Shadow and Amy traveled towards the source of the explosion, eventually arriving at a particularly old ruin. While ruins were nothing new in the kingdom of Soleanna, these were notable for having echidna architecture. "Amazing..." Shadow commended in amazement, "Just how far back does Knuckles' line extend?" Amy, sharing Shadow's surprise, shook her head and said, "I'm not sure, but what caused that explosion?"
An all too familiar voice answered, "That would be me." Shadow and Amy turned to see Dr. Robotnik, in all his mechanical extravagance, piloting a grandiose mech, as always, along with an army of robots. Accompanying him were Zero and Metal Sonic. "Doctor," Shadow acknowledged curtly. Amy, for some reason, found herself unable to speak. "Fancy running into you two here, of all places," Eggman said with a smirk. Shadow just scoffed. "What exactly are you doing in Soleanna, Doctor?"
Eggman replied, "Oh, nothing that concerns you. I just need those Chaos Emeralds you have. If you'd be so kind as to..." Shadow cut him off, "Shut it. You wouldn't have brought all these junk heaps if you really expected a simple transaction. Now cut the crap and let's get this over with." Eggman frowned with visible distaste. "How rude. Sonic certainly has been rubbing off on you, Shadow." The Black Blur growled, "You won't live to regret that statement, Doctor..."
An all too familiar voice answered, "That would be me." Shadow and Amy turned to see Dr. Robotnik, in all his mechanical extravagance, piloting a grandiose mech, as always, along with an army of robots. Accompanying him were Zero and Metal Sonic. "Doctor," Shadow acknowledged curtly. Amy, for some reason, found herself unable to speak. "Fancy running into you two here, of all places," Eggman said with a smirk. Shadow just scoffed. "What exactly are you doing in Soleanna, Doctor?"
Eggman replied, "Oh, nothing that concerns you. I just need those Chaos Emeralds you have. If you'd be so kind as to..." Shadow cut him off, "Shut it. You wouldn't have brought all these junk heaps if you really expected a simple transaction. Now cut the crap and let's get this over with." Eggman frowned with visible distaste. "How rude. Sonic certainly has been rubbing off on you, Shadow." The Black Blur growled, "You won't live to regret that statement, Doctor..."
Shadow immediately unsheathed his personal katana blade and started slicing through the robot horde. Amy wanted to join him, but she couldn't. Metal Sonic stared at her, unmoving. Images of her earlier nightmare began to flash in her mind... The fear...the helplessness...it all came rushing back to her in a tidal wave of emotions. She was completely paralyzed. 'Why?' she thought to herself, 'Why can't I move? It was only a dream, nothing more. So, why can't I fight?' Metal Sonic continued glaring at Amy and Eggman noticed. He chuckled. 'Perfect.' Casually, he then ordered, "Alpha Team, take care of Miss Rose."
On command, Zero lead his small team of robots and attacked Amy while she was vulnerable, greatly damaging her. Shadow noticed and dashed to help but Metal Sonic blocked his way. Shadow tried to warp past him, but, as if mocking him, Metal warped to wherever he tried to go to. Feeling frustrated, Shadow simply attacked the robot with his katana. However, Metal Sonic dodged each slash before knocking the blade away from him and countering with a Spin Dash. Shadow quickly got up and charged up a Light Speed Attack. Metal Sonic did the same. With matching glares, they launched toward each other, clashing hundreds of times in mere seconds. After a while, they landed on the ground. Shadow was beginning to tire a little, and Metal started to smoke.
Meanwhile, Amy was struggling to stand. She was in much pain and didn't know how much more she could take. Suddenly, a shadow looming over her. It was Zero. Amy sat down on the ground, frightened. "No, no! Get away from me...!" Zero ignored her plea, getting closer and closer. On the verge of tears, Amy started begging, "No...stay away! Please, don't hurt me..." She then heard a voice coming from a newly installed speaker on Zero's chassis. It was Eggman's voice. "Do not worry, my dear. He will not harm you...if you give me the Chaos Emerald you possess." The girl processed the words and shakily presented the green gem. "Here..."
"Amy, what is wrong with you?!"
Amy gasped as the loud, outraged voice of Shadow the Hedgehog rang out, cutting through her fear like a Spin Attack through a Badnik. "I sure as hell do not remember training you to be this weak, or to resort to something as low as bargaining for your life! Do not let something as intangible as a nightmare control you! You are more than capable of handling these losers, so get it together right now!" He blocked a strike from Metal Sonic and looked Amy in the eye. "You are strong, Amy Rose, now act like it!!!"
