Disclaimer: I own none of these people. There Sega's. Except the Mangabot itself and the Beta life form. Okay, I think thats it.

Chapter 9: The past is never lost

Shadow's mind was racing. That was Maria's last wish! He wasn't aware until the pink hedgehog reminded him... when the A.R.K was crashing... and Sonic and friends were trying to stop it... Shadow was gaining back his memories. Shadow could now remember clearly being waken by Eggman, up to current. He could also remember snippets of being on the A.R.K. Maria's wish was connected so greatly to his life back then, the memory of it was bringing back his others. The Beta life form came at him with a fist. Shadow grabbed it and chucked the Beta life form out of his way. Shadow looked up at the Mangabot.

"You keniving little prat. You've been using me! Sonic wasn't even alive when Maria died!" Random swearing then emerged from the Mangabot, followed by some coughing.

"err.. No, your wrong." Eggman feebly tried to cover up the truth. Shadow was looked like he was about to go out of control. He was about to make his move, when the Beta life form pulled him back into there fight. Shadow didn't show he was exhausted. He fought the Beta life form with great power, before pushing him aside. Shadow ran at the Mangabot and spin attacked the cannon. Shadow managed to hit the cannon off target and watched as it fired into nothingness. Shadow raised a fist, and watched as the Beta life form couldn't stop fast enough and ran straight into it.

"Stop! I have Knuckles and Rouge. I'll kill them now if you don't stop!" Metal Sonic sounded worried. Sonic looked at Shadow.

"Just to check, you're on my side now." Shadow nodded. Sonic looked up at the Mangabot. If only he could get Knuckles and Rouge out of danger. Well, maybe just Knuckles. He didn't even know why Metal Sonic would threaten Rouge.

"Sonic, Rouge is a agent for the president." Oh, Sonic thought. Metal Sonic backed away slightly. He moved his gaze to the Beta life form.

"Oh Shadow." Metal Sonic laughed slightly. The Beta life form knocked Shadow over. He started to pummel him into the ground. Sonic raised his fist. "Don't help him!" Metal Sonic warned, electrocuting Knuckles slightly. Sonic wasn't going to put Knuckles in danger. Shadow could at least fight back. Shadow kicked the Beta life form off himself. The Beta life form almost looked like he floated to the ground. Shadow looked at his feet. Air shoes, great. Shadow ran at him. The Beta life form put both his fist in front of his chest.

"Die Shadow, die." He muttered. The two made contact. A massive explosion expanded around them. As the smoke cleared a blue blur and a black blur were all that was seen. The Beta life form hit Shadow. Shadow went fling into the Mangabot. The Beta life form stopped. What was that noise? The Beta life form looked around and jumped out of the way in time. The Tornado then directed its path at Metal Sonic. Metal Sonic could get out of the way in time. He was sent miles away, attached to the Tornado's propellers. Tails gave Sonic a thumbs up from the cockpit. Amy blew a kiss at him and Mighty jumped out, landing next to Knuckles and Rouge.

"Good timing." Complimented Sonic. "Been slightly better about five minutes ago." He added. Mighty looked over at Rouge, the mentioned something.

"By the way, Rouge is a good..."

"We know." Everyone said. Mighty looked at the Mangabot.

"Look out!" He shouted. The four animals jumped out of the way of the machines bullets. Sonic ran over to the Beta life form, kicking him in the head.

"Shadow! Use chaos control to take the emeralds out of the Mangabot!" The Beta life form punched Sonic backwards. He focused again on Shadow. Where was he? The Beta life form scanned the area. He looked at the Mangabot. Its chest was rumbling. Then it flashed as Shadow reappeared holding the seven Chaos emeralds. Everyone looked at the Mangabot. It had stopped moving. Had they won? Everyone kept there gaze on it... The Mangabot started to shoot again. From inside came Eggman's laugh.

"It has already absorbed enough of the emeralds' power to go for another three months!" Sonic dodged the bullets. Shoot! So close! Sonic turned to Shadow.

"Shadow! Can't you destroy it from the inside?" Shadow smiled slightly.

