_Shadow p.o.v_

"Are you kidding me?" Knuckles said. "Another three are set in a trophy?" We were standing in front of registration for a race that was going on today. Any motorized vehicle was able to enter. Sitting on a large pedestal was a trophy with three green shards in them.

"I'm skeptical," Rouge said. "I know this race. It's sponsored by G.U.N. I would hope that they would know a piece of the Master Emerald when they saw one."

"Well, either way, we might as well get in there and win," Maria said. "I'll enter with my motorcycle. This'll be easy."

She walked up to registration. "I'm registering. My name is Maria Robotnik."

"As in Dr. Robotnik?" The man asked.

"Why'd you say it like that? What, just because my cousin is a total freak means that I'm just as bad?" She asked. "That's prejudice!"

"Um, I'm sorry," He said. "What kind of vehicle will you be using?"

"A motorcycle."

"You cut it close," he said, entering this into a computer. "The race starts in five minutes. Hurry to the starting line."

"Thanks. Bye!" She ran off to the starting line, near the back. We all went to the stands. On the way, Rouge grabbed a map of the course. She looked it over. "Maria's got her work cut out for her. This course was created using the best of G.U.N's technology."

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen," an announcer said, "it's time for the show! Racers, start your vehicles!"

Most of the racers were on their vehicles, and some of them were laughing at Maria, who was holding her cube. She smiled sweetly at them, and threw her cube on the ground, which became her motorcycle. They shut up pretty fast.

"Now, you know the rules: any weapon is allowed, and whoever reaches the finish line first wins."

"Weapons?" Tikal asked. "You people do this for fun?"

"Ready, set,"

"Go!"

_Maria p.o.v_

This race was intense. I counted forty racers at the start, but by the first turn, I only counted fourteen. I was currently in second place. It wasn't going to be super easy, but I was going to win.

I sped up, going around the huge turn on the wall. I was getting closer to the guy in first. He was also on a motorcycle. As I pulled up next to me, he smiled cruelly. "You're out of your league, little girl!" He had a gun on the side of his motorcycle.

I laughed, and pulled out my chaos gun. "In your dreams!" I shot it, and he froze, sending me far ahead of him. Strike that. This was going to be easy. I went around the next turn, and there was a large jump. If I made it to the top of the next platform, it would be faster than falling to the bottom one.

I sped up, launching myself upward off the ramp. I suddenly wasn't so sure about my plan. I wasn't going to reach the top ramp. I wasn't going under it either. My jump was just the right height that I was going to crash into the top platform!

I stood up on my bike, and set it to autopilot. I jumped, pushing down on the motorcycle, sending it under the platform, and sending me on the top one. I started running, hoping to reach the end of the platform before my bike.

"Look at that!" The announcer said. "Maria Robotnik might not have needed a bike to win this race. She's on fire!"

I looked to the side. The platform was moving past very fast. No, I was moving fast on it. I laughed. I guess Shadow's blood had some other effects as well. I picked up the pace, and when I reached the end, I jumped off. I fell for a moment, then my bike sped out from behind me, and I landed perfectly on it.

I didn't see any other racers the rest of the race. I crossed the finish line first, and the crowd went crazy. I don't know why. That wasn't a challenge at all. I still did have fun. I waved to the crowd, and the announcer gave the trophy.

I walked over to the others. "That was too easy."

Knuckles held the trophy, then scowled. "You're right. It was. I can't believe we were tricked this easily by G.U.N."

"What do you mean?" Shadow asked.

"If these were real pieces of the Master Emerald, then Latik and Chaos B. would be here. This was a trap set for them, and we fell for it."

Rouge nodded. "They probably do have pieces though, but they wouldn't be here. They would be in the V.A.S.E."

"What's that?" I asked.

"We created it specifically for keeping the chaos emeralds safe from eggman. It stands for Vault Assigned to Secure the Emeralds. I hate the name, but it does its job well."

"So what now?" Bokkun asked.

Rouge winked. "Luckily for you all, I know where it is, and how to get in."