Mysteries of the Past
"What the hell?" she questioned, her curse going against the silent wind.
She pulled her head up in a dazed like fashion, those blue orbs of hers glazing forward. Her vision was blurry, but after a few seconds of impatient waiting, they returned to their pristine 20/20 style. Unfortunately, there was this groaning pain in her head, one that took her thoughts for a moment or two. Rubbing her temples, she tried to relieve herself of this pain, but it was here to stay, at least for a little while.
Now that her mind had begun focusing, she paid close attention to her surroundings. No longer was she in the Chaos Emerald chamber, no, she was outside. The metal halls had thus been replaced with Prison Island's abundant fields. Not only that, but time had passed, as the sun in the sky had been replaced by the shimmering silver moon. The blond agent gave a groan at the sight, as she could already hear Ivo's angered voice.
"What were you doing!?" she stated, doing her best Robotnik impression, "I waited all day for you! Well I'm sorry Ivo, I was just trying to get the Chaos Emerald, for your stupid plans!"
Her lips let out a groan as she found her self talk to be purely stupid. She needed to return to Ivo's base, and quick. He would surely be throwing a fit right now. Gazing down to her hand, she found the Chaos Emerald that lied within. The sight of the brilliant rock placed a smile on her lips. Yup, it was real, no disputing that anymore. Now, time to find her way back.
She started walking forward a bit, eyes training on the Metal Harbor. When she realized, there was no Metal Harbor. The place where Metal Harbor was supposed to be, was replaced with construction vehicles. All were silent, surely because of the time of day. No rockets were placed about either, showing just an empty bay is when devoid of all kinds of steel. What happened? She was just rushing on the bay hours ago, so where did all the roads go?
Maria laid her hand on her head, while she pondered what could have caused this. Did Ivo go over board with his attack, and ended up destroying much of Metal Harbor? No, that's impossible! His Badniks are impressive, yes, but not war machines! Besides, in order for him to attack all of Metal Harbor, would have taken hours, much longer than how she was in the base, and longer than the time of her being blacked out.
These thoughts also made her think of something else. How the hell did she get here? Did Coffee, somehow, knock her out? If he did, then why the hell did he just abandon her in the middle of Prison Island? Things weren't making sense, and it was pissing her off.
The howl of screaming wind brought her mind off of things. Glaring up, her eyes followed the silver lining of a G.U.N. Carrier Unit. Except, this one was different. G.U.N. Carrier Units were large silver machines, with a cone like tips, and sleek designs. This one was very rectangular and bulky, which wouldn't be very useful in the battles they were used in. Upon further inspection, Maria realized something. It was a model one Carrier Unit, not the model three of her time. This was extremely odd, as all model one units were discontinued and put out of use by the turn of the 60's, so what that doing here?
The model one Carrier Unit flew off to one of Prison Island's many bases, and landed. Maria knew which base it was too. The Jail House.
She felt like that area was holding secrets, and she wanted in. Eyes flashing red, she stormed off for the base. She reached it in little time. A quick boost was all that was necessary. After reaching the base, she started climbing up its side, using her impressive body strength to scale the side in no time at all. Upon reaching the top, she peered over the edge, as to not reveal herself. She saw the Carrier Unit's side open up, spewing forth a vacuum of air. Seconds later, she heard inaudible talking, and only a few seconds later, someone stepped out.
He was a G.U.N. soldier. Usual rank, and class. He glared around the area with his eyes covered by a visor, before signaling to the others within with his hands. After him were other soldiers and guards, before finally.
A blonde haired girl, wearing a blue blouse.
She was held together by steel cuffs. They were on her wrists, her ankles, and one was placed at around her neck. She looked downright pitiful. Eyes red with tears, hair frizzled, footsteps all woozy like spaghetti. She had no business being in hand cuffs like that, as she was just some frail child.
A frail child, that Maria knew all to well.
She was her. Her was she. That child was Maria.
