-DISCLAIMER-
Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters/themes © SEGA and/or Sonic Team.
'The New Age Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog' © Kathryn Christine Starcrafter/Lumorean Arts.
-AUTHOR'S NOTES-
Aside from this one there are two more shorts I need to write before being officially satisfied with the 'Shadow Series.' I'm going to rewrite Shadow's 'birth,' then finally get out the Takeover. This one however deals with Shadow and Maria and when they finally admitted their feelings towards one another.
Charles Kintobar is my name for the commander of GUN who had his premier in the game, Shadow the Hedgehog.
Neaira Tokugawa was, obviously one of the scientists on the ARK during Maria and Shadow's time. She takes on the role of being a motherly figure to them and Charles. Shadow is generally wary of her, oddly enough. She, for whatever reason, weirds him out.
This story goes out to The Omniarch, who recently contacted me. Maybe I'll start posting again. I'm always whittling away at something in my head.
-FORBIDDEN HEARTS-
Love throughout time has always kept itself one of the greatest of enigmas. Even if surrounded by the greatest minds of all time the definition would elude. And from the unknown fear would take its place, fear and longing. To him she was his perfection. To her, he was everything. What could be more simple than that? How much would it take to ruin? That was the fear. In a world where love was viewed narrow-mindedly by others it was made so that certain individuals could never be together. More so, in this sense it was pointless even to admit those feelings opening. Not only for persecution by the rest of the world, but by the one loved.
These thoughts had been consuming one individual for many months now. It was believed that this creature was created without the ability to feel. Well, that had been proven wrong. But, what about love? That was an emotion far different than any other. How he had come to understand his mixed up mindset as love was an enigma in itself. For him, it was want for the presence of only one other individual in his life. Just having her stand beside him was all he needed, and all that was allowed.
Maria watched her best friend as he stared off into the distance. Sometimes he worried her when he did that. He would just stand there before the stars and pastel nebulas unblinkingly, like an eternal, unfeeling statue. But she knew better. The young woman trotted forwards, though attempting to be subtle it wouldn't matter. He was always so alert no matter how deep of a trance he appeared to be in. Even so, she hoped to surprise him by wrapping her arms about his neck and playfully squeezing him close, something she loved doing often.
"So, what has you so distant today?"
Feeling the warm weight of her smooth arms the hedgehog tipped his head to look upwards, his ruby irises locking with the bottomless depths of hers. She was sixteen years of age and her beauty was always set to stun. He often wondered if he was supposed to be attracted to one such as her. Wasn't he, as an anthrope, supposed to find others of his kind as eye candy? This golden-maned goddess was so much more than just a pretty face. It wasn't only that perfection she toted around like a radiant halo. More so it was her heart, open and unbiased. So that was why he had decided to keep his feeling from her, even though it hurt. She was worth so much more...
A ginger grin softened his muzzle, turning his sight back to the unfathomable distance beyond. "Nothing, as usual. Just meditating."
She rested her chin on his crown and let out a gentle sigh, her hot breath brushing the membrane of his ears. He could tell there was something on her mind.
"I asked grandpa again how long it would be until I can visit Möbius. As usual he didn't really give me an answer. Ugh!"
Her best friend game a short chuckle. "You're new therapy's been working for a month and you already think you can conquer the world below?"
"I have you to blame for that. Or, at least my grandfather does."
He blushed, but immediately cast it away. The 'therapy' she was referring to was actually her birthday gift. Sadly, her closest friend had very little personal time. Most was spent being either observed or experimented on by his creator and any other scientist needing to be involved. Other than that, if he wasn't spending time with Maria he was left to his own devices. He didn't really have any hobbies per say, but he did have an interest or two. Those involved the workings of the body, its structure, how and why organs did what they did, what turned blood red and why irises had a gem-like quality. Thus he had taken it upon himself to work on NIDS, the disease Maria had the unfortunate curse to be burdened with.
If anything, he was perhaps the perfect individual for this. Besides the fact he had been gifted with an extremely calculative mind, he also spent a large amount of time with the girl. There were only three of their age on the ARK, himself, Maria and Charles. Otherwise, it was all just the scientists and professors, the youngest being forty-two, Neaira. So he watched, listened and learned. He theorized what caused her seizures and used sample cells to propose possible inhibitors. He wished it were possible to concoct a cure, but because Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome involved the genome, with current technology it was impossible to reconstruct genetic strands. So he would have to settle for a preventative.
It took over a year to create the compound Maria now ingested twice daily. Coupled with specific physical therapy, she had not had an issue for over a month. Granted it had been a trial in itself to get Gerald to expose his granddaughter to his creation's blood, sweat and tears. In the end it, was Maria, herself, who had accidentally overheard the two bickering. So she had decided for herself that that was what she wanted for her birthday, a new medicine made by someone who only wanted to help, with no gain other than to see her maybe become a normal teenager. So, against the aging man's better judgment, Maria was given a sample bottle -which had just ran out- and given a physical regimen she had to stick to.
But, Shadow was no fool. He still kept a syringe of her excerebraplacidum tucked within his left-hand ring, just to be safe.
"So, what will you do now?"
"Um," Maria hummed, "bug him until he gets annoyed enough to let me go."
"I think, with the Professor, it would have the opposite effect."
Maria's low, sugary laugh resonated throughout the observatory. "Maybe he'll give in someday. I told him that you'll go with me to make sure I'll be okay."
"Maybe that's your problem. He'd be more willing to let Charles take you."
She squeezed him again before letting go. "Nah, personally I'd rather have you."
His blush became hotter and faded far less quickly. He attempted to think of something to say, something to get his mind back down to reality. "Are you done with the bottle?"
"Yeah, I told him. He said he's going to start production on another since it's working so well."
Shadow gave her a look of surprise. "You mean he didn't make more? I gave him a list of the compounds. I-"
"I know you did." The look she returned him was apologetic.