On command, Zero lead his small team of robots and attacked Amy while she was vulnerable, greatly damaging her. Shadow noticed and dashed to help but Metal Sonic blocked his way. Shadow tried to warp past him, but, as if mocking him, Metal warped to wherever he tried to go to. Feeling frustrated, Shadow simply attacked the robot with his katana. However, Metal Sonic dodged each slash before knocking the blade away from him and countering with a Spin Dash. Shadow quickly got up and charged up a Light Speed Attack. Metal Sonic did the same. With matching glares, they launched toward each other, clashing hundreds of times in mere seconds. After a while, they landed on the ground. Shadow was beginning to tire a little, and Metal started to smoke.
Meanwhile, Amy was struggling to stand. She was in much pain and didn't know how much more she could take. Suddenly, a shadow looming over her. It was Zero. Amy sat down on the ground, frightened. "No, no! Get away from me...!" Zero ignored her plea, getting closer and closer. On the verge of tears, Amy started begging, "No...stay away! Please, don't hurt me..." She then heard a voice coming from a newly installed speaker on Zero's chassis. It was Eggman's voice. "Do not worry, my dear. He will not harm you...if you give me the Chaos Emerald you possess." The girl processed the words and shakily presented the green gem. "Here..."
"Amy, what is wrong with you?!"
Amy gasped as the loud, outraged voice of Shadow the Hedgehog rang out, cutting through her fear like a Spin Attack through a Badnik. "I sure as hell do not remember training you to be this weak, or to resort to something as low as bargaining for your life! Do not let something as intangible as a nightmare control you! You are more than capable of handling these losers, so get it together right now!" He blocked a strike from Metal Sonic and looked Amy in the eye. "You are strong, Amy Rose, now act like it!!!"
Shadow's words jolted Amy back to reality. Zero reached for the Chaos Emerald but he was then roughly halted by an unknown force. Amy's spines began to wave slightly as she glared darkly at Zero with a teal glint in her eyes. Her spines flared out and the robot was thrown back to his master's side. 'Shadow...thank you.' With renewed vigor, Amy grabbed a broken tree branch and entered the fray, smashing a good deal of robots with it before it broke, forcing her to finish her end with her bare hands. Satisfied she was okay, Shadow launched a Chaos Spear at Metal Sonic point-blank, shorting him out enough that he could no longer fight. As Shadow tossed Metal back to Eggman, the battle was over.
Eggman sighed. "Hmph. This is certainly disappointing." With her sass returned, Amy shouted, "What, no indignant outbursts, Dr. Eggman? No childish tantrums or promises of revenge?" Eggman glared at her. "You underestimate me, girl. Both of you. Do you really think you've beaten me that easily? One day, you will learn not to sell your opponent so short." Shadow rolled his eyes and said, "If you've got more, bring it so we finish beating you."
"What did I just say about-" Eggman stopped mid sentence, deciding that more threats would be a waste of his breath. "Hrm. Never mind." This slapped a look of puzzlement on Shadow's face. The doctor continued, "Before I go, I'm interested in that nightmare you mentioned." Amy was silent about that, so Shadow spoke for her. "What of it?" Eggman continued, "I'm just surprised, and pleased, that my genius has left such deep mental scars." He grinned. "Do my robots intimidate you that much, Amy?"
Amy flinched. "O-Of course not. They have nothing to do with it!" The doctor chuckles knowingly. "You're a poor liar, my dear." Shadow was fuming by this point. His fingers were shaking, and he was fiercely resisting the urge to put a bullet through Ivo's head. The fact that he didn't know why he felt this way only served to fuel his rage. "Leave, Doctor. Now." Eggman was only mildly intimidated by Shadow's actions. He did not fear the hedgehog, but knew from experience that his grandfather's creation did NOT make empty threats, verbal or not. "Ok, ok. I guess I've gathered enough data for now. Farewell!" With that, and a courteous bow, Dr. Robotnik used a teleporter to phase Zero, Metal Sonic and himself out of the area. As they went, Metal (somehow) made a slitting motion on his throat and pointed directly at Amy. Then, they were gone.
Amy exhaled loudly. "Finally." Shadow nodded, his anger cooling. "Yeah." 'But what did he mean by "data"?' Amy turned to Shadow and said, "I'm sorry. I guess that dream affected me more than I thought." Shadow promptly walked over to her and held her face in his hands, softly glaring into her eyes. "Listen to me, Amy. I don't know what kind of hold the Doctor's machines have over you, but you must overcome it. What if they had truly been after your life or someone else's?"
