A blue swirling portal appears at some place in Soleanna New City and Sonic, Tails and Knuckles come out through it before disappearing.

"Oww..." Tails groaned.

"Looks like we make it back in one piece." Knuckles said, looking around.

"Where did Shadow and Rouge go? Did they appear someplace else?"

"Those two can take care of themselves."

Sonic looks around.

"Wait! Where's Y/N?"

"What?" Knuckles exclaimed, looking for any sign of her.

"She was with us earlier. Could she be someplace else as well?" Tails asked, feeling worried. "Can she be with Shadow and Rouge?"

"Wherever she is, she better be okay. Can't believe I lost her." Sonic said in frustration.

"We'll find her, Sonic. I'm sure she's fine on her own." Knuckles assured him.

Sonic spots a newspaper lying on the ground and proceeds to read it. Tails and Knuckles also move towards Sonic to read the newspaper as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day in New City, the Time-Space rift appears with Rouge and the green Chaos Emerald being deposited from it.

"Shadow? Shadow!"

Rouge finds the Chaos Emerald.

"Shadow... And he doesn't have a Chaos Emerald anymore..."

"Agent Rouge? Report your status immediately. Have you retrieved the Scepter of Darkness?" GUN called from transmission over her wrist.

"Well... I'll provide a full report shortly. Right now. I have a priority situation to deal with. I need to contact E123 Omega immediately." Rouge said with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to Flame Core, Shadow catches up Mephiles.

"So, decided to void your return ticket now, did you?"

"Why are you here? Did you ruin this world?" Shadow asked.

"The answer's yes and no. Perhaps it's better to show you."

"Shadow!"

Shadow froze to see Y/N running towards him and stopped to see Mephiles.

"Who are you? Why do you look like Shadow, you imposter?"

Mephiles was surprised to see her and started chuckling.

"Oh, Shadow... So this is the Y/N you've been admiring for a long time. You never mention that she can be... a rather beauty."

He stare at Y/N creepily, making her back away for a bit.

"How do you know my name?"

"Sweetheart, I know everything."

"Y/N, you shouldn't be here. This is between me and Mephiles." Shadow said, fearing for her life.

Mephiles suddenly disappeared and appeared right in front of Y/N. He grabbed her face for him to get a better look.

"Hey! Let go!"

Y/N grabbed his wrist to force him to pull away, but he was too strong. Shadow glared at Mephiles.

"Leave her alone!"

Mephiles ignored him as his green eyes stare into her F/C eyes. Y/N couldn't move as she was forced to look at him. She noticed that he doesn't have a mouth and wondered how can he talk with no mouth.

"So beautiful..."

He took a whiff of her scent by her neck, causing her cheeks to go pink much to Shadow's displeasure. Shadow goes to attack him when Mephiles disappeared and appeared in the air as he float.

"Now that you're both here, I think you should see this."

Mephiles snaps his fingers and a cage with a future version of Shadow imprisoned in it appear. Shadow looks at it with wide eyes while Y/N gasps.

"Yes that's you. After the world was devastated by Iblis' flames what do you think happened? A search for the guilty. Who did this you may ask? Humanity wasn't just jealous of your power. They feared it."

Shadow looked down, knowing that he's right. Y/N frowned for such humanity to do such a horrid thing without finding out what caused the Iblis' flames to devour the world.

"They used this incident as an excuse to hunt you down. Come with me, Shadow."

Mephiles raised his hand towards him. Y/N looked at Shadow, waiting for his answer as she does not want him to do this and knows better than that.

"Let us punish this foolish world of humanity. It is only fair to give back what was intended for you. You have every right to want justice. I know you want justice as well, Y/N. You should join me too. You want to punish those who hurt one of your kind."

Y/N glared at Mephiles and looked at Shadow who finally looked up and turned.

"That's absurd. Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it alone." Shadow said, glaring at him.

Y/N smiled and turned to Mephiles.

"They may have done horrible things, but I'd rather forgive and forget and make my own future. Revenge isn't always the answer to the problem."

Mephiles' eyes widen in shock and glared at them.

"You forgive humanity this folly then?"

"I determine my own destiny." Shadow declared.

"As do I." Y/N said, bringing out her giant fist whip.

Mephiles transforms into his crystalline form and prepares to fight Shadow and Y/N.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Such foolishness, very well. Let's see how you two can entertain me."

Huge flock of dark laughing creatures appeared behind Mephiles and charged Shadow and Y/N.

"Don't bother to try and decieve me. I know who I am!"

"No way am I gonna join you! You can't trick me!"

Shadow and Y/N begin fighting off as many creatures as possible as Shadow shot out his Chaos Spears while Y/N spins her giant fist whip and throws it towards them and punches it. She then spins around her giant fist whip as it smashed the creatures that are swarming around her. Shadow spins himself around to kick them off.

