Duel of the Shadows by Herofox (Hound, Shadow Fox (c) Herofox. T2 (c) Noele "Lara-su fan" Carballo.) Last time- Shadow Fox: DIE! (Shadow Fox slices off Espios arm.) (He slices off Espios other arm and grabs him by the horn.) Shadow Fox: Looks like you've just been "Dis-armed"! (Slices off Espios legs.) (He starts punching Espio in the stomach.) Saber: Grrr! That scoundrel! (Hound is covered in golden light. When the light fades he has become Shadow Hound.) Shadow Foxes thoughts: Amazing. What strength. It's almost as strong as mine. Shadow the hedgehog must be channelling his power through that little pest... S. Hound: Shadow Fox! I vow that when we meet in battle I will bring you to your knees this day! Hound: I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me... (Shadow Fox grabs Hound by the tail and flies off with him.) Hound: Help! Someone! This Episode- (Shadow Fox flew with Hound to the Mystic ruins temple. He drops Hound who falls on his butt.) Hound (rubbing his tail): Oww. My tail... Shadow Fox: Belay your bellyaching and become Shadow Hound! Hound: Why? Shadow Fox: Because it's very clear that the only one who can match Shadows powers is Shadow himself. Now transform! (He shots a Chaos spear in front of Hound.) Hound: I won't! Shadow Fox: Do it! (He shoots again.) Hound: Never! (Over to Sally and Friends.) Sally: I hope Hound's okay. Bunny: What say we go rescue the little guy? Sally: We will. Wait a minute! The sword of Acorns! It has the power to break mind control! Antoine: I'll ready the plane to take us back to the palace to retrieve it! Flash: If it's all the same to you Sally, Bubble and me would like to stay here a while. Sally: What for? Flash: Well...After Espios fight; we want to take a moment to pay our last respects. Sally: I understand. Bunny, Rotor, Saber, Storm, Cutter, and Trigger, you're with me. (Sally and her selected Freedom Fighters board their plane.) [Insert sad music here] Vector: I'm sorry T2. I know how much you cared about Espio. T2: Thanks guys. Bubble: To think that it was Tails... he doesn't seem capable of doing anything like that to any living thing... Ray: I know. Mighty: Espio was a good person. We're all gonna miss him... [End of sad tune] ?????: Man! How long was I out? (Someone comes from around the corner of the ring. When they see who it is...) All: AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHH!!! (It's Espio. All his limbs have somehow reattached.) Espio: What's up guys? (The boys of Chaotix have their jaws down and their eyes have tripled in size.) T2: You're alive... Espio: Yeah. Sorry I worried you. (T2 wipes the tears from her eyes, blushes and wraps her arms around Espio. Espio hugs her back.) T2: Please don't scare us like that again! Espio: Okay! I won't! Charmy: I don't get it Espio. How'd you pull yourself together again? Espio: A chameleon is a type of lizard, so I can regenerate severed limbs just as long as my head and my torso are connected. Bubble (><#): They wont be connected much longer if you pull a stunt like that again! (Back to Shadow Fox) Shadow Fox: C'mon out Shadow! If you really care about this little runt, you'll face me in battle! Shadows voice: Hound please! Let me help you! If you continue to hold me back, you'll lose more than just Tails sanity! Hound: I don't want you to hurt Tails! (In Hounds subconscious.) Shadow: Why do you restrain me? Hound: You took over my back at the Shadow games. You could have hurt the others! Shadow: I was only trying to help. But I promise never to go against your wishes again. From now on, all Shadow Hounds moves will be joint decisions. Hound:...Okay. I trust you Shadow. (Back in the real word, Hound is covered in the golden light. He has become Shadow Hound.) Shadow Fox: Much better... Shadow Hound: Ring scythe sword mode! (He pulls out his scythe, presses the button. The blade flips up and the pole shortens. It has become a sword.) (Shadow Fox draws his ring sword.) Both: LETS DUAL! (They charge at each other and clash their blades together.) (They struggle to push the opponent back. They then use Chaos control to teleport into the sky where they continue to tap their weapons together while in the air.) (Shadow Fox