Supporting Me

by ShadowpwnLord17

After Shadow's battle against Black Doom in White Space, Rouge attempts to reach out to him, but the troubled hedgehog ends up driving a wedge between the two. A year later, after the events of Sonic Forces and Sonic Frontiers, Shadow's location is unknown. G.U.N. calls Rouge in to help find her old ally to deal with a threat: the Black Arms have returned, with a new leader...

8. Prologue to World Conquest

Chapter Seven: Prologue to World Conquest

—-llllllllllll-

*Outer Space, New Black Comet, en route to Earth*

-lllllll-

Eclipse the Darkling marched down a long line of Black Arms soldiers, all of whom stood at attention. They had gathered within a vast cavern in the Black Comet, lit only by the red, orange and purple glows of the Comet's crystals around the room. Long, looming shadows covered much of the room, one of many areas large enough to assemble the majority of their forces. A grin of vile pride parted Eclipse's lips as he observed rank after rank of the Black Arms as they made their final preparations for their invasion of Earth. The destructive glory they would unleash, the justice they would exact over his father's death…

And, of course, the reunion with Shadow the Hedgehog.

Death's Eye flew into the room from above, and stopped to hover alongside Eclipse as he continued observing their army.

Thousands upon thousands of them had spent years of battles preparing for this day. The ranks had built up remarkably well with the conquests Black Death and Eclipse had led. Not just the standard warriors of the Black Arms, but the elite Black Arm Assassins; the towering, hulking Black Oak behemoths, able to stomp tanks and absorb intense punishment before falling. Half-buried in the ground of the comet were the Black Annelids, the large, worm-like monsters, their true numbers hidden beneath. The winged Black Volts were so numerous in of themselves Eclipse had lost count awhile ago.

To Eclipse, they were not just his troops; they were his people, an extension of himself, and all he had left of his father. Them, and Black Death in his half-alive state.

"All looks ready, Eclipse," Black Death's voice growled from the extension of his Eye. "They look eager for bloodshed."

"Oh indeed," Eclipse said with a chuckle, his yellow eyes shimmering dangerously. "I can feel it. An entire world, soon to be on its knees… it never fails to inspire."

"What of Shadow the Hedgehog?" Black Death asked, his eye turning its gaze directly onto the Darkling. "Do you still intend to bring him back into the fold?"

"Yes!" Eclipse snapped. "There are so few of us left. I will make Shadow see reason, I know what must be done!"

"I am confident in your abilities, Eclipse, but I am also confident in the threat Shadow poses," Black Death rebuked. "He has defeated Black Doom twice. His abilities may have grown since then. If he cannot be made to join…"

"I know! I already said if I had to, I would kill him!" the Darkling snarled, his eyes now glowing as yellow and green Chaos Energy rippled across his form. "Shadow joins the Black Arms, or he dies by their hands. Those are the only possible futures, and either way, the Earth and its allies all serve their final purpose, and perish." Eclipse clenched his claws so severely that they dug into his palms. Death's Eye blinked as a small trickle of green blood dripped through the Darkling's fingers and onto the floor.

"Eclipse-"

"It's fine, it'll heal long before we arrive," Eclipse muttered. The two of them turned around to finish examining their forces, and again, the Darkling beamed insidiously with pride at his creations.

"I wonder… if they alone would be enough to take the Earth," he said softly. The Dark Arms, the latest and greatest variant of the Black Arms yet, bowed to him as he addressed them.

"Very probably… but it's only fair all our children partake in our vengeance… and our feasts," Black Death replied with a resounding laugh.

There were only a hundred and forty Dark Arms at the moment, but another batch of two-hundred were in stasis. They were nearly ready but awaiting a final dose of nutrients and Chaos Energy from Eclipse before awakening.

The Dark Arms all had equivalent variants of the standard Black Arms; warriors, elite Assassins, Dark Oaks, Dark Volts, Dark Annelids, etcetera.

However, the strength, resilience and abilities of the Dark Arms made each one easily worth more than a dozen of its Black Arms counterparts. Eclipse's Chaos Energy had strengthened them from birth, and given them abilities unique from the other Black Arms.

"All the knowledge we have of battle is programmed into them as soon as they hatch. Still, this will be the first real war they've fought in… I look forward to the desolation they'll leave behind," Eclipse mused, bringing up an image of Earth on a large holographic projector in the center of the room. Every Black and Dark Arms soldier looked up as well, countless yellow eyes leering in hatred.