"It doesn't matter how many of them you defeat, you know." Mephiles said.

Shadow and Y/N landed next to each other. He grabbed her arms and spin her around as Y/N kicked them off. He then released her in the air as Y/N brought out her katana, power it up with her crystal, and slash the creatures off in one swing. Mephiles was impressed with her skills and such power she have.

"These shadows that he's controlling... We've got to figure out their origin!"

"How? There's so many and I can't even pick it out which!"

Shadow then started to glow red and managed to find Mephiles and kicked him off of his own shadow.

"Whoa! He was in you this whole time! Your shadow!" Y/N exclaimed.

"What?! Shadow! You...!" Mephiles exclaimed in shock.

Shadow begins hitting him, but it was blocked by the blue shield Mephiles created. Mephiles then flew off in the air for safety. Y/N won't let him get away with that as she boosted herself by jumping onto the flying creatures towards Mephiles. Before he could turn, Y/N already kicked him off straight in the chest.

"Gah!"

Y/N landed as Shadow jumped in and kicked and punched Mephiles, making him groan in pain. Mephiles quickly levitated himself in the air. Shadow and Y/N took down the creatures that are charging towards them when Mephiles summoned them to attack. Shadow and Y/N nodded to each other. Shadow grabbed Y/N and threw her towards Mephiles through the flocks as Shadow distracted Mephiles by trying to go after him. Y/N then went through the flock and was already in front of Mephiles again, catching him off guard. She powered herself up from the crystal and punched Mephiles straight in the face very hard, making him yell.

Mephiles is down as Shadow and Y/N approaches him, but Mephiles gets up and knocks Shadow into a tree with an energy ball, incapacitating him.

"Shadow!!" Y/N shouted, running towards Shadow's aid when she was suddenly stopped.

"You're coming with me."

Mephiles uses his power to make her stop coming after Shadow as he forcibly pulls her towards him.

"No!!"

Y/N tried to move and reach Shadow, but it was no use. As Mephiles moves Y/N towards him, Omega appears and shoots between Mephiles, Y/N, and Shadow.

"Omega!" Y/N exclaimed in relief and happiness.

"Omega!" Shadow exclaimed in surprise.

"Now is the designated time."

Omega retracts arm cannon.

"I shall assist."

Y/N quickly help Shadow up and run towards Omega and went behind him.

"Shadow. Rouge asked me to support you. Though, I never expect Y/N to be here." Omega said, shooting off the dark flying creatures.

"I had to stay because Shadow was in danger."

Y/N held Shadow close as Omega fire off the Omega Shot to blow away the dark flying creatures in close range while fighting against Mephiles.

"You're just a nuisance... Robot!" Mephiles scoffed.

Omega ignored him as he fire at Mephiles more, making him groan in pain again. He then did it again and again, dodging the incoming attack Mephiles tried to throw. Omega is smart as he easily fought Mephiles again with more Omega Shot. With one final blow, Y/N decide to help Omega out as she powered up Omega, making him glow white. Omega nodded in thanks as he gave one more blast that's more powerful from the crystal and shot Mephiles.

Mephiles grunts as he is knocked down and tries to get up as Shadow, Y/N, and Omega face him. Mephiles gets back on his feet and forms a purple orb he escapes into.

"Mephiles!" Shadow shouted.

"Get back here, coward!" Y/N shouted.

Shadow, Y/N, and Omega jump into the orb just before it disappears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the day of New City, a purple orb appears which deposits Shadow and Omega. Shadow and Y/N looks around.

"It appears Mephiles is no longer here. I will assist in pursuing him." Omega said.

Shadow nods and start walking away.

"Thanks for coming to help, Omega." Y/N said.

"No problem. It is my job."

Y/N smiled and followed after Shadow with Omega.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rouge finds Shadow, Y/N, and Omega in the warehouse district.

"Hi."

Rouge turned and was surprised to see Y/N.

"Hey, cutie. I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"Hey, Rouge. Things have been complicated."

Rouge nods in understanding and turns to Shadow.

"It seems like Eggman's machines are looking for you. What did you do this time?"

"Nothing. Their target is probably Mephiles."

"What is Eggman up to? Who is Mephiles?" Omega asked.

"No idea what Eggman wants now. But as for Mephiles? Not sure, but he sure looks like Shadow." Y/N answered for Omega.

"I'm gonna ask him directly."

Shadow starts walking away.

"Shadow." Y/N said.

"Hey, wait a sec!" Rouge stopped him.

"I can handle this alone. You keep track of Mephiles." Shadow said and turned to Y/N. "You should go back to your brother and your friends. They must be worried about you. Can't risk you getting hurt..."

