Chapter 28: Shadow the Hedgehog:
Sonic's POV:
So, now the Chaos Emeralds have been scattered across the globe... again. But now we got plenty of help to find the emeralds.
"Any luck, Knuckles," asks Sally.
"Look, it doesn't work like that," says Knuckles, "I can't just make the visions happen! They have to come to me!"
"Can't we just use an emerald detecting device," asks Mighty.
"Do you realize how difficult it is to make a device that can detect cosmic energy," asks Tails.
I was wondering what Eggman was up to.
Eggman's POV:
My new ally was training with my robots. He was reducing them to scrap.
"Never thought I'd be glad to see my robots get torn apart," I said, "what do any of you think?"
"He's scary," says Scratch.
"And mean," says Grounder.
"And creepy," says Coconut.
"And powerful," says Snively.
"And charming," says Rouge.
"I think you're ready to meet Sonic," I said.
"I will not fail," our new friend says.
"He's in for a shock when he meets Shadow the Hedgehog!"
Sonic's POV:
The alarm went off.
"Someone is breaking into the chemical plant," says Agent Bass.
"I'm there," I said. I then ran.
. . .
I arrived at the chemical plant, and all the guards were knocked out. Weird thing is, there were footprints, and they were at least my shoe size. Oh well. I then walked in.
. . .
Whatever came in, they seemed to have taken down everyone. It was spooky.
. . .
I arrived in the main office and there was nothing there except the usual stuff. There was also a mirror. I took a look at it. There was something odd about my reflection.
"Boy, this mirror must be broken," I said, "it makes me look like I have black fur."
"Pardon for stating the obvious," says the mirror, "but shouldn't your reflection look exactly like you?"
"Of course it should," I said, "that's the..." I then realized it wasn't a mirror. It then knocked me out of the office.
. . .
I looked up and saw the guy. "Who are you," I asked.
"You can call me Shadow," he says, "and I'm going to be the last thing you'll ever see!"
He then leaped at me.
. . .
Shadow and I then fought throughout the building. This guy was tough. Who is he and why is he doing this?
"Look, Shadow," I said, "I get it, you're lost. Come with us and we can all work on a way to get home together."
"I'm not from your planet," says Shadow.
"What," I asked.
"I'm more complicated than that," says Shadow.
"What do you mean," I asked.
"It was 50 years ago when a scientist created me," says Shadow, "he got the idea from an interesting encounter. He created me to be the Ultimate Lifeform, and nothing can defeat me!"
"Who was this scientist," I asked.
"His name was Gerald Robotnik!"
That's when I realized... 50 years ago! Gerald Robotnik! When the Purple Emerald took me back in time... I must've been the inspiration for this guy! Gerald Robotnik created Shadow after meeting me!
"TTThhhaaattt'sss... qqquuuiiittteee aaa tttaaallleee," I said.
"Now, say goodbye..." But then Knuckles came out of nowhere and sucker punches Shadow.
"Knuckles," I said.
"Sally was getting worried," says Knuckles, "now, who's the brunette?"
"His name's Shadow," I said, "he's some sort of experiment created by Eggman's Grandfather."
"Wait, do you think he could be working with Eggman himself," asks Knuckles.
"It's possible," I said, "let's take him back to Section Twelve."
We look and Shadow has disappeared.
"That can't be a good sign," says Knuckles.
. . .
Knuckles and I were looking around.
"So, let me see if I get this straight," says Knuckles, "this guy exists because of your little time travel adventure?"
"Makes about as much sense as everything else that's happened on this planet," I said.
"Great," says Knuckles, "but how do we beat him?"
"There was something weird about the way he moves," I said, "I don't know, it was different from when I run."
"I think I heard something," says Knuckles.
Shadow then appears. "End of the line," says Shadow. He then leaps at us.
Knuckles and I were both fighting him. He was running and I was running after him. That's when I realized something. He wasn't running. He uses some kind of skates. I needed to think fast. I then had a simple idea. I stuck out my leg and he trips. I then take his skates.
"What happened," asks Knuckles.
"He's learning to suffer the agony of de-feet," I said, "I took his skates!"
"They're called air shoes," says Shadow, "so, you found out my little secret."
"You don't really move that fast," I said, "it's all these air shoes!"
"Wait, they couldn't have helped him get away that easily," says Knuckles.
Shadow smirks. "Chaos Control!" Shadow then disappears.
"It's official," I said, "I hate this guy."
"I didn't sense a chaos emerald," says Knuckles.
"I think... I think he did that on his own," I said.
Shadow was teleporting around us.
"What do we do," asks Knuckles.
"We need a way to take this guy down," I said.
"You can't beat me," says Shadow.
I had to think fast again, but then I was thinking. This guy was created by Gerald Robotnik, so he might know someone... someone that would have been kind even to this jerk... "Maria!"
Shadow then stops, allowing Knuckles to knock him down.
"Maria," asks Knuckles.
"Gerald Robotnik's granddaughter," I said.
Shadow then disappears.
. . .
"We searched the whole building," says Knuckles, "he's gone."
"I don't think it's the last we've seen of him," I said.
"The hunt for the Chaos Emeralds got a little more interesting," says Knuckles.
Eggman's POV:
"Sonic... was too clever," says Shadow.
"Oh well, you'll have plenty of other chances," I said, "we just need to focus on finding the other Chaos Emeralds now!" I then laughed. "Where's Rouge?"
Rouge's POV:
I was making a call. "It's all going according to plan."
In the next chapter, Sonic has to face his fear of water to find the pink emerald.