"Shadow the Hedgehog… when you see what horrors we're about to wreak upon this wretched world, I hope you have the good sense to come home," the Darkling murmured as he stared at the image of Earth. "Otherwise, you might not have any other home to choose from…"

—-llllll-

*G.U.N. Headquarters, Early the Next Day*

—lllllll-

Shadow and Omega now stood outside a chamber deeper within the headquarters. Inside was a large hanger that contained the Ratatosk Assault Shuttle, and dozens of G.U.N. personnel trying to quickly ensure it was ready to launch soon. The whole area was hundreds of meters beneath the ground, just to accommodate the hangar and launch pad to go into space.

Commander Tower had alerted them, Rouge and Knuckles about an hour ago that they were making final preparations to leave. As of now, they had just a little over an hour before they needed to be on the shuttle. Shadow looked around and sighed, tapping his foot a little.

"Where is Rouge?" he muttered. "Spider and Sword Troupes are already on board, we should be too."

"Rouge was never one to make haste unnecessarily," Omega responded. "Although I do not understand how the excitement of battle does not cause her to be more punctual." He turned his head several degrees to look at Shadow. "Have you spoken to her yet?"

"No. She was out with Knuckles in Westopolis all night," the hedgehog muttered. "Besides, I needed to take the time to go over the data Rouge and I got from White Acropolis."

"Did you discover any new information regarding Black Doom, Mephiles or White Space?" Omega asked, his tone dryly coming off as rhetorical.

"...No," Shadow growled.

"Then it seems your time would have been better spent resolving your organic conflicts," Omega replied sternly. He pointed a claw at Shadow. "You will speak to her on the shuttle ride at the latest. You promised."

"You don't need to remind me!" he snapped. "But I told you, it's not that simple! I don't even understand why things are the way they are right now!"

"Regardless, if you do not address the issue and it compromises our mission, I know who and what to blame," Omega said severely.

"Well, if she'd stop looking for distractions with Knuckles and get a move on, maybe we'd have time before leaving," Shadow muttered. "Rouge always takes such a leisurely pace with everything-"

"Oh chill boys, we still have plenty of time to kill before we go star-gazing!"

Shadow and Omega turned to see Rouge and Knuckles approaching, still holding hands as if yesterday evening had been just five minutes ago. The ebony hedgehog resisted the urge to hiss and instead forced himself to turn to face them and nod. Rouge returned it with a smirk.

"Rouge. Knuckles," Shadow said simply, arms crossed per usual. Knuckles managed a small smile and nodded back.

"Everyone else on the shuttle?" Rouge asked, stretching her arms over her head.

"Yes. They're about to do final safety checks, and then it's just a matter of waiting until the Comet is within range," Shadow replied. "Then we launch."

"Sounds good!" Rouge turned to face Knuckles, and put an arm around him. She gave him a more tender smile than usual. "Be good until I get back, okay? We'll be treasure-hunting again in no time!"

"Wouldn't miss it, bat-girl," the echidna teased gently, and kissed Rouge on the lips. Giggling, Rouge gently pulled Knuckles by the dreadlocks a little more and held the kiss for a few more moments.

Omega looked on for a moment but said nothing, only glancing between them and Shadow, who, predictably, had faced away from the couple.

"I'll make sure Sonic and the others are good to help you guys out at all if you need it!" Knuckles said firmly, meeting Rouge's eyes with his usual beaming determination. She chuckled a little.

"You're always so eager to help, sweetie!" Rouge remarked and gave him another quick kiss on his nose, causing the echidna to scrunch his face a little. "Yeah, I know we can count on you guys."

"Are you sure there isn't any way I can tag along?" Knuckles insisted with a pleading look. Shadow stopped himself from audibly spitting in protest at Rouge's boyfriend.

"Heh… work under you as your spy again?" Rouge chuckled and winked. "I know you commanded the Resistance Knux, but G.U.N. likes to handle things all officially," she added with an apologetic shrug. "Even if Shadow's not on their payroll, he's still officially part of Team Dark. Still, with that resume, you could probably join and we could work together then? Maybe even be an officer since we all know you can lead now!" She added the last part with a hopeful shimmer in her eyes.

"Ehh… I don't know, I'll think about it," Knuckles muttered with a quick scratch of his head. "Still not a big fan. I'll help you guys better doing things my way." Smiling, the two of them hugged, and kissed one more time.

"Alright Red, see ya soon!" Rouge said after breaking the kiss, and gave Knuckles another wink as she started to walk away. They waved at each other as Rouge and the rest of Team Dark opened the door to the hangar.

A long ramp led up to the Ratatosk, a large angular craft currently pointed upwards as it was readied for launch. It sort of resembled an "A" shape, and bore a sleek, steely-white and steel-blue color, with the signature "G" of G.U.N. on its belly. Shadow, Rouge and Omega began their ascent to the ship.

"Hey Shadow! A word, real quick?" Knuckles called after them. Shadow glanced behind him, then at Rouge and Omega.

