Issue 3: Shadow

## Shadow

**Shadow** is the third issue within *The Murder of Me* comic series created by Gigi Dutreix. It was first published in March 27 2013, and reached completion September 26 2013. It proceeds **Issue #2: The Return**and proceeding Issue #3 is **Issue #4: Silver**.

### Plot:

**Sonic the Hedgehog** races to save **Amy Rose**, only to be met by **Shadow the Hedgehog**, a mysterious being who mysteriously showed up and rescued Amy. After being given a Chaos Emerald by **Knuckles the Echidna**, both Sonic and Shadow travel to Angel Island to be met by strange creatures that attack them.

## Summary

We begin where we left off: Sonic running through the burning Tin-Can. He talks himself through his worst fears over Amy, fearing that she may be gone like his mother who is now nowhere to be found. He knows his mother isn't dead, he isn't sure how, but he knows she's alive. As he runs through Tin-Can, he feels someone watching him. He isn't able to see who it is, but he states that Amy is his main priority right now. For a second, he thinks the worst case scenario: that Amy might be dead just like his father. Sonic shakes the thought and continues speeding through the flames, reminding himself that everything will be fine and go back to normal once this all settles. He thinks about confessing his feelings to her until he runs into something he didn't expect: a black and red hedgehog holding an unconscious Amy.

Sonic demands to know what this stranger did to his friend, to which he responds saying that she was trapped under rubble and would've died if she was stuck under there any longer. Sonic believes he wasn't fast enough to save her, but at least she's safe now. He introduces himself to this mysterious stranger, who doesn't care about who he is. Sonic, in irritation, refers to him as "Mr. Grumpy Pants" and thanks him for saving Amy. The other hedgehog in response says it's "no problem, *kid*". This makes Sonic angrily retort that he isn't a kid... until a tower of flames rocket out of the earth behind him, making him shriek in fear. The stranger rests his case and chuckles as Sonic tells him to shut up.

As he's about to ask the stranger for a favor, the hedgehog introduces himself as Shadow, to which Sonic comedically says, "Grumpy, Shadow, WHATEVER!", and asks him to take Amy to a safe place. He says he needs to find his friend who he accidentally deserted when he heard Amy's scream. He tells Shadow not to drop Amy, which Shadow nonchalantly says that he isn't going to hurt his girlfriend. Sonic scoffs that she isn't his girlfriend and reminds Shadow to keep her safe.

Confused about Sonic's decision making, Shadow asks how Sonic can trust someone who he's barely met. Sonic responds in a strange way, his eyes turning yellow and speaking in a strange language that translates to "*brother*". Shadow stands there, dumbfounded as Sonic remarks that he isn't sure why he trusts him, but despite his appearance, he doesn't seem like a bad guy. As Sonic walks away, Shadow doubts that he can run through the fire without being hurt. Before he can even finish the thought, Sonic creates a sonic boom which makes him able to run past the flames with no injury, to Shadow's relief and awe.

Sonic makes it back to Knuckles safely who scolds him for being gone. Sonic tells him not to worry and asks if he needs any help. Knuckles says that he does in fact need help. He might know what's causing the chaos crisis and asks if he knows what an energy controller is. Sonic has no idea and neither does Shadow, who is revealed to rival Sonic's speed as he just got there. Knuckles asks if Shadow is a friend of his and Sonic confirms that he more or less is. Knuckles asks both of them if they know what an energy controller is, which makes Sonic's back quills start to shine. He pulls out the amulet his mom gave him and shows it to Knuckles. Knuckles exclaims that what he has is an energy controller and asks where he got it. Sonic is about to say his mom, but falters and says it was given to him. Knuckles replies saying that a red one had shot out of the Master Chaos Emerald, but he has no idea where it landed. Shadow is able to spot it from far away to which Sonic and him rush towards it. As they speed off, we see a cut into the forest and see a Soulless Tails. Knuckles wonders why they ran all the way out there, not seeing the same light as Shadow and Sonic see. Shadow remarks that it's almost blinding to look at before showing it to Knuckles.

