Shadow: Awakening II

Shadow: Stacking the Deck in My Favor

I struggle to keep my features emotionless as I stare out at the world below. Not because of what I plan to do to it, but because of the memories associated with my view of it. Far above the planet, as it rotates beneath my feet, I can feel my mind striving, trying to push away the flash-back. No amount of mental resistance, however, can prevent the horrible scene from replaying in my head. Maria running, shoving me into the pod, and then I'm begging, pleading with her to come with me. Crying, sobbing for her to come with me. Her adamant refusal to do so, her heroic stance that she kept even when she knew it would cost her her life. Her hands on the lever, ready to give everything in the hopes it would be pulled. Then...the gunshot. The gunshot that ruined my life.

As she fell, my innocence was destroyed, my hope burned in an instant. My memories are fuzzy, horribly fuzzy, until the moment of her collapse. That instant is lucidly clear, every detail reaching an unnatural degree of saturation. This world is far too cruel for anyone innocent... It will be overly merciful to the evils of this world when I destroy them. For I will destroy them, and I will avenge Maria's murder. They sealed their own fate when they killed Maria; they couldn't have known the anger they unleashed, but they have unleashed me, and I will have my revenge. They'll never know what hit them--not until it's too late.

"Shadow!" I turn, seeing the Doctor. "I've been looking for you, you know," he says as he strides over to me. "You said that you have something to show me that will help me in my conquest of the world."

"I do, Doctor," I nod, smirking. "With the weapon I will arm you with, you will be unstoppable. The world will bow before your might like an Earthen flower before a hurricane."

"That sounds delightful! Ha! The world will be mine!" The Doctor throws back his head as he howls in laughter, and he continues to cackle for several seconds. Why am I putting up with this? I could just continue my plot without this annoying biped. All the same, as long as I continue to manipulate him, no one will be able to guess my true plan.

"That it will, Doctor," I agree, nodding my head at him. "I can show you the weapon now, if you'd like."

"Certainly! Show me, Shadow."

"This way, Doctor," I start walking in the direction of the Eclipse Cannon. At any rate, I don't know how to operate the Eclipse Cannon, so this human will prove useful in that aspect. I pause at the door that leads into the Eclipse Cannon, letting it scan my form as it deciphers whether or not I have clearance for it, and after the slightest pause, it opens with a whoosh. Walking towards the large control station, I stroll along the thin platform towards the station, the bottom of the ARK small beyond the edge of it. And here it is, the weapon of destruction that will allow me to exact revenge on the world. Sensing me, the machine bursts to life and a computer screen lights up with the cannon's schematics. The professor thought this plan through well, didn't he? Ensuring I have the authority to use it is something that could have been easily overlooked, but he always was thorough. Hm. Shaking off the nostalgia that comes with thinking of the Professor, I start to explain the machine to the Doctor.

"This is the Eclipse Cannon, Professor Gerald's ultimate weapon, the key to universal domination. With it you can threaten any world, destroy any fleet, become ruler of the universe. All it needs to be at its full power are the seven Chaos Emeralds. Even with only six emeralds, you would be nigh on unstoppable." I explain, my voice raising slightly with my passion for revenge. The Doctor seems completely oblivious to my change in tone, though, and practically runs over to get a closer look at the machine.

"Fantastic! But the question remains: How are we going to collect all of the Chaos Emeralds when so many are hidden away?" The Doctor asks, rubbing his chin.

"Well, I could help you with that," a very feminine voice floats through the chamber, and I sweep my eyes in an attempt to find its origin. I start very slightly as I see the woman sitting on a bar high above. She hops off, and flies down using a black pair of wings on her back. My face remains impassive, but my emotions churn as I see that she is a Mobian; no human has the same stature or proportions as one. Just how many Mobians are living on this darn planet? And who the hell is she, anyways? Before my thoughts can go any farther, her seductive voice sounds again.

"My name is Rouge the Bat, and I'm the world's best treasure hunter. Well, I guess I'm the best of both worlds now. I could help you find the Chaos Emeralds, you know. After all, my specialty is jewels. All I want in return is a bit of the final cut. Surely you don't care very much about some plain, non-Chaos jewels, do you?" Taken aback by her offer, I refuse to give any physical sign of my unrest. How on ARK did she manage to sneak in here without myself or the Doctor hearing? Thinking carefully on her tone and words, I realize they strike a perfect balance between professional and light, and that she provides a perfectly reasonable purpose for helping us. Almost too reasonable. It's rather convenient that her "specialty" is jewels. Not to mention how the hell she got into space in the first place!

It occurs to me that she seems too well trained for a simple treasure hunter. Either she's planning on betraying us and taking the Emeralds, or she's got an entirely different reason for being here. Suddenly, I remember that no one can get into space on this planet without getting clearance from one of the agencies controlling the airspace. That's why the Doctor hasn't tried to get any stuff up here yet. He'd have to deal with the planet's satellite defenses. Knowing this, I come to a definite conclusion: This bat cannot be trusted. She's got to be a government agent. Which means, of course, that I want her on the team. If I feed all of the humans the Doctor's plan, which is hard enough to foil on its own, they won't have a chance when I spring mine without warning. Smirking my way back into the present, I see the Doctor staring at me and give an almost imperceptible nod.

"And what's in it for me if I let you on the team?" Eggman asks pointedly after turning to our newest ally.

"Well," Rouge begins, "I can save you a lot of time in stealing the Chaos Emeralds; I happen to know all of their locations. After all, a lady can't afford to not keep track of something so valuable, not if she wants to call herself a 'treasure hunter.'" So, she must work in some form of intelligence. The humans seem to be stacking every deck in my favor; if she wants us to trust her, she'll help us find all of the Emeralds before she tries to sabotage the Doctor's plan. The only thing to do now is convince the humans on Earth that the Doctor's is the final plan, but they're not expecting me to have another, so even that should prove to be easy.

"Great!" the Doctor exclaims, happy to have access to useful information. "So, where are they?" Does he really think that she's here to help? How... Frowning slightly, I realize that this is exactly the Doctor's level of suspicion: zero for everyone not Sonic. Well, at least he'll help me keep up a veil of trust, if unwittingly.

"Well, for starters," she says, rolling her wrist in a exaggerated presentation motion, "the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Emeralds are in G.U.N.'s hands, hidden on Prison Island." My tail twitches in surprise, but then I fall motionless in concentration.

"Well then, I think we're due for a return visit!" The tone of the Doctor's voice sounds excited and thoughtful, and, at the same time, gleefully reckless. "What do you say, Shadow?" I notice that Rouge tilts her head in interest at my name; that she seems to have been waiting for it.

"Whatever's necessary for our plan, Doctor," I reply, my voice the ultimatum of obedience.

"The Chaos Emeralds will be ours!" Shouts the Doctor happily. Revealing a bit of the inherent insanity he received from Gerald, he continues, "And then the whole world will bow before the might of the Eggman Empire! Haha! Hahaha!" As he cackles semi-insanely, I see the bat watching me surreptitiously. Soon, spy. Soon you'll think you've earned my trust. And then you'll realize your mistake when I yank a trump card out from under your agency's nose. Very soon. I promise.

Explanations: Shadow's memories are fuzzy because of Gerald's tampering to make him want revenge. I couldn't think of a reason for Shadow to "trust" Rouge like he does in SA2, so I put him one step ahead of the game (pun intended). Tell me if you like, eh? Don't forget to tell me your fanfiction ideas, and definitely don't forget to keep reading! Until next chapter (where things get very interesting, I promise), then.