"You guys go ahead," he told them. Omega complied immediately, while Rouge sighed and shrugged, deciding to stay out of this particular encounter.

"Just save some for the aliens, okay boys?" she reprimanded as she followed after Omega. Shadow turned back and took a few steps towards Knuckles before folding his arms again. The crimson echidna likewise had a tense posture, a resting frown on his face.

"Yeah?"

"Look, I know how good Rouge is, I know she can take care of herself," Knuckles said firmly, his purple eyes meeting Shadow's red unflinchingly. "Still, just… please, say that you'll watch her back in there. Okay? I…" The red echidna sighed. "I'd feel better if you did, alright?!"

Shadow stared at Knuckles for a moment. He was taken off guard by the echidna's sincerity. Clearly he didn't take his relationship with Rouge lightly. That protectiveness… Shadow could appreciate that.

Finally, he nodded, and Knuckles' demeanor relaxed a little.

"I will. On my honor."

"Okay…" Knuckles sighed in relief. He managed a smile, this time more easily, and gave Shadow a thumbs-up. "Thanks man."

"Hm. Thank me when the Black Arms are finally destroyed," Shadow replied. He smirked a little. "I can't promise to save any for you and Sonic. You're the 'B' team, after all."

"Oh yeah?! Well if I was on that Comet, I'd break the whole place up before you had a chance to do anything!" Knuckles challenged back.

"Seriously though; just pray you, Sonic and Tails aren't needed," Shadow said firmly. "I don't know what the Black Arms have up their sleeves this time, or how they came back, but… I have a bad feeling." He gripped one hand into a determined fist. "I don't want to let a single one reach the planet."

"You guys got this," Knuckles said, and when he caught himself being assuring, he gave a cocky smirk as well. "You guys are almost as good as me and Team Sonic!"

"Heh! In your dreams," Shadow scoffed, but for the first time since his return, there were no malicious barbs in his and Knuckles' jabs. He turned to follow after Rouge and Omega.

"Good luck! Like I said, take care of her!" Knuckles called after him. Shadow simply waved back without turning around again, continuing his stride. With an assured nod, the red echidna left to go and get Sonic and Tails from Angel Island.

Then… he'd be leaving the Master Emerald in the care of the Chaotix Agency.

"I just hope Vector doesn't get any bright ideas…" Knuckles muttered as he ran out of the base. "I know he loves a big fat paycheck almost as much as Rouge, and Master Emerald is priceless."

—-llllll-

*Onboard the UFSF Ratatosk*

—-llllll-

As Shadow entered the passenger compartment of the Ratatosk shuttle, he observed the Spider and Sword companies that they soon would be fighting alongside. Altogether there were nearly three-hundred soldiers, accompanied by several dozen G.U.N. mechs. Each troop had one squad of Giga Troopers, soldiers in giant, piloted assault mechs. One of them was specifically assigned to carry and protect the bomb. It wasn't a large army by any means, but it was still a force to be reckoned with.

Shadow just hoped it would be enough.

"Hey, Shad! Over here!"

Shadow looked up to see Rouge's white arm waving him over to where she and Omega were standing, near the back along with Captain Wachowski and Captain Topaz. One quick look told Shadow that there wasn't any way out of talking to Rouge before the mission officially began. With a sigh, he walked over to be with them.

"What was that about? You and Knuckles need to get another testosterone-driven spat out of your systems before we left?" Rouge asked with a roll of her eyes. "Ugh, you guys, I swear…"

"Actually, no. He… just wanted my word that I'd look after you," Shadow admitted, more painfully than he expected to. Rouge's eyes widened a little.

"Oh… really?" she asked, and beamed a little to herself. "Ha! You boys really are all a bunch of softies! That's so sweet! And you two didn't fight or anything?"

"Nope." Shadow crossed his arms, giving Rouge an irritated frown. "I can be capable of surprises, Rouge."

"Not gonna argue with you there," the ivory bat said with a playful grin. "You always pull off something new when I least expect it." Shadow grunted and leaned against the wall of the ship.

"Like with the fake Emerald?" he asked.

"Exactly! You have all sorts of powers up your sleeves, you're one of the few people to beat Sonic in a fight, you drive well, and despite being such a stiff stick in the mud, you manage to learn tricks on deception from your much-more fun-loving friend!"

"Who said I learned it from you?" Shadow shot back, but was smirking a little despite himself. "Hm, such an ego. You're always too quick to take credit."

"And you're too quick to deflect! Don't give me that!" Rouge retorted with a spirited grin. "Where else did you learn anything about sleight-of-hand? A magician?"

"Don't praise me and then suggest I'd do something so foolish," Shadow glanced at her with a playful glare. "If I learned it from you, then why weren't you able to catch on to what I'd done?"