The blonde agent couldn't believe what she was looking at. They were holding her child self up like some kind of criminal. And yes, she was sure that was her child self. She looked exactly like her, only twelve, maybe thirteen. She just couldn't believe her eyes. This image, she didn't remember it.
Where were they taking her? Err, her younger self, that is. She needed to know. Climbing over the edge, she quickly ran up to the backside of the Carrier Unit. Her blue eyes remained hard on the guards that held together her younger self. She felt his rage boil deep down inside of her, just wishing to be released. For now, she would keep herself in check, just until she figured out what was going on.
They brought young Maria into the base, allowing the silver doors to close behind them. Since the base hadn't been changed that much in the twenty something years of being active, Maria was able to figure out another way inside. She climbed deftly through a ventilation shaft, and landed in the many metal holes of the base. Crawling through the air ducts, she was able to keep her eyes on her younger self, and the guards who strung her along. The silence that went on between the group was so eerie. No soldier spoke, while young Maria remained deadly silent. Eventually, the brought her to a room. A very specific kind of room. A room Maria, that is older Maria, knew all to well. Young Maria must have known too. Because she immediately bursted into tears.
The guards forced her inside, this room. Cold, and dimly lit, it was. They made the blonde teen sit in the chair on the center, before snapping these cold braces around her body. She couldn't move, no matter how much she tried, as she was permanently and irrevocably trapped there. The tears of her young mind continued to flow, as loud sobs, and snorts were added. So hopeless was this situation. It would be for any person, not just a child of her delicate nature. Why were they treating her so badly.
Agent Maria had already crawled into the holding cell, so she watched everything. With each powerful grasp those soldiers did to her younger self, she felt as well. It was like they were connected. Which was a stupid thought, because they were the same person. Still, it was taking everything in Maria's power to not bust out, and save her younger self from this Hell.
"Why have you brought her here?" a stern, and familiar, voice called.
"Oh hush it, Private Coffee." another voice responded, "I had to bring her here."
The blonde agent returned to the hall before the holding cell. Glaring through a vent, she saw to very familiar people.
Warden Coffee the rabbit, who was now Private Coffee the Rabbit, and G.U.N Commander Samson Taylor, who was now Colonel Samson Taylor. The younger versions of her peers looked eerily similar to now, only missing some of the aged lines they got from years of service. In the case of her Commander Samson, it made him look a bit more attractive. But she immediately erased her mind of those thoughts, sense Samson has always been something of a father figure to her.
"Your orders were to kill everyone on board the Ark," Coffee stated, violent grunt in his throats, "The only people who was meant to be kept alive, were Gerald, and the Project! Might I add, Colonel Samson, you failed on part of one of them!?"
"Calm, down, Coffee..." Samson responded as he folded his arms, "I did what I felt was right."
"By bringing a child here!?" the rabbit barked, "You should have killed her, Samson! This wasn't apart of the mission!"
"I've already done what I needed to do," Samson responded, "My men and I have killed all other scientists on board, as well as their families. Leaving one child alive won't ruin anything."
"You... don't... know that..." Coffee responded, "That little girl back there-"
"That little girl what!? Coffee!? She'll what, huh? Kill us all? You act like she's some super powered little girl."
"She's lived with the Project all her life! Her Grandfather is a deranged man, we know that! There's no telling what he could have done to his own grandchild!"
"I've had enough of this talk, Coffee," Samson said, waving his hand, "Have your men check up on Professor Gerald."
"And what are you going to do, Colonel?" the rabbit sneered.
"I'm checking up on Maria..." he turned away, "She shouldn't be treated like this."
"Who cares!?" Coffee barked, "She should be dead! Like the rest of them!"
"But she's not!" Samson said, shooting him a glare, "And I recommend you quiet yourself Coffee. Lest you end up like those I so brutally killed up there."
The dominating threat left the rabbit quiet, though he did grumble a bit. As Samson's back turned toward him, he started to make his way toward the cell holding Maria. But Coffee wasn't finished yet. Not without one last lick.
"That good nature of yours will get us all killed one day, Samson. Mark my words..."
