I'll give you a call.''
''Go for it,'' Lucas encouraged him, with Sonic nodding and quickly vanishing in a streak of blue light. Lucas got on his hoverboard, waiting for Sonic's call. Considering how the blue hedgehog could, at peak condition, cover the whole city in minutes, he was certain that Sonic would either return soon or inform him that he had found something. Suddenly, his AR Visor flashed, with Lucas pressing his finger against the frame. A holographic screen appeared with him, showing Sonic.
''Hey, Lucas, I've found the troublemaker at Cosmo Bridge,'' Sonic said.
''I'm on my way,'' Lucas replied, the holographic screen closing. He then flew towards Cosmo Bridge, glad that it wasn't too far from his current position, only to quirk an eyebrow. Why are all the Irregulars so hellbent on attacking Cosmo Bridge?
xXx
Shadow was standing on the top of the arch-like structure over Cosmo Bridge, arms folded on his chest, the roadway below him being littered with the beaten and flickering bodies of the Irregular Hunters that had found him, most of them near deletion and unable to call for back-up. It was surprising just how fast and easy it was to take all of them out, which spoke a lot about Shadow's power… or the Irregular Hunters' incompetence. Admittedly, Shadow didn't even know that there were ARNavs who were hunting down the Irregulars. Not that it mattered in the long run.
I will get my revenge.
His eyes narrowed when he saw a blue streak of light appearing on the bridge and skidding to a halt, revealing itself to be a blue hedgehog ARNav. The two hedgehogs locked eyes with each other for a moment, with the blue one calling someone before turning back to Shadow.
''So, you're the one who beat up the Hunters, you fake hedgehog,'' Sonic said, clenching his fist. Shadow leapt off the structure he was standing on, doing a frontflip and using his air shoes to cushion his fall as he landed in front of Sonic, his arms folded on his chest. Sonic rolled his eyes, looking unimpressed as he muttered, ''Show-off.''
''It is their own fault that they couldn't put up a decent battle,'' Shadow replied, taking a battle stance. He had figured that the blue hedgehog was just another challenger he could easily take down. ''You shall join them.''
''We'll see!'' Sonic leapt backwards when Shadow dashed towards him, then quickly used his super speed to charge at his opponent. However, the black-furred hedgehog vanished suddenly, appearing right behind Sonic and kicking him away. Sonic hit the ground hard, shaking his head and getting up. ''Okay, not bad. I see you've got a couple of tricks up in your glove, but you're not the only one,'' he said as he turned towards his foe. Shadow braced himself for Sonic's next attack. Sonic dashed towards his opponent, with the black-furred hedgehog anticipating the attack and using his air shoes to dash towards Sonic. However, in the last moment, Sonic dodged the attack, curling up into a ball and spin-dashing at Shadow, knocking him down. As Sonic landed back on his feet, Shadow frowned, observing his foe as he got up.
''Hmph,'' he said, an amused smirk on his expression. ''I thought I would take you down in one hit, but it seems like you're more resilient than I thought. What is your name?''
''I'm Sonic the Hedgehog,'' Sonic replied. ''You?''
''Shadow the Hedgehog,'' Shadow responded, clenching his fist as he glared at his opponent. ''I am the Ultimate Life Form!''
''Ultimate Life Form or not, you're going down, pal!'' Sonic ran towards Shadow, performing another spin dash. Unfortunately for him, Shadow decided to counter him with the same move, with the two hedgehogs ending up clashing in a race across the bridge several times, each trying to knock the other away. Sonic leapt back, with Shadow ramming into him, knocking him away. He then suddenly teleported away, kicking Sonic in the back, sending him flying. Then, he teleported again, punching him, with Sonic landing on the ground hard.
''Is that really everything you've got?'' Shadow asked, his eyes narrowing as he observed Sonic trying to get up. ''Pathetic.''
