I Am...All of Me

Bonds of Loyalty

By: Maraja Sargasso

(Set during the events of Sonic 06)

Shadow's POV

     I skated through the once beautiful streets of Soleana in a crimson flash. The city was encased in flames, their fierce light reflecting off the canals as I raced past. Mephiles had joined with Iblis, becoming the Solaris creature, and for the first time in Mobius' history, we had failed to defeat it. Sonic had been killed, and Elise's kiss was not enough to revive him. Even with the power of the seven chaos emeralds, it seemed that it was not enough to bring him back, and dare I say, he couldn't have picked a worse time to die. I didn't think I would be able to defeat Solaris on my own. But though the world was literally on fire, there was one thing that cut me far more deeply. Mephiles was right... 

    When he had shown me the vision of my imprisonment, I didn't believe him. I worked with the humans of the world, and I thought I had earned their trust. I could not have been more mistaken in my life. With the world heading into its apocalyptic state, I had forgotten about GUN and what they might have been thinking at the time. I had no idea that they still held me in total distrust, even after I had proved my loyalty to them countless times, and they had only been waiting for the right moment to turn on me. Now here I was, the Ultimate Lifeform, running for my life from the people I was created to protect and swore to make happy. 

    I ducked into an alleyway and scowled at the reddening sky, bringing back memories of the Black Arms invasion only two years ago. I then realized that it was since that day the first aliens touched the Earth' s surface, that the Commander had actively sought out a chance to destroy me. GUN had waited for this very moment to strike, and they put up a persuasive argument. With the media on their side, they wrote that I was the cause of this chaos, and a small part of me believed them. It was my fault Mephiles was unleashed when I failed to retrieve the Scepter of Darkness when it fell, deciding rather to catch my falling partner. I don't why I overreacted when Rouge had been knocked out of the air by the doctor's machine. She had taken far worse hits and was able to manage. But it was that one choice that has now altered the very future Silver had worked so hard to restore. It was no wonder the public has turned against me. 

    I hated it when Mephiles was proved right! He was my problem. I released him. I put a bounty on my head when I travelled to the past to seal him into the Scepter, which would make him wish vengeance on me for years. He literally stole my shadow, and now many of the world's citizens have confused the two of us. Is this how Sonic felt when I first came on the scene? Wreaking havoc of my own? I growled and punched the brick wall behind me out of reflex. No wonder the people of Earth despised me. I may be a redeemed villain, but I will never truly be the hero. 

     "Hey! I think heard something! He might've gone this way!" Captain Andrews yelled. I detested him even before this happened. He was always the stuck-up little pinhead that I really would like to "spar" a couple of rounds with, but I had no time. The GUN squadron would be here any second. 

   The end of the alley was a dead end, and running back into the streets would only alert them to my location. There weren't many options left. 

     Even if the whole world turns against me, I will fight like I always have....

     Ha, that had been my reply to Mephiles' prophesy, that I would fight for the good of the world whether they wished it or not. I briefly glanced down at my reflection in small puddle that somehow had yet to evaporate. My charcoal appearance matched the desolate landscape perfectly. I breathed a deep sigh as I thought about what I had to do. 

    "Maria, forgive me, and give me strength," I whispered before I skated out of the alley. 

      The band of humans had no chance to react as I disabled them and knocked them unconscious. The world would never pardon me if I killed them. My eyes suddenly locked with a pair of familiar, hazel orbs, and I paused. She was the last one standing. I was desperately hoping I could still trust her enough to get the one crucial piece of information I needed.