What did she have to apologize for? "I'll go grab the extras I have in the lab. The residual components should remain active for at least a few days before being diluted through the bloodstream. I'll start making more myself just in case."
"You don't have to do that, you know. It was supposed to be grandpa's responsibility."
Shadow snorted gruffly. He should have known better. Maria smiled shyly, knowing full well that he and her relative have been on thin ice ever since Shadow had developed her new medicine -more so now that it was proven effective. She couldn't blame him, her grandfather was being a bit overbearing. Shadow was only trying to help.
The thought hardly crossed her mind before she brought it to action. The teen came to stand at his front and bend down to kiss him sweetly upon the stripe running down his central quill. His ears immediately perked and eyes shot wide, fur bristling.
"I'll see you later. I'm going to go give Neaira her books back." She gave a gentle wave of her fingers before trotting out of eye-shot. "Bye..."
With her drifting form the hedgehog's ears pulled back and his facade contorted into deep sadness. How could he make her understand how much such small, intimate things hurt him? Tormenting depression burned deep within his heart like a smoldering coal. Uncontrollable longing had to be restrained like an untamed dragon. How could someone like her ever see him as anything other than an artificial, anthropic construct?
Maria made her way down the stale isles of the only home she held in memory. The sunless expanse was artificially lit by florescence hanging ominously above. To anyone unfamiliar the atmosphere bred unease, but it was all she had ever known. Between the midway of light and darkness thoughts contorted into the blur. She really felt bad for poor Shadow. He tried so hard for so little gain. Well no, his gain was her affection. Anyone with eyes could see how much he cared, almost to the point of it being love. That was impossible though, he could never see someone like her in that light.
The neon-blue numbering speared the monotone like a heavenly blade. '7734: Tokugawa' warned anyone what lay within. Maria pressed the doorbell located below the entrance panel on her right. It hardly took a minute before the silver wall melted to the left and in its place a woman stood, leggy and elegant. By all account no one would assume she was possibly one of the most renowned botanist of all time. For one thing, she loved dresses instead of suits and lab coats, this one had a gorgeous spring pallet with splotches of purple and blue against a silk canvas. Her ebony hair that flowed down to the small of her back was tied together in intervals and looped back up to create an old-world bun-ring. If it wasn't for this she could have even passed herself off as the girl's biological mother, kindly face with violet oculars practically beaming sincerity and adoration.
"Maria! You always have wonderful timing. Come in, I just put on the kettle." Her voice spoke of nostalgic charm and mannerisms long forgotten.
The guest thanked her host and wandered inside. Professor Neaira Tokugawa was a woman of simple elegance that shown through the decoration of her apartment. Everyone was given the same standards of living and it was up to the inhabitant to make the most of what little they were gifted. It would seem all the other scientists had never had a normal home in their lives, for Neaira's actually felt livable. The walls were painted all sorts of rustic colors, oranges and browns. Because she worked a lot with plants -in fact, that was all she worked with- there were countless ornate vases propped here and there hosting her finest works with bioengineering and environmental manipulation. But, what the girl loved most was that each 'window' to her abode hosted 3D imagery tricking the mind into thinking they were looking out an actual window from a home down on Möbius.
Through the narrow entrance hall her host lead her into a spacious, cream-carpeted room with a rustic, oak-wood table and ebony leather sofa. Ancient brass lamps on similarly aged stands set a warm mood for a place that was supposed to be cold and lifeless. She had speakers hidden in each corner that remained linked to her Tablet which she used for both work and play. Right now they sung a fun and jazzy piano tune that mimicked their owner's frizzy nature.
She turned into a doorway to the left that entered into a tiny kitchen. It had all the chrome amenities one would need, just tightly packed. Maria sat herself upon the delicate, ivory chair next to the matching rectangular table that dominated the right wall of the space. The older woman preoccupied herself with the stove, turning off the breaker as the water within the double-glass pot just started to bubble. She opened an off-white cabinet and retrieved a silvery canister, adding four teaspoons worth of the leaves within to the steaming liquid.
"I've got to go down to my gardens later and dry some more leaves. I think I should cut back on my tea consumption."
Her guest really wasn't paying complete attention. Instead her eyes were locked on the false viewer position above the sink. It contained an emerald sloping hill whose grasses waved playfully around a gigantic, anciently twisted tree of some sort. The vision was so life-like that, if she didn't know any better, she would stick her arm through for a chance to feel the wind and sun dance upon her fragile skin.
The girl's rapture was severed by Neaira's form as she went to seat herself at the opposite end of the table. She poured two cupfuls of the fragrant liquid and gave one to the individual opposite her. Maria smiled and thanked her, watching as the leaves within the pot, now puffy and soft, floated to the bottom of their container. Neaira reached for the glass honey pot set at the center of the table, its contents the hue of molten gold.
"So, how was your selection this time?"
Maria took the sugary syrup once it was free grabs. "I really liked Dance Among the Twilight and Heaven's Rains. I don't know, some how Venture's Quarrel didn't seem to flow with the plot of the first two."
"Ah, that's right. You borrow the Vagrant's Trilogy." She took a danty sip of tea, then paused. "You finished all three already?"
Maria laughed shyly. "Well, I found it passes the time while I'm on my treadmill."
"That reminds me, how've you been?"
"Wonderful! I don't know how he did it but, I haven't had a flair since I started! I mean, my circulation still is a little off but I don't black out or anything anymore. Shadow is the most amazing person I've ever met!"
Neaira smiled a smile of hidden knowledge. She remembered last Yule the hedgehog's present had been a hand carved ring from a gemstone found in meteorites. Oh, how she loved that ring and wore it even now. If only the girl knew what it meant. Maybe that would speed things along.
