Soul Eater but it's Sonic

Chapter 47

There was an eerie silence in the DWMA's dungeon. It had always been quiet since Shadow first woke up here, but he was interpreting it differently after his spat with Eggman many hours earlier. He wasn't sure what to make of things now. Would Eggman return and argue with him some more? Would he continue holding Shadow's freedom at bay, then start making demands? Shadow didn't know. All he did know was that it was very quiet.

At least until Omega showed up. He barged into Shadow's cell abruptly, making the hedgehog jump up from the bed and prepare for a fight. The robot didn't attack.

"G-G-G-G-G-G-Greetings Shadow! How how how how how can I be here?"

Shadow scowled at the malfunctioning robot before him. The machine's exterior was noticeably damaged. Omega's eyes flashed from their usual red to a variety of shades between pink and purple. His arms bent at the elbows and rotated in different directions.

"You have one new mess-mess-message!" Omega spun his torso all the way round once.

A light emerged from Omega. Not the kind of artificial light that would normally be produced by the robot's components, but a magical one. The glow shimmered until it left Omega completely and shifted into the shape of a person.

Standing in the room with Shadow and Omega was a jackal man. He had long, white hair and black fur. His face was that of a man in his prime, but his expression was very cold and weathered. His right eye held a blue iris, with the other being gold. He gazed at Shadow with an unsettling intensity, despite his otherwise rigid expression. An odd feeling of dread filled the black hedgehog, one he couldn't quite understand.

"There you are, Shadow,"

"You know my name?"

The jackal man looked around the room without much interest. "You don't remember me?"

"Remember you?" Disbelief rattled Shadow. Was that the strange feeling? Did part of him recognize this man?

"We've met three times before. I thought seeing my face might help jog your memory, but perhaps it's for the best,"

"Who are you? When did we ever meet?"

"My name is Zero. We met briefly in the crypt several days ago, as well as in Empire city. I went by the name Infinite during those encounters. Tikal didn't want to risk having you recognize me,"

Zero waved a hand over his face. His image shimmered until it showed him wearing the familiar silver mask of the witch Infinite.

Shadow stared at the image in front of him with rising concern. "You only mentioned two times that we met previously. What about the third?"

Zero's real face returned, and he held a hand up to his chin. "Hm. That would have been over fifty years ago,"

Shadow stumbled back a step. He felt his leg touch the edge of his bed. He didn't dare sit down.

"Fifty years?"

"Over fifty," Zero corrected. "Oddly enough we both look almost exactly the same as we did then. This phantom ruby in my chest heals me and keeps me from aging. I wonder what your excuse is?"

Shadow felt lightheaded. His mind was racing wildly for answers, but none were surfacing. He glanced around the room involuntarily before focusing his vision back on Zero.

"That's impossible. I can't be that old,"

"If I can, why can't you? Besides, who knows how long you were lurking around before I found you. You might just be ancient," Zero laughed once. "Or you could be a replica,"