They smirked at each other while Omega, Topaz and Wachowski glanced between the two of them. The G.U.N. officers exchanged a quick glance.

"So… what exactly is the deal with those-" Wachowski started to say but Topaz nudged him in the ribs hard enough to be felt through his body armor. The latter officer cleared her throat.

"Agent Rouge, Shadow, Omega, it's an honor to be serving alongside you!" she said with a salute to the three of them. "I've read all the reports on the missions Team Dark has accomplished, and I feel much better having you all along."

"Heh, at ease sweetie, you don't need to do that," Rouge chuckled with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I might be leading this party but I'm no officer. Shadow and Omega even less so."

"Higher-rankings do not facilitate more combat opportunities," Omega said somewhat defensively. "Nor do they make one bullet-proof. Conclusion: they are overrated."

Shadow just grunted in reply.

"So… Is it true what they say about your Chaos Control?" Wachowski cautiously asked Shadow in an attempt to get to know the mysterious hedgehog he'd soon be serving with. "That you can teleport long distances and stop time?"

"Hmph. It's more limited without a Chaos Emerald, but yes," was all Shadow said, only glancing up at the officer for a moment to answer. The hedgehog was beginning to worry they'd be trying to conversate the whole way to the Comet. It seemed pretty clear to him that they were 'fans' of theirs. Fans were generally insufferable.

Shadow sighed; it seemed as good a time as any to talk to Rouge. It was preferable to making small talk with people he'd just met, though just barely.

"Actually… I need to speak to Agent Rouge before the mission," he said as normally as he could. "Alone, if we may." Omega caught on and gave a curt nod.

"Yes, Shadow and Rouge have a specific tactic that they need to brush up on," the badnik said to Topaz and Wachowski, and began "gently" urging them away. "They need to focus and go over it again; they are metaphorically rusty."

"Wh-What? Oh, okay," Topaz managed to get out as Omega herded them away from his allies. Rouge watched with wide eyes and then laughed.

"Um, Shadow? What is this about, what are you and Omega doing?" she asked the ebony hedgehog with a slightly nervous smile. "Are you two mutinying and taking over this ship?"

"No… I just need to speak with you," Shadow said, looking down at the floor. "Omega put me up to this… made me promise him that I would."

"Hah! Really? C'mon Shad, what's up?" Rouge prodded, arching a brow at her awkward ally. Shadow was quiet for a few moments, dragging the tip of his shoe on the floor as he tried to find the willpower to just use his damn words and say what he needed to say.

"I wanted to… apologize…" he said, finally managing to look up at Rouge long enough to make eye-contact while he said so. Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed and continued.

"We both know I've been… hostile towards Knuckles, cold towards you. It's… uncalled for. I didn't really understand why I behaved that way, until I talked to Omega…"

"What is going on?!" Rouge exclaimed in amused bewilderment. "Omega's giving you therapy now?! Is someone using the Phantom Ruby, am I in an alternate reality?!"

"Rouge!" Shadow snapped. "I'm being serious here! Believe me, I thought Omega was being strange too. He claimed it was for the best, that talking this out would 'ensure team efficiency'. At least from what he understands of 'organic psychology'." The hedgehog shook his head. "Then I realized… We do waste a lot of time arguing during missions instead of addressing the issue. I loathe discussing feelings and get angry at irrelevant things as a consequence. Omega's been with us long enough to have observed that." He paused again while making eye-contact, trying to let Rouge know how sincere his next words were.

"The truth is… I've been a fool, Rouge," Shadow said softly. "I… was jealous." He visibly winced at how difficult that admission was. "Jealous of that… echidna I call a fool. After all you and I have been through… I don't know, I don't understand it, honestly." He absentmindedly rubbed his left forearm with his right hand.

"As long as I've known you… I've gotten closer to you than anyone else I know. Obviously we're close with Omega too, but… I've known you longer, even if I forgot that for awhile. Besides that… you've… been there for me, even when I didn't want you to be…" Shadow's face pinkened a little, and he looked away for a moment, trying to keep his composure; this was way more difficult than he'd dreaded. He was beginning to feel a little light-headed, and for some reason his heart was beating louder and louder.

"S-So… I guess I just hoped I was the closest, and now it's not me, it's… Knuckles the Echidna…" Shadow said somewhat hoarsely, his throat having dried out suddenly. "It's foolish, I know… I have no say in who you date, or any right to judge. So… I'm sorry." The angsty hedgehog finally allowed himself to look away, his face burning as he screamed internally at what he'd just said, replaying it in the worst possible way in his head.

'Damn it Omega, I've made an utter fool of myself! The Ultimate Life-Form, confessing jealousy?! PAH!'