then flies upward.) CHAOS SPEAR! (He shoots the arrows of energy down at Shadow Hound who uses Chaos control to transport to the ground safely.) CHAOS DESTROYER! (Shadow Hound absorbs energy in his hands for three seconds and throws it up at Shadow Fox who also uses Chaos control to teleport behind his rival.) Shadow Hound (Turns around): Huh? (The next thing he sees is a gloved fist flying at him, knocking him up the steps of the temple.) Shadow Fox: Heh heh. (He walks up the steps. Shadow Hound jumps off overhead and comes down at Shadow Fox with his Sword. Shadow Fox uses his own sword to block.) (Back to Chaotix) (Mighty and Espio are helping Knuckles to his feet.) Knuckles: Man, Shadow Fox sure can hit hard. (A beat up looking Sonic uses Chaos control.) Sonic: Hey guys. How'd it? Vector: No so good. Shadow Fox beat us. And then he made off with Hound. Sonic: Way uncool. So where's Sal and the others? Knuckles: They went on ahead to get Sally's sword. Sonic: Gotcha. (He uses chaos control to go to the castle, grab the sword, and warp to Antoine's plane.) Sonic: Knux says you where after this. (He gives Sally the sword.) Sally: Good job Sonic. Okay Antoine, scan the planet for an energy signature similar to Tails or Shadow. Antoine: Scanning now. (After a minute.) Two signatures detected in the mystic ruins, both similar to Shadow. Sally: Then that's where we're heading! But first we'll go fetch the guys from Chaotix.) (They back to Robotropolis.) Bunny: Round up guys! We're en route to the Mystic ruins! Knuckles: Thanks but no thanks. We got hurt pretty bad out there. I'm taking my team to Dr Quack. We'll join you when we can. Sally: Sonic, I think you'd better go with them. You look pretty beaten up. Sonic: Okay. Catch ya later. T2: I'll go with you Princess. Sally: Great. You just might be able to help us. (T2 joins the freedom fighters in their plane while Knuckles takes the boys back to the floating island.) (Back to the battle between the two red eyed warriors.) (They both land a number of punches and kicks on each other.) Both: CHAOS SPEAR! (They simultaneously fire a number of energy arrows that cancel each other out in a cloud of dust.) (The freedom fighters have landed.) Sally: Saber Storm, Cutter, and Trigger, you'll be on guard duty. Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine, you be on standby in case we need any reinforcements. T2, you're with me. Let's move out people! (Over to Shadow Fox who is punching the day lights out of Shadow Hound. When he finishes pummelling him, he throws the young dog into a tree.) Shadow (In Hounds mind): Huff...puff...I'm sorry Hound. He's too strong. I failed you... (With that word, Shadow Hound changes back into normal Hound, with a lot of battle damage.) Shadow Fox: Are you so beaten up that you're no longer able to stay as Shadow Hound? How pathetic! Hounds thoughts: No...you didn't fail Shadow. I was the one who failed. (Tears swell up in his eyes) I wasn't strong enough to contain your full power. Maybe I wasn't even the one who was supposed to find your emerald in the first place... Shadow Fox: And now that I have defeated the so-called "Ultimate life form" I have no further use for you. (He draws his sword and approaches Hound.) (Sally suddenly steps in front of Shadow Fox with her sword drawn. She strikes a defensive pose.) Sally: Don't take another step or else! Shadow Fox: Or else what? Hound: Sally! Don't do it! You're no match for him! Sally: I have no intension fighting him! Okay sword, do your stuff! (The sword of acorns starts glowing.) Sword: At once princess. (A glowing beam shoots out from the sword at Shadow Fox.) Sally: Be free I say! (Shadow Fox smiles wickedly at Sally.) Sally: What?! It isn't working! Sword: He's not being controlled. Shadow Fox: No one controls me! (He jumps at Sally and they begin to duel with their swords.) Howling starbeam! (He fires a beam at Sally whose sword deflects the beam.) (Tails big sis makes the scene) T2: Sally wait! Let me battle him! Sally: Are you sure? T2: Blood is thicker than water...I'll defeat Shadow Fox. Shadow Fox: You're welcome to try girly. (He puts his sword away.) Ready? T2: I was born ready! (She aims a flying kick