Without answering, Sonic suddenly got up and rammed him, knocking Shadow away. However, Shadow kept his balance thanks to his air shoes, only to get spin-dashed from the back, with Sonic then going for another attack from the side. However, Shadow teleported again, appearing above Sonic and knocking him down. Despite being badly bruised, Sonic slowly got up, gazing at Shadow, who was standing on the guardrail and looking down at Sonic, a smug smirk on his expression.
''Sonic!'' Sonic perked up, turning around and seeing Lucas joining him at the battlefield. ''Are you okay?''
''I'll be fine,'' Sonic replied, glancing back at Shadow. ''I'm not beaten yet!''
Shadow remained silent, his eyes narrowing as he observed the two. The reason why he was at Neos City was because he had a mission to complete, but he got distracted by the Irregular Hunters and decided to dispatch of those who stood in his way. So far, only Sonic had actually proved to be a challenge, even he couldn't match him in raw power. Shadow figured that he could just end the blue hedgehog right there and then, but then decided against it.
''I don't have time for these games; farewell!''
Sonic and Lucas stared at the spot from which Shadow had vanished, with Sonic breathing heavily as he muttered, ''Shadow… what is he?'' He turned to Lucas, who gave him a troubled look, as if wanting to answer but knowing that the answer would not help them much. Sonic's ears then twitched as he heard sirens in the distance. ''These guys really have bad timing.''
''We should leave before more Hunters show up,'' Lucas said, looking worried when he saw the bruises. ''Can you move?''
''Nothing is gonna stop this speedster,'' Sonic replied casually, only to wince as he felt a jolt of pain, holding his arm. ''Ugh…''
''Okay, hop on my hoverboard; I'll get us out of here,'' Lucas said as the sirens grew louder, with Sonic nodding and jumping on it. He grabbed onto Lucas' arm and they quickly left the bridge. ''I think we had enough excitement for the day.''
''I guess you're right,'' Sonic replied, trying to ignore the oncoming pounding headache. Maybe Shadow did more damage than he initially thought. ''So, what was up with that expression? Do you know anything about Mr. 'I'm The Ultimate Life Form' Hedgehog?''
''Unfortunately, I do, and depending on why Shadow is here, he might be a worse threat than Metal Sonic,'' Lucas replied.
''How bad?'' Sonic asked.
''It really depends on his motives,'' Lucas told him. ''I mean, aside from him being an Irregular based on another video game character from the same franchise as you are, I virtually know nothing about him.''
''Right, same character, different person,'' Sonic said. ''Fortunately, I did gather some information about him.''
''Really?'' Lucas rose an eyebrow. ''What is it?''
''He is really good at combat, especially at kicking my butt. Not only that, but he can also easily keep up with my speed,'' Sonic said, sounding pleased with the fact that he knew something Lucas didn't. Lucas frowned.
''Really?'' he asked in a deadpan tone. ''That's supposed to be good news?''
''Yeah, it is, because next time we meet, I'll find a way to defeat him. It's all about strategy, Lucas,'' Sonic responded.
''Your strategy is literally run fast and spin-dash into your opponents,'' Lucas pointed out.
''That's why I need a new strategy. The most difficult part will be to counter his teleportation ability. It's kind of hard to focus when your opponent is constantly appearing out of nowhere,'' Sonic said.
''It's called Chaos Control,'' Lucas replied, taking a turn into another street and eventually exiting into a boulevard, with more people and ARNavs strolling through the street.
''Chaos Control?'' Sonic repeated, giving him a questioning look.
