Shadow the Hedgehog (
limiterrings) wrote2025-02-25 05:42 pm
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OPEN POST
Catch-all and open post for Shadow! Text, brackets, prose, images! I'm fine with anything. I can take him from any canon point, send me a PM if you'd like to discuss or check out my info page!
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Who are you? [The inside voice ended up becoming the outside voice. Maybe he just wanted to hear how they will answer, to give himself something. Will he get the answer is another question. There were distant muffled voices. Sounded like they were in a panic. In the next, the underground shook slightly. That can't be good.]
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I am the Ultimate Lifeform.
[ he is also a monster, he is also if said by others... a friend, even a hero, but initially he should have been a cure.
shadow has a feeling when this copy responds that he — his thoughts quickly shift to the sounds nearby, he holds his composure to prevent himself from falling from the shake.
the cave's ceiling drops a few pieces of rock around them as it breaks apart, but not enough to call for danger. they should be wary due to those panic noises being selfish concern or they're troubled that two hedgehogs are getting away and they're preparing something to find them again. ]
How annoying....
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He glances around the passage walls, frowning. The underground shakes again, more violently. He takes a few steps forward, more in line with his other.] Are they trying to bury us? [That might explain the lack of seeing any other life down here.]
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Then so be it.
[ shadow's death wish is pretty apparent, but unlikely given his circumstances of being unable to die. he doesn't seem afraid of the risk for himself, but if the copy brought it up, is there a chance there's something about the situation he doesn't like? ]
They'll presume us dead, that gives us more freedom than we have now.
[ another shake, but he knows better than to sit there and talk about what their hunters are doing, they need to also start doing to make the aftermath easier. ]
We need to find somewhere that'll be less affected by the blast if there is one.
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He takes a few more steps ahead of them. Places like this usually have side paths, or pockets of weak points in the infracstructure. If he had a clear idea of where they actually were, maybe they could just teleport somewhere if they can't find shelter in here. If they're willing to bring this place down, does that mean there's no obstructions above?] You can teleport too, can't you?
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Yes.
[ to answer the question, as to why he hasn't used it is all part of thinking six steps ahead compared to their hunters. ]
Do you have a path you want to take?
[ they have no idea where they are, they don't know if it's a bluff and they're tricking them to teleport somewhere that they can capture them.
the other did let shadow decide how to leave the shield during the arena, then shadow can allow the copy to make this call. shadow will continue walking, glancing at the split of caves that they could walk into if his copy is interested. ]
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...I'm not sure, but the path must be clear above. [He looks up, frowning. Are their captors also anticipating them to escape that way? Maybe that's why his other didn't propose it initially.] It's a last resort. [The underground shakes again, more frequently. He moves closer to his other, noticing the splits along with them.] That one. [He points to an opening ahead to their right that looked large enough for them to fit into.]
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[ that's the thing about leading anyone, insecurities will hold a person back and lead them into more danger. between him and sonic, the airhead runs into trouble unsure of it'll work but is confident in his actions that it should.
shadow will make it work when he chooses to do something.
however, he can't scold this copy of his, he can only add suggestions as he looks to the cave the other chooses. without hesitating, he skates, ducking a bit to slip inside. whatever's wet on the floor as he kneels down, he doesn't go out of his way to figure out what it is.
once again the cave shakes, the crystallized walls cracking then shattering onto the floor. of course, when a threat tries to put him in danger, he can't help but groan in annoyance. ]
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He sees his other speed off into the space without question and follows after them. It's a tight fit, but they will both be able to take shelter. Will it hold is another. He's curled up slightly in the space, feeling the other pressed against him. At this point, the underground was shaking continuously. Walls and debris falling around them. Complete collapse imminent.
He couldn't hide how terrified he was by all this, body shaking, nervous breathing. It's unnerving, when he normally fights the problem or avoids them altogether. Now he has to learn to sit through the danger itself. He survived a fall from space though, he should make it through a whole cave-in. That's what he keeps telling himself, but he can't push back that feeling of uncertainty of the unknown. He closes his eyes, hoping it would help. Just, listening and feeling all this destruction around him, still unpleasant. The noise occasionally almost sound like explosions, hits too close to an event he doesn't want to recall again.]