Afterwords they just talked about the normal stuff, which involved the books read and Neaira's garden. When the pot was drained to the dregs the older woman and her charge wandered back through the living room and straight into the room over. This was not only the bedroom but also the Library. Its owner was one of the few who still valued the weight of a good paperback. Most reading materials found on the ARK were digital, the conversion also taking hold to those on Möbius. Perhaps in a few more decades paper would be obsolete, replaced by the feel of an electronic screen. But, until then the previous generation still held true to their roots. Their owner had told Maria that she had a much larger collection back home and could only take so many with her when she was assigned to the Space Colony.
The girl retrieved said novels from her backpack and their owner began placing them back to their corresponding shelves. The woman owned three bookcases, all lined against the far wall, all organized obsessively by category. Her tastes were diverse, from documentaries, fantasy novels, mystery fiction to thrillers. The three she had picked out before were all fantasies so she wanted something different. Maria had never liked anything scary, so horror was out. What about a detective novel? She wandered over to the second gargantuan structure of wood, paper and leather and scanned the covers. The Master's Ring sounded pretty good so she pulled it out and set it on the night stand as she continued her hunt.
A very old one stood out, so old the cover was blackened and any lettering along the spine faded. She removed it and examined the cover. There was some gold that hinted at the title. Parting the two halves revealed ink stained pages smelling of mold. Surprisingly, the content within had been scratchily hand written.
"Hey, what book is this?"
Neaira had been fiddling with her tablet in the next room, changing the atmosphere into a classical concerto. Maria turned another page and something delicate slipped out, landing on her foot. As her host came to her side she gently took the journal in hand as Maria bend down to pick up the page that had fallen. Only, it wasn't a piece of the book. Rather, it was an old photo.
There were two individual posed in close for a selfie. They both grinned like wild children, arms flung across each other's neck with the young woman's other outstretched -most likely holding the camera. The guy was an anthropic tiger, his smoky stripes giving a startling contrast to his agave-gold pelt with ivory muzzle and undercoat. His most startling feature, though, had to be his missing fang. The woman was, with out a shadow of a doubt, a younger Neaira. The teen turned to question but what she saw halted all words within her throat. The older version of the girl in the photo was completely silent, slim silver streams running down her cheeks as she bit into the knuckle of her left index finger. She held the book open, irises dancing back and forth as they scrutinized every letter. Maria had never seen her cry before. The woman she had always thought of as a mother, with a heart devoid of sorrow, had just shattered into tiny pieces before her.
"Neaira, are you alright?"
Her words were so soft they sounded distant, almost not there. "I though I lost this..."
Her hand released from between her teeth, the nails running over the indentations made by a ballpoint pen over a decade ago. Watery depths turned to her guest who gingerly presented the fallen bookmark with out a word. She took it as though handing a precious necklace of royal gold.
She sat back into the fluffy quilt of her mattress with a flop. "Toby..." her words breathless.
Maria joined her at her side. "Who was he?"
The renowned Botanist was silent for a long moment, swallowing a sticky lump of nausea while staring unblinkingly at the image.
"I haven't spoken of him to anyone in years." Breath expelled in a shaky sigh as she visibly attempted to calm herself.
"What happened to him, who was he?" Now she really couldn't help her curiosity even though her conscience told her not to pry.
"He was my... Umm, how would I put it? We were what is referred to as Mates."
"What?"
Neaira finally tore her vision from the past and focused on the present. At least her tears had stopped.
"I guess you could say he was my first husband." Slowly she appeared to be regaining normalcy.
"But, I thought that humans and anthropes... couldn't… love each other..."
Neaira gave a quick, sharp laugh. "You know, neither did I. I wonder, what has your grandfather told you of the human civilization history on Möbius? Did he allow you full access to the proper texts when you were doing your Historic Studies?"
"I don't know. I never really paid much attention."
"It's sad, really. A lot of it has become illegal, like cleaning a conscience. Even to this day... Well, I guess It's up to me to explain some things. Anthros and humans have had a long history of animosity towards one another, for good reason. When civilization was just starting out the two sides would break out in war and kill unconsciously. At one point humanity won and it was decided that Anthropes were little better than animals and were forced into slavery. It is still being abolished... slowly.
"Now, I bet you're wondering what this has to do with anything. So, I'm going to ask if you want a full explanation or would you like to just grab your novels and be on your way?"
Maria thought over her offer for a moment or two. Though she had known Neaira longer than she could remember, the woman had never been open about anything involving her past. She never talked about when she was a kid or where she grew up. Maria only knew about her father, Professor Evano, who actively worked with her grandfather in creating Shadow. So when she actually showed deeply embedded emotion it warranted curiosity. Then there was her own, personal reason.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to know." Maria responded shyly.
Neaira finally smiled genuinely. "Well, to start, my father wasn't an active part of my life until around my third year of University. Until then it was just my mother and me, supporting each other in any way possible. When I had finished school I wanted to better myself so that not only I could live better, but my mother as well. Unfortunately, for that you need money. Since at the time I had not known of my father the only way around this was to apply to a Mixed University. They cost significantly less and the degree can be used to lessen the cost of further schooling somewhere more prestigious later along the line. The drawback is that some don't hold a degree from a Mixed University in any standing -making them worthless.
"Anyway, I took the risk and applied to the University of the Gold Flower, which was the one held in highest regard so I was happy to have gotten accepted. But, then again, Mixed Colleges have to accept all human applicants by law. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. Honestly, I just picked a random Major and two Minors. My Major turned out to be Zoology, my minors Biology and Botany.
"So, I moved to Crysantose and started my schooling. That was where I met him. His name was Tobias Sabur, the only thing we had in common was our Botany class, which was his Major. We hardly even noticed each other for our first year, our two sides rarely interacting at all due to residual animosity from centuries of hate. At the start of our second year we were tasked with developing a hybrid species of hydrangea. We had two weeks and required a partner. We ended up being the last two and so we worked together.
