-A.R.K, 54 years ago-
-Shadow, will I ever be able to see you fight?
-Maria... you know there are things that can not be asked
-Just curiosity. I know you're strong but... –She left the sentence unfinished.
-Listen –Shadow approached the girl–. Whenever you need me I will protect you and not hesitate to fight for you. And I hope that day does not come, that you're never in danger
-I know –that smile was all he needed–. Still want to see you fight
She almost never threw a tantrum, it was a good girl. But sometimes her innocent requests were annoying. It was understandable, she had spent her entire life in space, sometimes she was curious. Even so, Shadow could not let her get hurt, ever. That was his mission: to protect her and find a cure for her illness.
-Wow, what's that? –she asked, pointing to the precious stone in his grandfather's laboratory.
-It's a chaos emerald –Gerald replied–. I'm still analyzing it, but when it entered the station, it overloaded even the heaviest machinery
-I'm finished with the assignment, Professor –the black hedgehog entered the room.
-Thank you. The transport team needed help with that cargo
When the three were in front of the gem, its notorious brightness adorned the surroundings. Shining more than before.
-Do you feel anything abnormal, Shadow? –The professor asked, suspiciously.
The shock of energies was strange, like a tingling sensation in his nervous system. Without realizing it, he was already on the other side of the desk, his hand reaching for the emerald.
-Is rare…
Almost as if his organism had waited for the encounter since birth, that familiar feeling was the warmth of pure chaos energy. A trance, a moment that was only his in spacetime.
-Maybe it's because of your ... origins –the professor said, without revealing too much. And that voice was enough to wake him up.
-Uh? You're good? –Maria asked.
-I feel exhausted –Shadow rested hir arms on the desk.
-That energy is not like anything I've seen before –Gerald murmured–. Maria, do me the favor of taking him to his room.
In a rather pathetic way, looking it in retrospect, he ended up in bed the rest of the day wavering between sleep and conciousness. The first time he experienced chaos energy, that memory seemed to have been many years ago.
Maria trotted, almost jumped, happily to the important appointment she had that day. After a week of rest, relapse to her illness, she could finally see Shadow use his chaos powers.
Despite her young age, she sometimes began to wonder how she had accepted that the interaction with a talking animal was completely normal. But it was more than that, Shadow was a friend, guardian and company. She liked to believe that ARK was a world on its own, the world that her grandfather had imagined. Where cure her was possible and where talking hedgehogs were also possible.
Her breathing was shaking, she had to slow down the pace of the walk. By the time she entered the room, his grandfather was making some notes and Shadow sat a few meters away from him.
-I'm here! When we start? –she walked up to the two with a smile.
-Actually, we're on a break –Gerald said, somewhat exhausted–. As I said, there are six more stones in the universe with this power. It is said that by bringing them all together, the energy between them is increased
- Why are you so worried about energy? –Maria asked, having taken a seat next to Shadow.
-I'm working on a defense system for the colony. They say that maybe, the bodies that can withstand that chaos energy, may experience a transformation.
-A transformation? Of what kind? –Shadow was curious.
- I do not know, it can be physical or of power. But I know for sure that by controlling your energy, you can achieve a similar state. After all, you are the ultimate lifeform.
Gerald saw him with proud and for some reason, Shadow felt the weight of that responsibility. Carrying with his project, with his glory, with his granddaughter. At that moment Gerald's communicator rang, a call from the engine room. He got up with heaviness and left.
-Are you going to show me what the chaos powers are like, Shadow?
-I told you it's dangerous ...
-Grandpa promised it to me! –Maria leaned in her chair–. So you're going to show me your transformation?
-I do not see the other six emeralds of chaos around here, and you? –The hedgehog laughed a little–. I really doubt it.
- "Transformation" –that word made Maria laugh–. It sounds funny ... your "superform"
They both laughed, first joke in a long time.
On the other side of the doors, something was happening. The event that would change his life forever began with the sound of a siren. Then the red, emergency lights went on. They looked everywhere, confused. Gerald stormed into the room.
-To the capsule room, they intercepted us!
-ARK, 50 years ago-
-ARK, present-
-Hurry, ten minutes left, or we will crash on Earth!
How annoying, shut up... Eggman was not even the shadow of his predecessor, at least as far as knowledge and composure were concerned. Shadow slid down the platform at full speed, and reached a comfortable lightness, but inside weighed forgotten memories and feelings. He had no more weight, no more bonds to this world, right?
"Give humanity a chance, to be happy. Bring them hope."
That phrase tormented him. Humanity, as if it had done something for them, when they turned their backs on a miraculous project and killed an innocent girl in the purest secrecy.
And even so, she wanted happiness for everyone. One last extremely generous wish, before sending him to the blue planet. Good people, bad people. So, did revenge have any purpose?
Voices called him, of those who asked for another opportunity. Well, this opportunity required a sacrifice. For the greater good, for a promise of fifty years ago, for Maria. He came to the room where the rest of the crew was, and the seven chaos emeralds. By then, his decision was assured.
Before and after the fight began, he knew what to do. When his being turned yellow, he knew what to do. When he released the inhibitor rings to the infinite space, he knew what to do. When everyone was safe, he knew he had to...
Jump into the void. Falling like a meteorite to Earth. If Maria could never return to her planet, he would return in her name. The voices kept claiming him, by the name that his creator gave him but he only thought about her, in her happy days. Lots of memories that made him smile.
He was skimming the atmosphere, disintegrating. As if it were destiny, as if his organism had waited for the encounter since birth, that familiar feeling was the warmth of pure chaos energy. A trance, a moment that was only his in spacetime.
Almost as if his organism had waited for the encounter since birth, that familiar feeling was the warmth of pure chaos energy. A trance, a moment that was only his in spacetime.
"This is my superform, Maria. Isn't it beautiful?"
This is a translation of a recent oneshot of mine. Sorry if the translation is a bit broken and repetitive, I did my best~