He can feel the simmering power emanating from the hedgehog and... oh... it's a heady thing. He had not realized how much he'd missed that particular feeling. Without a Chaos Emerald he could reach the level of power Shadow possessed just naturally, and Mephiles knew it. Being close to it like this again though...
He straightens at that, slowly, eerily, tilting his head and watching the hedgehog with bright, questioning eyes.
"You defend Sonic's honour, then?" he asks, softly, and arches a brow, tilting his head the other way, as though inspecting Shadow thoroughly. "Interesting... You mean to have revenge for him, then, Shadow?" A chuckle, soft and quiet. "I did not realize he was of that much importance to you~"
He moves then, closing the last of the little distance between them and raising his hands in a slow almost shrug, almost apologetic in nature.
"Control time... twist time... bend it to my will. Yes, I can do all these things. Normally." He smirks then, and serpentine eyes sharpen, gazing at crimson intently.
"However... my powers have been just as stunted as yours, my other." he says, voice low and dark and silken. "I can no more bend this place to my whim with my powers than you can escape the city." A laugh, soft and quiet and short.