She could not argue that point. That kind of hesitation could serve to be fatal. Shadow moved his hands to her shoulders and went on, "One day, someone will be depending on you to save them, not the other way around. You can't afford to allow fear or hesitation to stop you from fighting. That could very well mean death. Do you understand?" Amy nodded and he said, "Good. It would be a shame if I lost my student." Amy looked upon Shadow with respect and adoration and held his own face. "Thank you, Shadow. I owe you so much." He looked touched as he replied, "As I said, you can pay me back by not wasting my time." Amy smiled warmly, moving closer to him. "Your words used to feel much colder, Shadow." He said to her, "You used to be a weak little girl, Amy. Time has changed us, it seems." The two hedgehogs became lost in each other's eyes as their faces got closer...closer...closer...
Without warning, an already broken tree finally collapsed, catching on fire from the flames of the battle's various explosions, forcibly grabbing their attention. Shadow immediately backed away. "Come," he said. "We'd better douse these flames before they get out of control."
"Those aren't the flames you need to be dousing, Shadow..." Amy said through gritted teeth. Shadow was a few steps away when he turned back. "Huh? What did you say?" Amy just sighed in exasperation. "Nothing, nothing." Once again, Shadow's face looked puzzled.
Eggman sighed. "Hmph. This is certainly disappointing." With her sass returned, Amy shouted, "What, no indignant outbursts, Dr. Eggman? No childish tantrums or promises of revenge?" Eggman glared at her. "You underestimate me, girl. Both of you. Do you really think you've beaten me that easily? One day, you will learn not to sell your opponent so short." Shadow rolled his eyes and said, "If you've got more, bring it so we finish beating you."
"What did I just say about-" Eggman stopped mid sentence, deciding that more threats would be a waste of his breath. "Hrm. Never mind." This slapped a look of puzzlement on Shadow's face. The doctor continued, "Before I go, I'm interested in that nightmare you mentioned." Amy was silent about that, so Shadow spoke for her. "What of it?" Eggman continued, "I'm just surprised, and pleased, that my genius has left such deep mental scars." He grinned. "Do my robots intimidate you that much, Amy?"
Amy flinched. "O-Of course not. They have nothing to do with it!" The doctor chuckles knowingly. "You're a poor liar, my dear." Shadow was fuming by this point. His fingers were shaking, and he was fiercely resisting the urge to put a bullet through Ivo's head. The fact that he didn't know why he felt this way only served to fuel his rage. "Leave, Doctor. Now." Eggman was only mildly intimidated by Shadow's actions. He did not fear the hedgehog, but knew from experience that his grandfather's creation did NOT make empty threats, verbal or not. "Ok, ok. I guess I've gathered enough data for now. Farewell!" With that, and a courteous bow, Dr. Robotnik used a teleporter to phase Zero, Metal Sonic and himself out of the area. As they went, Metal (somehow) made a slitting motion on his throat and pointed directly at Amy. Then, they were gone.
Amy exhaled loudly. "Finally." Shadow nodded, his anger cooling. "Yeah." 'But what did he mean by "data"?' Amy turned to Shadow and said, "I'm sorry. I guess that dream affected me more than I thought." Shadow promptly walked over to her and held her face in his hands, softly glaring into her eyes. "Listen to me, Amy. I don't know what kind of hold the Doctor's machines have over you, but you must overcome it. What if they had truly been after your life or someone else's?"
She could not argue that point. That kind of hesitation could serve to be fatal. Shadow moved his hands to her shoulders and went on, "One day, someone will be depending on you to save them, not the other way around. You can't afford to allow fear or hesitation to stop you from fighting. That could very well mean death. Do you understand?" Amy nodded and he said, "Good. It would be a shame if I lost my student." Amy looked upon Shadow with respect and adoration and held his own face. "Thank you, Shadow. I owe you so much." He looked touched as he replied, "As I said, you can pay me back by not wasting my time." Amy smiled warmly, moving closer to him. "Your words used to feel much colder, Shadow." He said to her, "You used to be a weak little girl, Amy. Time has changed us, it seems." The two hedgehogs became lost in each other's eyes as their faces got closer...closer...closer...
Without warning, an already broken tree finally collapsed, catching on fire from the flames of the battle's various explosions, forcibly grabbing their attention. Shadow immediately backed away. "Come," he said. "We'd better douse these flames before they get out of control."
"Those aren't the flames you need to be dousing, Shadow..." Amy said through gritted teeth. Shadow was a few steps away when he turned back. "Huh? What did you say?" Amy just sighed in exasperation. "Nothing, nothing." Once again, Shadow's face looked puzzled.
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