"It was rather funny actually. Our problem was our mutual coyness. But, it brought us together. Once we got past the whole 'I don't know how to act around you' feeling the project turned out to be a lot of fun. We worked very well together and our little Pete earned the highest regards out of the whole class. I wish we were allowed to breed a fertile blossom. Had I known what would happen to him I would have had something to remember him by."
"What could have…?"
Neaira sighed, continuing with out an answer. "Something ignited between us and we became quick friends. Through out the rest of our second year we spent a lot of time together, which to others appeared rather strange seeing a human and anthrope getting along so well. It was our commonalities that sort of bound us. We both came from poor families and we both felt very out of place and standoffish. We both traveled a long ways and hadn't developed any meaningful friendships. So we decided to continue with each other. We helped each other with projects and classwork, though it was only support it still meant a lot between us.
"Honestly I can't recall how we ended up dating. One moment we were spending time together in the common lobby, the next we were going out to the nearest restaurants and parks and shopping. I was even able to get him to smile for this picture, something he never did out of embarrassment. During our third year he felt comfortable enough to tell me about his missing fang. It was an accident when he was little, him and his older brother play-fighting. His adult tooth had already come in and it was either pay for dental work or get an education. He told me he didn't regret his decision."
Neaira paused for a very long moment, her eyes sealed shut as if she were reliving the night in vivid detail. She closed the journal and opened the drawer to the nightstand. She placed it inside and retrieved something else. There was a pair of them, one as identical as the other. If it were not for the fact that they were silver they could have been mistaken for wedding bands.
"One interesting thing between anthropes and humans is the way they view being bonded for life. Marriage is a concept invented by humans and I think its meaning has become lost. Humans are more promiscuous than anthropes because we don't naturally consider sex as a form of finality. That's why anthropes take so much time before they dedicate themselves to a single person. There's no-one more loyal than an anthrope partner. Mates is the term used to refer to a bonded pair of anthropes. It can also be used for an anthrope and a human because legally the two can not marry. In my personal opinion I believe it's better that way. I won't bore you with the details. I think you'll figure that amusement out once you're older.
"I'll finish up quickly and simply as there was so much more involved. Towards the end of our fourth year we were still planning what we wanted to do with our lives together. It happened during our botany class as we worked out in the massive greenhouse. He was targeted and killed right at my side by a sniper."
Maria gasped. "Why? Who would..." She was virtually stunned.
"Unfortunately, there were many people involved from both our families who found out about us and didn't approve. Through the grievance I was too startled and distraught to actively discover his killer. What made me feel worse was that I was not even allowed at his funeral -his parents blaming me for his death. They're right. I had lost my Mate, someone who I was more than willing to live to my death with. Someone who I would have willingly taken that bullet for, had I known... But, then I would have been leaving Toby alone..."
Her eyes were closed again, preventing returning tears as best she could. When she opened them again her sight turned to the stoic girl who had heard out her tale. Maria sat with her arms between her legs and sight down to the floor. She appeared to be in severely deep and emotional thought. She held out her arm on her knee nearest the distant teen, in her palm rested the rings.
"Like I said, anthropes don't technically marry, but they did take something from the concept. Mated Bands were a rather new invention at the time and we decided to do it because we felt we were all new-age and different. One thing we did special was we had our name engraved inside of the other's."
Maria's eyes shot wide for a second. She brought up her left hand which hosted the sapphire ring Shadow had hand-carved for her last Yule. Inside he had engraved the word Forever. She wondered if it held the same meaning. Now all it brought her was sadness.
"I can't tell him..."
"Shadow?"
She looked up to the woman with surprise. "You knew?"
"It's easy to see things when your eyes aren't blinded by expectations. I know everyone thinks you'll fall in love with Charles, merely because you both are human."
"I didn't think I could love him. That he could feel the same for me. Lately he's been really depressed and I don't know what to do. I want to comfort him, but I'm afraid. Now all I can think is my grandfather sealing him away. I'd never be able to see him again and it would be all my fault!" She gripped the sides of her head as if not wanting to hear her own words.
Neaira was afraid that the lesson would be lost. She replaced the rings and the photo with the journal back in the drawer of her nightstand. Afterwords she took her free hand and lighted it gently onto the girl's slumped shoulder.
"Maria, listen to me. Toby and I were not the first and, obviously, not the last. Love isn't discriminatory, you don't end up deciding who you fall for. People who don't allow themselves this leisure often end up in a hateful or abusive relationship. What you have with Shadow is rare and precious. It has been given its time to mature, allowed the chance to blossom.
"I understand you're scared, and I guarantee you Shadow is too. I can't decide your life for you, but spending its entirety wondering 'what if' is far worst. If you're worried about your grandfather, don't be. I'll watch out for you. I promise."
Maria looked up to the woman she could have easily called mom, a small grin cutting her kindly but pale face.
"Go to him and tell him. I guarantee he won't be depressed anymore."
The teen fell to the side and wrapped her arms around Neaira and squeezed. At first the woman was startled, not expecting that to be the girl's response. She had never had any kids and didn't plan to with Kane -her current husband. In that moment she felt so much maternal pride that it was almost debilitating. She took the girl into her arms and returned the gesture. For once, since almost a decade, she felt wanted, important, loved.
Maria pulled away and gave one last parting smile. "Thank you so much!" Her eyes practically beamed renewed hope.
Neaira let her go without trouble, heart filled with pride in the thought that she had done good. She didn't stop the teen to say that she had left her bag and the only book she had selected. The botanist rose slowly, her mind beginning to settle back from euphoria. She uplifted the novel and inspected the cover. Afterwords, she selected two others she knew Maria would enjoy and added them to the girl's pack. Neaira decided to wander off towards her Laboratory first, snip a few leafs and set them in the dehydrator for tomorrow. Then she'd just drop the baggage off at its owner's dorm.