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it's like he's ... scared, afraid. it has been some time since he could ever remember such a feeling that wasn't anger and hatred, the need for revenge would drive him, his moments of disbelief that turned into malice. it's new, something he's unable to just ignore when this copy carries his face. normally eggman would only make those robots unable to make expressions, only carrying out the need to kill and destroy what's around them, but this one acts so...
...
who are you is what he wants to ask. what could they have created that this of all things becomes terrifying? shadow too hates the noise, it reminds him of a time, but there's no alarms, and there's no gunshots so he does better than the one beside him. as things crumble down, the ground splitting in various areas as the ceiling falls... something sparkles that catches his attention out in the debris that gets knocked against a piece of rock into another. ]
...You stay here.
[ as dangerous as it is to go out there, shadow's body slowly shifts away from the one next to him. ]
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He curls up more tightly, easier for them to get out, but also to give himself comfort. He's going to be left on his own. He will at least open his eyes again. A look that was trying to understand what the other was doing.] Where...? [He tries to hide that bit of desperation in his voice. Whatever their thoughts are about him, they were still the only thing "familiar" in this unknown place. What will he do if he doesn't see them again? And...last thing he wants is to find a dead body that looks almost like him once this is over.
He glance pass his other, trying to occupy his mind with something else. Maybe he can see what it they're looking at out there. And that's when he notices it. It was quick, but something shines among the falling debris. But is it honestly worth going out there for that?? His other thinks so, but he can't tell from here what it is.]
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this is what shadow wants. even if the energy within the gem has probably faded some, it will still be useful if it's what he thinks it is. if it even means the same thing here where it does back home, but these gems have an odd way of appearing in strange places.
that's why shadow is already crawling his way out, quick to roll onto the ground and dodge a falling rock that's able to cover half of the entrance of where the copy is.
on his hands and knees, shadow attempts to stand up, but one shape rock comes down, which he narrowly avoids by disappearing and appearing on top of the falling object that crashes to the floor and shatters upon impact. it's dangerous, sharp pointed ends fall down like rain that threaten to impale shadow, but he doesn't seem to be afraid. the look in his eyes shows determination, he's calm with every move that he makes, and wary of his surroundings as he tries to catch up to the gem that continues to be knocked against other pieces. ]
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They're very much, moving. As if they've been through this obstacle course before. It was both amazing and horrifying to watch as they narrowly avoid getting skewered. He doesn't know or realize it himself, but he would react and move just as naturally when put under various situations. Even when he was at the base, there had been instances of him displaying quick reflexes just after being released from the meteor. He could not imagine this is how he looked to others though. The gap of experience between them just seems so far apart.
The emerald finally comes to it's resting place, rolling underneath some debris. A large piece of the ceiling breaks apart and starts to fall over that same area. The emerald would get further buried if his other doesn't get to it, but then, they risk getting crushed. That piece of the ceiling was far larger than anything his other had avoided previously. He feels his body react before his head catches up with him, punching the bit of debris blocking the entrance as he tries to crawl out of the space. Would he make it in time?]
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up onto his feet, using surrounding rocks to jump off of and the occasional spin dash to breaking it in two in order to get through. it seems easily doable until the larger rock comes through, his abilities tested at losing the emerald or being crushed upon retrieval.
he has to keep moving no matter the consequence of his actions, and if he's taken out here and they unearth his body all he can hope for is that it's unusable. death hasn't really been kind to him, his body geared towards survival no matter the circumstances and then there's his dna.
if he's unable to die then he knows what's out there won't let him die either as long as he exists. that's why shadow tries for it, running underneath the piece ready to crush him, and it's with a swift kick against the emerald in the direction of his copy.
maybe he knows, maybe he doesn't. he doesn't have the time to use it correctly because time is not on his side to harness the power, but he mouths the words "chaos control" to the copy. whether they can utilize it or not, even a weak version of it may make a difference here. ]
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He picks it up in both his hands, feeling a faint power coursing through it. Familiar, like how the power from the emeralds back home felt to him. It is made with the same energy coursing through him. He sees his other mouth something to him. Two words. Faintly, he remembers some kind of research the scientists were looking into, but it never got anywhere at the time. Those two words came up then. He has no time to ponder, he needs to act. React to whatever happens next. He lifts the emerald before him, sparks appear from his hand to give it a little more power. The emerald shines just a little more brighter. Once again, this feels natural even without the knowledge of how and why.]