''Well, at least it looked like it. You would need Chaos Emeralds or the Master Emerald to achieve that, though, and since those don't exist, it is possible that Shadow just has those kinds of powers like you have your super speed and…'' Lucas trailed of as he realized what he was talking about, then sighed. ''I really need to double down on my research about Irregulars.'' He then shook his head. ''In any case, we'll gather the gang tomorrow and tell them about Shadow. Let's just hope he won't wreck the city until we figure this situation out.''
xXx
Touka found herself walking through a room filled with machinery, feeling both awe and dread. She was familiar with this place, but at the same time, she felt that she shouldn't be here. It was as if she was uncovering something forbidden. However, she couldn't remember why she was even here, only the sense of curiosity that led her to this area. One particular stasis pod drew her attention and she walked over to it, often turning around and making sure that no one but her was inside the room. She felt her heart beat speed up as she approached the stasis pod, but due to the dim light, she couldn't see much aside from a small and dark figure inside it.
She placed her hand on the glass, but as she tried to see what was inside the stasis pod, the room grew darker and darker. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach, with her vision turning completely black for a moment. She tried to regain control of her body, but she was paralyzed, finding herself floating in the void. She lifted her head, feeling as if she was looking through glass. She squinted, gasping in shock when she a girl who looked exactly like her sitting in a wheelchair, accompanied by a man in a lab coat. The girl then looked from the man back at Touka, who was still shocked to see herself, albeit pale and sickly. Touka then tried to lift her arm, but even that required a lot of strength. She tried to break the glass, but everything went dark and a jolt of pain shot through her hand.
Let me out!
Touka suddenly opened her eyes, turning her head to the slanted window as a ray of sunlight illuminated her bedroom. She then sat up, pressing her hand against her head, only to register a moment later that her hand hurt. Looking at it, she realized that it was slightly bruised and figured that she had probably hit the wall behind her in her sleep. She sighed, grabbing her AR Visor from the shelf behind her.
That was just another of those dreams… Or those disjointed memories.
Touka shook her head as she prepared for the day. Another day had passed and she wasn't closer at all to figuring out why she had amnesia. The best lead she had was the building she would found herself roaming through, the name Codex, and that strange figure who would talk to her and protect her. Touka sighed, trying to psych herself up as she pushed down the ladder that led to the lower part of the house, since her bedroom was in the attic. Well, it's still more information than you had before.
''Good morning, Touka!''
Touka was greeted by a woman in her 30s, with wavy honey blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail, bright blue eyes, wearing jeans and a green T-shirt. She was currently cleaning her glasses, which had a black device on the side of the frame, allowing for the glasses to act as an AR Visor. This woman was Kisaki Kageura, a pediatrican by profession, and Touka's parental figure.
''Mornin','' Touka muttered tiredly. Kisaki tilted her head, giving her a curious look.
''Are you okay? Did you sleep enough?'' she asked.
''Not really, the nightmares are back,'' Touka replied casually, grabbing the cereal and milk from the cupboard. ''Or memories… I don't really know what to call them anymore.''
''Do you want to talk about it?'' Kisaki asked, leaning against the table.
''No need for that,'' Touka replied, placing the bowl on the table and pouring the cereal into it. ''It was just more of me looking at my other self while she is in a wheelchair. But, you had already told me that I had never issues with my legs or was so sick that I needed to be wheeled around.''
''That is true,'' Kisaki replied, trying to give her an assuring smile. However, it vanished when she saw Touka's indifferent expression. ''I'm sorry, but I wish I could help you with your memories.''
''It's fine,'' Touka replied, tilting her head. ''Won't your shift start soon?''
''Oh, right!'' Kisaki quickly grabbed her bag and white coat, waving at Touka. ''I'm off then, bye!''
''Bye!'' Touka waved back, then sighed. She had been living with Kisaki for more than six months, having no idea where she came from or whether she even had any family. One day, she just woke up in a hospital-like facility, with Kisaki and a few other people telling her that she experienced a heavy memory loss and that Kisaki would take care of her. The people at the facility did question her about whether there was anything she remembered, but aside from her name, Touka knew nothing about her past. Surprisingly, they looked quite satisfied with her answer, but Touka was too confused and too overwhelmed to be suspicious of their reaction at the time.
