The room around them seemed to disappear. How-, what-? How could they have possibly-? There she stood, just the same as she had been. She smiled that same, sweet smile at him that she always did and slowly walked towards him. Shadow quivered like a blade of grass in his little hover skates. This couldn't be her. Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. The dead cannot be brought back to life, at least not without serious consequences. This was some sort of eldritch abomination. Better yet, this was all just a dream- right? Right? But would an eldritch abomination be walking toward a hedgehog with open arms and a warm smile?
"Oh, Shadow... it's so good to see you again!" She leaned over slightly and wrapped her arms gently around the speechless hedgehog.
"Maria? How-" Shadow started. The silence was almost deafening. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe...
"Now wake up, up, up, up..."
"Huh? What-"
"Now wake up, up, up, up..."
"Professor Gerald...?"
"Shadow, what you did was very brave..." The Professor loomed over him like a tower. They were in some room Shadow didn't recognize. It seemed to be some sort of lab, but it wasn't the Professor's. Looking down, Shadow realized that he was tied to something. He was in some sort of tube, and he was so drowsy that he could barely put a single thought together. "Shadow, I'm sorry to tell you this, but..."
"I know Professor. I saw."
"Do you know where we are now?"
"No."
"We are on GUN's Prison Island."
"Island- like the ones on Earth?"
"Shadow, we are on Earth. The military captured your escape pod and transported both of us here. The military was afraid of my work. The military are the ones that killed her and most of the researchers and their children. I need you to listen carefully to me, and never forget what I tell you. I don't know how long they're going to keep us here. It may be for another week, a few years, or only a few more hours. They say that they are merely trying to do what is right. But how is slaying innocent children and their researchers in cold blood right? Everybody tries to be straight, but things are still unchanged. It's useless to resist; their efforts will be wasted. Head straight for your goal by any means, there is a door that remains unopened. There is a window with a view you have never seen. Get there, no matter how long it takes. I don't care what happens to me anymore. Without Maria, my life has no purpose. I want you to make the world feel my wrath. I want you to make them feel the same terror and fear that she felt. I want you to kill every single last one of them. And if that doesn't work, I have another trick up my sleeve- the Eclipse Cannon. It's aboard the ARK in the central control room. If you need the manual, ask some of the Artificial Chaos. They should be able to help you out. Good luck to you, my son." He shook Shadow's hand and placed some sort of class lid on top of the tube. All went quiet once more.
"Shadow, I'm so sorry! Please wake up!"
"He'll be fine, Maria. He's just being a drama queen as always. Really, Shadow? We bring the reason for your existence back from the dead and you faint? Dude..."
"Thank you for taking care of him for all these years, Sonic. My poor Shaddykins..."
"My pleasure, Maria. Ol' Shaddykins wouldn't have made it this long without my help." Shadow's eyes immediately opened.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, YOU FAKER?"
"Shadow! You're alright!" Maria immediately gave him an attack hug and showered him with kisses. "I'm so sorry!"
"It's fine, Maria. It isn't your fault. In fact, I'm sorry about my reaction. This is just... shocking. Where are we?"
"The infirmary. You took quite a bump to the head when you fell."
"Not quite as bad as the one he took a year or so ago." Sonic said, taking a seat on the edge of Shadow's cot.
"What happened?" Maria gasped.
"I'll have to tell you about it later- it's a long story."
"I like stories!"
"If you don't mind," Shadow snarled at the grinning blue hedgehog, "I'd like to be alone with Maria for a bit."
"Shadow, dude! That's just... wrong on so many levels!"
"Not like that, you perverted pincushion."
"Suit yourself." Sonic slid off the cot and strolled out the door. "If you guys need anything, feel free to ask Tails. I can't take this anymore."
"What have you been doing all this time?" Maria asked.
"Well, like he said, it's a bit of a long story..."
'But how did she come back?' All will be revealed in good time. I've written out the outline and the major plotlines, so this will make sense eventually.