Maria ran as fast as her legs could possibly take her with out giving out. Her lungs burned as if a fire had been lit inside of them, calves and feet aching. She ran as if her life were at risk. At the finish line hopefully rested a single individual who would cure everything. Even though physically she was drained, mentally she had never felt more alive. This was a level of happiness she had not known existed.
With a harsh thump everything came to an abrupt halt. Stunned, her off-balanced body teetered back but halted itself in mid-fall. Someone had caught her arm and held her aloft. At first she though -half hoped through her loved induced fantasy- that the individual was Shadow. The sad reality was that this individual was much too tall, the angle much too high. Her aquamarine eyes shot open, viewing her savior to be none other than Charles.
He was a year younger than her and was the son of the head General of G.U.N. That was the only reason he was allowed to come and go as he pleased. Were it not for his father's status he would be condemned to a life on the ground. Maria often wondered why he kept coming back. Wasn't the planet below so much more interesting? His naturally tanned facade stretched out in surprise while wide heterochromia irises bore down into her curiously.
He pulled her effortlessly to a stand.
"Sorry! I was in a hurry and wasn't watching where I was going."
The young man released her from his calloused grip and she scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Every-thing's okay, right?"
"Yeah, I just need to do something and I kinda zoned out. I'm in a hurry, so…"
He hummed uneasily. He did everything uneasily. Maybe that was why he always came aboard the ARK. Shyness. Somehow she felt that not plausible. There was just something about him, something off. She never let herself pay too much attention to it. Everyone was different. Maybe that was just the way people were on Möbius.
"Not to busy to spend a little time with me?" He grinned handsomely.
Shadow had slowly wandered through the gloomy halls of the space colony towards his modest dorm. It wasn't anything special, hardly unique. He never spent any real length of time inside it other than for rest. He had lied selfishly about where he kept the extras he had concocted. The reason he didn't leave them in the lab was because of the rational fear of plagiarism. He hardly even trusted the Professor, but in the end the man had more resources than he did. The hedgehog pulled out the top most drawn to his nightstand and retrieved an unmarked, inconspicuous looking bottle. With object in paw he headed back out into the dankness of the unfeeling over-world.
Trekking onward with out hurry, he planned to drop her medicine off at her room. He didn't know where she was currently and wasn't about to go exhausting energy trying to track her down. The majority of the Colony was mechanical support systems, that didn't mean that the livable hollow was easily navigated. The floating sphere was only a quarter the size of the moon, but still could hold the populous of South Island without effort.
After about fifteen minutes he came to an intersection. Across from which was the hallway where Maria's dorm was. Maybe she would be back from Neaira's by now and he could stay and talk. As long as he kept his head level nothing would slip. Up ahead there came the voices of two individuals, one most certainly Maria -whose song he could discern from any distance. She was speaking with a male, unconsciously quickening his pace to see who. As he rounded the bend he hauled upon sedating his curiosity. Shadow backed out of sight immediately, against his better judgment he gave into curiosity and eavesdropped.
Charles took hold of the teen's hand in his their girth like a bolder crushing a butterfly. "I like you, a lot. I was wondering if you would want to be my girl?"
Shadow's heart shattered into dust. He felt betrayed, but why? She was not his, never could be. Anything that remained inside of him now curled into smoldering sadness. Ears pulled back and eyes sealed shut to prevent any unnecessary reactions. Lost, he swerved back from whence he had come, he would take the long way around. He tried not to think about her and Charles, but how could he not? He loved her more than his own self, meaning her happiness far outweighed his own. As long as his Light lived hers to its fullest he had to be content and stand by her side -if she allowed him. He would always be loyal to her, no matter who she chose. Even though he tried to believe this he couldn't bring himself back from the darkness. But, if Charles hurt her... If anyone ever hurt her...
A sharp yelp echoed across the corridor and pierced his train of thought. In replace of sorrow wrenching fear overran all thought. He didn't have to think over what he had to do. With the swiftness of lightning the Ultimate Life Form rushed back towards the intersection, the jets soldered into his shoes blazing to life. He sparked to a skid and what he saw horrified him. Maria, his Light, lay sprawled on the ground and spasming uncontrollably.
He didn't need to think twice. The hedgehog immediately bent over her. Snapping off the Suppressor around his wrist produced a syringe filled with a neon-violet substance that clattered onto the frigid tile. With one paw he held her cheek, forcing her to face him. Her irises were flashing and darting in every direction. He bit off the needle's cap and spit it out, talking as forcefully as possible to her as he injected the serum into her engorged jugular.
"Maria, focus on me, focus on my voice! Look at me, listen to me!"
Her muscles always relaxed first, oceanic eyes following, their movement becoming more direct as she regained sanity. The lights behind them grew nonexistent, her breath slowed, less forced. Then, finally, her eyelids closed and her thin frame went limp into blissful torpor. Shadow removed the vial and with utmost care set her head back down. He watched her intently for a few more seconds, ensuring she was still breathing, recording her pulse.
Once all was in order the anthrope bolted up to stand as tall as possible, bloody irises beaming so much malice they physically stung. Charles backed up a step, face attempting to appear as dominant and nonchalant as possible.
Shadow hissed through clenched fangs, "what did you do?"
Neaira wandered out of her makeshift home and into the dreary confines of the ARK's public halls. Luckily one of the many transports was near her personal space, which she used to quickly hop over to her greenhouse. The tram never took very long, spending the few minutes chatting with another scientist and watching the stars pass by. Entering the confines of her own personal laboratory was like returning to her life back on Möbius.