Chaos...Control!
[The space around them suddenly comes to a grinding halt. Nothing was moving, or just barely by an inch. Colors have became pale and distorted, like Shadow had gain a new sight of the world around him. He's taken aback, but he can't sit there to process what he had done. Not knowing how long this will last, he understands he needs to take every opportunity given in this moment to act. Somehow he knew he could still move in this space like normal as he rushes to his other, kicking and punching aside the debris. They don't move, but once time returns, they'll have been pushed out of harm's way. He doesn't know if his other can move in this moment as well, so his priority is to make sure they can get out as well.
The surface is now open to them. There will be no glorious city waiting for them though. Just a dingy district of facilities that surround the dome they were just in. Further eventual investigation will reveal this was nothing more than a outpost of such. A space created for the sake of bringing otherworldly travelers in to entertain within the dome. Sure enough, there will be flying armed vehicles waiting for them above, ready to shoot them if they are not quick enough to react. Will time still stop long enough for them to avoid them?]
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if he didn't then it would have been something of the end for them, but shadow's quick to jump up, catching his footing on pieces of rock that's flat enough for him to use. he uses these to his advantage to quickly follow after where his copy is, the look in his eyes as he meets the others is one that acknowledges that he's done good. as for the emerald, he allows the other to keep it, besides with how much juice is left within it, he knows it won't have much use for himself.
as swiftly as he can, shadow makes it to the top to take in what's waiting for them, and the vehicles do not go unnoticed. rather, he glares at the one that's already shot a sort of missile and net in the direction of where they think one of them would be. jumping towards it, shadow flips upside down, kicking the missile in the other direction, and hop over to grab the edge of the net. there's some sort of sticky substance on it, and he jumps into one of the aircrafts to hook it around the driver.
whatever it does, he'll figure out once the world goes back to normal, but he isn't against turning the wheel on the vehicle to ensure it goes crashing into another. he points two fingers at another one, suggesting that his copy should follow suit with the others, because as soon as time begins and everything crashes into each other — they'll have to run while they're all distracted.
but the question is which way. ]
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He comes up to the surface with his other as they've gone ahead to deal with one of the vehicles. The emerald, disappeared from his hand for the moment. Whether he's aware he did it or not, is uncertain. He's already looking at the other flying vehicle as his other instructs him to do the same. It's like dealing with G.U.N on his tail once again. He knows how to deal with that. He teleports up, appearing on the side of the pilot. He gets a clearer view of the area from up here, noting it quickly as he breaks into the cockpit. The controls were alien to him, but turning a stirring wheel is still universal apparently. He turns, then kicks it to keep it jammed in one direction.
Once completed, he jumps towards the other, looking for his double.] Here! [Soon as he spots them, he reaches for them. Expecting, hoping they grab hold so he can teleport them both out of there. He saw a building that looked abandoned in the distance while he was handling the other pilot. That's where he would take them, successfully getting them inside an old empty room, and putting quite some distance between them and all the action as time returns to normal. The sound of a distant explosion being the indication that the flying vehicles have made contact into each other.
He had landed on his feet in the new area, but after a moment, collapses onto the floor to catch his breath again. Whatever that "chaos control" was, didn't know how much it would drain him until they were finally out of danger, for now. Could be because he had made the choice to give it a little more power, lack of familiarity to properly control that power, or both.]
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even when the hand is extended to him, he would normally ignore it in favor of finding his way out. only because this odd hedgehog who has his face offers that hand and understands the gravity of the situation is why shadow takes it without hesitation. it's in and out, from one place to another, and inside of the building that acts as their cover once the machines come crashing into each other is almost music to shadow's hears.
it's the burst of air that blows inside of the buildings and cracks the glass to bust those and them back more, causing them to roll on the floor, and then he's quick to recover onto his feet. ]
We have to move.
