(I do not own Sonic and Co. They are property of SEGA and Sonic Team.)

THIS IS A SEQUEL. TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THIS STORY YOU'D HAVE TO READ, Debris Wave Alpha AND Intro FIRST.

Maria Hedgehog

Species: Hedgechidna

Hair: Black w/ Red streaks

Eyes: Green

Skin: Green

Teeth: Fangs

Elements: Fire and Darkness

Family: Tia Hedgehog (mom), Hunter Hedgechidna (dad), Sonic Hedgehog (brother).

Closest Friends: Shadow Ultimate Lifeform, Breeze the Echidna, Jwan the Echidna, Stella the Wolverine, Ogwa Model 463, and Tiavinah the Armadillo.

Name given by intergalactic monks: Maria, born of fire and Empress of Darkness

So there I was lying on the couch chomping on pocky.

Click Click Click

Flipping through channels like the pages of a book.

"Do you want fab abs? Call 1-800-Pee-Wee within the next… 1,000 YEARS OF DOOM! So you can get… SUSHI! We're live now in Westopolis where Shadow the Hedgehog is causing mass destruction."

SNAP

I never, I mean never, break pocky before it's in my mouth.

But that freaked me out bad.

"What the heck…"

I whispered.

I continued to say it and got louder as I went.

"WHAT IN THE HECK!"

I screamed.

Without telling anyone I grabbed my coat and flew to the garage.

"What is it, Maria?"

Breeze asked as I got in the car.

I wasn't listening.

Breeze saw my frantic expression and jumped in the car (okay, so it's a miniship, I'm gonna call it a car) with me.

"Where are we going!"

She shrieked.

"Earth."

I backed up through the garage door.

"Again! What is it this time, killer dust bunnies?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Shadow's is apparently causing mass destruction."

I growled flooring it.

"He's what? He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!"

She got her cell phone out to call the team and make sure they're not freaked out.

We have 5 more members.

Samantha, Vivian, Kaitlyn, Dani, and Dahlia.

"That's okay. He's aiming for sky scrapers. I don't know what is happening in that puny brain of his but I don't care. He gets on my nerves easily and I'm prepared to kick the crap out of him if needed."

We sped towards earth.

"So, why are we going near him if he's burning down the earth?"

Breeze took my sanity into consideration.

"Because, I want to knock some sense into him!"

My hair suddenly looked really tattered.

"Maria, he didn't have any sense to begin with. I hope you've gotten over him by now. Ever since the Alpha thing you haven't been all whiny about him."

Breeze put her cell phone away.

"What do you mean by did he have any sense?"

I slowed my driving a bit so I could talk without killing the first person who cuts me off.

"Well, he was constantly dating stupid girls. I mean, after me he didn't kiss a single worthy girl. It's like he's attracted to (Beeps!)"

I was so angry I was surprised I was able to keep my self from strangling Breeze but I didn't want her to know about our little rendezvous a year ago.

"Whatever."

I murmured.

"Oh, don't tell me you still like him!"

She heaved a great sigh.

'No, now I love him.'

I shook my head resentfully.

"Good. I was worried there for a sec."

She wiped fake sweat off her forehead.

We landed.

"Maria! Shadow's doing that thing where he's stupid!"

Sonic ran to me.

"Yeah, I know."

I looked down in disdain.

"Bwahaha!"

I looked up to see Shadow on top of the empire state building with a match, ready to light it.

I raised my hand and the flame was snuffed out.

Shadow stopped laughing and looked down.

He saw me and lost his balance.

He fell to the ground.

It didn't kill him… unfortunately.

"You idiot."

I picked him up by the collar.

"Maria!"

He cried.

"What is your problem, you sicko?"

I shook him.

"I have gained allies, Maria! I can rule this world!"

He got out of my grip.

"You and I can rule together!"

He smiled in a crazed and insane way.

Breeze looked at me funny.

I shrugged acting as though I had no idea what he meant.

"Shadow you've lost it. Just come with me before you hurt yourself."

I said pretending it was all a game.

"What? No! I didn't burn down the world for nothing, Maria! I am going to be prince of the earth!"

He cackled.

"In that case…"

Grabbed him by the shirt and flung him into the nearest building.

"You wanna be a jerk I can be a jerk back."

I was on fire and Shadow was going to be soon too, if I had it my way.

I punched him until he grabbed one of my fists.

"Maria, how could you do this to me? I thought we had something special."

He looked sincerely into my eyes.

I shut mine to keep out the memories.

"Shut up you creep!"

I yelled and kicked him in the ribs.

Shadow howled in pain.

I stopped punching and slashing and stood back to show I was done.

"I don't have the heart to kill so you can just stay here and die on your own."

I said mercilessly.

I grabbed Breeze's wrist and got in the car.

"Sonic! Take me to your base! I need to talk to Knux!"

So I followed Sonic to his ship.

On the way there neither Breeze nor I talked.

I was lost in thought.

'So, now that you've beaten the crap out of your little crush, you're gonna go talk to Mr. Love about the whole ordeal?'

'Yup, that's the plan.'

'Man, you are the worst plan maker in the world. What's talking to Knux gonna do for ya?'

'He'll make it easier to wail on Shadow.'

'You need it to be easier? He said he'd never hurt you and now he turns around and becomes evil? Do you really need it to be any easier than this?'

'Yes! Every time I punch him I remember all the times where he saved my sorry butt.'

'Your butt isn't sorry, okay? But I guess a bit of persuasion from Knux couldn't hurt.'

"Sorry, Maria, you're screwed. Shadow's been writing nonstop about you to his dad and his room is full of his sketches of you. It sounds to me like he still loves you."

Knux smiled at me wearily.

We were in his soundproof room.

Breeze and the rest of the team were talking over attack strategies.

"Come on. If he loves me so much why'd he become evil? Why would he go against me?"

I was getting a headache.

Then I remembered when I got really sick and Shadow was trying to help me get better.

Although in the end I passed out.

My headache got a bit worse.

"I don't know. There's got to be some reason."

There was a knock at the door.

I opened the door.

"We have an idea."

Breeze said.

"What is it?"

I asked.

This didn't feel like the world was being taken over. It didn't feel like being held hostage. It felt like storm. The biggest storm I would ever hope to see. And we were storm chasers, tracking every fear stricken moment of it.

"Shadow has a vault that we think may hold weapons of mass destruction."

Sonic explained.

"But we need someone to open it. None of us know the password."

He went on.

"Since you and Shadow were so close we thought you might be able to guess the password."

He smiled weakly.

So we went to the vault.

"Um… Darkness."

I typed it in.

Access denied.

"How 'bout… confusion."

Access denied.

"Ugh, stupidity."

Access denied.

"Steaffle?"

Access denied.

"Oh come on!"

I shouted.

"You can do this, Maria!"

Sonic cheered.

"You're the closest person to him! He tells you everything!"

Amy called.

"Come on, he's practically your fan club!"

Breeze growled.

"That's it!"

Knux shoved me out of the way.

"M-A-R-I-A."

Access approved.

"Oh come on."

I rolled my eyes.

He opened the vault.

An empty steak sauce bottle, a beach ball, and a small letter.

"It's for you."

Knux handed me the note.

It read:

Dear Maria,

I know you probably hate me. That's okay. I understand completely. I just want you to know that no matter what I will always love you. It doesn't matter what prince Shadow says. It doesn't matter how mush destruction I cause. Because I'm still Shadow Ultimate Lifeform, Emperor of Darkness. And you're still Maria Hedgehog, my Empress.

Love,

Shadow Ultimate Lifeform