Once one passed the main lobby and aquarium there arose the entrance into the greenhouse. Nothing inside of this space was artificial, not even 3 inches of flooring; Instead it was pack-moss and soil, per her request. When walking with bare feet it felt like a sweetly moist carpet of curled grass. Weaving through potted palms and endless oak-wood tables only served to freshen the naturally circulating air. In fact, this single, acre-long facility supplied the entire colony. And she alone was tasked with its upkeep. Any walls and windows were plated in clear crystal, beyond them a generic blue sky and artificial sun finished the ambiance.
Neaira had been 'gifted' two caretakers to continuously help with maintenance. Kane worked as a partner to her father, Evano. As such, he dabbled in bioengineering. Of the two bio-androids, one stayed awake at night and the other awakened for the day shift. Currently on was Dansumo, an anthro avian of blue-jay strain. Even though they were created to be, their 'Master' didn't consider them slaves. The circumstances were sad. The two, unlike Shadow, were not given free will. Therefore, neither of them could do anything other than basic living functions without being 'ordered' to. Even so, she found that having given them actual freedom helped in this considerably.
She found the currently awake caretaker in the back of the greenhouse, in her wing-like arm she had a basket filled with sprigs of fresh and tender huang-long. Apparently the jay had taken it upon herself to dry a new batch. The incident made her smile a little, proving there was a way to bypass genetic programming with a little kindness and support. Neaira thanked her and made an exit. Well, nothing else left to do but drop off Maria's bundle.
And so the botanist locked up her lab for the night. She turned around and took a tram back to where she had first come. The walk was quiet, smooth. The darkness here was always like an unwanted friend, but comforting due to its familiarity. She made a turn down an adjacent hall, Maria's apartment only a few more blocks. In the distance her ears caught the distressed sounds of two individuals arguing. At first she thought nothing of it, figuring it to be two professors having a disagreement over a similar theory. That was until she recognized them.
Neaira followed the echos, heart beating just as fast as her feet. She rounded a corridor and through the starlight outline could clearly make out Shadow, at his feet was a limp bundle. The other she quickly discovered to be Charles. The botanist ran towards the two, heels clicking loud enough to shift their attention from each-other. Once close enough she found the bundle to be none other than an unconscious Maria. Neaira immediately fell to her knees, cupping the girl's face, checking her pulse and breath. She seemed okay, no obvious physical damage. What had happened?
Both boys had hardly payed any attention to the woman, more concerned with their testosterone-fueled tempers. Something told her that the blame was not on Shadow's part, but rather the false-anthrope was attempting to protect the girl. She had also caught some snippets of the argument beforehand.
"Shadow!" The black and red hedgehog's gaze shot to Neaira as she elegantly rose back to her feet. "Take Maria to the infirmary."
He turned back to Charles, gaze burning with residual malice.
"Now!"
Neaira's harshness snapped him out of his attempt at dominance. Shadow spun around, tenderly wrapping the comatose girl in his arms and ushering her away and out of sight. Professor Tokugawa then set her intent on the last of the three. He sank back, never having seen the botanist in any mood other than cheery and upbeat. Now the pale woman appeared undead and unearthly. Charles went to make a run for it, not wanting to face repercussions. However, sensing his bid for escape Neaira latched on to his wrist. The young man experienced a sharp rush of adrenaline. How could he not break her grip? He was taller, heavier than her by nearly half!
"Let go!"
"Not until you tell me what happened."
"It's none of your business!"
"Maria is my business. Spill it!"
He lurched his arm away, but not before experiencing the skin-crawling sensation of nails scraping through flesh. "I'm going to tell my father on you."
Neaira rolled her eyes. "Your father values my judgment and input and holds me in the highest regards. Therefore, I wouldn't suggest threatening me with him. All I want to know is what happened between you and Maria."
"How do you know it wasn't that faggot android?"
"Watch your tongue, boy!" Neaira snapped a bid harder than she had meant to. "Right about now you're leading me to believe you have something to hide by not telling me the truth."
"I didn't do anything. That girl just collapsed on the floor and started spasming for no reason! I had nothing to do with it!"
This time when he decided to make a break for it she didn't stop him. She sighed, glad that he wasn't her child. While Maria wasn't hers either, the girl had a much weaker disposition and needed people to look out for her. As such, Neaira didn't believe the boy's story. Back when Maria had not been on her new medication the story would have been plausible. Now, however, it was highly unlikely that the girl would just suddenly fall to the floor and began a death throng. Not unless she had a relapse. Maybe Shadow would be able to shed some light on the situation.
Maria was admitted without delay. The medical center was a massive, multilayer column that ran like a spine down the middle of the colony. It wasn't just used as a hospital, more so it was made to specifically focus on 'family' medicine. Still, there was a surprising amount of individuals who did wind up needing a few day's bed rest -or counseling.
The young girl was placed in a quiet corner away from the general hustle and bustle of the facility. At her side Shadow sat on a stool, arms crossed with head resting on the edge of her cot. His eyes were open though, staring at nothing but with mind racing. All around him the sound of lifeless machines buzzed inharmoniously. None more so than the artificial breather clasped to the bottom half of her face. Otherwise, everything was so quiet, distant. It would have been nice were it not for the circumstances.
Shadow sat up with a start when a sudden weight alighted on his shoulder. Upon viewing the source he found it to be only Neaira, gazing down at him kindly. How had he not sensed her approach? He turned away, watching his friend's breast as it rose and fell as gently as a feather. He hated having to induce her. Every dosage made her more immune, which meant every time it was used the amount had to be increased. He didn't enjoy toying with her life like that.
Neaira could practically feel the fear he held within himself shoot straight up her arm and burn her heart. She had known Shadow had feelings for Maria for a few years now, afraid of them. She had to help, she had to show him those feelings were okay and nothing to be ashamed of.
"How is she doing?"
"Fine," he answered simply and quietly.
Neaira sighed, removing her weight from him. "I wasn't able to get much out of Charles as to what happened. Maybe you could shed some light?"
