Whispers in the Dark (A Sonic Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: The Imposter

{Recommended song: I Am All of Me by Crush 40}

   A black-and-red blur zoomed through the peaceful hills and forests of Mobius.

   But today Shadow the Hedgehog was anything but peaceful. He was on the hunt.

   It had started a few days ago, when Team Dark had started hearing rumors. Rumors about Shadow. Stories of him commiting random acts of violence, petty crimes, and general nuisancery.

   Things Shadow would never do. Not without a reason, at least. He may have had a reputation for being... difficult, but he prided himself on his moral code, even when no one else quite understood it or his methods.

   He was trying to do the right thing. He was doing his best to fulfill his promise to Maria.

   And now some stupid imposter had to come along and smear his image. Shadow growled to himself as he skated along on his air shoes. "Fakers. Can't they just leave me be?"

   Who was it this time? Infinite, Mephiles, some Eggman robot? Whoever it was, Shadow was out for blood. No one used his image and got away with it.

   Rouge and Omega were following a possible lead in Sunset City. But Shadow was pretty sure he was on the right trail. The further he traveled, the more angry glares and nasty comments he got from people who had apparently been victims of his imposter. It was too much effort to explain to everyone that it wasn't him who was doing all that stuff.

   Whatever.

   He was never the most beloved hero anyway.

   Another village appeared on the horizon. Shadow put on a burst of speed, silently bracing himself for whatever anger he'd have to deal with there.

   He got a bad feeling as he approached. People were running around. Pieces of brick and plaster were scattered around, and blast marks covered nearby houses. The damage looked fresh.

   Colorful bursts of energy flashed from center of the village. Shadow frowned and sped towards the commotion, weaving between people going the opposite direction. He dashed up a wall and paused atop the roof of a nearby building.

   There he was.

   A hedgehog that looked just like him was in the village square. He was fighting a female wolf with biscotti-colored fur. She wore dark cloak and a mask that covered her whole face.

   Shadow had seen her before. They'd worked together during the latest battle with Neo Metal Sonic. What was her name? Something like Silence, Quiet...

   Whisper. That was it.

   She motioned to a Wisp flying around her, and it flew towards her, absorbing into her gun. But before she could use it, the fake Shadow slammed into her, knocking her back with a grunt.

   Without a second thought, Shadow ran towards them and rolled into a ball, spin dashing directly into the fake Shadow. The faker slammed against a wall. He blinked, his eyes turning ink black for a moment before he jumped up.

   Shadow glanced at Whisper to see if she was okay. She'd pushed herself up, holding her chest where the fake Shadow'd rammed her. Shadow glanced back at him, eyebrows lowered. "Who is that?"

   Whisper's voice trembled. "Mimic. Shape-shifter. Traitor."

   Good enough for him. He made a flinging motion with his arm. "Chaos Spear!"

   Mimic-Shadow dodged the energy blast and tumbled to the side, yanking out a knife. "Come on, you're really okay with fighting yourself? Most people at least pause."

   "You think you're the first faker I've had to destroy?" Shadow jumped and landed a flying kick on Mimic-Shadow's wrist, knocking his knife away.

   Mimic-Shadow jumped back. "But what about..." His hedgehog form morphed slightly and faded to blue. Sonic. "One of your friends? --Oof!" He lunged backwards as Shadow spin dashed into his chest again.

   Shadow laughed at Mimic-Sonic. "You're just making this easier for me." He never minded a chance to show up that arrogant little speedster, even a fake version. He landed a few more punches on Mimic-Sonic's muzzle.

   Actually, this was quite cathartic.

   The imposter changed again, this time into a navy blue octopus in a tattered black cloak. He groaned as he dodged another blow from Shadow. He dove for his knife. Like a knife could stop the Ultimate Lifeform.

   He'd picked a bad person to imitate.

   As Shadow charged up for another strike, Mimic turned and ran down an alley.

   "Hmph. Coward." Shadow chased him down, but when he reached the other side, Mimic had disappeared into a crowd. Probably shape-shifting into the first person he spotted.

   Shadow swore under his breath. He walked back to where Whisper was standing.

   "He escaped," he growled.

   Whisper's shoulders sank. She stared at the ground. A handful of Wisps, the ones she'd been using in battle, gathered around and rubbed against her.

   Shadow raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. Something was up. There was something personal between her and Mimic.

   The sound of a bell ringing caused them both to glance up. A lemur in a black bodysuit and yellow croptop was racing towards them on a bike.

   "WHISPER!" she squealed.

   Whisper pulled her mask back and smiled. "Tangle." She waved softly.

   Tangle leapt off her bike, letting it fall in the middle of the street. She ran towards Whisper with outstretched arms, but paused a few inches away when Whisper stiffened. "Sorry, too enthusiastic. Hug?"

   Whisper nodded and let Tangle wrap her arms around her.

   Tangle was... bubbly. "I came as soon as I heard Mimic had been spotted. You should have called me earlier! I'd have helped you track him. So where is he?" She glanced at Shadow and gasped. "Is that him in disguise?" She put up her fists and whipped her tail around into an defensive position.

   Shadow growled as Whisper softly placed her hand on Tangle's arm. "S'okay. Not him. Got away."

   "If you say so." Tangle relaxed, although she still eyed Shadow suspiciously. "So are we going after him?"

   Whisper nodded. "Must find. Dangerous."

   "I'm coming too."

   They turned to stare at Shadow. He lowered his eyebrows. "Nobody uses my image and gets away with it."

   Both girls looked surprised. Tangle looked at him uncomfortably, then glanced to Whisper. Her squinted eyes cracked open slightly, but she glanced away.

   Shadow crossed his arms. He wasn't going to be deterred.

  "Fine." Whisper said.

   "You sure?" Tangle put a hand on her shoulder. Whisper bobbed her head almost imperceptibly.

   What's all that about? Shadow wondered.

   Tangle shrugged. "Alrighty." She turned to Shadow and held out her tail, the end forming into an open hand for shaking. "Welcome to the crew."

   Shadow eyed her weird tail-hand. "I already have a 'crew'. This is just a temporary arrangement," he muttered, stepping back.

   Tangle shrugged and pulled her tail back. She threw one arm around Whisper's shoulders.

   "ROAD TRIP!"