Silicon and Stars Collide
Rated T for Mild Language and Violence
Shadow, Gerald Robotonik, Maria, and other characters are property of Sega. No copyright infringement intended. Sorry Sega!
Swift is my own creation, not yours. XD
Please enjoy! R&R is GREATLY appreciated!
Chapter 1: Passing the Test
Darkness… swallowing, smothering, darkness. Circling, swirling… twisting, turning, falling in the black.
Who am I? What purpose was I created for?
My young mind fought to get out of sleep.
Why am I here?
I woke with a start and crashed to the cold metal floor, landing painfully on my tailbone. I yelped and shot to my feet, growling and rubbing my tail and bottom.
"Shadow, are you awake yet?" The Professor's gentle voice softly called into my quarters from the intercom.
"Yes, sir. I'm awake." I grumbled in answer.
"Good, then head up for your last benchmark check-up." He returned cheerfully.
"Yes, sir. I'm on my way." I replied obediently as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.
"By the way, Shadow, we have a surprise for you when you pass the check-up." He added and I imagined a sly grin spreading across his face.
"You seem confident." I remarked nervously.
"I am, only because I know you won't fail me." The intercom clicked off and left me to wonder what he meant by those last words.
"Because you know I won't fail you." I said to myself.
I quickly made my bed, brushed my teeth, ran my fingers through my quills, and slid on my brand new Jet Shoes and gloves. On the way out, I grabbed my locking bracelets and slammed my large sliding door shut.
The hallway outside was relatively crowded with scientists in white lab coats, researchers in T-shirts and jeans, occasional security in uniform, and off-duty workers of all sorts in pajamas. I made it through with ease; people moved to the side for me most of the time. On my way up to the control room in an elevator, I managed to get a Kudos bar from one off-shift scientist.
"Good luck with your final test today, Shadow." She told me as I exited the lift. I nodded my thanks.
I walked through an even more crowded corridor before reaching a huge sliding door that opened with a hiss at my approach. Upon my entrance, I sensed a different atmosphere from the usual laid back one. The scientists were all incredibly serious, only nodded to me instead of the usual Hello, how are you today, Shadows. I became slightly nervous; I knew they were trying to remain emotionally distant from me until it was certain I would make it.
"Over here, Project!" I turned towards the sound and followed the command to a group of the top scientists.
I was slightly annoyed that they had called me 'Project' and I showed it by folding my arms, shifting my weight to my right leg, and frowning angrily.
"Emotion levels, starting to reach normal for a teenager." One remarked.
"He looks like he's only 10." Another white-coat added.
"Normal." The first shrugged.
"You have one last test to pass, Project 102; are you ready for the final test?" The Professor emerged from a direct lift to the control room. I nodded slowly, knowing I just sealed my fate. "Very well, then. Follow me to the battlegrounds, Project 102." I instantly fell into step with the Professor.
About halfway there, I looked up at the Professor, hoping for some hint of what was to come. However, his face remained stern, serious, and grave.
Suddenly, the lights in the hallway popped out. Screams from the female scientists and yells from the males pierced my eardrums, but I ignored them and listened for hostile sound. I managed to pick up a low growl from the other end of the hallway. Instantly, I reached to my left and grabbed the Professor's hand. I tugged lightly to my right, and he moved correspondingly behind me. Then, I heard a familiar female voice from behind me.
"Shadow, what's happening?" Maria's voice wavered in fear.
"Stay behind me!" I ordered sternly. I felt her hand lightly brush my back and took strength from it. "You can do it; I know you can!" She whispered. I bared my teeth and clenched my fists, ready for all hell to break loose.
A second later, hell found its fist in my chest. Even though I lost my breath, I refused to lose ground, go flying backwards into those hoping for my success. So, I did not breathe again until I had let fly a solid elbow into whatever my attacker was. I hit metal hard, but did not recoil as I took a breath. Then, I went on the offensive and unleashed a rapid succession of punches and kicks, feeling the impressions of my fists and feet in the metal after the first two. A mechanical laugh droned in front of me, followed by a fist to my cheek. The force was enough to cause any normal being to have their neck snapped through whiplash, but I turned my head back to face the invisible. I tucked my shoulder in and rammed the machine further down the hallway, away from those I had to protect. Finally, the emergency lights flicked on, bathing the room in blinking red light.
"Warning. Warning. Breach in Hallway 1890. Warning. Warning. Breach in Hallway 1890." A female voice repeated calmly.
At last, I was able to fully see my opponent. Predictably, a humanoid robot's white light eyes glared back at me. I smirked and began to skate in tight circles around the robot. Also predictably, it tried to track my movement. But once I broke the sound barrier, its head whirred around at least four and a half revolutions behind my actual body. It was locked onto the blur behind me, still three and a half revolutions behind that.
Finally, I heard the sound I wanted to hear. The head of the robot made a pop as it separated itself from the neck of the robot. I skidded to a stop and grinned, glad the ordeal was over. However, unpredictably, a laser gun rose from the neck where the head used to be and fired a beam at me. It hit me squarely in the chest and I couldn't help but slide backwards a meter. I recovered quickly, stopping myself and flipping forward into a ball. While in midair, I redirected myself at the robot, taking another laser beam, but deflecting it with little pain off into the wall. I crashed straight into it and through it, stopping neatly on the other side. Even though it now had a huge hole in its circuitry, it continued to function.
"Okay, that's IT!" I yelled angrily, summoning Chaos energy from my reserves. "Chaos Blast!" I said through gritted teeth as I unleashed the energy.
A red explosion of energy pulsed from my body in three waves, blowing the robot into tiny pieces of scrap metal, but not reaching the humans at the end of the hallway behind me. My senses cleared instantly when the flow of energy ceased.
"Wanna try the laser beam trick again?" I snarled at the pile of robot parts at my feet. No response. Good. It's over then.
"Congratulations, Project 102. You've just become the first success on the ARK and you've fully earned your title of Ultimate Lifeform. Now, we can all finally call you by your real name…" The Professor said triumphantly.
"Shadow! Shadow! Shadow! Shadow!" Everyone cheered happily.
They're all… cheering… for me…
"Come on, everyone. Let's celebrate the good news!" The Professor moved to the side and allowed the others to pass him. I stayed standing in the middle of the hallway until all of the scientists were in the lift except the Professor. "Aren't you coming, Shadow, my boy?" He asked, giving me a concerned look.
"Of course I am, I was just thinking about something." I said softly. The Professor took a step towards me and I tensed.
"There is a time and place for everything, Shadow. Even your purpose…" He said knowingly.
"How did you-?" I started.
"You'll find out one day." He grinned brightly at me as a groan left my throat.
I walked over to him and stood at his side for a moment with an angry frown on my face. He let out a laugh at my frustration and patted my head gently.
"One day…" I muttered and he laughed again.
"Trust me. You'll know eventually." He said wistfully as we walked side-by-side into the elevator.
Now, the true challenge begins...