Shadow was silent a moment, but she could tell he had tensed. "I don't know. I just heard her scream and went running."
"That's it?"
The hedgehog nodded.
"You don't wonder how it happened, why Charles was there?"
"Well, I did hear them talking before."
"Ah. But, about what?"
"I don't know..." This was getting annoying. He really wanted her to just leave.
"Why don't you feel comfortable telling me?"
"Because, I don't... ugh!" He was trying to keep both his temper and volume level. If it would get her to leave he finally said, "Charles asked Maria to be his girlfriend. I walked off after that, but then I heard her scream so I ran back and found her on the ground. I gave her her medicine and she relaxed. That's it."
"Hmm, well, that may explain some things."
Shadow gave her a skeptical look. "Like what?"
Neaira placed something on the table next to Maria's bed. It was the girl's small pack, most likely holding a new bundle of books. "Take good care of her. She'll appreciate seeing you when she wakes." She never graced him with an answer.
The botanist left then, heels clicking off into the distance. At least now Shadow could finally give Maria his undivided attention. Charles must not have told Neaira what had happened. One way or another he would find out if the wannabe Guardian hurt her. What did Neaira mean? What had his tidbit of information revealed? The anthrope crossed his arms again and rested his head back on the edge of her cot, relieved to finally be alone with her. Even though she didn't know he was there he hoped that she at least felt safe and comfortable.
Everything was dark and dizzy. Her head felt heavy and swimming. She couldn't see anything, only hearing the fuzzy drone of machines. She felt incredibly sore! What happened? Moaning, the girl rocked her head a little, trying to get everything to settle. Her ears popped and the noise became louder still. But something was different this time. Something was growling, no, snoring. Even though it hurt Maria lifted her head a little to locate the source of the sound. So much closer than all the others. She found a dark blob near her hip. It was what was causing the noise. Knowing its location she relieved her neck of the weight of her head and laid back down. Instead she reached her arm down in want to stroke it, hoping the blackness wasn't a hallucination. A pinch on her arm stopped her. An IV? Then this thing on her face was a breather. She was in the medical ward. Despite the protest of the needle taped to her flesh the teen still reached down to pet the crown of the lump. It was so soft and warm, comforting. Somehow it made her heart feel light, loved. She knew instantly who it was.
"Shadow."
The noise stopped, two eyes a startling bronze cut through the darkness. They were nothing to fear. Even as they lifted there was softness in them, concern, love...
"Maria, you're alright," he breathed.
"I have to tell you something... It's important."
Something stroked her cheek tenderly and her heart swelled, making her unintentionally swoon. Her medication was catching up again.
"Please, go back to sleep. You need your rest." His voice was hardly more than a whisper.
"But..."
His smile was so sweet. "Just tell me tomorrow when you're fully awake. Besides, you won't remember any of this."
"Than I want you to tell me, like you always do." The look he gave was adorably quizzical, but he didn't oppose. "I want you to answer me honestly."
"Then you have to do the same for me."
It was her turn to smile beneath the oxygen mask. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Charles didn't hurt you, did he?"
She didn't answer right away. "No, he just… startled me."
"Why?"
"Because, he asked me to be his girlfriend and I told him I liked someone else."
His chest burned for a second. He didn't even think before popping, "who?" Would she really tell him? Who could she possibly like? That was so rude to just ask for no reason!
"You."
Everything became startlingly quiet, his heart went into overdrive. Did she just say... "Who?"
She giggled gingerly. "You, silly."
"Me?"
"Shadow," she scolded as best she could, given the circumstances.
"You... Me?" She must have been delusional. Either that or hopelessly cruel to wring him like this.
"Tell me. I want to hear you say those words. Please."
She was fading fast, maybe he could get out of this.
"Please, Shadow. I want to hear you say it."
Of course she couldn't make it easy. Her arm closest to him lifted, spindly fingers curled against his muzzle. He closed his eyes and pressed ever so gently against her touch. What would it hurt? She wouldn't remember any of this when she finally woke up.
"I love you, Maria." His voice was so drawn, so heartfelt, so longing. He slowly bent down, pressing his forehead against hers, whispering the words once more: "I love you."
She responded with a faint wisp of his name, eyes closing and body going limp. He caught her hand before it fell, kissing her delicate, sweetly warm skin before laying it across her gingerly pulsing chest. He sighed. That saying was true. It did feel like a weight had been lifted. Too bad it only caused more problems. What if she didn't forget? Unless she really was telling the truth and it wasn't some induced fantasy from her meds. She wanted him to be her boyfriend? That would be crazy, and stupid on her part. She could do so much better. She needed the most normal life her world would allow. That did not include him.
The artificial anthrope sat himself back in his stool at her hip. He should try to get some sleep, even with his mind buzzing like a nest of hornets. He nuzzled into the crook of his arm, thinking of an excuse should the girl remember his heartfelt words. Their friendship wasn't worth crumbling because of loose lips. Then there was Charles. Maria didn't entirely answer his question. She had denied him and he got upset. That was about all he knew. One way or another Shadow would find the truth.
By the time morning arrived on the Space Colony Maria was fully awake and full of life. The IV was removed and her personal belonging returned. She examined the books Neaira had left and talked about them with Shadow, who sat next to her on the cot. He handed her the bottle of pills he had stored away so that she could take her morning dose. She thanked him with that sweetness that made his chest burn, that made him selfishly believe it was only for him.
They left a few minutes later, slowly strolling together down the corridor that would lead to her dorm. It was fairly close to the medical ward, mainly due to her illness. They walked side-by-side in quiet contentedness. In the back of his mind Shadow wondered if Maria remembered the events of the night before. She never did, but that was before she began her new regimen and medication. Of all the times she would remember it would be now.