"But--"

Shadow already walks away from Y/N, Rouge, and Omega.

"Hmph. He finally shows up again and then he leaves before even saying, 'Hello.' Well, it seems his little trip hasn't changed him."

"I'm going with Shadow, whether he likes it or not. I'll see you there." Y/N said and runs after Shadow.

Rouge smiled and talked on her wrist communicator.

"This is Rouge. GUN HQ? Yes, pull all available data on an item called the Scepter of Darkness for me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silver and Blaze have arrived in New City when they discover Mephiles again, with his head hung down.

"Mephiles..."

Silver and Blaze look at each other, then they look at Mephiles again.

"Tell me. Who is the Iblis Trigger? Why does he want to destroy the world?" Silver asked.

Mephiles looks up.

"Why does that matter to you?"

He points at Silver.

"Unless you complete your task, your future will remain the same... forever."

He then puts his hand down.

"He's currently at the terminal station. It's now or never if you want this."

Mephiles shows a path to Silver, then walks away. Blaze gets a closer look at the path, then looks at Silver. After a few moments, he moves onward, and she follows him. Silver wonders where Y/N is right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N made it to Radical Train as she could see Shadow destroying Eggman's bots while trying to catch up the train that Y/N assume Eggman was in as he was chasing after it. Y/N followed after him as she activate rocket roller skates to go faster as she made sure that Shadow doesn't notice her following him. As she skates, Shadow wasn't kidding that he's riding a motorcycle as he is just now and shoot out bullets at the robots. Y/N threw her katana at the robots that are coming her way as it slices their head off before exploding.

"Help, Sonic! Help!"

Y/N recognized that voice as she saw Elise in the train and noticed Sonic is running after the train to save her. She smiled in relief that she's okay. Y/N will catch up to Sonic and Elise later as she had to see what Shadow wants with Eggman. She later found him again as she jumped up high in the air and landed on the train road. She zoomed in and saw Shadow shooting the bullets at the back of the train as they exploded. They went through the tunnel and passed the robots, ignoring them as they are now close to the train. Shadow jumped off of his motorcycle and landed on the roof of Eggman's train and broke through. Y/N jump onto the robot's head and used it to boost herself and jump up over to the roof of the train and could see a hole where Shadow had broke. Y/N looked down into the hole to see Shadow talking with Eggman.

"Wouldn't the door have been easier?" Eggman joked, making her roll her eyes.

Eggman rolled his chair around for him to see Shadow.

"So, what do you want now?"

"Who is Mephiles? And why are you trying to capture him?" Shadow demanded, pointing at him.

Eggman stood up.

"If you want to know, you should go find him yourself."

He then turned his back with one of his arm behind his back.

"But here's a hint... It's all linked to the Soleanna disaster 10 years ago."

"The Solaris Project." Shadow said in realization.

Eggman turned around to face Shadow again while stroking his beard.

"Indeed. When you capture Mephiles, you must bring him to me. Then I'll tell you the truth about Solaris."

He sat back down on his chair. Shadow nods hesitantly, still unsure if he can trust Eggman yet. Y/N glares at Eggman, not liking where this is going. Eggman cannot be trusted. Not now. Not ever. She turns and almost gasp to see Shadow staring up at her silently, knowing she was following him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sonic is running away while carrying Elise after he save her from the train.

"I knew it... I knew you'd return! You had to! Where's Y/N?"

Before Sonic could reply, he sees something and jumps to the side as an energy blast is fired by Silver.

"...You again."

"This time there will be no more interruptions! The Iblis Trigger... must die!" Silver declared, pointing at him.

"Sonic..." Elise said in worry.

Elise looks around for any sign of Y/N, hoping she will come soon. Silver fires an energy blast which Sonic dodges. Silver then grabs Sonic in a psychokinetic hold, paralyzing him.

"So how was your little walk, Princess?" Eggman asked.

The Egg Mobile appears and grabs Elise with its two hands before flying away. Elise cries out in fear as she's grabbed.

"Elise!" Sonic shouted.

Silver strengths his hold on Sonic.

"It's time to end this!"

Shadow jumps between Sonic and Silver, freeing Sonic before Silver could deliver the finishing move.

"Who? Mephiles! Why are you getting in my way?"

"I'm Shadow. Shadow The Hedgehog."

Y/N jumps in after Shadow, deadly glaring at Silver with hatred and anger.

"Get away from my big brother, snackbutt."

Y/N kicks Silver in the chest, making him groan and pushing him back. Sonic gives Shadow a thumbs up and gives Y/N a grateful smile that she's here and okay and runs away. Shadow, Y/N, and Silver prepare to fight each other. Y/N brought out her whip and her katana as she spins them both, getting into her fighting stance. Silver knew that this fight will be difficult.