However, now that she had the time to think through everything, she felt that her memories were quite important and that she needed to remember her past life. She knew that there was something involving this ''Codex'', but she wasn't sure what it was. She also needed to find the black and crimson hedgehog-
Wait, what?! Touka's eyes widened when another memory flashed in her mind, the same one of the stasis pod, but this time showing her the figure inside it. Black and red quills, gloves with golden rings, eyes closed as he waited for his awakening… Touka sighed. No wonder I've been following Lucas and Sonic around. I guess my gut feeling really is on point. Once done with her breakfast, she quickly went to get her hoverboard and left the house. I need to go.
xXx
''So, to sum up… First, we had to deal with Metal Sonic, and now we have to deal with Shadow?'' Lily asked, adding in a sarcastic tone, ''Who's next, Dr. Eggman?''
''I…'' Lucas sighed, shaking his head. ''Let's just focus on what we know now.''
He and Sonic had called everyone to meet up at Warren and Tails' workshop, informing them about Shadow's appearance. While Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Silver were confused, not really understanding why this Irregular was so important to deal with, Warren, Lily, Minami and Makoto's reaction ranged from dread to exasperation.
''Err, so, just to confirm things…'' Silver held up his hand, drawing everyone's attention. He then quickly lowered it, crossing his arms on his back and giving them a bashful look. ''Both Metal Sonic and Shadow are characters from the same video game franchise as we are… Even though that sounds really weird when I say it out loud.''
''Don't think too much about it,'' Makoto said in an assuring tone. ''You are your own person, with your own life and memories. Don't forget that.''
''Right,'' Silver replied, continuing, ''What I wanted to ask is how much of a threat Shadow is?''
''When it comes to combat skills, he can not only keep up with me, but even overpower me,'' Sonic said, sitting on a nearby work bench.
''Maybe you should leave such battles to a warrior like myself,'' Knuckles said. ''Unlike you, Hedgehog, I've been training my whole life. Your combat skills are still unrefined.''
''That may be true, but from what I've seen, Shadow has even managed to match me in speed,'' Sonic continued, smirking. ''Tell me, when was the last time you've outspeed me, Knucklehead?''
Knuckles scoffed, crossing his arms. ''Fine, you have a point.''
''Okay, so that's combat skills, speed… Anything else?'' Amy asked.
''There is also Chaos Control,'' Lucas said, then adding in a troubled tone, ''Or, at least what looked like Chaos Control.''
''I guess we should've figured that would also be part of his powers,'' Minami said.
''Uh, guys, what's Chaos Control?'' Tails asked.
''It's a lot to explain…'' Lucas scratched his head, adding quickly, ''Let's just say that Shadow can teleport, although we still don't know how far his reach is. He did teleport away from the middle of Cosmo Bridge.''
''I see… Was there any reason for Shadow to fight you?'' Warren asked, turning to Sonic.
''Not really,'' Sonic replied. ''I had found him surrounded by the Hunters he beat up, but I don't really know who started the fight first, only who had finished it. I also think that he just saw me as another opponent.''
''So, no motive?'' Warren concluded, with Sonic shrugging.
''He didn't strike me as the type who would gloat about that stuff,'' Sonic replied. Lucas then stepped up.
''Anyways, aside from telling you about Shadow, another reason why we're here is because Sonic and I want to try to once again to tap into my BioEnergy and harness the power we did during the fight with Metal Sonic,'' he said. Warren frowned.
''So, you're still going for it?'' he asked, with Lucas giving a curt nod. Warren then placed his arm over the latter's shoulder. ''Honestly, what's up with you these past few days? The Lucas I know would never take up such a risk. Instead, he preferred to stay at home, reading a book or playing video games.''
''I had figured that, if we're going to fight Shadow or Metal Sonic again, that we should make sure to have some back-up power,'' Lucas replied, exchanging glances with Sonic. ''Better safe than sorry, and besides, we'll be doing it in a controlled environment.''