Eventually the two arrived and she invited him inside, like she always did. He made himself comfortable and sat upon her sofa, watching her intently as she placed her new books on the kitchen table. It didn't take long before she sat herself nice and close to him. This wasn't unusual, although he sometimes wished she wouldn't. If she supposedly told the truth last night, and she did feel the same, it wouldn't be so bad. But, somehow, in the back of his mind he believe that was far too good to be true.
"Hey, Shadow?"
"Yeah?" She shifted his train of thought back to the present.
"Did I wake up last night at all?"
"No, you were able to sleep through."
"Really? I could have sworn I woke up. I told you something. What was it?"
Shadow turned to face away from her. He hated lying to her. "I don't remember. I must have been half asleep myself."
Maria smiled innocently. "I do, though."
His sight immediately shifted back with a gaze of disbelief. "I thought you said-"
She shrugged nonchalantly. "I lied."
The hedgehog's mind scrambled to think of something. "Look, I didn't mean what I said. I only said what I said so you'd go back to sleep."
"I meant what I said." She smiled, leaning forward till her nose was merely inches from his. "And I know you're still lying to me."
His expression became forlorn again. "I don't understand."
"What's there to understand?"
"How you could possibly consider me, think of me that way. I mean, I can understand friends. But, not anything more."
"Why not?"
"Because, I want you to be happy and have a normal life. You can't have that if you're with me."
"What if I don't want a normal life? What if I want to be with you?"
"I..." He couldn't think of anything to say.
She had come awfully close, so much so that he could feel the heat radiating from her body. He allowed her to close the space. Her warm lips eclipsed his and he sucked in a quick breath. Though she could tell he was tense, his softness told her otherwise. In time he relaxed, paws rising to gently drape her hips. Maria took him by the neck and fell against him. He responded in turn, molding her in such a way that it didn't seem possible. How could someone such as himself and someone like her fit so perfectly together? Why did this feel so blissful? For once the world had been forgotten. For once the only thing that mattered was their other half's existence.
The two eventually parted, but not far. Maria returned only to nuzzle into the crook of his silky shoulder. For some reason his smell had always been a comfort for her. It was deep and musky, but not overpowering. Just being in his presence relaxed her. And now she had bore her heart to him, and it was quite obvious that he had accepted. By this point words did not need to be spoken. Neaira said she hadn't recalled when she and Toby had started dating. Maybe this was similar. Maria couldn't recall when she had fallen for Shadow. It had just happened.
Shadow held her tight. There was something special now. This had not been the first time they had held each-other. This time there was a small level of intimacy. He absolutely adored being this close to her at any level. For whatever reason he had been smitten with her for so very long. And she loved him too! He still felt strange over the whole thing. Dreams didn't come true, certainly not his.
As if she could sense his apprehension she said, "I love you, Shadow. I love you so much." Her sweet voice was muffled by his fur.
This had to be a dream. He still must be by her side in the medical ward. There was no other way to explain it. "This is impossible. Why would you ever want to be with me?"
His grip tightened with heartfelt longing, almost afraid to loose her.
"Because you're kind and gentle. You're also fearless and strong. You care whether I live or die. You think more of me than you do yourself. You've always been there when I've been afraid or sad. I could tell you didn't know what to do, but holding me was always enough." She laughed softly. "You would comfort me and tell me I was special, that no one in the world could ever be as perfect as me in every way."
He laughed with her. "They can't."
"See." She gently pushed away and saw him finally smile genuinely.
"I won't -I can't- deny that I love you." He brought up one of his paws and delicately cupped her face, so afraid that it would shatter into a million pieces. "As long as you're content and happy, so am I. I just don't ever want to loose you in my life. I don't want to lose what we have between us. I don't want to loose your love and friendship."
"Who says you will? This could be so much more. There's still so much left between us to share and experience, together."
She kissed him once again, this time light and airy, like cotton candy.
"Neaira told me that she would help with my grandfather. I don't think he's going to take this lightly."
"I think it may be best to keep this from him. I'm not being mean, but-"
"I know. I know how he is."
Her mentioning the botanist hadn't eluded him. "How does Neaira know about this?"
"She was the one who helped me get up the courage to tell you how I feel, to get you to admit your feelings as well so that you wouldn't be sad anymore."
"Sad?"
"I could tell that something would bother you sometimes. I figured out that it happened a lot when I was around. That I made you that way."
"It wasn't you. It was the pain in my heart knowing that I could never tell you how I felt, believing that the love I had for you was wrong and unnecessary. I was created to be a murderous thing, remember? Someone like me isn't supposed to feel love, or even want for companionship."
"Shadow," she took his paw in her hand, "there's a lot about you that is strange and I don't think my grandfather has been telling you the whole truth. Maybe, if we're lucky, we'll never find out. Maybe, somehow, someway, we'll end up having a normal life together."
"I don't think we'll ever have a completely normal life."
"No, I guess not. But, that's what'll make it fun."
He continued to smile, content. Shadow still wasn't all that sure what had happened with Charles. He didn't want to press the matter. He would find out though, eventually.
His mind shifted back to his new girlfriend as her body completely relaxed against him with a content sigh. He leaned back on the arm of the sofa, snuggling down into the cushions to make himself and her more comfortable. In this position the two cuddled, lulled by the other's aura. Shadow cradled her in his arms, kneading his paws up and down her back until her breathing became drawn and deep. She must have fallen asleep.
He smiled gingerly, heart swollen till it was about to burst with joy. He would stay like this all day, if he could help it. Shadow still didn't believe all of this had just happened, still not believing that they would last. Even if they didn't remain together as a couple, he would always cherish her and keep her safe from harm. Hoping against hope, maybe everything would figure itself out in time. With that thought, the hedgehog closed his eyes and rested his chin delicately upon her crown, inhaling deeply of her delicate aroma. At least in this moment the world was perfect.
-END-
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