Chapter 44 - The Next Guardian Issue # 44

Shadow skated into the room. He was exhausted, his black fur usually shiny was now coated with dust. “I'm done.” I'm the ultimate life form. But take away my emerald and I'm the world's ultimate slave. Shadow hung his head. His “captor” looked upset.

“Look, Shadow…” Violet Rose stopped there. She had about to admit affections for him, but that would make her like her goody-two-shoes counterpart, Amy. “Thanks for the help. Now, to get the emerald, I want you to do my one more favor.” She held out several pictures. Shadow looked through them. “Sonic, Knuckles, Eden, Ekyt…and Star.” He threw the pictures. “No. I am not going to destroy my own sister. Keep the emerald.” He strode away. Violet chuckled as he turned around, just like she knew he would. Time for a deal.

“Okay, Shadow. Take out the human in the picture and the emerald is yours.” Shadow looked up at that. I swore I would never become this. But I have no choice. “Dead or alive?” He asked as he gritted his teeth. “Alive. He holds the secret to greater power. If we strike at him, the echidna will follow, and then so will the master emerald, and all it's little brother's and sisters. Shadow left.

Violet sighed. Then laughed. She shed her skin and it was…Snively! “What a sucker. Now to report back… I have him doing the final task now, master Robotnik.” A projected image came onto one of the walls. In the background sat the real Violet Rose. “Excellent. Bring me that meddlesome kid, and all his little friends will follow.” The image switched off.



Back at the island.



A force barreled into Ekyt hard. He held the human still. “I'm sorry. I have no choice.” Shadow drew back his fist and was about to hit the human before Eden grabbed Shadow and flipped him over. “I don't hold with senseless violence.” She and Linda-Su double kicked him in the face. He rebounded and was about to hit them when Sonic and Knuckles flew into him and pinned him to the ground. “What has happened, brother?” “Star!” The female hedgehog smiled sadly. “Yes, Shadow. I overheard what happened. This human has agreed to help you with your problem.” Ekyt returned, carrying an emerald. “Shadow, this is for you. I said I owed you one, and now I have a chance to pay you back.” Shadow was cautious, but he took the emerald. Then it was snatched away by a brown bat. Knuckles snarled “Roxy!”

Roxy winked at him and blew him a kiss. “Sorry, Knux. It's been fun.” She turned to fly away, but hit a white bat. Rouge knocked the emerald away and tackled her cousin. She fell almost fifty feet. Sonic and Knuckles still had a hold of Shadow.

Ekyt kicked up dust as he dove and made a last-second catch. “What are you doing? She just tried to steal from you!” Rouge was looking daggers at Ekyt. “She would have died Rouge. I don't intend to allow death unless I cannot prevent it.” She put the bat down gently. Then he tied her up. “I will, however, take prisoners should my job require it.” Roxy shook her head hard. “What do you mean, your “job?”” “I'm a sub-guardian of the chaos emerald.” Knuckles escorted Roxy to the edge of the island. She looked at him, trying to make him feel bad for her. Knuckles shook his head and put her into the Mobian Badlands.

Ekyt helped Shadow up and held out the emerald. “Take it, Shadow. If Eden is right, we need your help. Besides, the Shadow I know would want revenge.” Shadow took the emerald. “Grab on.” He snarled. Everyone held on. “Chaos Control!” He bellowed. This would warp them to a standoff with their enemy.

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