Though the Colonel stopped to think on his words, he found it best to ignore them.
His fingers found the panel that would open the door, and he started tapping away. After a second or two, the large metallic doors of the holding cell opened, revealing to the Colonel the sick child held within. He stepped inside.
Sitting up in the vents, Maria had to think on what she just heard. The Raid of Space Colony Ark. It was a mission that was held in the highest of regards in G.U.N. She was always told it was a mission to free the world of a madman with a floating space gun. The Eclipse Cannon, a weapon capable of piercing stars. She always waved it off as a simply stupid idea, and G.U.N was just hyping something that didn't need it. Seriously? A cannon that could pierce stars? Be for real! That's something that could only come out of Ivo's insane mine. But she accepted it anyway, because that's what G.U.N. told her.
That's what G.U.N. told her.
G.U.N., G.U.N., G.U.N.! That name was so quickly becoming a hated spike in her head. She just couldn't stand it! She knew they couldn't be trusted. Seeing this, of her young self being forced about, made her realize this. She was on Ark, she knew that now, and nothing G.U.N. said could change that. But still, she had fond memories of G.U.N. Growing up amongst her peers, helping her younger adopted brother Abraham out, climbing through the ranks to become G.U.N.'s most respected and revered agent.
But she's already thrown that away. Killing the Iguana Agent from before pretty much ended her career as a G.U.N. soldier. And you know what? He deserved it! G.U.N.'s just been using her! Using her like some kind of weapon! Sending her here, sending her there. Cleaning up messes, starting messes. Killing this person, killing that person. And all for what? A secretive agency that's been lying to her whole life? They killed everyone on Ark, they killed her grandfather, and worst of all, they killed Shadow. They killed her cure.
Cure for what though? She couldn't remember. As much of her memories that were coming back, there was still a plethora that remained hidden. This may have given her a few answers, but not as much as she would have liked. It was time to go. She had stayed in the past long enough.
Her hand lifted the Chaos Emerald. Blue eyes gazing at it, she tried her hardest to get it working.
"Okay, you stupid rock," she whispered, "Bring me back."
It did nothing.
"C'mon!" she yelled, shaking the object, "Get me back to the future! I can't stay here forever!"
And yet, the rock remained silent, being sure to not move a muscle. The blonde haired girl groaned wildly, as blood started to boil again. After a moment of rage fidgets, she calmed down to peer back into the jewel's brilliant glow.
"What was it that Shadow used to say?" she mused, her mind running with images of the black hedgehog, "Oh yes..." she closed her eyes, "Chaos... Control..."
The Chaos Emerald started shining.
…
The sun was going to setting now.
What was it about his cousin that made him so loyal? Here he stood, battling a battalion of G.U.N. Bots, as jets screamed over head. The Weapons Bed was littered with scrap and steel, coming from both G.U.N. and his own Badniks. He should have left by now. He really, really, should have. But he didn't. He remained behind, waiting for his dear old cousin to pop up. Holding that object of both their desires.
"Dammit Maria," he grumbled, as he prepared to give the order to leave, "You're taking to long!"
His cannon continued to scream as he stepped backwards toward the rushing waves. After a few moments, all of this would cease to matter, as he made his way to his second secret base.
"Ivo Robotnik!" a call went against the wind, coming from a helicopter, "You are defeated! Give up immediately!"
"Make me!" he responded, as he shifted his cannon skyward toward the call.
As his cannon charged to take care of the helicopter overhead, a bright flash suddenly appeared. The Doctor covered his eyes at first, as the flash grew greater and greater. For a brief moment, all the fighting ceased, as the flash engulfed everything. Eventually, it faded away, and was replaced by haggard breathes.
"Whoa..." Maria murmured, "That was... different..."
Ivo's blue eyes moved forward a moment later. Before him was his cousin.
And she was naked.
She hadn't realized it yet, but everyone else did. A pretty woman like her, standing over tired, wearing absolutely nothing. It would get anyone's attention. And it did, because the battle stopped seconds later.