''At least you had the foresight to harness the BioEnergy where we can keep an eye on you,'' Tails noted, grabbing his Miles Electric. Warren meanwhile walked over to the computer, tapping on his AR Visor, with several screens popping up.
''Even if you guys have good intentions, messing with BioEnergy isn't exactly legal, so don't think about doing it in front of Irregular Hunters,'' he noted.
''What do you mean 'isn't exactly legal'?'' Lily rose an eyebrow, her arms folded on her chest.
''We all learned in school what BioEnergy is, and one of the things that had been emphasized was that the government had prohibited any research on it aside from only a surface-level of knowledge, deeming it inhumane, since BioEnergy is literally our life force,'' Warren explained. Lily frowned, her eyes flicking to the side.
''Figures,'' she grumbled. ''I've been homeschooled my whole life and none of my tutors ever mentioned any of this.''
''Well, it is still debated in the science community,'' Warren replied. ''My grandfather had told me that there had been some kind of accident about a decade ago that led to the prohibition.''
''Did he tell you what exactly happened?'' Makoto asked. Warren shook his head.
''Not really. He himself wasn't sure about it either, but he did hear from a friend of his that it involved an Irregular,'' he explained, sighing and adding in a grim tone, ''Now that I think about it, I wish I asked him more.''
''Hey, I'm sure he's proud of you,'' Tails told him, with Warren smiling back, then nodding.
''Honestly, this sounds to be like some kind of government conspiracy,'' Minami noted. ''Besides, only because it's prohibited doesn't mean that someone won't try to research BioEnergy.''
''You mean, like us?'' Amy asked, a half-smile plastered on her expression as she turned to her partner, her hands on her hips. Minami just gave her a sheepish look.
''Anyways, let's go for it!'' Sonic said, getting off the work bench and stepping next to Lucas. ''Ready to do this, buddy?''
''Yeah, I am,'' Lucas replied.
''Okay, guys. I have the scanner focused on Lucas' BioEnergy. The data will be transmitted to the computer so we can monitor your BioEnergy levels and make sure you don't pass out, or worse, from its absorption,'' Tails said, pointing the Miles Electric at the two.
''If things go south, Knuckles, Amy and Silver, you grab Sonic and get him away from Lucas,'' Warren added. Amy, Knuckles and Silver looked at Sonic, all giving him a semi-playful, semi-suspicious look.
''H-Hey, I would never hurt Lucas or go berserk. You gotta trust me on this,'' Sonic replied, not liking the looks his friends were giving him.
''We do trust you, but if you give us a reason to punch you, we will,'' Knuckles replied. ''It is for your own good.''
''Fine,'' Sonic replied, sighing. He then looked up at Lucas, who extended his hand, a firm look of determination on his expression. Sonic had also extended his hand, already feeling the crackling of BioEnergy before he even managed to touch Lucas' hand. Just like before, the power had been calling to him, but this time, he knew that he wasn't supposed to absorb it, but reject it.
''Okay, everything is fine so far,'' Warren said as he observed the monitor. ''Lucas, how are you feeling?''
''I bit woozy,'' Lucas admitted as he felt the energy being drained from him. ''But, I'll manage it.''
''If you're feeling like you'll faint, we should stop,'' Tails said, sounding a little alarmed.
''No, let's keep up,'' Lucas replied firmly, feeling more of his energy being drained.
''Uh, Lucas, we have reached critical levels,'' Warren said, turning around. ''Are you sure-?!''
Before Warren could even finish his sentence, he found himself staring at the electric blue orb of energy forming between Lucas and Sonic, only for it to engulf both of them. Blue electricity started to spark between the two, with everyone taking a step back.
''Hey, Lucas, Sonic, are you okay?'' Makoto asked. Lucas and Sonic were both surrounded by blue aura, stunned when they realized that their plan had worked out.