"No, but you can destroy it from the outside." Shadow threw the Chaos emeralds at Sonic. Sonic jumped in the air and grabbed them all. Sonic landed again and concentrated his power, The Chaos emeralds began to circle around him, getting faster all the time. Bullets from the Mangabot simply bounced away. Sonic opened his eyes and screamed. His spikes stood up, his body changed yellow, the emeralds became one with him. Sonic laughed. He was now Super Sonic. Super Sonic flied around the Mangabot, knocking the Beta life form over again. Super Sonic flied directly at the Mangabot. He hit it head on.

"Holy..." Super Sonic grabbed his head. OW! That was the first time anything could withstand Super Sonic power! Super Sonic started to punch furiously. Every punch was weakening the metal. He knew it. The bullets just bounced off him. Everyone watched Sonic destroying the Mangabot. Even the Beta life form had stopped attacking Shadow. The Mangabot fired its cannon. It only succeeded in knocking Super Sonic backwards. Super Sonic fought against the weapon, inching closer and closer to the Mangabot. Super Sonic gave the machine one final punch. The metal outer layer broke open. Super Sonic flied through the opening. Everyone watched as the Mangabot started to crack, it made crashing noises. Shadow watched with awe. Suddenly he got an idea. Shadow grabbed the Beta life form. He ran with him until he was underneath the Mangabot. The Beta life form began to panic. He tried to break free, but Shadow somehow kept a strong grip on him.

"What are you doing?" The Beta life form shouted. "You'll kill us both!" Shadow started laughing as the Mangabot fell on top of them both.

"You might die, but you forget, I'm the ultimate life form." Shadow smiled as him and the Beta life form disappeared underneath Eggman's giant weapon. Super Sonic landed and reverted back to Sonic. The Chaos emeralds fell beside him. Tails and Amy came back in the Tornado, landing close by. Everyone was congratulating Sonic on a job well done. Amy hugged Sonic around the waist.

"I knew you could do it!" Amy laughed. Sonic looked around.

"Where is Shadow?" Knuckles walked over to Sonic.

"He went under with the Mangabot, to stop the Beta life form." Sonic's head dropped.

"He went for what he believed him. It was his way." Mighty added. From behind the Mangabot a metal hedgehog listened.

"How easily they forget he's the ultimate life form." Metal Sonic muttered. He moved over to the Mangabot's remains. He moved some parts out of the way. He then smiled.

"Eggman, how would you like the ultimate army?" Metal Sonic smirked.

A week later and the Mangabot was a fading memory. Everyone was again thought Shadow was dead. Once again Eggman had sneaked away before being captured. What was not known was what was being built in Eggman's new base. The base was really only one giant room. It had to be to contain what it held. Eggman walked along the bridge of the flagship. Metal Sonic approached him. There was something about him different. He seemed more tense, as if angry about something. Metal Sonic also seemed taller. Metal Sonic walked up to Eggman. There was an anger in his eyes. Metal Sonic tried to hide it.

"Have you separated Alpha Shadow from the rest." Metal Sonic asked.

"Yes, I also put E-123 in there to guard him." Eggman replied. Metal Sonic laughed slightly. Eggman failed to see what was so funny.

"Eggman data: Copied." Eggman looked at Metal Sonic in surprise.

"What? what does that mean?" Metal Sonic then punched Eggman in the chest.

"I have bettered myself, Eggman." Metal Sonic kicked him. "You have left me for too long like this. I have yet to defeat Sonic, yet you still don't upgrade me." Metal Sonic knocked Eggman backwards. "That is why I had to better myself. Now is my time to rule the world!" Metal Sonic threw Eggman into a cell. Metal Sonic tool out a walkie talkie and tossed it to Eggman. "In two days the other one will reach Chaotix. They might be able to free you, but I want them to come for a reason." Eggman could only sit there and look as Metal Sonic betrayed him. Then Eggman realised something.

"My robots will never follow you." Metal Sonic laughed. He then proceeded to liquefy himself. He turned into a metal liquid, then he remerged, looking identical to Eggman.

"However, they will follow you." Metal Sonic even sounded like Eggman. Metal Sonic laughed once again. It was finally here, He could finally take the world. He could finally prove what immense power he actually contained. He could finally prove he was the real Sonic...

Continued in 'Sonic heroes'