Rouge stared at him awhile as she processed his words, eyes wide and her mouth hanging open slightly; even in light of the upcoming battle, this shook her up much more. Shadow the Hedgehog had apologized, genuinely, which was surprising enough. But he had admitted to being… jealous?!

Was this the end of the world?!

Not to mention… jealous of Knuckles? Because… he was closer to her than Shadow was now? Did he mean that a best friend like him wasn't as close as a boyfriend? Or… did he want to be more than that…?

Rouge's face singed in a blush, and again she caught her mind wandering to the other night again, when Shadow had kept her warm, safe…

'No, I'm with Knuckles now,' the huntress told herself, steeling her resolve. 'Still… I've never heard Shadow say something like that before…'

"Thank you, Shadow," Rouge finally replied after what felt like a week to Shadow. "Hm… I'm not going to give you a hard time for that, I know it's not easy for you to talk stuff out. Still, it's nice to hear you apologize." Shadow looked over at her, and she smiled and winked at him.

"Still… I want you to understand; I'm happy with Knuckles," she told him, her smile fading into a somewhat apologetic look. "While you were gone, he was there, y'know? He's funny, reliable, cute, and he actually knows his stuff when it comes to ancient civilizations." The ivory bat's expression softened.

"I mean… if you had said anything instead of leaving, before he and I-"

"Oh, wait! N-No, I'm not trying to come between you and Knuckles!" Shadow said in a startled tone, his face redder than his quills. "I-I-I only meant, y-you know, as f-friends!"

The two of them stared at each other for awhile, their umpteenth awkward silence weighing the air down.

Rouge felt more confused than ever; what was Shadow's deal? He was jealous, but in what way? Was he… actually interested in her? He said he wasn't but… Rouge was a trained spy; she could read truths and falsehoods in body language. Normally Shadow was good at covering up everything with a stoic pose and a frown, but right now, he was clearly shaken. There were a number of explanations for that, though, right?

'For someone so fast, you're always late to the party…' She sighed, and managed another smile.

"It's all good, Shadow; I'll tease you about it some other time after the mission, okay?" Rouge assured him with a playful punch in the arm, causing the angsty hedgehog to smirk a little. "But we're good. Seriously, thanks for apologizing, but try not to sweat it. I don't blame you for being jealous." She added with a wink, making Shadow grunt and turn away again.

"I mean, anyone with any sense would want to be around someone as glamorous as myself," Rouge chided as she gently took Shadow's face to turn it back to face her. His red eyes lit up a little in surprise. "But I'll always be there if you need me. Remember what I told you? That will always hold true. Knuckles might be my boyfriend now… but nothing will ever change what we got, okay?"

"Rouge…" Aquamarine and ruby eyes locked again.

"Okay?" she repeated more firmly.

"Yes… okay…" Shadow answered softly, and nodded. Rouge smiled, satisfied, and gave Shadow a quick hug, forcing a slight gasp from him.

"Now will you please lighten up a little and stop being such an ass?" she asked while giving the black hedgehog a snarky smile.

"Heh… that's one promise I don't think I can make," Shadow replied with a smirk. Chuckling, Rouge gave him a playful push on the shoulder, and the two made their way back to Omega.

Shadow wasn't certain if he'd resolved all the conflicts within himself to the extent Omega had wanted, but he certainly felt better. As they met back up with Omega and the two G.U.N. captains, he couldn't help but smile at Rouge as she decided to start teasing their robotic friend.

Despite the battle ahead, and all of the unknown factors surrounding the Black Arms, Shadow felt assured. As long as he had Rouge and Omega with him, they were practically invincible.

Not to mention, despite never admitting it, Rouge's words, both now and back in White Space, reminded him he was no longer alone. Sometimes it was easy to forget that…

Finally, the time came to launch: the Black Comet was nearly in range, and all preparations had been completed. Team Dark and the soldiers of Spider and Sword companies took their seats while the mechs, equipment and heavy weapons (including their nuclear "package") were all safely secured and strapped down.

The Ratatosk's engines began to rumble to life as the giant doors of the hangar above opened to clear the way. Soon after, the engines explosively roared to life. They all felt a sudden jolt as the shuttle quickly launched into the sky. Despite being the latest and greatest G.U.N. spacecraft, the Ratatosk wasn't immune to turbulence, and still had a few violent quakes as they cut through the layer of the atmosphere.

Once they were clear of the Earth's gravity, the shuttle's artificial gravity kicked in, and everyone was allowed to begin moving around. Rouge stretched her arms and wings out while Captain Topaz and Captain Wachowski called their troops to attention.