"M-M-Maria?" Ivo called, gaining her attention.
"How'd I get here?" she said, marveling at her surroundings, "I was... just in the prison ward."
"Maria..." Ivo repeated, the blush on his face growing.
"Ivo?" she answered, "So... I'm here now... I guess..."
"Maria..." he said again, near trance like.
"Okay, okay," she said, finding his words odd, "What's going on Ivo and... why do I feel cold..."
"Maria... down..."
She looked down.
Though she said nothing, her face reacted in the way anyone's would. Mouth growing agape, eyes opening wide, and hands reaching up in deadly surprise. By the time she finally spoke, her words were filled with rage, as her hands and arms covered her private areas.
"IVO!" she barked, "WHAT THE FUCK!?"
"DON'T YELL AT ME!" he responded, "I'M JUST AS SURPRISED AS YOU ARE!"
"GET THAT BLUSH OFF YOUR FACE!" she ordered, "I'M YOUR COUSIN!"
Listening to her will, he covered his cheeks.
"AND COVER YOUR EYES! STOP LOOKING!" she added, causing him to cover his eyes as well.
"GET ME SOME CLOTHING!"
"I CAN'T!" he retorted.
"WHY!?"
"ITS NOT LIKE I WALK AROUND WITH EXTRA PAIRS OF CLOTHING!"
Maria just couldn't believe this. She was so embarrassed, she wished she could die. Turning back, she noticed G.U.N. had begun mobilizing again, ready to begin the battle anew. She ran behind Ivo's Eggwalker, and leaned up against it, as she continued to cover herself with her arms.
"I need clothing!" she barked, but at a lower volume, "I can't fight naked!"
"You might have to, dear cousin!" Ivo said, as he sent his cannon screaming, "What happened any way? Why are you naked?"
"I don't know!" she answered, "I just am!" she looked at her hands, "At least I have my gun and the Chaos Emerald!"
"You have the Emerald?"
"Yes! So let's get out of here!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
Quickly, the mad doctor removed his jacket. Handing it to his cousin, she gracefully accepted the coat. It wouldn't do much, but its better than being naked. The next thing she knew, she was sharing a seat in the Eggwalker with her cousin. The two were rushing down Metal Harbor together, the Eggwalker's feet alternating at such high speeds. Bullets and lasers were following their position, as G.U.N. tried its hardest to stop their escaping convicts. Though Ivo returned fire as much as he could, he couldn't keep this up forever. And things were only getting worse.
"Crap..." Maria stated, ominously enough.
"Oh no..." Ivo responded, already knowing the danger, "What now?"
"G.U.N. Mechs..." she said easily, pointing to the fleet of approaching machines.
The great walkers were at first air born, before falling to the metal roads. On two feet, they all walked, armed with rockets, Gatling guns, and laser cannons. The one at front used its engines to clear the distance between the road and its opponents. Maria's eyes stared at the man controlling the great walker. Said pilot pressed on a series of buttons, causing the rocket launcher's panels to open up. The four rockets within were launched out with a great plume of smoke, as well as the roaring of wind. Ivo and Maria glared up in unison, as the rockets fell dangerously closed to their position. With a mighty leap, Ivo dodged two rockets, but the other two came close to him.
Maria didn't know why or when, but as her eyes closed, she yelled out something. When her eyes opened back up, time had stopped. She glared around at the area, finding it so odd how time had just stopped. Nothing moved. Nothing. Not the wind, the rockets, not even sound. It was like someone had taken a picture, and Maria was allowed to roam about it.
She climbed off of Ivo's Eggwalker, while her body shivered lightly. Opening her hand, she stared at the rock within.
"You did this..." she said, commenting on the Chaos Emerald.
If it could answer, maybe it would say yes.