''Yeah, I feel good,'' Lucas replied, with him and Sonic exchanging a high-five. ''As a matter of fact, I feel like I could go on a run.''
''Isn't that my line?'' Sonic asked, with Tails approaching the two and scanning them.
''Looks like both of your heartbeats have increased, and…'' Tails trailed off, his eyes widening.
''Tails, what's wrong?'' Silver asked.
''Uh, Lucas, you said that you feel like you could go for a run. Why don't you do a loop around the workshop?'' Tails suggested. Lucas nodded and, as Tails predicted, ended up at the other side of the room in a millisecond. What the young fox genius didn't predict was the latter crashing into a wall.
''Lucas!'' Minami and Makoto went to Lucas, helping him up. ''Are you okay? What was that?''
Lucas shook his head, feeling his body aching. However, the pain quickly faded. ''I- I have no idea…''
''You were as fast as the Hedgehog,'' Knuckles commented.
''How is that possible?'' Amy asked.
''It looks like this phenomenon doesn't only empower Sonic, but Lucas as well,'' Tails explained. ''Now, they don't only share Lucas' BioEnergy, but also Sonic's super speed.''
''Not only that, but it appears that the aura gives you more strength, durability, agility and a healing factor,'' Warren added as he looked back at the monitor. ''However, it all comes at the cost of your own BioEnergy.''
''Sheesh, who would've thought…'' Lucas rubbed the back of his head. He still felt a bit woozy, but at the same time, it seemed like the power he wielded kept him from fainting. ''I guess we just need to make sure we don't overdo it.''
''Wait, so, if Lucas and I are able to do this, and Lucas also gets a taste of my super speed, then what about you guys?'' Sonic asked, turning towards the other Irregulars, who exchanged looks with their partners. ''Also, we should figure out how to name this power-up ability. I don't think we can really call it BioEnergy absorption.''
''Then, what do you suggest we call it?'' Tails asked.
''I usually feel a surge of energy whenever this happens, so maybe we could call it 'Surge'?'' Sonic said.
''How about 'Chaos Surge'?'' Lucas suggested, with the rest of the group giving him a questioning look, with Lucas wondering if he said the wrong thing. Admittedly, Sonic was usually the one who would name stuff.
''Well, I have no objections to that name,'' Warren spoke up, followed by a murmur of agreement from the others. Lucas sighed in relief, feeling the surge of energy fading away. It left him tired, but not as tired as the first time.
''Okay, then, here's the plan,'' Lucas continued. ''We'll all try out the Chaos Surge, but be careful to not push yourselves. If you get into a fight, use it as your last resort, since we're all still new to it. Once we're done, we're going to sweep Neos City and try to find Shadow. Got it?''
''YEAH!''
xXx
''Huh?'' Touka blinked in surprise when she suddenly saw Lucas and Sonic flying below her on her hoverboards. It was early afternoon and she had spent most of her time trying to track them down, only to get lucky after taking a break on the top of a building. She grabbed her hoverboard and jumped onto it, with the intent to follow the two. ''Finally, I- agh!'' However, before she could leave, something with sharp claws grabbed her arm and dragged her away, with Touka barely keeping her balance on her hoverboard. ''What are you- Wait- Metal Sonic?!''
To Touka's shock, Metal Sonic had been dragging her to the top of another building, this one higher, only to throw her down. Fortunately, she managed to break the fall via her hoverboard, landing in front of teenage girl who was staring at her with crossed arms.
''I hope that you know that spying on others is rude,'' the other girl told her. ''It is also my job.''
''Who are you?'' Touka asked, frowning. She glanced to the side, noticing Metal Sonic keeping an eye on her. It was obvious that she couldn't escape.
''I could ask you the same question, but since I told Metal to bring you here, I guess I should introduce myself first – I'm Ferra Ahearn, Metal Sonic's partner,'' Ferra said, tilting her head. ''Although, I figured that you already concluded that.''