[ that's what shadow knows more than anything, to continue to work on his feet without stopping. it's with this in mind that he walks over to where his double is, tilting his head as he looks at the other.
someone able to use the ability of chaos control surprised him before, but he doesn't seem too surprised... but why, how is he able to do it but not know of that monster? from the look of things, that ability seems to have taken quite a lot out of him that seeing him catch his breath makes shadow wonder a few things.
aside from the visual differences and memories, it's a question he's finally decided to kneel down to look at who has saved his life with a simple question next. ]
Who are you?
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Who are you?
There was a skip in his breathing. Not the question he was expecting right this moment, but a simple question should have gotten a simple reponse. It only gave Shadow pause. Then a quiet admittance.] ...I don't know. [There are a number of things people had expected him to be, but those aren't his own thoughts and opinions. His entire life was dictated for him up till recently. Never finding the answer about himself. He takes a long deep breath, opening his eyes to stare up at the ceiling, unable to look at his other who carried so much more confidence.]
I was given a name, told I was the Ultimate Lifeform, but... [Brows furrow as he frowns. That feeling of not knowing, just doing without any explanation behind it. A small part that's scared of himself, what he can do that the scientists didn't uncover yet about himself.] It doesn't mean anything when I don't know who or what I am from the start.
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[ the only thing he can muster as he gets up from the floor, no longer kneeling down next to his copy with interest. that answer isn't the best one, because shadow can only ponder those words and what they could have meant for him. those days of running desperately for answers of who he was, those foolish days of where he'd "throw away" his past and say "goodbye" to himself.
as the ultimate lifeform there was a responsibility, the creation that was meant to be a cure for all illnesses, to be able to make everyone on earth happy — smile, other little things he wouldn't have believed when he first woke up. yet, he looks down at this "ultimate lifeform" wondering if he even believes himself to be that. ]
Well, Ultimate Lifeform, you've got time to figure it out.
[ he's unable to say that he'll have people to help him figure that out along the way, but shadow doesn't know what the other has.
from the sound of it, it sounds like nothing. asking questions such as who gave him that name would be a start, it's basically an answer in some way that might grow into an even harsher truth. ]
Let's go. [ yet, is it shadow's place to say anything about how he feels. no one would have understood him, unfortunately, he's never been the type to put his feelings into words for another person. instead, he pushed himself to prove that he was what he believed himself to be. ]
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Another fight anytime soon might actually bring him down hard. He's not saying that, not wanting to admit to it and be left behind.
This building doesn't seem to have anyone occupying it at least. No sound of anyone obviously hiding or someone equivalent to a soldier that he can hear. But where are they to go? How do they actually leave this place? A thought. A risky one, but-] Should we look into where those flying vehicles came from? [Hijack one and get a better idea of their situation.]
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the ultimate lifeform who hasn't found their purpose yet, he won't pity them as that's something he hates himself. however, he can tell that this one searches for a tender touch that he doesn't have, she... would beg to differ, but who he is now couldn't give this individual what they're looking for. ]
Hm... [ he scoffs, shaking his head. ] I have to finish whatever brought me here.
[ that would put them on someone's radar, and those high-speed car chases is more sonic's style than his. he has to take the sneakier, silent alternative until he can figure out what it is that wanted him or them here. ]
If that interests you, why don't you take it?
[ shadow now looks over to the other, it's not a gentle or scolding look, it's more so... there's no wrong or right answer. ]
You are the Ultimate Lifeform.
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Just...call me Shadow. Or anything else. [They're both named Shadow, aren't they? That would get confusing very quickly. Either way, he doesn't feel like he's done anything to earn the title of "Ultimate Lifeform". He lifts his head, looking at the doorway.] But I want to find who's responsible for bringing us here.
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... ]
This is your chance to escape, Seven.
[ because calling him shadow will be confusing, but shadow has always been the ultimate lifeform, and if he isn't ready to carry the weight of that title then there's no need to hold that either. ]
Whoever did this has no connection to you.
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How do you figure it's not? I was brought here against my will. [He didn't ask to come here. There's still no explanation about what's going on between them. How is it the two of them are able to just...exist in the same space? If that even makes sense. And he still had questions about his other. If they are willing to deal with him.] I'm going with you. [In a rare moment, he speaks clearly what he desires.]
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