In the ice-cold, metallic room, with the only light being the reflection of blue planet, there were only few things present. Goods such as bed, lamp, and desk was gone, but open books and papers lay scattered across the floor, some having an Earth-dirt footprint or a smudge of old blood. Here, was the room where a little girl was, long ago.
Two red eyes narrowed at the sight. He remembered the girl vividly but foggy, yet he felt no emotion grasp his heart like before.
The hedgehog walked inside the room, as some of the papers swooped up from the floor, unused to the visitor walking through the scene of 50 years ago. He stopped when his feet lightly kicked a book, and he carefully examined it as it looked familiar.
The paper was colored, like those old books that were left in the sunlight for years. Shadow figured that the small yet beautiful reflection from Mobius had given the old look. He flipped several pages, some giving a small sound like a person, who cannot walk, screaming for he was forced to stand on his feet.
Pages after pages, Shadow saw every entry starting, "Dear Diary", until the last few entries were written "Dear Mobius" instead. He flipped few pages back, shaking his head. Then his fingers caught a particular page; the page's words were written in blue pen, unlike the others that was written in black. Yet it started out like most of the entries: "Dear Diary"...
Being old and a leader, Professor Robotnik isn't a kind of man who'd try to use himself as an experiment. At least that's what most workers assumed. Yet he still had that strong courage and adventurous instinct like of a child and so that made Maria respect and love her grandfather.
Still, Maria wasn't very supportive when she heard about the experiment he had in mind. For the first few seconds, she believed that he was insane.
"Grandpa, please," Maria plead. "This is too dangerous for you! You should try a different way..."
The Professor looked at her. "Maria, you know that Shadow is our hope to help youー"
"I know, but he's becoming a weapon! Not a life saver!"
"He is, Maria, he is. You just do not understand... down there, it is always survival of the fittest. So it is necessary to provide him with strength, speed, determination..."
Maria spoke, "To fight Black Doom."
Professor Robotnik frowned at this. Maria clearly knew about the secret that flowed in Shadow's veins, but he hated how people mention it to him.
"Anyhow, I am planning to do this experiment myself, for I know the best of it. Besides, I am old. If something happened to me..." He trailed off.
Maria felt her eyes watering. Her grandfather, who adores her so dearly, suddenly disappearing from her? What would the new leader do if he did? And how was she to face with Shadow after the event?
"Grandpa..." Maria whimpered.
"Maria, listen to me. This is only a test to see how far Shadow's ability can be used. It's not definite that something bad will happen to me, just because he is not used to it yet."
Maria looked into her grandfather's eyes. "Grandpa, use me instead!"
"Maria! For the love ofー!"
"Grandpa, if you use me, it'll probably be more easier for Shadow to Chaos Control, in terms of size andー"
"Think carefully, my child, carefully!" the old Professor said. "Shadow was created to save YOU... What is the point if you are gone? What is the point of me if you are gone? And what will be of Shadow? You are more than just friends with him... you are his sister, a family."
Maria tried to say something, but nothing came out from her mouth.
Robotnik sighed, "Maria, you are too young to understand this but... you are more important than me, believe me. The workers here are more important than me, but you are more important compared to them. That is because you are young, and the faith of the world rests upon the young ones."
Maria stared at him in slight confusion, not knowing what to say. When words finally came out, Robotnik shook his head.
"Maria, go back to your room now. You need some rest..."
Maria wanted to tell her grandfather that she would not want him to leave him, but obeyed what he said. She strolled toward her room, footsteps echoing the metallic hall.
"Maria?" something in the shadows asked. "Are you okay?"