"All right everyone, listen up!" Topaz shouted, her tone and expression sharp and focused. "Sword Company and Captain Wachowski's Spider Company, our primary objective is to support Team Dark and keep the package secure until it reaches its destination: the core of the Black Comet! The Ratatosk should be blind to any and all sensors with our cloaking technology, but we don't know exactly what we're dealing with. There's a chance they could be ready for us as soon as we board. As soon as that door opens, open fire. Once boots are on alien rock, you are all clear to fire at anything that moves in there; shoot first, ask questions later."

Omega spun his claws around in anticipation, his eyes laser-honed on the hatch they'd be exiting through once they were attached to the Black Comet.

"That's right; the Black Arms know nothing of mercy," Shadow chimed in. "Ruthlessness is the only thing they understand. Remind them why they failed against us the last time."

"Well said Shadow," Wachowski said with an impressed smile. "Now, we know the Black Arms have a paralyzing agent in a gas weapon they have. Everyone has been issued rebreathers that have been tested against the strain they used on Earth last time. They've been proven to work, and have only been improved upon since they were first made. Every soldier has one built into their helmets. Team Dark, you have your own specialized rebreathers."

Rouge shuddered slightly at the memory of when she, Sonic and all the others had been paralyzed and left for food by Black Doom during the last battle. Even Dr. Eggman had been caught in the dangerous toxin alongside them. She looked at the rebreather in her hand; a sort of small pipe with a vent that went around the neck and filtered the air around the head in a sort of perimeter. It wouldn't cause much discomfort or get in the way. Rouge just hoped the Black Arms didn't have something to render these rebreathers ineffective.

"I don't need one; Black Doom tried but I broke free of it," Shadow said, turning his rebreather back over to Rouge. "Keep it as a spare."

"Alright, if you're sure, hot-shot," Rouge replied with a shrug as she stored it away.

"One more thing you should all know," Shadow added after a few moments. "However the Black Arms here survived Black Doom's death, we need to make sure they don't come back. The bomb will take care of the Black Comet, but their new leader or whatever it is that's kept them alive needs to be eliminated before they can escape or disrupt the bomb's detonation."

"That's a good point," Topaz agreed. "We'll assign an additional Giga Trooper and one whole squad the job of solely safeguarding the bomb. Shadow, if you or Team Dark discover any leads to their leader or life source, pursue it however you see fit. We'll back you all up however we can."

Shadow nodded, and Rouge noticed him resisting the urge to smirk, which made her do exactly that. It wasn't often she observed a look of approval from the hedgehog. She was starting to like these two officers.

Suddenly, the Ratatosk jolted somewhat, and a steady rumbling began vibrating the whole craft.

"We've made contact with the Black Comet!" Topaz shouted the confirmation after checking with the pilots. "The Ratatosk's plasma drill is digging into the rock and attaching an appendage for boarding! Alright everyone, rebreathers on, weapons locked and loaded! As soon as everyone is on the Comet and we get our bearings, we'll strategize more there. For now, fight for your lives, keep Team Dark and the package safe, and keep these bastards off our planet!"

With a collective cheer, every soldier in the craft began grabbing their weapons or climbing into their Giga mechs. Shadow and Rouge exchanged a knowing look as Omega jolted ahead of them, eager to be the first one to shoot an enemy. Taking the lead, Team Dark stood at the ready before the hatch as the Ratatosk's attached arm continued drilling into the Black Comet. Once it was through, it would pull the shuttle closer to and secure itself an airlock between the ship, the appendage and the Black Comet. Then, the door before them would open into the appendage's makeshift airlock. Once it was depressurized, they'd have direct access to the Comet past the outer door.

After nearly another minute of drilling, it finally stopped, and the whole ship thudded and shook as the appendage pulled the Ratatosk closer to create the airlock link. Then, an alarm blared as the air pressure was altered, and the door opened. Shadow and the others led the G.U.N. force onwards into the airlock. There was just barely enough room for everyone as the door shut behind them and re-pressurized the air again.

"Get set to come out swinging, troops!" Wachowski reminded them all over the radio.

Omega eagerly aimed one of his minigun-arms at the door.

Finally, the last door opened, and battle ensued.

"Go! Go! Go!" Topaz and Wachowski shouted in unison, they and their troops firing a hailstorm of bullets and energy into the opening. They were rewarded with familiar, guttural cries. Team Dark charged in afterwards, and Shadow gritted his teeth at the sight:

Several dozen Black Arms soldiers stood before them, albeit some were downed or wounded already. A few Black Oak giants and about another dozen Black Volts accompanied them. They'd been scattered by Spider and Sword Troupes' initial attack, but they were armed, angry and aiming back now.

Seeing these monsters nailed it home more than ever for the Ultimate Life-Form: The Black Arms had truly returned.