Knuckles begins to explain that the energy controllers were once held within the Master Emerald to regulate the flow of chaos energy and any corresponding energies. There are three of them, and since Sonic and Shadow have two, then there's one more left inside the emerald. He says if they can extract it, then they might be able to repair said emerald. Sonic is excited since he gets to go to Angel Island. Shadow asks how they're gonna get there (which makes him and Sonic go at name-calling each other back and forth), which Knuckles instructs them to use a chaos emerald he managed to save. Sonic takes it and asks if he's sure that Knuckles doesn't wanna join them. Knuckles says that he has to stay back and take care of the townspeople and save the ones stuck under rubble. He says it was good to see Sonic again and glides away. With that, Sonic asks if Shadow wants to come with him, to which he begrudgingly says "of course". The two Chaos Control to Angel Island.

Upon opening their eyes, they see that they're now on Angel Island. It looks almost deserted and hasn't been touched in years. Shadow can hear some whispers a bit away and instructs Sonic to them, shushing him and keeping him from rambling too loudly. They spot a group of random Soulless, Shadow remarking how someone wanted this to happen and the chaos crisis wasn't a coincidence. Sonic wonders if what Shadow is saying is true, to which Shadow casually says, "only one way to find out." and steps out of the cover of the bushes. Soulless take note of his presence and a whole group of them come out of hiding until he is surrounded by all ends. The Soulless claim that trespassing on the island isn't permitted and means certain death. Shadow challenges this and shoots a chaos spear at the soulless.

Sonic is shocked to find out that he has chaos powers despite not having a chaos emerald. His train of thought ends abruptly as a Soulless is about to strike Shadow from behind, prompting Sonic to jump into action. His eyes turn that mysterious yellow hue and he spindashes it away from Shadow. He says that Sonic's speed is impressive, which makes Sonic incredibly confused as he has no idea what just happened. He takes it as a compliment, which Shadow tells him not to flatter himself. He forms his spear cannons and begins to shoot at the creatures as they keep coming. Sonic wonders how Shadow made guns, and questions how his chaos powers even work. Shadow can't answer and tells him to focus when he's overpowered by a stage two Soulless. Sonic tells him to not boss him around and pokes his face while Shadow is pinned down. He then kicks the creature off of Shadow and offers to help him up, which he smacks his hand away and gets up on his own. The two call each other a jerk and a moron before there's a loud rumble that shakes the island.

A towering stage three soulless emerges from the trees.

Shadow begins to fire his chaos spears, using his rocket shoes to hover in the air. Sonic wonders if "chaos spear" is his superhero name, which Shadow scoffs back, "as if Sonic is any better". The giant throws Sonic off of himself and various Soulless pin him to the ground. Sonic starts to realize that he's seen these creature's eyes somewhere before. He starts to remember that night he met a being with those same eyes when he was younger. He snaps back to reality as the Soulless points to him and begins to degrade him, saying it expected more from a Son of Heephis. As the stage three rambles, the other Soulless holding Sonic down look up at Shadow who is standing on top of the creature's head. Shadow has the same yellow eyes as Sonic did, speaks in that strange language that translates to "*demon bastard.*" before shooting it point blank and rendering it useless.

Sonic thanks Shadow for saving him and compliments his shooting, which Shadow questions and states that he wasn't shooting. Sonic asks how he doesn't even remember shooting that giant, which Shadow insults him saying that it must've fainted by being in Sonic's aura of stupidity. The two begin to argue incessantly as Soulless begin to surround them, their numbers are seemingly endless. They realize their surrounded and the Soulless begin to shout that they have defied god's law and they need to die. The two exchange cocky glances as they jump into action and begin to fight the attackers.

Meanwhile, 200 years into the future...

We see the world as it stands in the future-- destroyed and void of all life. The panels show a small teal light floating through the empty skyscrapers as the world begins to crack and dense black and purple fog seeps in. The energy gets closer and closer to this being until he turns around, nibbling on a piece of bread and extremely skinny as if he hasn't eaten in a long time. He wonders what this strange energy is as the issue ends.

## Deleted Scene/Addendum

As of the ARC 1 compilation video, this scene is no longer considered deleted and a part of the original comic.

It follows a Dr. Venus as Shadow drops off Amy. He assesses her and discovers that both of her legs are broken and she may have some crushed ribs and punctured lungs. While he can't operate, he has spare painkillers to give her but before he can administer them, she wakes up in shock and recoils from the pain, knocking the medicine from his hands and into the woods. He asks Tails to retrieve them and to hurry. As the fox heads into the forest, he comes face to face with Zielo and screams for Sonic.

## Trivia

* Venus was originally an alternate form of Zielo dressed in gold rings on his wrists and ankles. He has since been retconned into this issue's Dr. Venus the Echidna.