Whether this was an act of God, or an act of pure luck, Maria didn't know nor care. She was just going to use it. Laying her hands on Ivo's Eggwalker, she pushed him forward, and clean away from the rockets. The blast radius wouldn't affect Ivo from where he stood, hopefully enough. So now, she shifted her gaze away. Time was still unmoving, and she was still naked. No bra, no panties, just this stupid jacket that stank of her cousin. Ugh! It sent shivers down her spine. She needed clothing. Glaring away, she saw a soldier that was similar to her in height in build. Hoping he wouldn't stink as bad, she ran off to him.
Still stuck in time stop, she removed his clothing, save for his helmet and underpants. The act of stripping a person is weird. The act of stripping a person who can't move at all, because they were stopped by time, is down right freaky! Regardless, she got him naked, and put on his clothing. He would definitely be confused when all of this returned. And, to her pleasure, he didn't stink! Win!
She returned to Ivo's Eggwalker, and leaped on the back-end. Shifting her attention to the Chaos Emerald, she started to focus.
"C'mon!" she said, "Do that... thing again! Make time move! And don't you dare strip me this time!"
The green brilliant jewel began shining, and before she knew it, time started moving again.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" Ivo let out, not realizing that the explosion of the rockets happened far behind him.
"WHAT THE FUCK!?" she heard someone scream, "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CLOTHES!?"
With time moving once again, Maria fell back in the Eggwalker. She felt so tired suddenly, as if she had run around the world none stop. Her body wouldn't move at all, no matter how much she tried.
"Ivo..." she croaked, "We need to go... now!"
Glaring back at his cousin, he was surprised to see she was fully clothed. In her hand, the rock that this was all fought for. Licking his lips, he nodded, while his blue eyes moved to the horizon.
As bullets continued to rain upon their position, Ivo neared the edge of the metallic base. The water's rushing below would make a perfect escape. He bucked down, then leaped forward, a glass seal containing him and his cousin within the Eggwalker. The heavy mech suit fell to the ocean floor, and upon landing, it sent up a puff of sand. Fish were sent every which way, as they all scrambled to escape him. Ivo shifted his gaze forward. The floor bed was so beautiful, even if he couldn't see beyond the mist of the blue. The engines of the Eggwalker transformed from jets to turbines, sending him swishing through ocean floor. He could hear the sound of bullets tearing through the ocean, but it was too late. For all intents and purposes, he and his cousin were gone.
…
She felt lips against hers. Soft tender lips, that brought her eyes open. On any given day, she would have screamed and yelled, but she knew her kisser.
She loved her kisser.
"Shadow..." she whispered, blue eyes moving open, "You need to stop this... you know what could happen if Grandpa found out."
The black and red hedgehog headed her warning, and bobbed his head up, smile on his face.
They were on the Ark, this duo. He was sitting on her bed, kneeling before her, while she slowly got up. Arms stretching out, she gave a loud yawn, dispersing the nighttime dizziness.
"I'm sorry, Maria," he stated coyly, "I just couldn't help myself... you look so beautiful in your sleep."
She found his words to be so cute, as her hand met her cheeks. Lips curling up, she gave the hedgehog before her the most sunny of smiles. Those ruby eyes of his trekked up and down her frame, taking in the sight of the twelve-year-old in her night-gown. The sight made him look away with a blush.
"Let's get up and go, Maria," he stated, "I don't wanna stay in bed all day."
"I agree..." she said, smiling so happily, "Just wait for me outside the door, I have to get ready."
Though he nodded, a certain tinge of unhappiness flashed through his mind. She knew that look all to well. The budding sense of boyhood, beaming its way through. She was sure that, deep down inside, he wanted to watch her change. But his love for her was overbearing, and he exited the room quickly, a red shade on his muzzle. She giggled at the sight. Her grandfather may have been able to make a super powered hedgehog, but he couldn't get rid of the growing he goes through.
She slid her feet over the edge of the bed, while a cold groan exited her lips. Maybe she shouldn't be kissing Shadow. She knew the dangers if she got sick but, but his kisses couldn't hurt. Could they? The thoughts made her head hurt. Moving to her bathroom, she took the fabric of her bra and panties with her. Her mind was still running with these thoughts as she turned the knob on her shower. The water quickly pooled in the tub, as she started to remove her night-gown.