"Take them out!" Shadow growled, and immediately charged at his old foes. Rouge and Omega followed his lead, with the ivory bat flying above them and their mechanical friend covering their charge with his miniguns again. The Black Arms began to fire back, but those aiming at Omega never got a shot off before the robot did. Shadow warped out of their attacks' range and closed the distance with a Black Oak giant near the front.

"Chaos Blast!" Shadow shouted, releasing his pent-up anger at the sight of these alien invaders again in a violent, explosive surge of Chaos Energy. The Black Oak cried in agony as it was forced back and violently slammed into several other Black Arms soldiers.

From above, Rouge scattered bombs around the Black Arms, taking out several soldiers and forcing the majority of them closer together into one cluster. Omega and the G.U.N. soldiers began mowing them down with their weapon fire after that. Screeching in anger, the Black Volts from above began swarming towards Rouge.

"Don't even think of getting anywhere near me, wretches!" Rouge spat at them in disgust. She spun her leg around in a sudden whirling kick, her foot colliding with the head of one Black Volt and sending it crashing into several more. Building up more momentum, Rouge spun herself around to create a whirlwind, and flew at the horde of flying aliens, tearing right through most of them like a cyclone of razors.

"Chaos Spear!" Two more Black Oaks were hit by Shadow's attack. One managed to block the brunt behind its massive arms, but the other one cried out and crumpled to the ground as the Chaos Spears exploded against its head. With another quick warp, Shadow appeared behind the Black Oak who'd survived and kicked it in the back of the head, earning him a grotesque *Crack!* before that Black Oak fell as well.

"Defeat is imminent, inferior warriors!" Omega chided, opening a hatch on his chest to reveal several primed missiles. Five fired out and homed in on the remaining Black Volts and Black Arms soldiers.

Three Black Arms warriors with swords and shields, accompanied by the last Black Oak giant, tried rushing the Captains in a desperate attempt to cripple their attackers' leadership. Thankfully, they turned and fired their guns in time to slow their advance while a Giga Trooper rushed to their aid. The Black Oak and the Giga Trooper locked arms in a grapple, but even the giant mech's impressive size and strength was beginning to bend against the Black Alien's superior power. Metal groaned as the Giga Trooper's frame began to give way.

*SCHLICK!*

"URRK!" The Black Oak gurgled and went limp as it too suddenly collapsed before the mech. The Giga Trooper's pilot and the Captains turned to see one of the Black Arms' large, purple, jagged sword sticking out of the behemoth's back. Shadow stood a short distance away, surrounded by the bodies of the last of the Black Arms in the room. One sword was missing from the group.

"Excellent work Team Dark, everyone!" Wachowski said once they made sure they were safe for the time being. "Nice save Shadow!"

"Hmph," Shadow grunted again. The flattery was beginning to be a bit much for him.

"Careful, Moody and Broody here hates getting too friendly with too many people," Rouge teased while shooting Shadow a wink.

"We must press on; I desire more targets to engage!" Omega blurted out, aiming his guns at the defeated forms of the Black Arms, daring them to move.

"Yes, but we need to attempt to get our bearings and find out how to get to the core of the Black Comet from here," Topaz pointed out. She pulled out a small device, a metal orb with some blue lights on it. Pressing a button, the device hovered in the air and projected a hologram of two Black Comets; the one from the first invasion under Black Doom, and the one they were on now.

"The Ratatosk is still running scans, but the Black Arms are blocking its sensors from picking up anything too specific," Topaz explained. "All we know is that this Black Comet is slightly smaller than the last one, about twelve percent smaller according to this. That, and that there's at least three extremely strong readings in this Comet. Stronger than the readings compared to the last Comet when it first arrived… but close to the readings when Black Doom had acquired all seven Chaos Emeralds."

"What?! How can that be?" Shadow asked aloud. "There's only a handful of things that can compare to the power of the Chaos Emeralds!" He tightened his fists; one or all of those energy sources must have something to do with the Black Arms' return. He just knew it.

"Do we have any way of locating the energy's origin point?" Shadow asked, looking up at Topaz and Wachowski.

"Unfortunately no. The best we can do is go by the layout of the first Black Comet and find the core from there," Wachowski said grimly. The holograms of the comets merged, and a map displayed within the new Black Comet. "Our best bet is… through there," he said after a moment, pointing at a large sealed door, colored a purple hue like the rock around them but glowing a faint red in the middle.

"Shall we shoot it open?" Omega asked but Shadow stopped him, his hand sparking with red energy.

"These doors were on the first Black Comet; they remain sealed unless Chaos Energy comes into contact with them," he explained. "Use too much… and it causes a chain reaction that forces all other doors in a certain range to remain open for a long time." Pressing his hand against the glowing center, Shadow overloaded his hand with Chaos Energy, causing the door to open with a loud, bassy warbling sound.