''I'm Touka Kageura, and yeah, I did,'' Touka replied, still keeping an eye on Metal Sonic, then turning back to Ferra. ''Why have you sent Metal Sonic to attack Sonic, Lucas and the others?''
''Actually, Metal Sonic had acted on his own,'' Ferra replied, with Touka rising an eyebrow. ''Trust me, I am only here to support my partner in achieving his own goals.''
''Let me guess – Metal Sonic wants to destroy Sonic,'' Touka said in a deadpan tone, turning her attention back to Metal Sonic when she heard a beeping noise.
''He says 'Affirmative','' Ferra said.
''You can understand him?'' Touka asked, surprised.
''It's all part of being the partner of an Irregular,'' Ferra said proudly. ''Of course, you wouldn't know since you don't have one. However, you appear to be interested in them.''
''What I'm doing is none of your business,'' Touka scoffed.
''You know, we could do this the easy or the hard way,'' Ferra said, placing her hands on her hips. Touka noticed Metal Sonic taking a step forward, brandishing his claws. ''Don't worry, he won't attack unless I order him.'' Touka turned back to Ferra, glaring at the latter. ''Now, how about you tell me why exactly you're following them? What do you know?''
''Fine,'' Touka sighed, crossing her arms. ''The only reason why I'm following Lucas, Sonic and co. around is because I just have this strange gut feeling that's what I should be doing. As for why, I can't tell you anything because I have amnesia.''
''Do you really think I'll fall for that excuse?'' Ferra asked. Touka shrugged.
''I don't know what else to tell you. I don't even know why you had singled me out,'' Touka replied.
Ferra remained silent for a moment, then added, ''Someone had sent me a message to go to a place called Codex Research Facility. From what Metal had told me, Sonic and his friends have no idea about the place, so you were the only one left.''
''W-Wait, did you say Codex?!'' Touka stared at Ferra in shock.
''Ha, so you do know something!'' Ferra said triumphantly.
''No, I don't!'' Touka yelled back in frustration. ''I already told you, I have amnesia. My memories have just recently started to resurface and from what I understood is that I need to find a black and red hedgehog Irregular…''
''That's something I could help you with,'' Ferra said. Touka gave her a look of surprise.
''Wait, seriously?'' Touka stared at her.
''Yeah, that black and red hedgehog – Shadow – had been causing trouble last night in the city. However, it looks like- agh!''
''I need to find him!'' Touka suddenly cut off Ferra, startling the latter. Metal Sonic glared at her, but didn't attack. ''You know where he is, don't you? Lead me there!''
''Why should I?'' Ferra replied. ''After all, you're not the person I was searching for. There's nothing for me or Metal to gain from you.''
''I could tell you the reason why Metal Sonic had lost to Sonic. However, you will have to bring me first to Codex,'' Touka offered. Ferra and Metal Sonic exchanged glances, then Ferra turned back to Touka.
''Deal.''
xXx
Shadow walked through Codex, his steps echoing through the empty facility. His exploration during the previous night had provided him with a lot of insight into Neos City. This was actually the first time he had visited it and while the had to admit that he was a bit in awe of what he had seen, he made sure to stick to his mission.
Scout Neos City and the AR Fields, assess its defenses and the probability of people being aware of Codex or any projects it had. Shadow entered the main control room, accessing the main computer. So far, no one knows anything and the Irregular Hunters are not an issue. If I play things right, I should be able to complete what I had started. His eyes narrowed as he started to comb through the remaining files concerning a different project. Despite the fact that Codex had been cleaned of most data and equipment, they still have left some useful items. However, I will have to return to Neos City to retrieve what I'm missing, since this project had been split up between the researchers at Codex and the Cyber Exploration Lab. Shadow leaned back, clenching his fist as he felt a familiar sense of rage bubbling inside him. Once I have what I need, humanity will stand no chance.