at Shadow Fox. He manages to dodge to and swipes his tails at her. T2 also swipes her tails at Shadow Fox. They continue to slash with their tails and dodge the opposing attack. It almost looks like they are dancing.) Hound: I don't get it. How come the sword of acorns didn't restore Tails will? Sally: Because Shadow Fox isn't under Robotnik's control. The bugs must have created a whole new personality for this warrior. Hound: But if your sword didn't work then... Sally (Tears in her eyes): I know...we've lost Tails...Forever... (Back to Shadow Fox and T2's fight.) (Shadow Fox sweeps at T2's feet, but she jumps and kicks him in the head sending him flying into a tree.) FOX TAIL TORNADO! (He sucks her up into the vacuum, grabs her by the tail and swings her around before letting her fly into the temple wall.) Shadow Fox: Never send a girl to do a mans job. T2: Please Tails you have to fight! Don't let Robotnik control you! Shadow Fox: Hump! No one controls me! And you're brother died the second I came into existence! He's gone. T2: No he's not. He still lives inside of you. You where once a Freedom Fighter. And I know that it must take a very special person to become a freedom fighter in the first place. You ARE my brother. It's the control bugs that are talking. No matter what happens, you're my little brother, and I love you. (Shadow Fox has a surprised look on his face.) Shadow Fox: Love...? T2: That's right. Love is the strongest power in the universe. (The angel stone in Shadow Foxes belt starts glowing. Causing pain to Shadow Fox.) Sally: Is this the power of Tails bloodline? Shadow Fox: Grrr...NO! I refuse to believe that a foolish emotion is stronger than myself! T2: You can deny it all you want! That still doesn't change the way I feel about my brother, or my husband, or my son! It's because of how much I care about them, that I've always had the strength to stand up to bullies like you! Shadow Fox: Grrr! CHAOS SPEAR! (He shoots at T2 but misses each time.) What?! Why can't I hit her?! T2: My love touched the Tails inside of you! You can't destroy love! Shadow Fox: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! T2: Tails! Listen to me! I'll always love you! Before we met again, not a day went by when I didn't think about you, mom, or dad! (Shadow Fox glows in a silver colour. Then a miracle happened. It looked like Shadow Fox had split into two foxes with two tails. One was Shadow Fox but the other was {you guessed it!} TAILS!) Shadow Fox: How can this be?! Tails: Because of the bond I share with my sister! When I was inside you, I could hear her calling out to me! And I would gladly sacrifice my own life if it ment I could protect my friends! (He starts gathering light in his snout. He then runs at Shadow Fox with all his speed and strength, smashing him into a tree.) HOWLING STARBEAM!!! (He releases the wide beam of energy witch blows Shadow Fox through every tree in the beams way and vaporising Shadow Fox. When Tails has finished firing the beam he gasps for breath.) Sally: Tails, are you alright? Tails: No...I feel... so...weak... (He collapses. T2 checks his pulse.) T2: He's still breathing but his pulse is weak. We'd better get him to the doctor. Sally: Being part of Shadow Fox must have really damaged his body. (Later Tails comes around in Hospital.) T2: Oh you're awake Tails: Yeah. Oh no...Espio! What have I done? (He buries his face in his hands.) T2: Don't worry, Espio's fine. His limbs all grew back and he's feisty as ever! Tails: That's a relief. Could you tell him that I'm sorry please? T2: Sure. Tails: Thanks. T2: One more thing before I go. I ment what I said earlier. I love you. (She kisses him on the cheek.) Tails: And I love you too sis. T2 (Ruffles his hair): That's good to know. Good-bye. Tails: Bye. (T2 leave and Mia walks into the room with tears in her eye.) Tails: Mia? Mia: Yes. I'm sorry Miles. I should have trusted you. If I had just taken your word none of this would have happened. Tails: So do you forgive me? Mia: Of course I do silly! Don't you just love a happy ending? But the series still has a long way to go! Find out the purpose of Doomsday 2 And see our hero in action once more Soon on Hero Fox!