"Look at you! Who knew you were a locksmith, too!" Rouge teased. Shadow glared at her but she just giggled and winked again. "Nice work!"

Spider and Sword Companies followed Team Dark through the door, weapons armed and aimed. For the most part they tried to stay spread apart, save for the squad safeguarding the nuclear device, carried by a Giga Trooper. So far, no other Black Arms had shown up. The next room was considerably larger.

"Alright, everyone has had the map uploaded to their communicators and databases," Topaz turned to face Team Dark. "How shall we proceed?"

"We're the fastest and most mobile of the attack force," Shadow replied as he crossed his arms. "I recommend Rouge, Omega and I scout ahead while you follow. We'll keep the rooms ahead of you clear, and if you encounter trouble, inform us and we'll return to assist."

"Sounds good to me if that sounds good to you two?" Rouge asked, to which the Captains nodded.

"Very well. We'll leave one squad here to defend our exit, and advance behind you," Topaz agreed. "Stay in touch." Shadow, Rouge and Omega all nodded, and turned to head further into the Black Comet.

"Does this feel like old times?" Rouge asked as the three of them began picking up their pace. Shadow smirked and shook his head as he reached his pace that required his skating motions.

"I've been feeling that a lot lately," he admitted.

"Regardless, I believe in our team's ability," Omega spoke up. "Like all the old times before, I believe there is nothing they can throw at us that exceeds our might."

"Hm. Yeah… it's good to have partners like you two," Shadow said in agreement, his smile growing softer. Rouge was now flying directly over the two of them, and she gave Shadow a similarly tender, heartfelt look.

"Now, stop getting sentimental on me, you two," Shadow chided. "We have a job to do."

"Damn straight. Let's send these monsters back into the black hole they crawled out of!"

"Affirmative!"

"Team Dark, move out!"

With that, the Ultimate Life-Form, the world's best Master Thief and Spy, and their Walking Arsenal of a friend sped into the Black Comet, determined to end the impending threat before them with ruthless efficiency.

—-lllllllllll-

*Deeper within the New Black Comet…*

—-llllllll-

Red lights began flashing from the Black Comet's internal defense systems, and almost autonomously, all the Black Arms and Dark Arms went to carry out the defensive procedures. All the glowing yellow eyes filed out of the room, leaving Eclipse and Death's Eye in the room, darker and more ominous than before.

"Eclipse… it seems some intruders have let themselves in, about four quadrants below the Comet's 'bow'" Black Death's voice emanated from Death's Eye. The red and orange eye glowed and projected an image of the Black Comet, highlighting where the Ratatosk had breached the rock and boarded from.

"So soon? We've barely had time to roll out the welcome party," Eclipse chuckled. "This isn't unexpected… prepare the Black Comet's defenses. It's time to turn their plans on their heads… quite literally."

"Indeed. Based on our readings, they have a sizable force but nothing we cannot overwhelm," Death's Eye said. "Their current movement indicates they're following a path based on the previous Black Comet's interior. I believe they mean to reach the core."

"So either to destroy us, or the Black Comet altogether," Eclipse observed. He began snickering, shaking his head. "Those fools have no idea what they're in for. This will not be like the last time they faced the Black Arms!"

"They already defeated our initial anti-boarding party squadrons," Death's Eye pointed out. "Rather quickly. They were by no means any of our best soldiers, but-"

"No, they weren't: prisoners, deserters from previous battles. Their one final duty was to redeem themselves in death, dying in the stead of other Black Arms," Eclipse growled. "They betrayed our people. Not as severely as Shadow did, but they knew their sentence. They knew their duty. Now that they have died serving a purpose, they can be remembered with honor again."

"As you say, Eclipse," Death's Eye said, bowing its form to the Darkling ruler. "Shadow is only being given a chance to rejoin us again due to his power and strength, yes?"

"And for our people's perseverance," Eclipse added. "If anything were to happen to me in a future battle, as it did to you Black Death, he could continue carrying out the wrath of the Black Arms in my stead."

"Speaking of Shadow…" Death's Eye pointed a tendril at its projection. "I believe he and a small team are spearheading this assault. That would explain how those forces were defeated so quickly.

The Darkling's searing-yellow eyes narrowed as he stared at the blinking point on the Black Comet's image. Focusing for a second, the champion and leader of the Black Arms gasped, and then smiled wickedly: He could feel a distant presence, one radiating with the power of his brethren, was approaching.

"Welcome home… brother," Eclipse hissed in sinister glee.

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Author's:-

-Note:-

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At long last, chapter seven! Shadouge slow-burn continues, and the battle between Team Dark, G.U.N. and the Black Arms under Eclipse the Darkling is finally about to begin! Hope you all enjoy!