But then she stopped.
Her eyes danced around the room, as she felt this odd, analyzing glare. Her heartbeat increased, as this kind of fear took her. Who was watching her? It angered her. To test this theory, she moved her foot lazily. That ominous glare followed the movement, she knew it. The hand she held on her nightgown's strap loosened, allowing sight of her skin. She knew whoever was watching her enjoyed that. Teeth moving down, she bit on her bottom lip, as the sense of being watched prickled her skin. Through her blonde hair, she moved her blue eyes to the doorway. She could feel the eyes grow weary and cautious.
Turning around, she faced the door, but she didn't look at the door. Her eyes were trained on her undergarments that lied on the sink, but her attention was on the entryway. As she moved over to her bra and panties, she made sure to marvel at them, while keeping her line of sight on the doorway. Maybe her stalker didn't notice it, but she did. She looked directly at him. She had him trapped.
"SHADOW!" she barked, hand reaching through the crack in the door.
Her hand reached forward, and grabbed a hold of a neck.
"MARIA!" Ivo groaned, "LET GO!"
She blinked. Her eyes opened. No longer was she on the Ark. Here she laid, on a stretcher, hand wrapped around her cousin's neck.
"Maria, please!" he groaned.
"Ivo!" she said, surprised, her hand releasing the death grip.
Her eyes moved about the room. The walls were silver with life, as lights beamed down upon her position. Ivo fell back from the choking, as he breathed in and out with coughs. The blonde agent dragged her eyes down, finding that she was still dressed in the G.U.N. garbs she took from the unfortunate soldier. Good, because the thought of her cousin undressing her was unsettling.
"Ivo where am I?"
"I need to be asking questions," he grumbled, hand soothing his neck, "What was that?"
"Sorry," she said, giving a forced smile, "I thought you were Shadow trying to spy on me taking a shower..."
The mad doctor's face turned into one of confusion. Sensing the conversation was bound to take a turn for the awkward, he waved off her words.
"Ooooookaaaaay..." he responded, "Well.. then... why'd you black out like you did?"
Crossing her arms, the blonde agent looked away. She knew what he was talking about.
"I... sorta... stopped time..." she responded.
"What?" he answered, head scratching his head.
"Listen, just... ignore it, okay? I'm not even sure if I did it."
Face falling in hand, she groaned.
"So... where's the Chaos Emerald at?"
"Its safe, Maria. I'm studying it as we speak."
"Good..." her face fell, "Well... I guess I need to say goodbye to my old life..."
"What do you mean?"
"I just helped a crazed terrorist attack G.U.N. I don't think I can go back now."
"Well... when you put it that way."
In a loving manner, he patted her down on the shoulder. The feeling made her smile curtly, as her eyes closed.
"So what now?" she questioned.
"Well," he smiled, "Thanks to that little info you stole from Prison Island, I've been able to formulate a few plans."
"Ivo..." she said glaring away, "I've had enough of your silly ideas."
"No, no, no! Maria dear! This isn't for me! This is for you!"
That piqued her interests.
"What do you mean?"
He clapped his hands together.
"Space Colony Ark, my dear cousin. Space Colony Ark!"
He helped her off the stretcher. All the exhaustion she was feeling before had already melted away, as her cousin strung her along. They exited the room seconds later, to be introduced to a city of metal that stretched on endlessly. The sky was so dark, as pillars of flames were shot up in the far distance. Electricity surged wildly between metal poles, alongside the many Badniks that littered the ground.
"Impressed?" Ivo said, stroking his brilliant mustache, "I call it Scrap Brain Zone! My hidden base!"
"Yeah, Ivo," she said, sticking her tongue out at he demonic sight, "It really is something..."
The mad doctor laughed and laughed, while his cousin wilted in despair. Her life was changing so fast and for what? Memories? Ugh... the only thing that got her thinking were those memories too. Thye... they got her going.
"Oh Maria..." she whispered to herself, "What have you gotten yourself in too?"
