Mirror Image

XXVII - Chaos Incarnate

"Hurry up, Eggman," said Sonic, "we haven't got time to waste listening to your gloating. Why should we even consider freeing you?"

Eggman hovered within the blue column of light, scowling at Sonic from beneath his dark glasses.

"Listen carefully, you walking pincushions," he said, "almost everything in this installation is of my design, including Metal Shadow himself. If I can get access to the main control panel, I'll be able to shut his operation down."

"Hmph!" scoffed Shadow, "you've been outsmarted by your own creation again, Ivo. Metal Shadow will have locked you out of the system for certain."

"You don't get to be an evil genius without allowing for these things, Shadow the Traitor," said Eggman, glowering at the black hedgehog, "I have secret access codes committed to memory. There's no way Metal Shadow could have foreseen them."

"Sorry, Egg-head!" said Sonic, turning on his heel and walking away, "you'll just have to hang around a bit longer. I'm not letting you near a control panel just so you can betray us. C'mon Shadow, let's hustle."

"Fine!" spat Eggman, "have it your way. But while Metal Shadow still has the Chaos-shifting data I took from Metal Sonic, you'll never be able to beat him. He can change form or switch bodies at will. In fact, how will you even know if you're fighting the real thing and not another of his infernal copies? Ohh ho ho ho!"

Eggman's laughter caught in Sonic's ear, and he stopped walking. Yet another thing to add to his list of pet hates; Eggman being right.

"Damn you, Eggman!" he said, spinning on his heel and thrusting an accusing finger towards him, "why did you even give him that ability?"

"I didn't. Metal Shadow stole it from my database after we er... had a disagreement on how best to deal with you."

"You'll face justice for unleashing that abomination, Doctor," said Shadow, "after you help us defeat it."

He stepped forward, unfolding his arms and letting crimson energy surge through them. Reaching into the pillar of light, Shadow lifted the huge bulk of the doctor over his head like he was made of Styrofoam, before setting him to the floor and sliding his manacles away.

"Shadow, don't," pleaded Sonic.

"I'm sorry Sonic, but brute force and heroic resolve won't win this battle. Our enemy is using science as a weapon, so now we do the same."

"You should listen to your boyfriend, Sonic," sneered Eggman, earning him a raised eyebrow from Sonic, "don't look so shocked. Metal Shadow made me watch the whole thing, just so he could mock me with his 'victory' over you. I'm not surprised a couple of freaks like you would choose to be even more abnormal. Ohh ho ho - ack!"

Shadow's arm shot up, and he seized the doctor by his collar, dragging his head down to meet his own and leaving the rotund human bent over awkwardly, struggling against Shadow's grip.

"Listen to me very carefully, Ivo," said Shadow, in a tone so low and threatening that Sonic felt his spine tingle, "my relationship with Sonic means everything to me, and it does not concern you. Do not think yourself so indispensable that I would not hesitate for one second to end you if you should threaten it. Say one more word about it, and I will destroy you so thoroughly it will be impossible to prove you even existed. Are we clear?"

"Y-yes!" gasped Eggman, his face as white as a sheet, "I swear, no more gloating, just let me go!" Shadow released his grip, and Eggman sprang up, inhaling in relief.

Shadow brushed past Sonic without saying a word, his face like thunder. Sonic reached out to him, but he carried on into the darkened corridor. The tingle in Sonic's spine continued to quiver, fear and excitement mixing in equal measure. Listening to Shadow leap to his defence gave him a heady rush, and he found the tone he took both terrifying and scintillating at the same time.